Regarding the word count conundrum, I must admit that excluding me loving the concept, word count does tend to play an oversized role in my choice of whether I will or won’t try the game. I am not sure why that’s necessarily the case, but it might be a mix of factors based on what I’ve experienced over the years.
Generally speaking I’ve started to notice a general correlation between good IFs and larger word count, I am not sure if it is just coincidence that the ones I like tend to be the longest or if due to the much higher bar of entry for those huge word count ones. That it sort of acts as a filter of quality where only someone who spends years to get to that large length can upload it. And thus it’ll be much better thsn something that can be written in half year for example.
But putting that aside given it is not always true. I think another reason is that higher word count often implies that your choices matter greatly. Even if you play just once and drop it with the playthrough only showing you but barely a 3rd of that word count, that could still be a full length book where ideally your choices felt like they were varied and noticed enough to feel like your story. Rather than just a different path on a pre-established plotline.
A story that is on what is now the low end. I.E less than 200k words from what I gather, tends to imply either more linear plot, which can put off someone who values input more than straight good writing. Or ir can imply that its too short for you to establish any meaningful plot or characters while maintaining that IF freedom. Leading to a perceived view that it’d be worse quality. Irrespective of quality.
It is sort of the issue that something like say, call of duty faces with its characters. Because their campaigns are so short and they try to cram a full story into some of them. When the writing is not great to hold it up in one single entry as opposed to a series. You end up having character deaths that feel bland or contrived because you didn’t have enough time to fall in love or care.
Spoilerish example
The best example of this is black ops 2, where it’s story, as lovely as it is. Simply would not work had the first black ops not been released. Killing Mason, the person who you played as in the first game. And that decision being one that you aren’t forced to do, would not be such a Holy shit moment if it was just someone you just met an hour ago. Well written or not. It’d still be shocking, but it won’t actually hit you.
It is also the difference between Bowman and Hudson’s death in black ops 1 and 2 respectively. While both entries are well written given the time they take, and both have character deaths at about the same length. Bowman’s death is just shocking and slightly angering, but ultimately forgettable, it merely sets the scene of the desperation in Vietnam. But Hudson’s death hits like a truck because you’ve seen him in the previous game, you’ve felt his highs and some of his lows, his loss is not merely a set note in a plotline but it feels like you’ve seriously lost a core part of your group that cannot be replaced.
But this is also where context comes in, because while this can be an example of word count helping perception, and it no doubt does. It is also an example of when good writing can outweigh that word count. Bowman’s death was not done by the villain, Bowman was a part of your squad but that is about all they are. They are killed by the enemy. Not because they are working for the villain, but just because the vietcong enemies just wanted to watch you play Russian roulette against your will and he didn’t want to. It is shocking. But it doesn’t elicit any great feelings.
Hudson’s death comes as a stark contrast. It comes as a reveal that some of the order he gave you were against his will, misleading intentionally because the villain has him in his grasp. And it goes against what rules the game established up to that point because every other major character that can die. Dies as a direct result of your actions. be it shooting them. Or failing to save them. You can usually avoid it and it is sometimes a clear cut choice. You expect it. You know its the consequences of your action.
Hudson’s death subverts this. It takes a character you knew and trusted and challenges it and then it challenges the notion of power you think you have by leaving you powerless in a in game cut scene where all you can do is watch as he decides to sacrifice himself so you and Mason’s kid can live. It hits strongly not just because of the length of time or word count. But because it directly challenges what you know and expect to that point.
Now what the example shows is the core issue at hand. While word count often helps make your characters more lived in a way outside of writing quality by making it easier to empathize or like them when you’ve spent a good deal of time. It is not directly relative to quality of writing. While this is an obvious conclusion, the emails one gets promoting the new game are unable to show this quality in any real way outside of knowing the author. The only metrics you have are a small list of things you may be able to do in no real detail as to whether they’re done well. The concept and theme the game will follow, i.e Modern day vampires where you’re a newbie vampy. And of course. word count
And in a sea of games set in a fantasy setting. Why spend money on a less than 200k word game which may be a well paced and well written experience that makes every single word hit. When you can get a 700k word one that is just by sheer volume of words. More likely to have satisfying moments with characters and a plotline you can actually sink your teeth into.
Oh and it feels more like you got your money’s worth.
The only solution I sort of see to this conundrum outside of removing word count from the promoting. Is the demo, where someone can play and decide if they like the writing and pacing of a shorter game to take that perceived risk. But I am not well read enough in the usual consumers mind to truly say that makes a great deal of difference for others.
, shorter stories are often not even picked up. (There’s a lot of people saying that won’t even download anything under x words). It is fully possible for a very short have to be non rushed and complete if the premise is tightly controlled, it’s also possible for long games to rush endings and leave things in cliffhangers too. Unfortunately it’s become a trend where more words = more value (probably not helped that by word count alone rather than considering overall quality, with COGs pricing structure this is true.)