Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
A good example of non-linear game is Test Drive Unlimited (Xbox360, PC). The game puts you into Honolulu island, in Hawaii, free to do whatever you want. You can get missions, so you have money and buy more houses and vehicles. Even in the missions you can try finding shortcuts on your own, or even use the game's physics to go through unexpected paths.
So, what do you think? Do your definitions of linearity and nonlinearity match with mine? What games do you think are model nonlinear games?
Final Fantasy 3/6. The first 25-50% is linear and establishes the plot. The rest is completely non-linear. You get the airship, you can go anywhere, and you don't necessarily know at any given location that you're going to stumble into a subquest. Point being: it's the not knowing that is relevant to the gaming experience, not the fact that you have a modicum of choice in which things to do.
I think game designers should aim to create the illusion of freedom, and create worlds that inspire a sense of adventure and exploration (Zebes, for instance) rather than rely on the use of gimmicks and buzz-words, as if such things actually equate to having fun.
Dacicus wrote:
Now, it seems like the "helpers" in the Zelda games bug you about going to the next dungeon every five minutes.
If you enjoy Non-Linear games, La-Mulana is a free game that has 18 worlds to explore, which you can finish in (almost) any order. It's a very tough game, too.
