Text-based Adventure Games Deserve a Revival

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Text-based Adventure: A Cult Classic

Adventure games were the beginning of video games. Sadly, the public abandoned them for fancier graphics. This focus on the next technological marvel became the new gaming standard. Gaming standards have grown so impossibly large that they’re receiving Hollywood level budgets to create. From a business perspective and a common-sense perspective, it seems completely reasonable to cut content from a game before release. These companies have to spit out half-finished games to please impatient consumers aching for more content from the last release. Thus, the amount of content delivered is the highest priority of a game. The simple fact is that games can’t both be full of content and still meet deadlines. There have to be sacrifices made somewhere. That is where the ancient art of the text-based adventure makes it fated revival.

Replayability

Text-based RPG games are infinite in terms of replayability. With some games reaching word counts of nearly half a million, a single choice can have ripple effects like no other story-driven game in existence. A boy, a girl, a villain, a hero, a coward, or a brave warrior. The advantages of text-based adventure games are overwhelmingly numerous. I can play a text-based game a thousand times and still take new routes. The developers also get a little bit of breathing room since a text-based game has longer longevity.

Ease of Creation

Text-based adventures are easy to code, as well. The programmer has the “constant” text to work with while the variable text gets called when necessary. Now think of a 3D game. If that game has a scene play out multiple ways, then that scene has to be redone a number of times. That’s to say nothing of the lip sync involved for differing dialogues if the game chooses to have that much detail. Simply tell a computer to remember that the user made choice A, then when it’s important later, use an if/then statement to have the game connect the dots for you. With this easier programming style, the inevitable cost of the game decreases as well.

The Future

I’ve said my piece and you can take from it what you will, but the versatility and cost advantages of text-based games are a relic from the past that needs a revival in the present. We could start a revolution and make text-based games trending again or have a call-to-action that companies should simplify.

Video games may be commonplace now, but we shouldn’t forget their artistic background and what originally brought gamers into existence. The Choice Of Games company is aware of this. Their “Choice Of” brand label, their “hosted games” brand label, and their willingness to publish the works of average consumers makes their company something truly unique in an age desperate for change.

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