After a lot of thinking, I've decided to create this topic: Should game developers create games from top down or down up. In this discussion, top down would mean creating the game by creating the main quest first, and bottom up would mean creating the game by creating the game world first.
An example of games which are created from top down would be Deus Ex.
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.Limited gameworld
2.Limited access to locations, better weaps, etc (get argumentations in order)
3.All the levels stem from the main mission (spoiler: you join your brother after discovering the government conspiracy)
4.Very, very linear
5.All NPCs were either had some importance, or just there for numbers to add realism,
hence non-important npcs had little/no depth whatsoever.
6.Some locations didn't make sense (first mission: how did the statue beside my FUCKING BASE got invaded and i have to go in SOLO??? How did UNATCO not see all the NSF coming)
7.Focused on your actions than of the effects of your actions
8.You are special, and all those around you seem strangely feeble to your traq bow even though you can take 2 shots of it without going down
9.Forced scripted events occur to you(what do you mean I'm gonna have to get captured, and how am I captured though I'm supposed to be dead by the game's logic)
10.Side quests given only within the level, and must be completed within the level
An example of games which are created from mostly top down would be the final fantasy series
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.Limited gameworld initally (you could only someplaces until you get your chocoboo)
2.Limited access to locations, better weaps, etc (why does this desolated village get gay weaps)
3.All the levels stem from the main mission (spoiler: you save the world)
4.Very, very linear
5.All NPCs were either had at least importance hence non-important npcs had still some depth whatsoever.
6.Some locations didn't make sense (first mission: the statue beside my FUCKING BASE got invaded and i have to go in SOLO??? How did UNATCO not see all the NSF coming)
7.Focused on telling a story... which players are there just to make the storyline continue, but not to influcence the storyline
8.You are special, and all those around you are unless except for bosses which seem to have more than 9999 hp (a child can kill 10 castle guards)
9.Forced scripted events occur to you(what do you mean by Beatrix is undefeatable???)
10.Side quests can be done anytime, but can only appear after you completed X
An example of games which are created from mostly bottom up would be STALKER: Clear sky
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.The world was mostly opened ended (you couldnt go to chernoybl ground zero from the start, but why do you need to)
2.There was some restriction of equipments (I joined duty only for its gay-assed technican)
3.Most of the missions stem from the game world, while the main quest was still based on you
4.Conflicts withs scripted NPCs relation from main quest and open world side quests (its hard to complete near the end if you're enemies with the stalker faction)
5.Lots of conflict between game world realism (why are those idiotic bandits shooting at me in the open even though there'll be an emission in 5 sec?)
6.Random events can occur many many times (too much in my opinion)
7.You're not god, even though you are supposed to survive emissions even though you're just a normal person, so you'll die.... ALOT
8.Focused on telling an engaging story, players push the plot forward while the sideline story can occur on its own (duty while capture some of freedom's terrority after awhile)
9.Most can be taken down with a headshot but the "boss battle" is just wierd
An example of games which are created from bottom up would be Fallout 2
(I didn't play fallout 1)
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.The world was completely open-ended (could go anywhere)
2.There was little/no restriction of access to equipment/npcs (many start the game by going to narravoyo to get the Power Armor to make this easier)
3.All the missions stem from within the game world (like what do people there need)
4.Forced scripted events occur to people in the game world(what do you mean my tribe will get kidnapped no matter how early/late I got the geck? I hate sailing!)
5.NPCs were not sterotypical and already had the "sense of purpose" before you came along
6.Random events can occur
7.You're not god, you're just a normal person, so you'll die.... ALOT
8.Some impossible battles are actually beatable if you're lucky/skillful
9.Realistic in comparison to the gameworld
10.Side quests can be done anytime, and can been taken anytime
11.Focused on what happened to the world after your actions
I feel that games should be build bottom up to form the world and stuff before creating the game, but that sacifices epic "save the world plots" for immersion. Of course, different people have different opinions and look for different things in games, but.....
Do you think games to be build top down or bottom up.
