Features of the use of nonlinear schemes for writing quest games
In my previous post ( link ), several serious comments were made and the main drawbacks of the “hidden objects” games were shown within the framework of the linear passage scheme. Also, the properties that a modern quest game should have were given.
This post reveals the features of the use of nonlinear schemes for writing quest games. The material is directed, first of all, to the developers of these games, as well as to players who have some experience in this field.
The main problem of the linear scheme of quest games (hereinafter LSK) is a well-known well-defined chain of successive plot-semantic events (steps), the transition between which is carried out using conditions. We give a description of the following plot:
The player must talk to Mr. K, go into the house and take the old coin.
')
This plot is completely fictional and serves solely to show how it is implemented using various schemes. It is not difficult to guess that the meaning of such a game will be very simple and short. Therefore, we describe the passage in the framework of the LSC in detail.
It should be noted several important features of this passage in the framework of the LSC:
These unpleasant moments can be avoided by applying non-linear schemes. I want to divide them into two types, according to the time accounting:
These are two alternatives that cope with the disadvantages of LSK, but have very significant differences. Consider them in more detail.
The NSC-B is an extended BSC, supplemented by several local variations of passage in certain plot points. Like LSK, it does not take into account the time and duration of each event. We describe the same passage, but using the NSC-B scheme (the new positions are marked in bold ).
It should be noted several important features of this passage in the NSC-B:
NSC + B is much more complicated than NSC-B, which requires the input of the following concepts:
- time ratio (kV);
- algorithm of behavior of each character (Bi, where i = 1 ... N, N is the total number of characters).
The time factor determines how quickly time will go in the game world. If it is 1, then 1 hour “real” will be equal to 1 hour “virtual”. The general formula is written as follows:
Twirl = Triple / Sq
Where
Twirth - virtual game time;
The real is real time.
The greater the coefficient (the main thing is that it is not equal to 0), the faster the time will go in the game and, therefore, faster decisions will have to be made. If it is in the range of 0 ... 1 (for example, 0.5), then the playing time will be 2 times slow.
The behavior algorithm of characters determines their personal plan, according to which they (characters) move around the game locations and perform various actions based on the current parameters (conditions) of the game. All this will be easier to show on a simple example with a kiosk and a seller.
The seller is in the kiosk from 8:00 to 20:00. The rest of the time it is not there and the kiosk is closed (that is, to enter it in the usual way will not work). Therefore, the seller’s behavior plan will be described by the following algorithm (provided that the game starts at 6:00):
- Initially, we start the timer for 2 virtual hours (exactly as long as he must wait to come to the kiosk);
- if the seller is not in the kiosk, then we start the timer for 12 virtual hours (exactly as long as it should be in the kiosk) and move the seller to the kiosk;
- otherwise (if the seller is in the kiosk) - we start the timer for 12 virtual hours (exactly as long as it should not be in the kiosk) and remove the seller from the kiosk.
This is the simplest example of the behavior of characters, which is cyclical and, therefore, no external (from other characters, events) condition does not affect it. If it is necessary, for example, that the seller does not come to the kiosk for any reason (got sick, left, killed, etc.), then you need to add an additional condition or several conditions that will determine whether he needs to be at the kiosk or in a very different place.
Thus, it is necessary to “work out” the behavior of each character in advance, so that all of them can “make” decisions at any moment of the game. Therefore, this scheme has the following properties:
We describe the initial version of the passage (LSC), but using the NSC + B scheme (the new positions are marked in bold underlined font ).
Algorithm of man’s behavior in the house:
A man in a house where there are 4 rooms and a corridor, enters each room in turn and stays in it for 5 minutes, then goes into the next room through the corridor (the passage lasts 30 seconds).
To compile the nonlinear schemes discussed above, it is very useful to have a linear plot (it will act as the main plot, it is from him that the screenwriter will repel oneself). But at the same time, they have a common drawback - they are several times more difficult in terms of implementation (especially the NSC + B), which makes their use very difficult in a short time. But this disadvantage can be eliminated if you gradually move from the simplest non-linear scenes to the most complex (as, for example, to write a complex game, you must first go from the more simple ones). Thus, to get a hand on drawing up non-linear schemes.
