Game Design Document Blog: Zork: Project 1: Exisiting examples of Zork in Modern Games.

Although Zork has no actual graphics, it's play style is replicated in many modern video games. From text based RPGs, decision making and exploration were your primary objectives. Although style and genre differs to Zork in contemporary games, there are many that use decisions as a vital asset to telling the story. In fact, games today reward you differently depending on the choices you make within the game. You can obtain secret items, find out hidden information and gain achievements. Taking these actions changes the story of the game accordingly, for better or worse, some endings to video games can vary many times depending on the choices you made before.

Some previous games I have played remind me of Zork a lot, with how decisions are used to progress in the game:

. Fable

Through the entire series of Fable, the player has always been in control of how their character exists within the world. Every action you do has consequences, whether good or bad. Fable in particular, depending on those decisions will determine how good/evil/corrupt or pure your character will become. Throughout the game, you as the player will be given objectives to act upon and it is up to you how you wish to approach them. Depending on those actions will change your character physically and change their appeal to surrounding characters. For Example, if you do evil deeds your appeal would be negative to other characters within the game. You would be hissed at, booed, fled from or cowered at your presence. You also begin to change physically, by growing horns, withered skin and glowing red eyes. All the physical attributes also affect how the rest of the world reacts to you.

This reminds me of Zork in a sense of being able to make choices. Not necessarily with characters, but how you progress within a game by those decisions you've made. Whether to go a certain direction, pick up a certain item or look for a special treasure. Also, Zork being entirely text based, you can imagine yourself or your character in anyway you want to, there is no description of who you are, so you have that freedom to be creative as you play. Just like Fable, all the evidently you can see your character, you still have the choice to create them in any which way, from clothing to personalities.

Here is a Video reference showing examples of how your character can look within Fable, depending on the different choices you make:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1iMZMnhJ4

. Silent Hill Homecoming

Silent Hill has always been a game that has given the player choices within the game. Depending on those choices reveals different objectives, information or special items. Silent Hill homecoming has the option to make multiple choices with the occurring action. However, there is not necessarily a right or wrong decision, but depending on which tangent you follow will change the outcome of the story. Resulting in many ways the game can end and tell it's story. This sort of style encourages players to want to explore to find those hidden features. With new console formats today such as the Xbox or PS3, you are rewarded for your exploration and finding those hidden assets. Rewards such as trophies or gamer points, which tally to your gaming statistics. The more you explore, the more you are rewarded, which in this type of game encourages replay value, so that the player can spend a lot of time looking into all corners of the game and getting those achievements. In modern games you can never really 100% a game unless you have fully explored, most gamers today strive to reach the full 100% completion, So having assets like these in games are also important in that respect.

This reminds me of Zork in a sense of deciding which path to take within the written world. Where should you go? where will it lead you and what could you find different? Although it is appears primitive to that of Silent Hill today, but they're both very similar for that aspect. You play through choice and decision making. Within making those choices reveals rewards that can change how the game plays for you.

Here is a video clip representing the choice making system with the Silent Hill Homecoming game. With this sort of game play style, it actually emphasises the genre of the concept. It can intensifying emotions and the true horror appeal. You don't know what is the right or wrong choice, you have no idea how it will affect you. With this particular game, you are always thinking 'what if'. Curiosity killed the cat after all. That is where the fear and horror of Silent Hill becomes most effective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX2MRPoSGcA&feature=related

. Mass Effect

Mass effect is probably one of the most popular games for it's game play style. It has similar attributes to both that of Fable and Silent Hill Homecoming, however is probably the most effective for changing the events to the story. Within Mass Effect you're always given a choice, in action or just in conversation. Everything decision you make changes the entire route of the story, from the places you go to the people you meet. There are many ways in which you can go within Mass effect, you can act to protect or hurt, but in doing so will come with consequences. Not making the right decisions in some cases can end up bad for you as the player and could potentially damage how you continue to play.

This is also similar to Zork in the sense of having multiple choices to act upon. There is never one direction within the game, there are always different paths to follow or places to explore, depending on where you choose. This is directly shown within the game play of Mass Effect. Everything is down to choice and rewards you more for exploration.

From looking at contemporary games compared to Zork, I find it incredibly interesting how both differ vastly in quality but both have the same important game play asset. Giving the gamer replay value and encouraging them to explore. There is no set story you must abide to, you can make your own choices and depending on how much you explore, rewards you with different information. Whether High Definition graphics or just Interactive text, both games include that all important function of giving their audience more to do.

I also find it particularly interesting how this decision based function is used across multi genres of video games. From Interactive Fiction, RPG, 3rd Person Shooter to Horror. It seems like it is becoming more popular with modern releases. I think this is for that precise reason, of giving gamers more to explore and freedom to make the game anything they want it to be. Just like Zork, Zork was anything the player wanted it to be, for your imagination to run wild. I think giving players the choice to have different routes in the story is probably the most compelling way to tell a story, because it instantly becomes more personal and immersive for the gamer, to have control over the outcome of a story is more exciting than predicting it.

I will keep this in mind for my ideas when I focus on re-imagining Zork. What sort of genre to use and how I will attempt to modernize the game play.

Other examples of exploration in games that are rewarded with and without narrative:

. Elder Scrolls Oblivion: Diverse missions depending on skill