10 Reasons Video Games Are The Hardest Thing To Write
2. Getting Stuck Derails The Plot
Freeing the player from hand-holding and instructions is a bold approach, but it has its risks. Players may find characters constantly squawking clues into their ear annoying, but its nothing compared to the infuriation theyll feel if they get stuck, because thats when all the bad things happen at once. In other forms of media, the story continues with or without the audience. Its not crucial for them to understand absolutely everything thats happening all of the time; they can miss a hint that reveals the bad guys identity or the exact reason someone wants whats in the briefcase because there are other aspects of the story to keep them engaged, even if its just enjoying the action, until they catch up to the plot. Games, by contrast, can grind to a halt if somethings missed. If the players stuck because they didnt catch a door being unlocked, forgot about an obscure inventory item, or just find things too tough theyre going to get irritated pretty quickly nowadays, with a few notable exceptions, we expect games to let us win. Frustrated, the player will break immersion with the game and stop caring about your story. If they quit playing altogether, it might be a while before they return to the game and even longer before theyre back in the groove and ready to re-engage with the plot. As the writer, theres not much you can do other than push for an in-game transcript of instructions and dialogue something for the player to refer to if they do get stuck. Sometimes, youll just have to accept that people arent going to want to hear your story not when theyre busy falling in acid for the twentieth time.
