Linear Gameplay?

[jellydoughnut217]

for the most part do u think hl2 is going to be a linear game? or do u think its gonna be completely open kinda like far cry was?

 

[NB.]

Linear

 

[Prince of China]

What does 'linear' mean when people say it about video games?
I would look up www.m-w.com, but the definition for 'linear' might be different when it comes to video games.

 

[pAiNtHeAsS]

i reckon it'll be linear

 

[gokumike]

It can be linear as long as it doesn’t feel it, and from what gabe said, it doesn’t feel linear.

 

[rammstein]

it will be linear, I find that I enjoy linear games more, I worry less about the concequences of doing something and I save less

 

[iamaelephant]

100% linear, don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. To those who consider this a bad thing - go play CoD, HL, Full Spectrum Warrior or any number of excellent games.

 

[Jesus Lincoln]

Linear means its straight forward story based with little else to do in terms of missions or whatever
GTA is not linear
Fallout is not linear

Halo is linear
Max payne 2 in linear
Half life is linear

 

[Iced_Eagle]

In the reviews they said it was very linear....... Sure you could spend time walking around, but the game always pushes you to go a certain way.... Like in C17 there were fences and such to block you from wandering around too much...

IDK linear isn't bad though, makes sure you get the story down

 

[diluted]

linear

 

[SFLUFAN]

Linearity provides structure for the storyline which is the main driving force of Half Life 2.

Which is why I'm somewhat concerned about STALKER - because it's supposedly VERY nonlinear - will that mean that it will lack a compelling storyline?

 

[jellydoughnut217]

no imo far cry had a pretty good story too it and that was probably the most non-linear game ive ever played

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Linearity provides structure for the storyline which is the main driving force of Half Life 2.

Which is why I'm somewhat concerned about STALKER - because it's supposedly VERY nonlinear - will that mean that it will lack a compelling storyline?

no because stalker has a different gameplay type than HL.....

 

[BetaMaster]

no imo far cry had a pretty good story too it and that was probably the most non-linear game ive ever played

I didn't think that FarCry was the best. The GTA series is the best non-linear game, in my eyes. It's all a matter of opinion, but I love how you can literally go anywhere in the cities in San Andreas. I like to just get on a bicycle, and go pedalling throught the mountains. It's really relaxing, to just get away from all the killing. I also like to just watch people's lives and just walk around.

 

[Alientank]

Stalker will own.

 

[UmbrellaMaster]

Funny thing about STALKER:

An NPC can finish the game before you do if you decide to venture away from the main quest for too long.

Agreed, it will own.

 

[Captain M4d]

It will be linear, but it will be great, because that is the way Valve intended it to be. Very story-driven.

 

[rrm]

stalker will be truly revolutionary since it mixes fps with rpg, whereas hl2 feels just like hl1 because they're both linear, you always intuitively know what path to take, where to go, etc..

but I like linearity

 

[Abix]

Linear. There have been many a great non-linear games, and there have also been many a great linear games. As long as the gameplay isnt reptitive like Doom 3 where all you do is run around in a maze and unlock doors get 'scared' by the same 10 aliens youve seen the past 5 hours then HL2 will be fine with me.

 

[wayne white]

best non linear game is morrowind.

 

[Jesus Lincoln]

Linearity provides structure for the storyline which is the main driving force of Half Life 2.

Which is why I'm somewhat concerned about STALKER - because it's supposedly VERY nonlinear - will that mean that it will lack a compelling storyline?

It can be done, have you played GTASA? (dont say anything if you havn't got past LS) It is very very non linear and yet has a very good storyline i really feal for the characters and want to know what happens next

Edit: After reading this it sounds like im attacking you, im not

 

[Abix]

stalker will be truly revolutionary since it mixes fps with rpg, whereas hl2 feels just like hl1 because they're both linear, you always intuitively know what path to take, where to go, etc..

but I like linearity

If you want to check out another 'revoluationary' game, you should check out Natural Selection. It combines FPS and RTS very well. The game is very teambased however, and that makes the pub scence pretty shitty. Also, once you master it, it grows old, but it was still good for the year and a month that it had me hooked(Ive never played any single game that long before).

