Linear vs Non Linear Discussion

[Rilder]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

[stabiz]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

Linear? Yes there are missions to complete, but there is very little linear about going wherever you want to on the way.:)

[Rilder]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

Linear? Yes there are missions to complete, but there is very little linear about going wherever you want to on the way.:)

Still, Its a linear storyline, and theres no point in playing it more then once = Waste of money.

[stabiz]

:) Okay, not many games pass your test, then.

[fatty]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

Can you name a game that doesn't have a linear storyline?

[Rilder]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

Can you name a game that doesn't have a linear storyline?

Dwarf Fortress
Eve online
Navy Field
Mount and Blade
RTW + mods
Galciv2
Sword of the Stars
X3 Reunion
Hearts of Iron 2
Combat arms (multiplayer though so I doubt it counts)
Vegastrike
UFO:AI
Silent Hunter III+IV
IL-2 Sturmovik
The Guild 2
Pacific storm (to bad it sucks :( )
Battlefield 2142
Civilization series
EU Series

To name a few.

I guess I'm just one of those people that hates the idea of being lead around wtih a gun to my head. GO THIS WAY OR YOU DIE.

[Fincuan]

If you put games like Navy Field there, then Arma would easily be on top of that list what comes to dynamic content. One could compare Navy Field to team deathmatch in any game. Then again my experience comes from the multiplayer side since I skipped the sp side almost completely when Arma was released.

IL2 and Silent Hunters the same thing, the war always ends the same way and the campaign files are the same, even though the amount of content makes it look dynamic. The most dynamic campaign I've seen is in Falcon 4, which isn't only dynamic by its content but also the end result. I haven't seen any other game get near that.

[fatty]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

Can you name a game that doesn't have a linear storyline?

Dwarf Fortress
Eve online
Navy Field
Mount and Blade
RTW + mods
Galciv2
Sword of the Stars
X3 Reunion
Hearts of Iron 2
Combat arms (multiplayer though so I doubt it counts)
Vegastrike
UFO:AI
Silent Hunter III+IV
IL-2 Sturmovik
The Guild 2
Pacific storm (to bad it sucks :( )
Battlefield 2142
Civilization series
EU Series

To name a few.

I guess I'm just one of those people that hates the idea of being lead around wtih a gun to my head. GO THIS WAY OR YOU DIE.

I guess I should rephrase my question to, can you name a game that has a non-linear storyline? Those are all just 'sandbox'-style games - there's nothing wrong with them, many of those are classics that I have installed myself and play regularly - but beyond maybe a few short campaigns they have no storylines to speak of. That is why I'm confused as to how you can file Armed Assault under something other than these kinds of games. Yes, it gives you the short campaign (which is surprisingly open-ended itself, there are several optional side-missions that can be completed in a variety of ways that will impact future missions) but beyond that the island of your Sahrani is your sandbox. If you just want to fight without a story to steer you around and are allergic to multiplayer, it's not hard to pick a spot in the editor and drop a few squads of infantry, or download one of the hundreds of third-party missions available.

[Rilder]

I guess I should rephrase my question to, can you name a game that has a non-linear storyline? Those are all just 'sandbox'-style games - there's nothing wrong with them, many of those are classics that I have installed myself and play regularly - but beyond maybe a few short campaigns they have no storylines to speak of. That is why I'm confused as to how you can file Armed Assault under something other than these kinds of games. Yes, it gives you the short campaign (which is surprisingly open-ended itself, there are several optional side-missions that can be completed in a variety of ways that will impact future missions) but beyond that the island of your Sahrani is your sandbox. If you just want to fight without a story to steer you around and are allergic to multiplayer, it's not hard to pick a spot in the editor and drop a few squads of infantry, or download one of the hundreds of third-party missions available.

But what do you mean by non-linear storyline, do you mean one of those ****ty games that have 3-4 choices along the way? I prefer to play my way, basicly to write my own story within the game. I mean if I play through Arma once, whats the point of playing it again besides to do the same set of missions in a slightly different way? Also opening an editor and spawning enemies isn't fun.

