linearity in games
By snoreski 1 Comments
So my friend in the dorms and i have been having this friendly debate about lineaity in games. He thinks that there in no such thing as linearity in games, becuase they exist for us to play them, therefor they have a point, and therefor they are linear. I disagree with his reasoning because i hold that its not the purpose of the game that makes it linear or nonlinear, but the gameplay or any moment of nonlinearity you can find in it.
Recently, he sent me a link about nonlinearity in games, and proceeded to renew our debate. I'll post a sampling here:
and here is our folling debate (btw my friends name is alex)
Me: I agree with him totally! But what i think our....debate was about, was whether there was non-linearity in games, and his GTA3 example prooves MY point :)
Me-If it exists in one moment in one game, not to mention those other 2 games, (dwarf fortress, and whatevertheotheronewascall ed) then it disproves your claim that there is no such thing as linearity. Think about a "law" in physics. if there was ONE instance of gravity not behaving to the laws percrbed to it, it would disprove the "law". the law has to work in EVERY situation
Alex - It does work though. you finish these games. there is an underlying goal that you work to. it doesnt matter that there are multiple ways to finish the game, the fact that you play it for a purpose makes it have a linear theme. sure there are non-linear moments, but that doesnt change the fact that you play them to finish them.
I think alex was being a little narrow minded on the subject, but what do you think? Am i right or is he? Or is there something we both haven't considered?
-Brian
I think alex was being a little narrow minded on the subject, but what do you think? Am i right or is he? Or is there something we both haven't considered?
-Brian
Alex-one game proves your point? not even one game, one moment in one game. im pretty sure that proves my point. that non-linearity doesnt exist