Stories can be bland and the game still get rave ratings, this is a trend that can't keep up with the growing numbers of gaming fans. As more sophisticated players get bored with current trends they and more then likely all gamers are going to expect more from the writers, developers, and publishers. Yes its true there are games with great stories, great gameplay, and great usability, but it is not the norm and it should be. In this series of articles I will address the problems we face as an industry and some ideas to help us coup with these problems. This first story will focus on story/plot lines in games, what we are doing right and what needs to improve.
Introduction:
As an industry we have some of the brightest and most creative minds, yet we are not using this wonderful asset to its full potential. In the past we had the excuse of technology holding us back, but now we have unlimited potential of what we can do with our games. So if technology isn't holding us back what is? Well one thing that holds innovation back is the consumer, most of the "new" technologies have been around in one form or another for more than fifteen years, people are now excepting and embracing technology, so the consumer not being ready is no longer a valid excuse either. I think what is holding us back technologically and artistically is the natural human fear of change, of rejection.
I think it is time we set aside these fears aside and really reach our full potential. As an industry we gamers are now in the forefront, we are a true powerhouse and it's a shame, no a disgrace that we are not using this power we have and living up to this potential we have. Before I go further this is not a clean up your games, or get in line and join the masses, no I truly believe in freedom, creatively, artistically, I hate censoring, but that's for another article, no these articles are about using these new found technologies to really reach a new creative plateau.Now yes I understand in some regions technology is still a few years behind (decades in some cases), that's fine scales things down to work in those select areas (yes I know the majority of the world), but don't do this scaling for the majority of your multibillion dollar industry. If you have to develop completely different games for different regions, the consumer will only thank you for thinking ahead and developing for your different markets.
Part one: the Story Game
A huge issue facing the industry right now is the story of the games. Yes games are in a fantasy world, many different ones in fact, but most stories have big holes in them, plots don't always make sense. Why is this a problem in a fantasy world? Well users aren't the 5-20 year old unsophisticated males of yesteryear, but a wide range of intelligent people of all ages and backgrounds. Games as a whole still don't reflect that, and to a degree that is well and good, but as I am sure most of you agree we really need to start developing games for a wider range of people.
This is a large problem that comes in many forms and has just as many solutions, but I think it is something with work from everyone in the industry we can tackle. One thing that I think that needs to happen is better quality control at every level of development and production. Time and time again the writers do a wonderful job, the development team does a great job of executing the writers dreams, and then in editing big chucks of game get "cut" out and no one reworks the story or someone reworks it but it doesn't really work, things like this should be caught in quality control, and yes I understand there are budget and other restraints. To me though that's no excuse, I have just seen to many great games become mediocre.
The Problem: Weak Nonsensical Stores
Alas there is a larger problem that needs to be tackled, games that start off, well to but it nicely flimsy. These stories come in many shapes and sizes, the most common ones would be the world (be it earth, mars, or any other planet/civilization) is under attack, or save the girl. Nothing wrong with these ideas but in the current form they are played out, tired if you will. It does not have to be this way, never had to be but now there is truly no excuse for this. Want examples? Well to bad, this article is being written in the understanding you have well picked up a controller/keyboard and played a game. If that's not the case I highly recommend you go pick up a copy of Pray from the story and give it a try. You will see the whole reason why I am making this article, what could have been a wonderfully great game, well leaves much to be desired.
Editors Note: That being said this article is in no way directed to any one developer/publisher but to everyone in the gaming industry. There is no arrogance within that statement it's just a fact.
To recap, the problem is weak sometimes nonsensical story lines, the solution on the other hand isn't as simple. There really is no one answer to this dilemma we face. There are hundreds of things that could be done to help fix this situation, but the real solution starts with developers admitting they have a problem and that they are willing to work on it. This will be the signal biggest step in the right direction.
The Solution: No one way out
Like I said before there is no one magical fix all, there also is no wrong answer. How can this be true? An old saying comes to mind "Any change is a change for the better." This single statement could not be more true, but to what end, well I would hope better games and happy developers, publishers, and consumers. But sadly it's not that simple, and it won't happen overnight.
