The little things you'd like to see in more games

I would love to see more detailed epilogues

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Oi, I’m currently trying to write a story that has a super-big scope. I’m talking like, uh… a world, here. Or is it half of a world? :thinking:

Either way, it’s super hard to do the worldbuilding, and even harder to do the writing :laughing:

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I would like more games to have a multitude of races. I get that there is “The big 4” everyone seems to include when they make race choice an option, but what about those of us that aren’t in the big 4? What about those of us that have mixed races? So when I find a mixed race option in a game, AND I get to choose the races, AND it includes my 2nd race, I enjoy the game all that much more.

And when my race/races are referenced, or my choices in races reflect my physical appearance, it’s the greatest feeling.

And though it’s a bit controversial, I also love it when authors include birth gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation in their options of creating your character, and then sometimes one of the characters in the story mentions it, either showing their prejudice, or just making a mistake (because not all MtF transgendered women are blessed with looking fully feminine, and not all FtM transgender men are blessed with looking fully masculine) I feel it adds realism to the game AND it just makes it feel like your choices when you made your character are more than just a determinant for what writing to use in your Romance Options™.

All that being said, it’s quite obvious I just love customization. And realism.

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Ripple effects on choices, I want to see how this decision 100,000 words ago, has now impacted the future, and a quick load can’t fix it. Not just small ripples, but multiples across time, almost how the epilogue leads to multiple endings, but let it have multiple scenarios with a programmed basis for endings, creating virtually thousands of final epilogues, just don’t chrono trigger it where it’s miniscule nonsense but basically the same thing

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This can potentially end up being really not small at all as far as consequences go, so I don’t know if it counts, but I really like being able to not kill people in games.

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Ah yes, Zombie Exodus does this brilliantly, in my experience. I so also miss my favouriteeye-colour in some games - I know black eyes do not really exist, but if they are so dark they appear black, then, yeah, they aren’t brown or dark brown. :wink:

What I’d like to see more, in addition to this with appearance and an actual reaction somewhere to that, would have to be less stat-dependent overall, and especialyl the ending. I find I enjoy some games and then, at the very end, get more or less thrown under the bus due to lack of high enough stat(s). Argh. Yes, yes, easier on the author, but it would be easier still to not make stats at all then, wouldn’t it? :expressionless:

I don’t mind stats, but as mentioned above by @kyros, Tin Star did this in a far better way than many other games. It is there, but it doesn’t force you to pick stats over role-playing.

Also, more cats. We need more cats in the games. Where cats are the good guys, not bad guys as in most cases in other media. Cats! :cat:

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Yes… the dreaded “You didn’t play the game how I wanted you to play by min maxing so you get the bad end/die” thing. There were a few ones I’ve tired where it always ended that way, and for the longest time I though that’s just how it ends. Turns out, there was a lot more story, but only achievable to go through if you have your stats the right way. Basically, the way the author wants you to play. In my oh so humble opinion, if an author wants to do that, they should just make it a novel and publish it, that way they can tell the story they want how they want to tell it without us meddlesome readers getting in the way.

This. Absolutely this. I find that cats end up being the bad guys/evil in most things because people just aren’t intelligent enough to know that cats are really the good guys. My Siamese guy is loyal, absolutely loyal, and a huge cuddle bug. He is not evil. Either that, or I’m evil and just don’t know it and he’s loyal and protective of me because of said evilness…

Must do some internal monologue time now.

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We could have two in one with big monstrous goofy cats. Too far?

Might be just me but I liked it in Zombie Exodus when you could choose what to do with your SO.

Ex-- in Devlin’s scene where you two wake up in bed and you have to leave, but he pulls you back in, and you can pick to basically be the big spoon or the little spoon. It’s such a small detail, but it really helped me immerse myself in an MC whose actions I had that much more control over.

I dunno. Whenever I play the ‘gay’ male route in some of these newer titles, sometimes I like to take the lead in my romance and all and initiate these intimate gestures. I know it’s a lot to ask but I was pretty giddy when I saw it in ZE.

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@Redthegamr
YAS. I loved Devlin, tom was a little ah(crazy) Much… If I could get some more serious romance subplots with games on this site that actually are woven well into the story I will stop at nothing to read them. I actually found the little brush with the villain in apex patrol to be a really intriguing premise, the author really buffed up on the romance sub in Tinstar but alas I want more.

Ahh, Tom… that poor misunderstood(nope, literally crazy) baby. XD And I agree-- I stop at nothing in order to read all that sweet sweet romantic subplot as well. And Tin Starrrr… Loved pretty much every RO in that one as well. (If I had to pick one I’d have to go with Preston, however. ^^;)

Kasador was a well done yandere, if I do say so myself. (Is that the term? II think that’s the term, lol.)

Wow didn’t even realize till now that he was, but there it is in spades. Honestly, fallen hero has my hopes up, But I smell heartbreak like a bloodhound smells steak and that game wreaks of it. Ortega gonna break my poor character’s heart … Would it be better to have a romance that just isn’t available or give the character a chance and have it end in flames? hmm, me personally the later.

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Characters having opinions on the little things you do/your appearance/etc

I also like when games make references to your gender/sexuality etc. I know that it may be iffy for some people, but I think that in most settings it’s weird to completely disregard it.

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Yeah it was a good shorthand. 30% could mean you might have a shot, but ‘couldn’t hit a barn’ door is pretty self-explanatory.

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Maybe complex characters (?) with flaws. I really liked the games Way Walkers, Heart of the House, and Zombie exodus.

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Flaws are great and do make characters feel so much more real and interesting. Would you mind expanding on one of your examples? Which character do you feel was done particularly well and how so?

I feel like Semryu from Way walkers is written well & better than COG love interests (in my opinion) I like his personality Ex. there’s a choice between him & ur best frend. If you pick friend, he doesn’t get mad but understands your decision. And that decision made a big impact on your story.

Unexpected Consequences which come back to bite you in the ass later.

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Sorry if this has already been mentioned bur making characters real. For example, I’ve barely read the Canterbury tales. I only know a super brief plot summary and stuff (yay UK education haha) but the Road To Canterbury I loved, because God all the characters seemed so real, and just because you can see the characters talk to each other (e.g. knight and squire) as well as you.

It mirrors real lfe because irl you can really get to know someone just by seeing how they treat other people and what they do when not talking to you (as in, if you’re writing a badass character don’t make 'em do nothing and just wait for the chance to talk to us)

Oh and have other people join in on conversations. Because irl if you’re gunna make fun of John, Sally or someone’'s gunna jump in there too

These tropes