Games with stories that take advantage of being a video game ASIDE from impact of player choice?

[asper]

A lot of the examples posted are just about breaking the fourth wall, not making use of gaming's unique features.

 

[Abelian]

I remembered another Simon the Sorcerer 3D example. As opposed to Simon 1 and 2, the game also featured action sequences and minigames, and it was possible to die, after which you could continue that game from the nearest respawn point.

At one point in the game, Simon is stuck in a locked room with some other characters and can't open the door. The solution to getting out is to taunt another character ("I will feed you to my horse" "Oh, you never told me you were married"). The character kills Simon, who now respawns outside the locked room (this is similar to PS:T, immortality was justified in-game in that case).

Note, I never played Simon 3D, due to the awful empty areas, controls, puzzles and graphics, but I did watch an LP of it.

 

[Murk]

A lot of the examples posted are just about breaking the fourth wall, not making use of gaming's unique features.

Eh, the whole egoraptor megaman x thing applies here I guess.

The Gothic games were great about making you truly bros with the bros; because you didn't just read about shit in dialog or arbitrarily have sides, they legitimately helped you accomplish your own goals in a reciprocal manner that you could look back in a Pen and Paper type of way and go "yeah, and then Gorn and I raided some abandoned monestary -- he nearly killed a troll by himself, dude just tanked him so I could get some hits in".

I think the Gothic games in general have the most story-telling elements through mundane in-game actions, where you make choices and experience things not through cutscene or dialog but through actual gameplay. I'm reminded of defjam talking about running from an orc that was too strong and luring him off an edge, then going down and stealing the dead orc's weapon as a trophy. Or in the current thread by cboyardee the person who mentioned falling in a river after getting nearly killed by monsters, only to wash up next to the swamp camp and to have the people go all "hey bro you ok here have some weed and relax".

 

[Berekän]

The last puzzle in Simon the Sorcerer 3D.

Spoiler

It requires the player to eject a CD in-game. The solution is to eject the CD from your computer.

Heh, there was a similar puzzle in Chaos on Deponia.

Spoiler

There's an area where your character tries to listen to something, but he can't because there's music being played too loud. So you have to lower the music in your options menu to solve it

 

[eric__s]

The last puzzle in Simon the Sorcerer 3D.

Spoiler

It requires the player to eject a CD in-game. The solution is to eject the CD from your computer.

Holy shit. How does this work?

 

[agentorange]

Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The first entries in the series especially. In both cases you're exploring areas that have already met their end, and uncovering a story, piecing it together at your own pace. It's a combination of the journal style horror story that was popular with writers like Lovecraft and Machen, and the ambient scope of a film and all the atmospheric effects that visuals and sound can supply, and the exploration allowed by video games. It's like a perfect melding of a bunch of different mediums. Pathologic does it too, and has even more game only aspects like having to manage hunger and sleep.

One of the greatest strengths of the video game is that exploration can occur at your own pace (to a degree, but still more so than in a film or novel), and the possibility to miss content; it's fucking retarded as shit that most developers try to discourage both of these things as much as possible.

 

[Damned Registrations]

A lot of the examples posted are just about breaking the fourth wall, not making use of gaming's unique features.

I would argue that breaking the fourth wall is inherently one of gaming's unique features. Breaking the 4th wall in The Neverending Story doesn't actually change the story at all, because no matter what you do, the book doesn't change. In order to play a game to begin with, you need to break the 4th wall from your own side of it. You need to provide outside interference to the story of the game or it doesn't go anywhere.

Though some of these (especially some of the 4th wall breaking segments) aren't really stories taking advantage of this so much as gameplay. Unless killing the old sniper in MGS by dicking with your system clock changes the plot, but I'm gonna go ahead and assume you were gonna shoot him in the face anyways.

 

[Murk]

P much, tho you have to do it to advance the plot (hurr hurr) so at least it gives you the option. Or other times where you have to look up a codec contact number by literally looking at the back of the game's cd case. Took my brother and I a minute to figure out wtf he was talking about in MGS 1 (didn't help that we had a rental with a generic plastic case).

Oh right, some of the GBA fire emblem games posit you as a silent tactician whom you do not directly control. It's kind of a weird "THIS IS WHY WE KEEP EXPLAINING THINGS TO YOU DIRECTLY LOL" tactics but eh.

 

[hiver]

My example is meta, but that was the only one i could remember thats similar to the thread theme.

