Short games.

I think the idea of ''episodic'' games has been discussed here before; you come up with a single world, and present a large number of hour-long games set in that world (at reduced prices).

Superpig
- saving pigs from untimely fates
- sleeps in a ham-mock at www.thebinaryrefinery.cjb.net

Sounds as though you want to either play with the "Pulp Fiction" idea, a group of independant stories, but maybe sharing characters. Either that, or just a single story, but the outcome is never the same. Personally, the first sounds better than the second to me. However, it does create an interesting scenario if you try to merge the two ideas. I mentioned this idea in the gamedesign forum and refered to Suikoden3 playing with this idea.

The idea in question is where you have one overall storyline, but multiple perspectives on that story. Players are essentialy running through the same story each time, but the point of view changes, and thus the attitude of the story is altered by the biases of the character of focus. The characters probably meet with each other along the way, however each has their own problems to deal with, and follow their own paths, literally and narratively.

The only thing about this multiple perspective thing is that you would have to have a pretty static story going on. I.E. Princess A in Castle B is always rescued by Hero C from Badguy D. The only thing that would change is your participation in that event, be you playing the role of Hero C, or Travelling Merchant E, or even Badguy D or Princess A. Having a dynamic story, in which case Hero C would be distracted by Pint Of Beer F and not save Princess A at all, would lead to a very many plot branches and be both difficult to write/direct, and would be rather long. Imagine having to play the same 60 minute scenario 20 or so times just to see all of the possible endings.

-> Will Bubel
-> Machine wash cold, tumble dry.

Phantasy Star Online was kinda like that. There was tons of little quests to do to get items and progress the story. Too bad they didnt make them often enough. Or have a quest editor which would have been even better.

Small unrelated things that are singularly unrelated , but create a whole is called a

vignette.

---

"There are only three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can''t."

Just3D
Justin Nordin
J Squared Productions
www.jsquaredproductions.com

or a pulp, right? Pulp Fiction... eh, i tried.

-> Will Bubel
-> Machine wash cold, tumble dry.