Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction,rec.games.int-fiction
Path: nntp.gmd.de!Dortmund.Germany.EU.net!Germany.EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news-e1a.megaweb.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!uunet!in2.uu.net!eskimo!daedulus
From: daedulus@eskimo.com (Erik Hermansen)
Subject: Re: Gameplay theory: leaving object behind..
X-Nntp-Posting-Host: eskimo.com
Message-ID: <DEvCu6.E40@eskimo.com>
Sender: news@eskimo.com (News User Id)
Organization: Eskimo North (206) For-Ever
References: <1995Sep8.233605.25903@news.cs.indiana.edu> <1995Sep9.193243.15076@news.cs.indiana.edu> <42tqvj$mi4@globe.indirect.com> <1995Sep10.135006.26604@news.cs.indiana.edu>
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 1995 00:18:06 GMT
Lines: 48
Xref: nntp.gmd.de rec.arts.int-fiction:8246 rec.games.int-fiction:9553

In article <1995Sep10.135006.26604@news.cs.indiana.edu>,
Sam Hulick <shulick@guava.ucs.indiana.edu> wrote:
>
>Furthermore, I think that an I-F game player should follow this simple
>golden rule about items: If you can carry it, take it with you.  IMO,
>only a fool would leave things behind that were 1) not concealed
>somehow, and 2) transportable.  For instance, if you find even something
>as silly as a toothbrush lying around, why pass it up?  You may need it
>in the future.

Imagine if you lived your life like an adventure game.

Whenever you came to a location you had never been before, you would 
examine everything closely.  If there were any closed cabinets or desk 
drawers, you'd have to open them and look at everything that might be 
inside.  If you came across a dumpster, you'd hop right in and start 
examining everything.

Anything that was not bolted down, you'd grab it.  You'd be some bizarre 
kleptomaniac.  If there was gum on the bottom of a bus seat, you'd want 
it.  And when you had more objects than you could carry (picture that 
scene with Steve Martin from The Jerk) you would deposit them all in some 
safe room.  (Granted my apartment currently looks like it has been filled 
with randomly collected objects.)

Whenever there was a problem that had you stumped, you would wander 
around all of the locations you'd already been to and reexamine them.

If there was a locked door, you would just assume that you needed to get 
to the other side of it.  And you'd try any inane solution.  You'd go 
back to your apartment and get the jar of acid you stored there, then go 
back to the door and pour the acid on the padlock.  Somebody would see 
you and call the cops.  When they arrived you'd be sure to EXAMINE 
POLICEMEN.  Then you might try to GO NORTH, but the policeman would stop 
your progress.  Then you might THROW ACID AT POLICEMAN, but the policeman 
would sidestep your attack and subdue you.

Then you would go to jail and your actions would mainly be limited to 
taking INVENTORY and Z and SLEEP, but you would assume that you could 
escape the prison if you had just remembered to bring some object along 
with you.

Ban adventure games--they promote an unrealistic worldview.
-- 
*****************************************************************************
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.

-----------------------------------------Erik Hermansen (daedulus@eskimo.com)