 

[Abix]

best non linear game is morrowind.

Morrowind would truly awesome if instead of the World being a place populated by NPCs that barely move the World was a place where the NPCs actually DID stuff. Truly, this is beyond the reach of our current CPU power, but it doesnt mean I cannot dream.

 

[NB.]

I'm still not sure about Stalker, a lot of things about it sound fantastic. But i cant help think that they will **** up a lot of what they are trying to acheive. Basically i think they might well have bitten off more than they can chew.

Also some of the creature design is 'interesting' to say the least. I figured it would be all mutated/disfigured beasts etc.. but i saw in one video theres like a little psychic wizard guy in a black cape who throws things at you with the power of his mind lol. that imo, is utter shit and should never even be considered for a game like Stalker.

Not that ive written the game off already, but i'm just extremely dubious about a lot of the claims, and how well they will be implemented. There are just too manuy unknowns at the moment. I'll keep an open mind though and hopefully it will be really good.

Edit: oh and i personally prefer linear games to nonlinear games. I just dont think AI and story branching is good enough at present to make really convincing worlds that respond in appropriate ways to player actions. Because basically there isnt such a thing as a nonlinear game, the way i see it 'free form' games jaust have 4-5 linear paths co-existing and you can jump between them through your actions in a game. that imo is not truly nonlinear, its just slightly less linear than a single plot/outcome game.

 

[pAiNtHeAsS]

i get annoyed with non-linear games

i save
do option a
see what happens
reload
do option b
see what happens
ext.

 

[AmishSlayer]

i get annoyed with non-linear games

i save
do option a
see what happens
reload
do option b
see what happens
ext.

I do that too...I'm always afraid I'll miss something cool.

 

[SFLUFAN]

STALKER's scope is SO VERY ambitious and the gameplay elements so intricate that I too have doubts about this relatively inexperienced developement team's (GSC) ability to pull it off. From what I've heard, EVERYTHING has to work just right in order for the game to be effective.

I do wish them the best of luck though. IF they can pull it off, they might just revolutionize the FPS genre or even the PC gaming experience as a whole!

 

[rrm]

If you want to check out another 'revoluationary' game, you should check out Natural Selection. It combines FPS and RTS very well. The game is very teambased however, and that makes the pub scence pretty shitty. Also, once you master it, it grows old, but it was still good for the year and a month that it had me hooked(Ive never played any single game that long before).

yeah but stalker is supossed to go much deeper than that... I'm really waiting for that game

 

[Cole]

I'd say Morrowind is one of the most NON-Linear games ever, plus it has a story..

Morrowind would truly awesome if instead of the World being a place populated by NPCs that barely move the World was a place where the NPCs actually DID stuff

Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
(Morrowind is Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind)
1,000 npc's with great AI, each of them has there own personality, job, life everything. I believe sometime 2005. Looks insane, and each NPC is simply going to be unique in every way. They will go to work and everything. Maybe they need food they could go upon several diffrent ways. Like stealing(possibly getting caught and going to jail), buying, hunting etc..
Should be over insane.

Either way I saved at least like every 5 minutes in HL lol.
In morrowind i would make multiple saves and everything .

Bethesda is the best single player non linear rpg maker. Combing a great story with non linear.

 

[Jiffra]

Stalker looks to be great from a conceptual standpoint, but I remain skeptical as to the prospects of this company actually being able to deliver the goods with this game. I'll reserve judgement until it's actually in my hands and I've had a chance to play it. If anything, I've learned not to trust companies that have produced lackluster games in the past to suddently pull a 180 and produce a successful game, especially one that's as complicated to pull off as this one. Does anyone remember Killzone?

 

[Ownzed]

Linear. I'm sure you would get lost if it wasn't.

 

[The Brew Master]

i thought Fable was a pretty cool game,not what it was hyped up to be but it was still great,Im sure none of you mentioned this game cause most of you think Xbox is the devil.Fable was a mix of linear and non-linear,you would be stuck to the plot of the story and always follow the path as you went along that path you could go around towns,get married,get drunk,etc without really leaving the plot or turning into morrowind where you could just run around without finishing the story which imo was a good thing.