No matter how tricky or convoluted the map becomes, you will always have a clear picture of how to get from one part to another. Accurate mapping cannot be overstressed if one is to become an above-average adventure game player. Top players map at least 50 percent of their game-playing time. —Roe R. Adams III —Computer Gaming Methodology (Digital Deli)
Boy, that brings back memories. Back in my day, we didn’t have this fancy camera-floating-along-behind-the-PC, 3D realtime-rendered automapping. What we had was a piece of paper and a pencil. That’s the way it was, and we liked it!
Also of note farther down on the same page is a sidebar on dragons in computer games since Adventure. (The article’s from a 1984 book, so the list isn’t long.) And, while I’m at it, I found an interesting discussion of comptuer therapy (starting with Eliza, but moving on a bit.)
I’m working on a bit of computer history myself, or will be when I finish grading (tomorrow!). Historical research 101: the older your source is, the more valuable its observations; they haven’t been tained by the passage of time, which tends to filter out the unpopular or unusual opinions and replace them with commonly-accepted wisdom.
This is manageable. Far better than some semesters.
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Representing the Humanities at Accepted Students Day.
The daughter opens another show. This weekend only.
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Small world!
This is unreal! The name Roe Adams rang a bell and I'll have to check it out to see if it's father or son who has been doing this. Knew and camped with them at the War in Pennsylvania with the Society for Creative Anachronism many, many years ago!
Dr. Jerz, you really are worth checking out daily! Thanks.
Mapping is a lost art. The last game I played that required you to create a map was probably "The Legend of Kyrandia" back in 1994, and in all honesty, I only had to map it because I didn't understand some of the intracacies of the game. All the newer adventure titles either provide you with a "automagic" map, or divide the gameplay up into small scenes that require no map. First person shooters all have simple enough maps that you can easily remember where the exits and switches are. In short, since the game industry thinks that gamers no longer have the patience to thoroughly map a world, they no longer employ the "maze of twisty little passages".
Right. And even if a FPS area is complex and intricate the freedom of motion you get in an FPS really helps you construct a mental map of your own, or else implement the "take every left turn and run around the outside edges" technique if you ever do get lost or need to find a secret exit.