State your opinions giving reasons in terms of gameplay issues, plots, game development issues (ie: make it eaiser to make the game or stuff), game art issues, or whatever
Edit: may post other features for comparison when I think of them
An example of games which are created from top down would be Deus Ex.
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.Limited gameworld
2.Limited access to locations, better weaps, etc (get argumentations in order)
3.All the levels stem from the main mission (spoiler: you join your brother after discovering the government conspiracy)
4.Very, very linear
5.All NPCs were either had some importance, or just there for numbers to add realism,
hence non-important npcs had little/no depth whatsoever.
6.Some locations didn't make sense (first mission: how did the statue beside my FUCKING BASE got invaded and i have to go in SOLO??? How did UNATCO not see all the NSF coming)
7.Focused on your actions than of the effects of your actions
8.You are special, and all those around you seem strangely feeble to your traq bow even though you can take 2 shots of it without going down
9.Forced scripted events occur to you(what do you mean I'm gonna have to get captured, and how am I captured though I'm supposed to be dead by the game's logic)
10.Side quests given only within the level, and must be completed within the level
An example of games which are created from mostly top down would be the final fantasy series
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.Limited gameworld initally (you could only someplaces until you get your chocoboo)
2.Limited access to locations, better weaps, etc (why does this desolated village get gay weaps)
3.All the levels stem from the main mission (spoiler: you save the world)
4.Very, very linear
5.All NPCs were either had at least importance hence non-important npcs had still some depth whatsoever.
6.Some locations didn't make sense (first mission: the statue beside my FUCKING BASE got invaded and i have to go in SOLO??? How did UNATCO not see all the NSF coming)
7.Focused on telling a story... which players are there just to make the storyline continue, but not to influcence the storyline
8.You are special, and all those around you are unless except for bosses which seem to have more than 9999 hp (a child can kill 10 castle guards)
9.Forced scripted events occur to you(what do you mean by Beatrix is undefeatable???)
10.Side quests can be done anytime, but can only appear after you completed X
An example of games which are created from mostly bottom up would be STALKER: Clear sky
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.The world was mostly opened ended (you couldnt go to chernoybl ground zero from the start, but why do you need to)
2.There was some restriction of equipments (I joined duty only for its gay-assed technican)
3.Most of the missions stem from the game world, while the main quest was still based on you
4.Conflicts withs scripted NPCs relation from main quest and open world side quests (its hard to complete near the end if you're enemies with the stalker faction)
5.Lots of conflict between game world realism (why are those idiotic bandits shooting at me in the open even though there'll be an emission in 5 sec?)
6.Random events can occur many many times (too much in my opinion)
7.You're not god, even though you are supposed to survive emissions even though you're just a normal person, so you'll die.... ALOT
8.Focused on telling an engaging story, players push the plot forward while the sideline story can occur on its own (duty while capture some of freedom's terrority after awhile)
9.Most can be taken down with a headshot but the "boss battle" is just wierd
An example of games which are created from bottom up would be Fallout 2
(I didn't play fallout 1)
It had the following: (could be both good or bad)
1.The world was completely open-ended (could go anywhere)
2.There was little/no restriction of access to equipment/npcs (many start the game by going to narravoyo to get the Power Armor to make this easier)
3.All the missions stem from within the game world (like what do people there need)
4.Forced scripted events occur to people in the game world(what do you mean my tribe will get kidnapped no matter how early/late I got the geck? I hate sailing!)
5.NPCs were not sterotypical and already had the "sense of purpose" before you came along
6.Random events can occur
7.You're not god, you're just a normal person, so you'll die.... ALOT
8.Some impossible battles are actually beatable if you're lucky/skillful
9.Realistic in comparison to the gameworld
10.Side quests can be done anytime, and can been taken anytime
11.Focused on what happened to the world after your actions
I feel that games should be build bottom up to form the world and stuff before creating the game, but that sacifices epic "save the world plots" for immersion. Of course, different people have different opinions and look for different things in games, but.....
Do you think games to be build top down or bottom up.
State your opinions giving reasons in terms of gameplay issues, plots, game development issues (ie: make it eaiser to make the game or stuff), game art issues, or whatever
Edit: may post other features for comparison when I think of them
