Will Wright's Dream Machines

Mike writes "Will Wright writes in Wired Magazine, primarily centering his focus on imagination, how it affects the way we play games, and how it is affected in turn by the games we play. From the article: 'Games cultivate - and exploit - possibility space better than any other medium. In linear storytelling, we can only imagine the possibility space that surrounds the narrative: What if Luke had joined the Dark Side? What if Neo isn't the One? In interactive media, we can explore it.'"

Comments

Eh ...

[Monkelectric]

We can explore any aspect of the story that the developer already thought up and wrote code for ...

Well... Linear except for dying

[cinnamoninja]

Even in the most linear stories, traditional media has to work very hard to make a reader/watcher feel the tension of the main character's choices. We are desensitzed to the classic hero position -- "Choose right or die." It takes an extremely talented writer to really make you worry. But even in the most unoriginal and linear games, you are in the hot seat and you can *die* if you choose wrong. This is especially try of nethack/moria roguelikes, where death doesn't just mean load up the last save point. It immerses you in a story. Games have emotional power -- I hope to see more developers use them to tell a story and not just see pretty pictures. Cinnamon

Re:Well... Linear except for dying

[ToasterofDOOM]

I had no idea how in depth games could get until I started just recently playing nethack. I think that if the devs wanted flashy graphics, it would take away from the immersion (my friend says anything other than the tty interface is blaspheme) You are right about how roguelikes got it right. When push comes to shove, you must remember that death is really meaningful. It's a pity that we discovered roguelikes so soon before Oblivion (=D), and i truly hope I won't forget them. Few games, if any can truly make the characters decisions as weighty as a roguelike. Several times I have been insituations where I agonize over whether or not to fight, flee, or pray in a battle, and no modern game has given me that personal level of tension, satisfaction, and ultimately not feeling as bad when I waste a great sunny afternoon killing grid bugs and cursing those damn nymphs.