Re: Re: KODP Flash (Spoilers included)

From: Michael Akinde <michael.yahoo_at_...>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:30:43 +0200


outis02 skrev:
> Interface design tools have progressed a long way in this past 10 years. I have a hard time believing that remaking, and improving, the KoDP in a modern framework would be such a difficult undertaking
I agree with respect to the interface. I think the main challenge of a remake would be the task of remaking the interpreter for the massive body of Opal scripts that make up this game. Unless one could actually port the code used to interpret the script, somehow.

In my opinion, what sets King of Dragon Pass apart from other games is the part that is highlighted in its adverts: how many good stories have you played recently? KODP succeeds in that very difficult job of melding together a strategy game and an adventure game into a greater whole. It succeeds in creating an immersive experience, where many other games fail.

I agree with the suggestion that the Heroquests are the main weakness in the game; though not just because of the note-taking, but just as much (IMO), because the difference between success and failure is so stark, and the player get very little information to explain what went wrong. Getting one's best leader killed even when one apparently did everything right in the quest doesn't make for fun gameplay. There are a few other points in the game where player's are left grasping for straws in terms of determining what went wrong, but the HQs are by far the worst. IMO, instant-kill situations really only serve to get players irritated and/or result in lots of save-reloads.

I pretty much agree with Jim? on the fiddly bits. And I think the problem about the development of new nobles has already been mentioned a couple of times (I recall in my most recent playthrough as an Elmal clan having 2 nobles who favored my tribal deity. Both were pretty old, and once they died, I didn't see another Elmal devotee for the rest of the game).

 From a technical perspective, the part about recreating a game like KODP that I would find daunting is really the scripting interpreter. Looking at the Opal scripts, it seems like this is some pretty powerful code, that would need to juggle a lot of factors. If that can be handled, I don't see what one would want or need to change. I mean - the art and the scripts are already there and written - why cut those out? Building the interface shouldn't be that hard - it is after all entirely static. GUI builders have come a long way in the past 10 years. And sure - a few elements of the gameplay could perhaps be cut down or simplified, but I'd think the only reason to do so would be to improve the gameplay experience, rather than for the complexity of building the game.

But that's just my 2 cents, based on what I've experienced with the game.

Regards,

Michael A.

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