I think the largest benefit in having a story (plus, potentially, cinematics) is in the potential there for creating those (for me, at least so far) rare moments in games where the player actually cares, emotionally, what's going on to those pixels on their screen.
Others have already mentioned Aerith's untimely death in FF7 (which, BTW, I thought was very well done cinematically, with the White materia falling from her hair to plop into the pool, and her theme music swelling in the background...). After that happened to me in the game, I blitzed my way through the rest of it, wondering, hoping, wishing she would come back (yeah, I know now, impossible without a hex editor). I moped around for weeks (months?) afterwards, my mind still roiling around in the FF7 universe. Unhealthy obsession, sure, but it was captivating nonetheless, and ensured that FF7 would forever be enshrined in my own personal game hall of fame.
I've enjoyed many games since FF7, from different genres, but haven't really felt the same way emotionally until recently with (don't laugh...) Prince of Perisa: Warrior Within. Convoluted and inconsistent though the story was, and as ludicrously presented as the girls within the game were, still I couldn't help but become enthralled by Kaileena and her struggle against her fate.
Or maybe I just like imaginary girls with sob stories.:)
Heh. I distinctly remember forking over $50+ for Ultima III, way
back in the mid 80's. I don't even want to think how much $50
in 1985 dollars translates to 2006! (Then again... I played that game to death, so it was probably worth it)
Hey, I loved that TV show! Okay, so maybe each episode followed the same basic structure, but at least the Centre episodes were always interesting, and Miss Parker was always awesome!
One problem with that... your local appraisal district has to decide that your property has declined in value. And for some odd reason, they seem to be loathe to do that (hmmmm... I wonder why....?). I bought a house in Plano TX in 2000 for $193k, then came the telecom bust. After nearly a year on the market, sold the house for $183k in 2004. All 4 years we were there, our appraisal always came in around 2-5% higher than the year before, despite all the "For Sale" signs all over the place after all the Nortel & Alcatel layoffs, and all the stories of friends & friends of friends who'd lost a lot more than us on their sales. After we sold the house, we were accidentally forwarded the latest appraisal... $203k. Yeah, right!
Slashdot Mirror
HK-47!
Only if those Wookies work in accounting.
"Quick, Chewie! Pivot that table before the auditors show up!"
*RAHRRRRR*
...she's tri-lingual! Imagine the possibilities! :)
I think the largest benefit in having a story (plus, potentially, cinematics) is in the potential there for creating those (for me, at least so far) rare moments in games where the player actually cares, emotionally, what's going on to those pixels on their screen.
:)
Others have already mentioned Aerith's untimely death in FF7 (which, BTW, I thought was very well done cinematically, with the White materia falling from her hair to plop into the pool, and her theme music swelling in the background...). After that happened to me in the game, I blitzed my way through the rest of it, wondering, hoping, wishing she would come back (yeah, I know now, impossible without a hex editor). I moped around for weeks (months?) afterwards, my mind still roiling around in the FF7 universe. Unhealthy obsession, sure, but it was captivating nonetheless, and ensured that FF7 would forever be enshrined in my own personal game hall of fame.
I've enjoyed many games since FF7, from different genres, but haven't really felt the same way emotionally until recently with (don't laugh...) Prince of Perisa: Warrior Within. Convoluted and inconsistent though the story was, and as ludicrously presented as the girls within the game were, still I couldn't help but become enthralled by Kaileena and her struggle against her fate.
Or maybe I just like imaginary girls with sob stories.
Heh. I distinctly remember forking over $50+ for Ultima III, way back in the mid 80's. I don't even want to think how much $50 in 1985 dollars translates to 2006! (Then again... I played that game to death, so it was probably worth it)
Hey, I loved that TV show! Okay, so maybe each episode followed the same basic structure, but at least the Centre episodes were always interesting, and Miss Parker was always awesome!
One problem with that... your local appraisal district has to decide that your property has declined in value. And for some odd reason, they seem to be loathe to do that (hmmmm... I wonder why....?). I bought a house in Plano TX in 2000 for $193k, then came the telecom bust. After nearly a year on the market, sold the house for $183k in 2004. All 4 years we were there, our appraisal always came in around 2-5% higher than the year before, despite all the "For Sale" signs all over the place after all the Nortel & Alcatel layoffs, and all the stories of friends & friends of friends who'd lost a lot more than us on their sales. After we sold the house, we were accidentally forwarded the latest appraisal... $203k. Yeah, right!
Yeah... but Winona Ryder... reason enough to go see this one for me. Who cares if she's a shoplifter? :)