I had and have several ideas for mechanics like OP requested, but i kinda doubt youll ever see them and since they are not available its pointless to talk about any of them.

 

[Abelian]

I originally posted this in the wrong thread (PoE), but at least it was IE related.
I found this to be a nice commentary/lampshade on the tendency of player characters to be kleptomanic heroes:

Spoiler

And then you use it to gain experience in a quest

And one persistent player saw the "quest" all the way through:

[Yquog] planned to eat my party, but then I offered him my “dead things collection”: I was carrying a dead man, dead woman, and dead cat, all in a bag of holding.

 

[jcd]

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[Cosmic Misogynerd]

This is an awesome thread. By the size of it, it really looks like these kind of narrative devices (sp?) aren't very common in the medium (videogames). That's a shame, even more because instead of pushing in this direction, developers just want to replicate what the movies and books do, but in a poorly done way.

 

[jcd]

394c16ff0039361fa9074da525441634a0a657f60693a2128aa323ed20d7013306c3e2824f5a5077bedde506a1f5aa973b9abfa42017b2c5bc452085b7e6b4771eb159cfbc5c2afe13454b98a5786aba72112e31b8c87f61ac2666c3084b25d4f2097103ad8f0ddb5e6af945b0005e0994de81dace9d3dab77ebeaad186418ed2d847de7e9c3240fd6f8c45434d9268e02f8e0dcaca7093b8245ff131caab0ae073ea172ecd92a14a29b8402a5ca1a012ae8a7fd232a1883307c6e07e18ea82b341002c9e89ae6e371f9e2e7738c87331d9f12246b451a4e0ffb62c125385471df1462eea05b67d7e473e129df2d5771b1cca3904c353bf7ddcc8b337bbbff207eec7e14398c720bf0cb18aabec4b210e04d288940d49ca4c0b05c1773d3a2d9213da3e47a4032c3f35fe47cc1bf332a8694d29603cee879954a67d5bd254630f121bb72f25f378e85606650059fd40167c29c6f5c58c5775ca68234c98e0d82995eb1ec6253dc406f36498c1638cc63615f58aabad02c365bb51e9e6de5559fca0027a4888c1db172c8afe776465c2bfe83e7df8db8c56f6876b13bd1a76db405ce758d154a7db789c6afaab08beda054f268f7dde764e7916fd3ef0653437c61f56eec839800828dbab4941bf76ec5b7eee7712253886b6ca073abc4dea89b84f4d3c5cbc291018e9d77df981e118bf8c49451d2d64ad4e4f60ed797df67770a1a118a1184a2beb96ce8129375ae0db556bc4df4d7710190c6c6f990bdbbbf4bf4d8178f66c1eb8acfd6923a5bcfb871553caaf6e55ba4d5d05b26d1618b35652fcebd36f105adab17b94b3d82b5880b5f9f2cf52219fb99d04a9177d972b254e84f961ad591d46fb87346d15f387e0ca7a1f507959955c7bf60226417519525468b87b5b48c28c44f4e3e03340c502541d9245cad9ea6ab964fd8757ac9056ddf829c814587ec0d3c735daddb6f87f5ca0c093d5cc98205078cff561990c91edba6273af14ec3644726d77d63a761336c30b30603a3b81249f1a9b8ed5b7b2c4cbabaa0360289b93d4519dd12bc1d5fd695dea4b5cf933ceaa05160ddf6b944ba3ced847afddaad327ab085021fe2e7a89ee4c995f931ba3f883de3f1c1b49312a4e3c07c625acc362d1b1226eee5b428f816fea764fd01502487ba2c9256a292f7539d207377ec9f85ca958fbcdc8b8159c9284b1397a8b9394cdf2a1047d75ae3fd57a365c77ca057a5c976a5c37b1e3fb78d90c8780e11d0e0bfd89f28bd2844391880036830bcebfe2f288870451898f1d6cbed06049efc24e3b25d508e34cd66e697777f302b87b3ba85c412fc96e72998eb96959a8724aeb90e7f161422b96b2437823ae5fd145a06d0798ec17caf2027b4d9038400225f7f9927ad11c3a2319d5d8e8fd14d8c6b19221658687b8754c25f1e5531aeccea9695e3632a0828e623f3a42afc0d41483e8d45998e5d1decbd6e890cbd3ac575da289542c1402f3abf8c4c5f55616a1371095bc3dfb389168