All Games are linear

[Jswizzle]

Of all the comments I've read on the boards the ones that bug me the most are the ones about linearity. I hate when people bring that argument into video game discussions. You have to look up the basic definition of the word and it describes all video games.

 

Every game is point a to point b. Drawn by lines. Every game is bound by these rules. Until advanced AI are developed, and computer processing power increased we will never see real freedom of choice in a video game. It's just a question of what games can create more of the illusion of freedom. That is usually a matter of opinion.

 

The Old Republic does the illusion well. As have most of Biowares story driven games. There are tons of options in this game. Tons of content. I also have to laugh when people talk about how "if they didn't spend so much time on voice acting". Contracted actors did the voicing, yes it probably took lots of time putting that into the game but use your head a little bit. 50% of the work got contracted out. Sure they could of put more time into some areas, but don't blame the voice actors lol.

 

Oh yeah Bioware rules. Peace

[DarrkLore]

Of all the comments I've read on the boards the ones that bug me the most are the ones about linearity. I hate when people bring that argument into video game discussions. You have to look up the basic definition of the word and it describes all video games.

 

Every game is point a to point b. Drawn by lines. Every game is bound by these rules. Until advanced AI are developed, and computer processing power increased we will never see real freedom of choice in a video game. It's just a question of what games can create more of the illusion of freedom. That is usually a matter of opinion.

 

I see your point but to be fair, not EVERY game is linear.

Here's the definition for linear in relation to games:

1. Arranged in or extending along a straight or nearly straight line: "linear arrangements".

 

Have you ever played anything in the Elder Scrolls series or just about any game from Bethesda? You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want whenever you want. Those games aren't linear at all, and neither are other sandbox games. However, most MMOs are theme park games, not sandbox games. So most MMOs are linear. And I agree that people shouldn't whine about something that's so common in the genre. Sure it would be nice to have more sandbox elements in the game, but that's not how this game was designed. It was designed to have the story drive you forward. But I could see the possibility for some sandbox elements in a future expansion, and that would be nice.

[Mertissielle]

It may just be an online libertarianism simulator with a spaceship skin applied to it, but EVE Online is pretty much the definition of emergent, non-linear gameplay.

[Shaede]

Funny, I was going to cite some non-linear games, then I realized that many of them were Bioware games. Ever played one?

[truedark]

I see your point but to be fair, not EVERY game is linear.

Here's the definition for linear in relation to games:

1. Arranged in or extending along a straight or nearly straight line: "linear arrangements".

 

Have you ever played anything in the Elder Scrolls series or just about any game from Bethesda? You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want whenever you want. Those games aren't linear at all, and neither are other sandbox games. However, most MMOs are theme park games, not sandbox games. So most MMOs are linear. And I agree that people shouldn't whine about something that's so common in the genre. Sure it would be nice to have more sandbox elements in the game, but that's not how this game was designed. It was designed to have the story drive you forward. But I could see the possibility for some sandbox elements in a future expansion, and that would be nice.

 

Disagree, Elder Scrolls gives you a illusion of nonlinear.

[pudim]

Flight Simulator isn't linear........

[JediMasterShake]

All games are linear.

 

 

Ummm....

 

No.

[Blackwater]

You've GOT to be trolling

[Doshibu]

Disagree, Elder Scrolls gives you a illusion of nonlinear.

 

Incorrect. It is defined, in gaming terms, as a sandbox RPG. Another example from a different genre would be the GTA series.

[truedark]

Incorrect. It is defined, in gaming terms, as a sandbox RPG. Another example from a different genre would be the GTA series.

 

There is an illusion that it is not linear. However go do a quest the outcome is always the same. There is one way to do it, there may be twenty ways to do it, but the outcome is the same.

[DrkCntry]

There is an illusion that it is not linear. However go do a quest the outcome is always the same. There is one way to do it, there may be twenty ways to do it, but the outcome is the same.

 

That's not the gaming-equivalent definition of linear...

 

Linear in the industry is basically an on-rails storyline that you cannot deviate from in any fashion...think Modern Warfare.

[Blackwater]

Disagree, Elder Scrolls gives you a illusion of nonlinear.

 

Objective process =/= non linear game play elements

 

Really, quit trying to make it sound like SWTOR isn't linear as hell

[DarrkLore]

There is an illusion that it is not linear. However go do a quest the outcome is always the same. There is one way to do it, there may be twenty ways to do it, but the outcome is the same.

 

It's not the outcome that makes a game linear or not, it's how you get there.

Edited January 6, 2012 by DarrkLore

[Hiramas]

EvE seems to be the only truly non-linear game.

The elder scrolls series just simulates non linearity with mob-leveling and all that stuff.

The outcome of the quests is the same every time no matter which direction you go. Also Elder scrolls sacrifices a LOT of immersion and drama this way. (IMHO)

 

GTA is pretty sandbox as long as you do not care for story. Once you take on the story, you are pretty fixed in what to do. The same as SWTOR. You can choose what to do next but ultimately you have to do story to advance in the game.