One of the biggest problems I see time and time again in my consulting work is workflow mismanagement. That's not to say it's being done wrong, but it's not being done in a way that makes the most logical and economical sense. But how does this affect the end product? Well any delay will leave less time for the polish every product deserves, and with the over head in gaming it is critical to meet deadlines and to meet the profit goals/requirements of the publisher. As consumers most of us don't care if developers meet deadlines as long as we get the products we want, but there is a bigger picture then that and deep down we all know that.
How do we fix this? For one more developers need to realize early on in a project it pays to either have on staff or better yet in most cases to contract out someone to keep the workflow not only running smoothly but to optimize the processes to make it easier to get coders/artists/writers/voice actors/whoever working together and staying on the same creative track. The better this system runs the less time you have people on the job and as developers you make more by getting to move on to the next project.
Another part of this workflow process is quality control, when the system isn't working at 100% this can sometimes slip through the cracks in the development cycle. Also though it adds cost it's a good idea to get outsiders to help in the quality control department since that will be there sole job and they have no larger vested interest in the project it can help find flows people looking at it 16 hours a day might miss. I understand some of you have these types of process in place, but its never a bad idea to revisit your policies and make sure everything is running as efficiently as it should/could be.
Workflow management is not the end all solve all but getting that down will help a great deal. Communication as I mentioned is a big part of the processes and it does not stop at Workflow management, key problems arise in any project if the day to day communication is now in a good set pattern. All too often writers, story board artists, and other parts of the development that is key in the early stages of a project, get taken out of the loop way to early in the processes. Doing this leads to holes in stories or even the loss of the meaning to the game, because some manager doesn't want to keep someone on the pay role to long. No it's not always that bad, but the people that are key to the true artistic meaning of the game should be left on the pay role so they can consult and help if changes need to be made.
Other things like the simple lake of lower level people telling their bosses, hey we have a problem. Yeah it sucks when the boss gets mad at you, but believe it or not he will get over it and will fix the problem that's their job, let them do it. If the product comes out better for it guess what you might have a better role in your company the next project. Attention to detail is another very important thing, it can be a timely processes but, that one element of quality management should be a day to day part of every project.
Now I could go on for days about the different solutions that need to happen, but the problem is ever project has a different one, heck sometimes you need to fire your writers and just start over, sad fact but it's true. It can be fun to guess new fades and try to develop games for them and there is a place for that. Because let's face it we all fall prey to one fad or another, but not every game has to be made this way and they aren't but there are way too many fad based games on the market.
Closing Arguments:
This article is not about getting rid of the mindless shooters, the mindless open ended games like Grand Theft Auto, because I love these games as much as the next person. They have a place and a time, but sometimes it would be nice to see a Mystery game that's not a point in click game based off the Myth Engine of close to 20 years ago. It would also be nice to see a fictional war game not somewhat based off World War II, World War I or some other major war. It would be nice to see a real time strategy game that's not a clone of Age of Empires or its close cousin Rise of Nations.
Developers get out of the office look at this wonderful world see the new wonderful technologies and go get creative like we all know you can. If you have to make games for different regions, or if you release over many regions, polish the game up when needed ton it down for others. Revisit any policies you have in place, work on them, fix them where they need to be and make sure they are followed throughout the project. Don't get made at consumers if they don't like your products we are fickle and hard to please that's part of the processes. Most of all have fun, when you're having fun you release games like GTA, WOW, WC2, SC, AOE, ROS, and the many other gems well worth mentioning here.
Consumers, get picky, let publishers know when quality control might have slipped, nothing is perfect but sometimes things are easy to tell something slipped through the cracks. Also let the publisher developer know when they do a good job, it's nice to hear from time to time. Most of all have fun with your games, that's what they are all there for. Don't expect a handheld game to be the same as the console version that would be silly to expect, and don't always believe the hype. So go be realistically picky and most of all keep that passion for gaming going.