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Indigo Prophecy Creator - No More 'Porn Narrative'

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the that's-some-good-writing dept.

simoniker writes "There's a new postmortem for Quantic Dream's console title Indigo Prophecy, as described by creator David Cage, online, and one of the most interesting sections in the 8,000 word postmortem is how the game has tried to reshape storytelling for games away from the basic: "One of the key points in Indigo Prophecy was the idea of getting interactivity and narration to work together. Most games oppose these two concepts or rather, they develop them in turn: a cut scene to advance the narration, then an action scene, then another cut scene for the narration. The structure of this narrative process is very close to that of porn movies.""

8 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Valve by Southpaw018 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you played Half-Life 2 and Episode 1, you know how Valve gets around this. Episode 1's commentary was, quite frankly, one of the most interesting things I've seen in a game in a long time (I didn't play Lost Coast, when they introduced the commentary feature.)

    Many ocmmentary points specifically address what's in this article - how to keep the player moving and interested (combat, exploration, puzzles, rewards) while at the same time directing their attention with specific things placed here and there without removing from them the ability to control the character. It's fantastically done, and when it's pulled off right - well, then you get HL2 and 35 Game of the Year awards.

    --
    ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
    1. Re:Valve by TheCarp · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It reminds me of a conversation I had recently with a friend about Final Fantasy (the series, not just the original game).

      It has been alot of what the author of this game doesn't want. Alot of free time just walking around getting into random encounters with no real point. Why did you walk around till you had killed 100 ogres before going after garland? Talk about slow polot advancement.

      Then you get into the more recent ones and... I like the more narration and story and overall better writting.... but.. the games have become more of a movie. They arn't really hard or anything. The action seems to have just become kind of something to do between plot developments, and they rush along. Sheesh you don't even get to effect the story line until you have been playing for 10 hours anymore.

      Anyway... there is a definite balance. What really gets me is that FF has such a linear story line that its barely role playing, its more like role watching, and you get to take control for the fight scenes...basically... your the plays stunt double for the most part.

      One thing this does remind me of is Way of the Samurai. Very simple game at heart but so rich! Sure the game was small, but each character went about his day in his own way...since the game took place over the same 2 days... that meant that the path you took through the game effected who you met or when you met them, and under what circumstances.

      Sure you could play through it in an hour or two, but... there were so many ways to do it, so many little story lines and different endings... that was way cool. One of the few true role playing games where you could really choose who you wanted to be.

      In any case... this game sounds cool, I may have to check it out.

      -Steve

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
  2. That sounds familiar... by Aurin+Wildfire · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Story in a game is like a story in a porn movie. It's expected to be there, but it's not that important."
    - John Carmack

  3. Get ready!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Red. Blue. Blue. Green. Yellow. Yellow. *BZZZZT*

    I helped a friend play Indigo Prophecy twice. The idea was cute, but it's actually just as linear as all the other games out there. The only difference is that you get to affect the "mood" of the main characters, and you get to ever-so-slightly modify the subplot. Add to that all the gratuitious "follow the flashing lights" two-handed button mashing sessions, and it rates as one of the worst games I've ever had the misfortune of playing. In short, the basic idea is fairly novel, but the game itself was poorly conceived and implemented.

  4. Personally by Runefox · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I quite enjoyed Indigo Prophecy. I thought it was a refreshing departure from the normal tedium of button-mashing action. Instead, there is button-mashing, but in the form of moving the analog-sticks to different thoughts and ideas, and in certain situations, to a Simon-like fast-reaction sequence. I found it kept me focused on everything that went on, and the fact that the game is nearly all story (it *does* say "Play Movie" at the start) made it, well, interactive. There isn't much freedom, and it is quite linear in its general storyline, but it doesn't stop the first playthrough from being great.

    I guess it's the linearity that makes it more like a movie than a game, and therefore making it a rental. Now, if they managed to make an Indigo Prophecy style game with an entire city for you to walk around in, with multiple storylines to engage in that end in multiple ways and branch out in... Aw, why even bother asking for something like that? It won't happen unless Blu-Ray really takes off and they pack 33GB of data onto a PS3 disc; And spend three years developing it. The combination of all those things really doesn't add up to a plausible game idea. But what a game it would be.