Minecraft is a sandbox game. No story, no guidelines nothing.

Even WoW has NO sandbox features. You can't do anything without questing. WoW begins at lvl 85 currently. Below that there is not much to do. There is no more linearity possible.

Yes you can choose where to level next in SOME cases and you have the choice of max. 2 different zones. Wow. So sandbox.

I do not really understand what the "linearity" problem is many people have.

(I do understand some concerns about your decisions having no or just little effect)

 

Sure it could be WAY better. But there need to be small steps. The story and immersion is a big step to more open gameplay. (again IMHO)

Edited January 6, 2012 by Hiramas

[truedark]

It's not the outcome that makes a game linear or not, it's how you get there.

 

No its not. Thats stupid, I still end up doing the same thing in the end. Linear in gaming is what is the result. By this logic in a on rails shooter I can shoot one guy first than the other but the second play through shoot the other guy first than this guy. By your logic that is not linear because I used a different way to get to the end. Linear is more than just how you get there, its the end result of what you're doing. No matter what I do in MW3 or something I'm going to end up killing the guy I've been chasing after. In Skyrim the end result is I'm going to do quests, whether I do them in this order or the other doesn't matter! The end result is the freaking same, I get a reward. The same exact reward as if I would have killed thirty guys with lightning or a freaking arrow.

[Antiarch]

Darkfall is a true non-linear game. If you get enough of a group together, you can take on the Red Dragon or Ice Dragon. True, there are starter areas and they go up incrementally, but if you have better weapons and a larger group, you can immediately go to the advanced areas. It's also non-linear in that ANYONE can wear and use ANYTHING.

[Mertissielle]

I'd say Skyrim and GTA et al are a combination of both linear and non-linear gameplay. In Skyrim there is linear level progression, a "story quest" (that you admittedly don't have to follow, but is there all the same), linear crafting progression and so on. In GTA it's the story more than anything, though there's also the linear nature of grinding rep with your girlfriend, going to the gym in San Andreas, etc.

 

However, they don't need to be played following the story - one can simply have fun messing about and doing other things. The thing is, with GTA especially, the running about and getting wanted stars would get old really quickly if that was all you had to do. It's the linear mission structure which ultimately makes that game.

 

The same is true to a lesser extent with the Elder Scrolls series.

 

Even EVE has some linearity to it but it's really the closest thing I've ever played to being a truly non-linear game. Possibly the only example.

 

EDIT: Oooh Minecraft and Darkfall are both good shouts too, credit to the above posters for pointing them out

Edited January 6, 2012 by Mertissielle

[Korton]

So you are calling Knights Of The Old Republic 1 and 2 linear?

 

Wake up.

[SpeeDeh]

Fable is non-linear. It was built that way from the ground up. Your actions have permanent consequences and change the terrain and world around you. 2 different players will have entirely different experiences.

 

Many games that even have linear quest lines will still result in 2 players having different experiences. These forums are proof of that (some hate, some love SW:TOR).

 

All games are non-linear by experience, not math.

[Flowerslayer]

Disagree, Elder Scrolls gives you a illusion of nonlinear.

 

You obviously never played any of the games then.

[Liquidacid]

You obviously never played any of the games then.

 

no.. the elder scroll series has set linear story and side-story arcs... if you think the fact you can wander around aimlessly and ignore those makes the game non-linear than I hate to break it to you but you can do that in TOR and a large percentage of games

 

It is pretty much impossible to have a coherent story in a game that is not linear unless it is all provided by the player (like minecraft) and even that has linear progression (you must mine X to make Y to mine Z)

 

all the freedom you think you have in games are just varying levels of an illusion because at the end of the day it is still linear as you are confined by the design and capabilities of the game itself

Edited January 6, 2012 by Liquidacid

[Koboldfodder]

Early SWG was not linear. There were no quests. Pick whatever you want, do whatever you want, level if you want or drop something if you want or just hang out in the cantina and chat.

[Blurble]

An example of linear gameplay would be the points A and B on a map, with a single corridor connecting them.

 

An example of non-linear gameplay would be the points A and B on a map.

 

From a WoW perspective, in Vanilla/TBC you had quest hubs. You grabbed every quest then you did them all. In Wrath, and definitely Cata, you get a few quests at a time, complete them, grab a few more, etc..

Edited January 6, 2012 by Blurble

[Gankdalf_]

I have only read the OP so I will comment on that.

 

Not all games are Linear. WOW is not linear at all, I have multiple zones I can level up in at all levels not just one. In the game I am not restricted to go from point a to point b like I am in SWTOR. In WOW I can go where I want, how I want and when I want, it's totally non linear in every way shape and form. The only exception are the dungeons, they are linear.

 

The reason wow has been the most successful mmo for the last 6 years is mainly because it give so much freedom to the player.