bf2d45f73e0f012b5d2c3281f25febe4d05c13e9f0fb8c1de521650755e16848ea8e26f048468980052311004aefb6e676fe8196c93fa93ddfe739ff7079474c51296ff277b072578718fd2947f90c075dc936af50d7d9e274c9dbdc5a911c0cfafea8d99de82cc9a2148bbca7d52a043eee65c9b3751cab5bfd858f5ca499e49496e804d5667c30d6dffb13bda8cea423c041a747a6036d772350670ae048c52bd3de058b4db7fcdf120b3e5966bda80c84fccad4ff902c8c12994e35fb732c14e5b66a0bf243b36d06ed34a2fe77d5b3e8fd04cd62731b7a7502bba0c8b4c197a235183a05dd0eca9cc1228faf5b572c0cb0aee9b7baf72997c204821a0730caeb06f4cda917aa2d88692516a0a1cb4775c9f6ee1784c181cb6c9ec164e866a5df2b39e138ae2e9cd3bc393f44225a0280b05305878d14132efea517b274b9190fea484324ace233469442fb9feb844ad5afd922afb6eef4d5d89f5de84748f00649bddc216d7eda3844c12cef543606fc73f78cfc437178b2d8e05f0206fb04cd840d87b624753724a7f2c694da59070b08ac7d9c7ebc5888616963bd87b3650b9998a0cd45db77d67d7cfa1b3817837abc194c7c5a1d4872122e10ef0bf1bd2b46bdb8987ff8192638879119dbc631faaddf19fd26427c7d353b57642753e8c04d2935f57af82ad82b3b3c7fb31b9f30322d6e5e5cde2f6f0eda5fd551a9d8e60f39d8c86764e999df8f1da04dceb0568bbfc7e186a772c9059ac56180a6ddd2bd46c019845660dcbae820701bfc751160cb4940339378e7842e823038c1893d77211f02c508d4ad99aea96e46910237ecb2e4d7d37c0fdb6f73bfe538599fdd21ed82b1ff6cb430e639ce6e4bd6af07db72fc1b0c3995a7cda9b3ad7d7c902c166a2a51aa5028b2a2be8c01f85dac37eb8a9cef6d1d68e8b000ca8a6ba0a0d1270eb27a4aa68db1af1679f3bdc00a77350cc8b130f8bc51053a53921261dcb4ca5ade5ccb8124a1eaee3d8e108950eeed837771cbb0d37c671ee20072c3452842c92fb51cadfe149497577851192712e05ad448975a8d6c9359a36e0188777dff6d1aaa4cfd29d6c36c8085d89371ba3977867175e9390bb1df21637eda95d1377530400b0709430bbb84b2e0cf8bcdf526b6847fed7ac50a219d82da5aca9c328e808c4f13058a4f1489b3a12ca4f47688e780afe6e7eb1bab04aa2612bbdb2ce7ec794cfdfc5148a7d5b52ff7daf034f317ea0115277342cb01bbf77da7a2293a85c8ad93e4a6990fff94dfbbba7946dad13c5f80257e541b4e9aa7cd8c18f09c9d8ee9a610e044b5b88a5c2bb909869a098d9ee23a3e71fa5351e27b5d42ed0fcd147cb7297e08fbcffd0fc7f73ab29d53cac7170ddf4137474c7fe1c0176f63a6ecdd96307552cc60ba7cb6d30a8f6b0057a8709b2f4e46ea5fc07271a5ab3ec43a303178f7c36aa09aa29a70ebb2328205a3ff28934601e92e09dce845e25b62af7d93077c565435ee1030673ebf375b83d4baded84e7d1e9003c2cde26033e1bd62d349cac0329c0191832ccfb5d71661b9068244c62f63fab8cfd12722105a9faf25812cfaadf7a43ecf48e4f7e371f6b29008ae74dd5db9a330f80eb38a1c25b06deedee3926cf5860182a3ec1e6e79c037c503b55f32cc0124d0d261f8bad7f75d099e127be92cb28fcb950c7ef82a75e18e5e81bcfce7d4afdb96d6c5100f3f47070196a6557f617dee813f0303a7d46c10fd40c34d953c723aaa291853e8027ed52b127a1f8cab525607b85eb5b216a2be354aae5423a9689010d3b26d66cbbf13a6dea31f6b64e2034b35faa5c493e2b8c6003a7fc53aec229172c4e910937ce0b3a27ffd4e68e48356f5fb9a945d3017d1090a7b1b48a4cb7251eb3ac70a33534bc9276a52097324cd43615bbbf157aca7691c1569eaaee2b994a5d926f0e1ae2596d5588000fc1400cb1adfc35f79581d9749a07e7042a7e22533a0ba0725453f0d59e879597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[Clockwork Knight]

Though some of these (especially some of the 4th wall breaking segments) aren't really stories taking advantage of this so much as gameplay. Unless killing the old sniper in MGS by dicking with your system clock changes the plot, but I'm gonna go ahead and assume you were gonna shoot him in the face anyways.