Therefore, I believe that when writing a quest game and choosing a plot scheme, first of all, it is necessary to proceed from the developer’s skills and the timeframes for implementing a specific quest game.
This post reveals the features of the use of nonlinear schemes for writing quest games. The material is directed, first of all, to the developers of these games, as well as to players who have some experience in this field.
The main problem of the linear scheme of quest games (hereinafter LSK) is a well-known well-defined chain of successive plot-semantic events (steps), the transition between which is carried out using conditions. We give a description of the following plot:
The player must talk to Mr. K, go into the house and take the old coin.
')
This plot is completely fictional and serves solely to show how it is implemented using various schemes. It is not difficult to guess that the meaning of such a game will be very simple and short. Therefore, we describe the passage in the framework of the LSC in detail.
At the beginning of the game we see a video game (full-screen video), where a player with a man approaches the house. Then, control is transferred to the player. He turns to Mr. K and activates the dialogue (video saver). After that, this mysterious gentleman disappears and control is again transferred to the player. Now he needs to get into the house, but without a key it is impossible to do, since this is the only way to go further along the plot. Consequently, the player must find a pot with a flower near the entrance door, in which this very key will lie, take it, open the door and go inside. He will fall into the corridor with many rooms, but only in one of them is an old coin. This is the second door on the right. Having entered it, the player sees this coin on the edge of the desk, takes it and then the video saver follows, and we see the player leaving the house in an unknown direction.
It should be noted several important features of this passage in the framework of the LSC:
- the player cannot enter the house without first talking to Mr. K;
- when walking around the house, the player can find an open window, through which, in general, it is easy to get inside, but in this particular case - this cannot be done (not provided);
- the time allotted to the player to get into the house and find the old coin is unlimited (therefore, the longer the player will find a way to get inside, the longer the game will go on and, with it, in some places the game will have an eternal day, and others - eternal night);
These unpleasant moments can be avoided by applying non-linear schemes. I want to divide them into two types, according to the time accounting:
- Nonlinear schemes of quest games without time (NSC-B);
- Nonlinear quest games based on time (NSC + B);
These are two alternatives that cope with the disadvantages of LSK, but have very significant differences. Consider them in more detail.
The NSC-B is an extended BSC, supplemented by several local variations of passage in certain plot points. Like LSK, it does not take into account the time and duration of each event. We describe the same passage, but using the NSC-B scheme (the new positions are marked in bold ).
At the beginning of the game we see a video game (full-screen video), where a player with a man approaches the house. Then, control is transferred to the player. He can turn to Mr. K and activate the dialogue (video saver). But he can not do this, and immediately go to the house. Then this mysterious gentleman will disappear and the player will no longer see him. Need to get into the house. This can be done with a key (the player must find a flower pot near the entrance door, in which this key will lie, take it, open the door and go inside), scrap (the player must inspect the tool box near the basement entrance, take scrap and crack the front door) or through the open window on the east side (the player will have to move the tall tool box under the window, climb on it and get inside). He will fall into the corridor ( if he made his way into the house in the first two ways ) with many rooms, but only one of them contains an old coin. This is the second door on the right. Having entered it ( if he made his way into the house through the window, he would end up in this very room with an old coin ), the player sees this coin on the edge of the desk, takes it and then the video saver follows, and we see the player leaving the house to unknown direction.
It should be noted several important features of this passage in the NSC-B:
- the player has an optional choice (conversation with Mr. K) and a mandatory choice (penetration into the house);
- the number of actions required to complete the game is now determined by the player;
- the time allotted to the player to get into the house and find the old coin is still unlimited (therefore, the longer the player will find a way to get inside, the longer the game will go and, with it, in some places of the game there will be an eternal day , and in others - eternal night);
NSC + B is much more complicated than NSC-B, which requires the input of the following concepts:
- time ratio (kV);
- algorithm of behavior of each character (Bi, where i = 1 ... N, N is the total number of characters).
The time factor determines how quickly time will go in the game world. If it is 1, then 1 hour “real” will be equal to 1 hour “virtual”. The general formula is written as follows:
Twirl = Triple / Sq
Where
Twirth - virtual game time;
The real is real time.
The greater the coefficient (the main thing is that it is not equal to 0), the faster the time will go in the game and, therefore, faster decisions will have to be made. If it is in the range of 0 ... 1 (for example, 0.5), then the playing time will be 2 times slow.
