Rampant Games - Navigating & Exploring

The the next website post from the Rampant Coyote this week talks Old-School RPG Design, and focuses on Navigating & Exploring. Here is a samll sample.

So I was going to do some research. Just… you know, research. I’m always trying to capture the feel of “old-school” gaming in Frayed Knights, and so I thought I’d go back and check out Might & Magic Book 1 – The Secret of the Inner Sanctum. So I got hooked on it once, but on a new computer I had to start over, and I’m really only going to take a peek for just a few minutes around the world. Well, okay, I’ll spend time making characters, just for old time’s sake (screenshot with the pre-gen characters notwithstanding), and THEN I’ll just poke around for maybe a half hour. Not very long at all. Just as a refresher.

Yeah. Right. That plan didn’t work. This is Might & Magic that we’re talking about. Nevermind I’ve got tons of cool new games waiting to be played – I’m now a few hours into Might & Magic 1. Again.

The thing is, these classic old games succeed – at least for me – on a level that many of their modern (yeah, indie) imitators do not. I know – I play ‘em. I *cough* make ‘em. How is that possible? There’s no inimitable genius here or technological or design wizardry (pun intended) going on in this game that’s pushing 30 years old (for the Apple II version). What gets missed? What’s so addictive for an old-school gamer like myself?

More information.

Exploration in RPG's of the 80's was far superior because there was no internet back then and you had to figure things out yourself. You had to pay way more attention and a lot of times had to make your own map with notes. Also, at least in my case, my imagination went wild since graphics were not the main focus of gameplay. Even Skyrim all modded out could not compete with the imagination of a 15 yr. old who grew up playing D&D and reading Lord of the Rings.

I am playing Lords of Xulima right now and I love it. Exploration wise it can not compete with games like Might and Magic 1 or Dark Heart of Uukral. Old timey rant over. Where the hell are my blue pills?

BTW Coyote another great article and I love reading your blog.

Thanks, Hastar. That means a lot!

Yeah, my point with the article - which may have gotten lost - was pointing out just how much they did with an extremely basic gameplay mechanic (square-based movement). With so much more capabilities at their disposal, why do modern games find it difficult to match that?

I suspect that it's more of a case of intent than mechanics. Again - I think most game designs consider movement to be something you do to transition between gameplay activities, not an activity itself.

Originally Posted by Hastar
BTW Coyote another great article and I love reading your blog.

Ditto.

Always an interesting read.

I totally agree about the internet ruining games…..I ask my friends, and two in particular never even attempt to solve problems in games, their immediate response to difficulty is to cheat and find an answer online, lol. Kind of defeats the purpose of buying games, but, to each their own I suppose.

Very nice write up, Rampant. I do enjoy reliving the glory gaming years, I guess they are truly gone for the most part.

I'm ambivalent about Internet walk-throughs. I still like to play adventure games, too, and yeah - they can spoil 'em but good. But there were also a few of the games that I quit early on back in the day because I got stumped and got tired of it. If I can exercise the discipline to rely on my own problem-solving up until just before I get frustrated, it's really nice having them around. It gets rid of the frustration / confusion level. But it's so easy to … keep reading…

That's actually why I broke the info in the strategy guide into multiple sections, including hints in one, and full-on walkthroughs in the other. Dunno if anyone appreciated it, but I thought that's how I'd prefer it if I were playing it the first time.

Yeah I agree Coyote. I remember the first time I played Wasteland I could not figure out that you had to use a rope to get across a sewage river under Las Vegas. I rage quite for six months. There was a puzzle or 2 in M&MX that I am glad for the internet.

I also try to figure out the puzzles on my own but after awhile it just angers up your blood. I do love hints and spoilers to be separated. Some tips on making classes and which race to use is always a bonus when starting out.

In our time space between quests have a modern not so funny use. In WoW and many other MMO´s distances serve basically to keep you online going here and there wasting your time. And time in most MMO´s equals money. So, the inmensely big continent of Whateverland is made only thinking of inmensely big monthly fees.
Joking aside, I agree with Hastar: Lords of Xulima has a design that makes exploration rewarding and fun.
And, yes, the Frayed Knight strategy guide is what a good RPG guide should be.