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    Names: »adv.doc«

└─⟦b20c6495f⟧ Bits:30007238 EUUGD18: Wien-båndet, efterår 1987
    └─⟦this⟧ »EUUGD18/General/Tess/adv.doc« 

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Adventure Guidelines
====================

- These guidelines reflect the author's personal philosophy to adventures,
  so there is naturally a bias in favor of certain factors and against others.
  This is not to say that some factors are "bad", since what one person finds
  frustrating another would find challenging.

- Parts of the guidelines are taken from the Byte article "Adventure as
  Literature".

- Topics covered:
    - Theme
    - Plot
    - Puzzles
    - Locations
    - Objects
    - Mechanics
    - Parser


Theme
-----
  - Be bold
      - Adventures can take place anywhere.

  - Use sub-themes
      - Add variety to adventure.
      - Can be very different set of locations, or related sets (e.g. different
        worlds, or just different stores).

  - The theme should permeate throughout the adventure


Plot
----
- An adventure can present several featrues to the player (listed in order
  of decreasing importance):
    - a goal to be accomplished
    - puzzles to be solved
    - interaction with the adventure world
    - a story
    - pictures

- Have events happen to carry the story along
    - Events don't have to be linear in occurrence.
    - An event could occur to sidetrack the player.
    - The adventure world shouldn't be too static.

- Have alternative plots, endings, or even objectives
    - Player selects which story line, or adv. randomly picks one.
    - Player, as he plays, selects his own destiny, with some puzzles applying
      to different scenarios.

- Have unified but open text
    - Unified: work out the history of the adventure world that explains each
      object and character, and details the events before the adventure begin.
    - Open: although the full history is available, don't have to explain
      everything.
    - This background will provide the foundation and basis for the adventure's
      puzzles and situations.

- Have a step by step build up to some climax or high point.  Something
  exciting should happen at this point.


Puzzles
-------
- No irreversible puzzles 
    - More than just one chance to do something.
    - Important objects can not be destroyed.
    - No irrecoverable situations.

- Have several solutions to problems
    - Avoid the bad thinking "if I spend time putting it in, then everyone
      must encounter it".
    - If a player's action accomplishes something, or at least generates
      a non-canned response, then the player is more satisfied than a
      canned response or a "I don't know how to do that" message.
    - In order of decreasing satisfaction, the type of responses are:
        - action towards goal
        - action irrelevant to goal
        - non-canned response
        - canned response
        - unanticipated command
        - not recognizing word

- Have solutions with a moral quality or sense of purpose.
    - Avoid bland do-it-because-you-can type of puzzles.
    - Could have some emotions attached (e.g. rescue a fuzzy animal).
    - The player should feel a sense of accomplishment.

- Have fair and "logical" puzzles
    - Puzzles can be as different and wild as the imagination, but they
      must be logically solvable given the circumstances that the player
      is in.
    - The puzzles should fit into the overall theme.  Sometimes puzzles can
      simply be reworded to fit into a particular theme.


Locations
---------
- No illogical mazes, mixed-up directions, or un-mappable locations
    - A maze should be a real maze, not a set of impossible-to-map rooms.
    - Even if the adventure consists of independent sets of locations,
      there should still be a logical layout to the map.

- No empty or useless rooms
    - A location just for the sake of completeness may add to the theme,
      but from the player's point of view it is disappointing.
    - This is especially true if the descriptions of the rooms are short,
      since for long descriptions the location can significantly add to the
      mood and feel of the adventrue.


Objects
-------
- Have an info source
    - Gives backgound info on objects/characters.
    - Gives hints / how to use objects.
    - Plot development.
    - Humour.

- Have "helper" characters
    - act as an ally to the player
    - e.g. The vendor in Intrepid, Thunderhawk in Gems

- Have character interaction
    - Fake conversations.
    - Puzzles involving other characters.
    - Getting hints from characters.
    - Characters which follow the player.


Mechanics
---------
- No deaths
    - Use a warning message for experimental/avoidable deaths.
    - No unavoidable dangers / always have warnings.
    - "If the player can be killed, then he can be warned of the danger".

- No dwindling vital resource constraints (battery, air, time)
    - As part of a puzzle, having to refill a resource is alright.
    - As a limiting factor which can halt an adventure and force a player
      to restart, it is an unnecessary obstacle.

- Have a high carry limit, or no limit at all
    - Object count dependent.
    - Object size/weight dependent.

- Have a narrator with a consistent personality and knowledge level.
    - An all-knowing entity watching from above.
    - Someone moving with the player.
    - A puppet controlled by the player (uses 'I' in narrative).

- Have some factors in the adventure that are random with each game
    - e.g. safe combination, color, a true maze


Parser
------
- Have a large vocabulary
    - Provide synonyms for words, especially for verbs.

- Have appropriate parser:
    - If the adventure requires many verb-noun-object constructs, then having
      to use verb-noun commands with auxillary prompts becomes cumbersome.
    - A more advanced parser can give more interesting puzzles and a more
      natural feel to the adventure, but will require more work to handle
      other responses.
    - Parser types, in increasing order of complexity:
        - "verb noun"
        - "verb [article] noun"
        - "verb [article] [ajective]* noun"
        - "verb [article] [ajective]* noun [prep [article] [adjective]* noun]"