    --
    Screw the rules, I have green hair!
  5. Oh, great by Lobo42 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Like David Cage is one to talk. Indigo Prophecy had one of the worst stories in a video game ever, and that's saying something. If he's going to ask the industry to get away from the 'porn narrative,' then I'd like to ask him to get away from the 'Pseudo-Magical Matrix Ripoff That Makes No Bloody Sense narrative.'

  6. Re:What are you all talking about? by grumbel · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ### It doesn't do anything that, for example, "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis" didn't do in 1992, except be in 3D, which was done at least as far back as "Grim Fandango" in 1998.

    I beg to differ, the whole gameplay is fundamentally different from Indy4 and pretty much all other adventure games. Indigo Prophecy has no real puzzles, is full of action, endurance section, timed dialog and timed events, in short its for most part realtime based, if you don't act you die, get catched or other stuff happens. Most adventure games are the very oposite, no timed stuff at all, nothing in the world ever moves until you do something and such. The whole paching in Indigo Prophecy is nothing like what you get in classic adventure games. The only game that I would say that is somewhat similar to Indigo Prophecy is The Last Express, which also plays almost completly in realtime and cares even less for what the player is doing. Indigo Prophecy is really more an interactive movie done right then a normal adventure game.

    ### It's also actually quite linear, and very short,

    Short yes, but linear no. Its true that the whole story itself is linear and beside the three endings which you chose in the very final fight offers no choice, however in the single scenes you have a heck of a lot of freedom and get do pretty much whatever you want.

    The story as a whole certainly has its faults, but it was still the most gripping one I have seen in the last years in gaming.

  7. Teh Holy Grail of Gaming! by Eideewt · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Man, when will these game developers get the idea that *story is not the point*.

    Now I backpedal. I realize that some people enjoyed this game, and some *would* like a larger helping of narrative in their games. But every time I see another article talking about narrative as if a lack of it is the one thing holding games back, a little bit of "twitch" gamer in me feels like it's been kicked in the crotch. There are many of us who don't want a game whose purpose is to funnel us through a story.

    I though Half-Life 2 was a boring, boring game, because I never really got to do what I like to do in a game. I like to have enough flexibility that I can tackle the game however I see fit. HL2 was more like "shoot at some Combine soldiers then figure out which way forward is." Bore me to tears, why don't you? That's where I see story oriented games going.

    A couple of games I do like are the Descent games and the Thief games. They feature what's important to me: engaging gameplay and levels in which I can go wherever I want. Neither tries to move me in the right direction, or worse, allow me only one direction.

    The Descent games are purely about gameplay. The story is practically nonexistent, except at the beginning and end of each game. I like this, because I'm not turning to games to hear a story. I'm turning to them for an enjoyable *activity*. Descent's levels are also often hub-based: locked doors are frequently your entry point, requiring you to explore the level (one of my favorite in-game activities), then find your way back, often more than once for each key and door. Although the goals are monotonous, the exploration in the game is very strong, and the enemies are challenging.

    The Thief games also have very strong non-linear gameplay, but they add an engaging story. As you might not expect from my comments up to this point, Thief's story is one of my favorite parts. The difference between Thief and the games I'm railing against is that the story is presented in a way I really like: cutscenes between levels. And what cutscenes they are! I don't hesitate at all to call them the best I've ever seen. The game is worth buying for them alone. The thing I like about its structure is that I get my gameplay, and then I get to relax and get some story as well. I like the fact that after completing a difficult level I get some time in which the game makes no demands on me (unlike Indigo Prophecy, I gather).

    I can't really develop an affinity for a game that doesn't leave me alone to play it as I choose. I want to get in there and do my thing. Story also really helps me get into the game, but not so much when I don't get the experience that makes me feel I'm part of the game's world and not just along for the ride. It seems like game developers are forgetting about the "in it for the game" gamers like me who really don't want to take part in a movie.

    * Please don't suggest games I might like or tell me that not *all* new games are the kind I hate. I know they aren't all like that, and I have plenty of games I'm playing. If anyone's interested, here's a short list (mostly older games): Descent games (via DXX-Rebirth and Loki's D3 engine), Cube, Warsow, and a bit of Moon Buggy (yes, the one you play in a terminal).