Facade; or, why I don't like plotbunnies

[gekiganwing]

Now that I'm done with the writing phase of my Nanoreno game and on to the editing, background-finding, and perhaps improving phases, the last thing I need is a plot or game idea. But I heard about this one first in Game Informer, and once I saw the site, I figured, "Well, when I have a few minutes, I can talk about it."

Facade, at http://www.interactivestory.net, is an unusual simulation, and it stretches the notion of a visual novel (which is why I didn't put this discussion in the Bishoujo forum). The creators describe it as "interactive drama." The POV character interacts with a married couple, and during the brief story, a lot of decisions are made based on the POV character's choices.

While I'll be busy over the next two weeks (this post is getting written in the space of ten minutes), and I don't have time to try Facade, I'm curious what others think of it. Good use of the idea "the game is playing out the story"? Would the idea lend itself to more complex simulations, or is a simple approach better and less oriented toward what I call the "gamer!" mindset?

I've stated elsewhere that I like visual novels and ADV games for being 90 percent or more story. At the same time, I find more abstract forms interesting: interactive fiction, graphic adventures, RPGs... To me, it's all good as long as there's acceptance of what it is and what it isn't.

[mikey]

I think a bit of Facade has been discussed around here.... somewhere...

Anyway, this is something like a realtime conversation game. You're in the room and you can walk and talk (in that you type words you want to say) and the characters respond to that. Timing is also a factor, which distinguishes it from the usual offline "AI" chat games.

The concept is well done and because of the realtime element it has a sense of urgency to it. The atmosphere is really heavy as well also because of how the characters talk (they are voiced, no subtitles). Angry, stressed, trying to cover it and so on.

Would the idea lend itself to more complex simulations, or is a simple approach better and less oriented toward what I call the "gamer!" mindset?

It's definately more what I call the "dramatist~" concept, although it has something from what I call the ">inward" philosophy. In other words, what is the gamer! mindset? ~_^