Related, relatively well known example: early in MGS1 you have to find a contact's frequency on the radio, and the colonel tells you in's on the CD case. You don't have a CD item. After a (probably long) while, you realize he means this.

What's that, your copy is pirated or you lose the case? Well, just try every frequency from 0 to 150 then.

Just posting here to remind everyone that I always read the entirety of a given thread before posting and anyone claiming otherwise is just trying to sully my good name.

 

[Murk]

>;( omg i ulreddy sed dat bro

 

[The Dude]

Digital: A love story is a pretty unique little IF that I can't see working well in any other medium. The narrative is basically explored only through an Amiga remiscient computer by running programs, surfing BBS:s and opening email attachments. It might sound gimmicky, but it works great in the confines of the game.

 

[DragoFireheart]

there is a nice little puzzle in legend of zelda: phantom hourglass, where you have to press a crest onto a sea chart

how do you do this?

Spoiler

since the chart is on the upper screen, and the crest is on the lower screen, you have to fold your console, thus 'pressing' the crest against the chart

Some guy playing on a Emulator is going to rage quit when they get to this point.

 

[eric__s]

there is a nice little puzzle in legend of zelda: phantom hourglass, where you have to press a crest onto a sea chart

how do you do this?

Spoiler

since the chart is on the upper screen, and the crest is on the lower screen, you have to fold your console, thus 'pressing' the crest against the chart

Hahaha, that is awesome.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Some guy playing on a Emulator is going to rage quit when they get to this point.

iirc you can simulate lid closing on the emulator. Of course, you'll probably have to look it up on gamefaqs because you sure as hell aren't going to deduce that on your own, unlike someone playing on the real DS.

 

[2house2fly]

The "sanity effects" in Eternal Darkness start by messing with the characters (they hallucinate walking on the ceiling, their head falling off, etc) and as your sanity meter falls they start to mess with the player ("Eternal Darkness 2", appearing to turn down your TV's volume).

And though it's an RPG, the "big twist" in KOTOR2 doesn't really have anything to do with player choice: your character grows stronger by killing people, essentially consuming their life force, and also binds people to you so that they follow your orders without question no matter what they think of you or the other people you travel with. It even explains why all your party members just happen to be trainable into super-rare Jedi knights: you're specifically binding force sensitive people to you. It was the first time I ever saw a game take standard gameplay mechanics and turn them into symptons.

 

[Jick Magger]

Finally, an oft-overlooked example is Silent Hill - specifically Silent Hill 2 (though this could very well apply to other SH games, SH2 is the one I remember best). There were multiple endings based on the player's actions throughout the game; however, rather than basing these on the results of arbitrary text prompts that are disconnected from the rest of the game, as is often the case, it was the player's direct actions through normal gameplay (i.e. how the player dealt with monsters, managed healing items, and behaved during "escort" portions of the game), and over the course of the entire game, that determined these endings.

Know this is a little late, and not quite related to the topic, but I just remembered a pretty good one.

Spoiler

Mary's letter, the thing which kick-starts the plot, is kept in your inventory where you can read it at any time. Near the end of the game, when James is given several hints that things are not as they seem (i.e. when he learns from Eddie that they're both "just the same" and Laura tells him that Mary died two weeks ago as opposed to 2 years, as he believed), the letter suddenly turns to a blank sheet of paper, then an empty envelope, then it disappears entirely. This leads to the player, along with James, questioning his sanity. Was the letter a manifestation made by Silent Hill? Did it ever really exist? Did James just make it up when he arrived in Silent Hill, and if so, then what was his real motivation for going there? This of course foreshadows the twist that James actually murdered Mary, and that he suppressed the memory out of guilt.

 

[DraQ]

A lot of the examples posted are just about breaking the fourth wall, not making use of gaming's unique features.

Well, breaking fourth wall in a way that makes use of or otherwise references player's control is gaming's unique feature.

And yeah, emergent storytelling via mechanics is very definitely gaming's unique feature, but it usually involves player's choice, just not in a scripted branch sense.