The behavior algorithm of characters determines their personal plan, according to which they (characters) move around the game locations and perform various actions based on the current parameters (conditions) of the game. All this will be easier to show on a simple example with a kiosk and a seller.
The seller is in the kiosk from 8:00 to 20:00. The rest of the time it is not there and the kiosk is closed (that is, to enter it in the usual way will not work). Therefore, the seller’s behavior plan will be described by the following algorithm (provided that the game starts at 6:00):
- Initially, we start the timer for 2 virtual hours (exactly as long as he must wait to come to the kiosk);
- if the seller is not in the kiosk, then we start the timer for 12 virtual hours (exactly as long as it should be in the kiosk) and move the seller to the kiosk;
- otherwise (if the seller is in the kiosk) - we start the timer for 12 virtual hours (exactly as long as it should not be in the kiosk) and remove the seller from the kiosk.
This is the simplest example of the behavior of characters, which is cyclical and, therefore, no external (from other characters, events) condition does not affect it. If it is necessary, for example, that the seller does not come to the kiosk for any reason (got sick, left, killed, etc.), then you need to add an additional condition or several conditions that will determine whether he needs to be at the kiosk or in a very different place.
Thus, it is necessary to “work out” the behavior of each character in advance, so that all of them can “make” decisions at any moment of the game. Therefore, this scheme has the following properties:
- all characters of the game (except the player) play this game in parallel, using previously prepared schedule schemes;
- the player does not play the game, he “ intervenes ” in the usual course of planned events (in other words, if you start a new game several times and do nothing, then the outcome will be the same, because the player has never interfered in the schedules of others characters);
- time is now tightly controlled and can affect both the game world (day-night), and the process of passing in general;
- it is impossible to determine in advance how many actions need to be performed in order to successfully complete the game, since there is a high probability complexity here;
- the game becomes almost completely unpredictable, which increases the interest of various passing options.
We describe the initial version of the passage (LSC), but using the NSC + B scheme (the new positions are marked in bold underlined font ).
At the beginning of the game we see a video game (full-screen video), where a player with a man approaches the house. Then, control is transferred to the player. He can turn to Mr. K and activate the dialogue (video saver) only within 5 virtual minutes from the moment of the start of the game , otherwise a video saver will appear, where it will be seen how this mysterious gentleman is leaving. But he can not do this, and immediately go to the house. Need to get into the house. This can be done with a key (the player must find a flower pot near the entrance door, in which this key will lie, take it, open the door and go inside), scrap (the player must inspect the tool box near the basement entrance, take scrap and crack the front door) or through an open window on the east side for 10 virtual minutes from the moment the game started, otherwise the man will close it from the inside (the player will have to move the tall tool box under the window, climb on it and go inside). He will fall into the corridor ( if he made his way into the house in the first two ways ) with many rooms, but only one of them contains an old coin. This is the second door on the right. Having entered it ( if he made his way into the house through the window, he would end up in this very room with an old coin ), the player sees this coin on the edge of the desk, takes it and then the video saver follows, and we see the player leaving the house to unknown direction. If a player catches the eye of a man inside (i.e., if the player and the man are on the same stage), a video saver is launched, where you can see how this man “cuts down” the player, after which he is taken away in a police car and put in jail for illegal penetration into the house.
Algorithm of man’s behavior in the house:
A man in a house where there are 4 rooms and a corridor, enters each room in turn and stays in it for 5 minutes, then goes into the next room through the corridor (the passage lasts 30 seconds).
To compile the nonlinear schemes discussed above, it is very useful to have a linear plot (it will act as the main plot, it is from him that the screenwriter will repel oneself). But at the same time, they have a common drawback - they are several times more difficult in terms of implementation (especially the NSC + B), which makes their use very difficult in a short time. But this disadvantage can be eliminated if you gradually move from the simplest non-linear scenes to the most complex (as, for example, to write a complex game, you must first go from the more simple ones). Thus, to get a hand on drawing up non-linear schemes.
Therefore, I believe that when writing a quest game and choosing a plot scheme, first of all, it is necessary to proceed from the developer’s skills and the timeframes for implementing a specific quest game.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/211955/
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