LogFAQs > #977726326

YoukaiSlayer posted...

Your words, not mine.

YoukaiSlayer posted...

All of the stuff I'm doing in the gameplay is to avoid that loss, so when it can't be done, it makes my investment in the gameplay pointless and it just becomes busywork in the way of a static story

That was just the continuation of your logic. If the plot not going your way is enough to make you consider your investment in the gameplay busywork in the service of a story, that means you're only ever viewing your investment in the gameplay to be busywork in the service of a story that you hope goes your way.

Enjoyable gameplay is its own reward. Embrace that instead of expecting immutable stories to twist themselves to heap more rewards on you. You'll have a much better time that way.

YoukaiSlayer posted...

Yes but is how every GAME should end.

And that's just lazy writing. Why even bother having a story at all if you're going to insist that every possible story beat goes in the party's favour so long as the player does well enough to move forward in the story? At that point, you might as well just be playing Mario: If you win, you save the princess, otherwise you get nothing. Why bother with greater depth than that if the only thing you want from the story is a pat on the back for winning?

YoukaiSlayer posted...

The same way every test you perform perfectly on should result in a passing grade.

I can't think of a single game ending that wouldn't constitute at least a "passing grade." Not games that actually have endings, at least. I don't think we need to count blatant sequel bait or otherwise unfinished stories in that.

Moreover, stories aren't tests. Even in games with variable stories and impactful choices, those choices and/or your performance are more about shaping the story than securing some sort of absolute perfect win where nothing has gone wrong. The handful of stories that actually treat it like that tend to be pretty lame, with no interesting twists or developments because you can see everything coming.