Will HL2 be linear or Deus Exish

[urseus]

Non Linear games are so pointless, they are still linear in a sense that there are 3 paths that are all set.

Operation Flashpoint broke single player games for me. That game has freedom that no other game before or after has ever replicated. Pick up any gun, use any vehical you can see. The maps are just 4 massive islands, and you can run from sea to sea. No invisible walls. Replay value = im still replaying it.

After playing it, i couldnt play any other single player game. Id load up MOHAA, and run down a path, "hay i think ill go left opp theres a jeep parked in the way....ok maybe ill go this way oppp no theres a hedge blocking off the road. Gee, im pretty much just going in a streight line from A to B with some germans in the middle."

Flashpoint broke single player games for me for about 4 years. I could only play multiplayer games. Now however im so bored of multiplayer that i want to have a completly linear experience, like im watching a movie.

Note: Anyone who hasnt played Flashpoint, get onto it.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

- Snip

Note: Anyone who hasnt played Flashpoint, get onto it.

I agree 100%

People underestimate the game a GREAT DEAL. So go buy the game now. Its dirt cheap.

 

[Lanthanide]

I can see why some people still prefer linear today, but this may change in the future as technology improves so that non-linear games can be created like they should be.

It's not the technology that is limiting it, it's the man-hours involved in trying to make a non-linear story possible; the number of possible choices and outcomes explodes, which requires new storylines/art/characters for each one, not to mention bug-checking and balancing issues.

The best way to get non-linearity is just to dump the character into a huge sand-box world with many small missions involved and let them have free roam to do whatever they like in whatever order. It's still linear, in a sense, in that once you start a mission you have to do it in a particular order, but you can choose to do those missions (to a certain extent) in any order that you wish. GTA3 works like this.

 

[urseus]

yeah you cant really have a non-linar game. Linear is the definition of a single player game, in the way that the game makers are a novelist and your reading their book. Multiplayer is really the true non-linear gaming experience, just with more dickheads.

 

[perrkele]

I thought they said HL2 would have multiple endings you could choose from? Did I dream this up or did they actually say so?

I agree with raptor6 and marksmanhl2, deus ex (1) was a masterpiece. I also agree with marksmanhl2 about deus ex invisible war, that game was complete and utter crapshite. It did NOT feel like deus ex at all, it really dissapointed me. DXIW lacked most of the stuff that made the first deus ex so incredibly good.

So what exactly was so great about the first deus ex? Raptor6 already listed most of the good things in #37. Luckily HL2 seems to have a lot of those features as well, so my expectations are extremely high.

 

[EVIL]

I thought they said HL2 would have multiple endings you could choose from? Did I dream this up or did they actually say so?

"That was the matrix"

 

[Runteh]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Runteh
FO Deus Ex lovers...

You know, it's things like this. What the hell is that all about. People come here to discuss things and you have to come in with that. Don't turn this into another flamefest.

Lol, I was just messing...

 

[oldagerocker]

Dues Ex, KoTOR and morrowind all pwn. that sorted. i dont care if HL2 is linear, there are bad things with non-linerarity. Morrowind, u have to do Everything, which ultimately gets boring. KoTOR is, linear in story-line, things happen at cirtain points whatever u do, but it has options. Dues Ex... well, that just rocked
HL2 will be great, although linear, i think it will be replayable in the same way HL was, because it was so enjoyable and fun!

 

[Rupertvdb]

Linearness means there is a way more coherent story structure. Plus who wants to miss out on a load of maps because they chose one path. Add to this fact HL was the most non linear linear game i had played and you have a good case for keeping linear but simply being innovative with how you guide the player.

 

[Ahnteis]

Non-linear = less of a story, more of placing you in a situation.
Linear = less freedom, more of playing a story.

I like HL or Deus Ex level of linearity. Fairly linear, with a few choices. I favor story over free-form worlds.

If you want morrowind-ish HL2, you probably should check out STALKER instead.

 

[N0N1337H41]

Non-linear = less of a story, more of placing you in a situation.
Linear = less freedom, more of playing a story.

I disagree to a point. I think that for the most part this is the case simply due to time/money constraints placed on the devs, but Morrowind's story is what kept me playing. That game has the most involved story of any game that I've ever played, not to mention that you can have an affect on many of the sub-plots in the game. But it took Bethesa a long time to get the game out, plus several patches to get things straight. I really thing it ALL depends on the devolpment of the title.

 

[Ahnteis]

That means that you were placed in a world and made your own story, which is decidedly different then HL (where you live through the story that is basically the same for everyone).

It's somewhat analagous to a normal novel vs a choose-your-own-adventure book. A novel is generally lengthy and has more detail along the way. A CYOA trades some of that for the ability to have different story paths. The more paths, the less story there is room for.

 

[N0N1337H41]

That means that you were placed in a world and made your own story, which is decidedly different then HL (where you live through the story that is basically the same for everyone).

It's somewhat analagous to a normal novel vs a choose-your-own-adventure book. A novel is generally lengthy and has more detail along the way. A CYOA trades some of that for the ability to have different story paths. The more paths, the less story there is room for.

I agree that, generally, this is the way things go a large portion of the time. My point was that this is not the way things have to be and it's dependant on the development team and the restraints placed on them. But i completely disagree tha tthe more paths you have the less room there is for story. If a devolpment team spent 10 years working on one game's storyline, it could certainly have as full of a story as a good linear game.

 

[Ahnteis]

Now we're getting into the realm of pure fantasy. Who can afford 10 years for a game? Ignoring the cost of continuing, you're also going to have to constantly be upgrading your engine or you will be WAY outdated.

Ignoring even that though, the other problem is that players will feel cheated if they don't get to see the entire story--but most won't want to play through the whole game again just to see some of the branches.

Someday, some game may come out with open gameplay that I find as fun as a carefully crafted story, but I doutb it will be any time soon.

EDIT: Note of course that I'm referring to single player. In MP, it's a whole different ball game.

Note 2: NWN had great potential for open gameplay because of the inclusion of a live game-master. Unfortunately, I haven't heard that it's worked out as well as people hoped.

 

[Raptor6]

because of this thread i searched my deusex cd and installed it.
I love it ^^
Right now i managed to escape the secret majestic 12 section under the unatco hq