Who wants a 'score system'?
So most of the KQ games, even MOE had point systems (6631364 total points, for the most points in a KQ game!). The only exception to the series was KQ7.
Most games gave you the points out of total as went through the game, KQ8 only showed you the points out of total once you finished the game.
Do you want a point system in the new game?
Btw, I seriously would love to see a point list for MOE.
Most games gave you the points out of total as went through the game, KQ8 only showed you the points out of total once you finished the game.
Do you want a point system in the new game?
Btw, I seriously would love to see a point list for MOE.
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There was no 'perfect' score essentially, just different ways to get to the end.
Or maybe something along the lines of the light/darkness meters in many of the Bioware games (but in this case, it wouldn't lead to evil or good endings?). So it gives the player an indication which direction their puzzle solving choices are going, but there is no right or wrong way to play the game?
Granted that might go against the grain where the older KQ games punished you for making poor/negative choices, as opposed the more rightous choices.
Personally I'd rather have the old school point system for nostalgia sake, its very Sierra, very King's Quest.
I can't put my finger on it exactly, but the lack of a point system (the replacement with the progress bar was a poor substitute) was one of several things left out of/changed by KQ7, that made it feel more detached from the previous games to me.
However, it could never get into enough detail that a number score could.
So err, I'm undecided. If a number score is used, than great! But if an achievement type score is used, I'd still be happy with that.
But in saying that, I've never played a TT game through Steam except for PNatI, so. I vote for good ol' numbers.
Anyway, it's difficult for me to think about a points system independently of what to me is a more important issue: What, if anything, is Telltale going to do to make this game more challenging than their usual fare, for those old-school players who relished KQ games in part because they were challenging.
Alternative puzzle solutions in which only one is optimal is a good way to increase a game's difficulty, but it's not something Telltale has done much (if at all?) in their past games. So I would say if they're going to design KQ with alternate solutions, they ought to just go ahead and include a points system like the old games. Another thing that can be done to add difficulty is optional sections or puzzles. In that case either a points system or achievements would work for keeping track.
The thing about achievements, though, is that sometimes they're just silly and don't add anything substantial to a game. While this is fun for some games, I'm not sure it would be appropriate for King's Quest. "Ring the Elves' doorbell three times and hide." I mean, yuck. Adding silly achievements to an easy KQ game would be insulting. A points systems could be perverted for such silliness as well, so I would only vote in favor of one if it was being used in support of a challenging game.
Some of the later stuff had points but less of the optional solutions. Most Sierra IPs maintained the point systems to their last games, space quest 6, Gabriel knight 3, and iirc even QFG 5.
As mentioned even KQ8 used a variation of the point system, though it's unclear how many points you earn for various actions.
GK2 and GK3 didn't so much have optional puzzle solutions, rather if was possible to miss clues or cutscenes if you weren't at the right place at the right time.
But in general point system was part of the whole Sierra game experience. To lose it would be to lose much of what being a Sierra game was meant to be.
There are very few examples of Sierra games that didn't have some variation on the Sierra point system (actually I think the point system goes back to Infocom's text adventures). KQ7 and Phantasmagoria off the top of my head. The latter had some major optional stuff without any indication that a more extended solution to the final chapter exists!p
What is the difference between doing all achievements and getting maximum score, if the achievements are done right?
I liked the system in StrongBad. It also had kind of a score system rewarding players with trophies and bonus costumes.
you guys easily pointed out the most essential element of those adventures and what made em so different from Lucas' ones, because the possibility of errors and deaths(not so much the score itself then) came from text adventures, arcade games, and very probably pen&paper rpgs.
I don't know, we should ask Ken & Roberta, or maybe even someone else, on how they came up with this little gameplay mechanic, i'd really love to know, actually!
Anyway here's my 2 cents: if TTG don't use this mechanic their game won't be a KQ one. If they use it, they should probably make it more accessible, but it takes tremendously careful design skill not to ruin its key feel and the challenge, which is as you said, "the best solution Vs the best one YOU can come up with" among a pool of possible actions(many leading to death). In my opinion they should preserve it as it is(if they but touch it in anyway the balance of challenge WILL collapse like a castle of toothpicks) but create a flashback support system, that'd let the player know something in the past was done wrong, and it just takes you directly there to patch things up.
And for god sake, do NOT let players know the "existance" of the system, this mechanic must be hidden inside the game, not goofily revealed as a "thing", more than often when programmers recycle a mechanic it tends to stick out horrendously. BLEND it with the whole game, that's a type of PURITY that's lost in today's games.
It's definitely a huge part of Sierra games, but Sierra didn't invent it.
On a related note a system like KQ1VGA Enhanced which offers a classic or no dead end mode might be a great idea! It would allow players to play the game the way they want, and less complaints from both types of players!
I guess it really comes down to this: how much does TTG want to pay homage to Sierra's legacy? By reaching out to Roberta, it's clear that they are planning to remain true to the spirit... so we'll see how that translates in gameplay.
Have your moves tracked might be kinda cool too!
Nostalgia's calling, and I think it would be great to see a resurrection of the classic zork adventure game. The Zork MMO doesn't really count (though it does try to bring in some of the classic text adventure feel).