To me. games like that are just a waste of money, Buying Half Life 2s orange box was the biggest mystake in my life, I bought it played through once and I haven't touched it since.

[NeonSamurai]

In case the structure of this thread looks odd, well that is cause i pulled the posts out of another :)

[Raptor1]

X3 has a linear storyline, you just don't have to do it

And putting games like EVE there won't work, we're talking about singleplayer games here

[Tachyon]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.
Can you name a game that doesn't have a linear storyline?
Dwarf Fortress
Eve online
Navy Field
Mount and Blade
RTW + mods
Galciv2
Sword of the Stars
X3 Reunion
Hearts of Iron 2
Combat arms (multiplayer though so I doubt it counts)
Vegastrike
UFO:AI
Silent Hunter III+IV
IL-2 Sturmovik
The Guild 2
Pacific storm (to bad it sucks :( )
Battlefield 2142
Civilization series
EU Series

To name a few.

I guess I'm just one of those people that hates the idea of being lead around wtih a gun to my head. GO THIS WAY OR YOU DIE.
Hey! You forgot the "Liberal Crime Squad" (from the makers of Dwarf Fortress). That game is loads of fun. Check the bay12games.com forums (Curses subforum to be precise) for the latest build. Like Dwarf Fortress, it is free too.

And I commend you for placing Mount & Blade in your list. That game is truly a gem.

[ajrimmer42]

Agreed, M&B is awesome.

I personally don't really care if a game is linear. Take HL2, yeah it's very linear but it has a damn good storyline, and great characters, and tbh it's the best game I've ever bought, I still play it now. Don't get me wrong, I love non-linear games too, but they have to be done right, not like Crysis which appears to be non-linear but then turns out to be linear. I still enjoyed that though. Arma was great, that was sort of halfway between non- and linear, with a fixed objective but a variety of ways of approaching it. Plus, at least you can't get lost in linear games, I did seem to spend a large amount of time wandering around Fallout 3 not quite knowing where I was going. Definately the most linear, and probably one of the worst games I ve ever played was Legendary. It had such a promising storyline (the modern world being attacked by mythical creatures) but was sooooo linear, it just felt like you were being guided along rails. Shame.

[Rilder]

Yeah I'm playing LCS a bit now, as in just downloaded :P

Also yes M&B is awesome, its one of those games that I play off and on. Currently playing a Khergit game.

[Tachyon]

Uh.. Rilder, I think you misquoted me :P .

Any way, back on topic :

Personally, I like games that offer a non-linear approach (as in multiple approaches) to the storyline. Like Mass Effect, Star Wars : KOTOR , Fallout e.t.c

Now, I appreciate some sandbox games but mostly only those which have at least some sort of plot (Mount and Blade being the exception). Games in this category include X3, Frontier : First Encounters (not Frontier a.k.a Elite 2 , that one had no plot) e.t.c

Though very often, I find myself quite reluctant to go play a game again following a different path. The game doesn't have the charm anymore, it's basically a "been there, done that" feel.

Star Wars : KOTOR was one such game, some of the choices were so evil I couldn't do it :yep:

[wetwarev7]

Don't own Arma and don't plan to get it, requirments are a bit high and I heard it has a linear storyline, I refuse to play linear games, and I don't like multiplayer for games like that.

I respect your opinion, and you have every right to decide what games you will play and which ones you won't, but I would like to point out that you might be stepping on your own d***. I used to feel the same way about linear games, but there are a lot of games out there that are just plain fun regardless of its plot or storyline. Don't miss out on fun stuff just because you really like one genre.

[Rilder]

a lot of games out there that are just plain fun regardless of its plot or storyline.

Maybe a couple times, HL2 had its fun spots, but really I wouldn't play through again if you payed me, linear games may have there fun spots, but to me the lack of replayability means that in the end I spent 50 dollars (depends on the game) for a game that I will play through in a few hours and never play again, in a Non-linear game I can play for days even weeks.

Non-linear games often have AAR communities also, reading AARs are often just as fun as actually playing the game. :yep: