The 13th Doll

[Turaga Nuju]

We all know it, we can all see it - the writing is on the wall. Heck, when 'The Sims' overtook 'Myst' as the most selling game ever...

I am, of course, talking about the decline of the Point & Click Adventure Game.

It started so well, the addition of vivid images instead of the ASCII art of the age in Myst and T7G - they started it all and they did very well.

But, whilst copies of Myst V remain firmly on the shelves and games like 'Call of Duty' and 'Fifa 10' fly from the shelves, what did it for the adventure game genre?

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I can't overlook the fact that the majority of Myst and T7G 'sales' were bundles with CD Drives - being the first games ever to appear in such a format, but even after that Myst was re-ported to other consoles, novels and sequels. T7G obviously did well enough for T11H to happen.
But when The Collector was declined as a viable project, did that say something about a larger problem.

Yes, back then P&C Adventures were about as complex as computer programs came... but surely there are still those out there that enjoy puzzle solving and exploring intriguing new worlds.

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Something that always comes up with this discussion is the modern culture of 'Twitch' gaming, AKA: Click a button, and be told that you succeeded.

I like Halo. I like WoW... heck, I even like The Sims 3. They are great games and I appreciate them. What is so different about me, that when I show a copy of Myst to my friends, that they all collectively shudder as inch away?

Most of the time, they say that they found it boring, or didn't get the point. OK, Myst puts you on an island after touching a book, it doesn't exactly dance in front of your face saying 'There is an underlying mystery here.'. I found the sudden abandonment on the strange world reason enough to explore it. Signposting then, telling the player they are meant to be doing something.

How about The Neverhood then? That brilliant game made out of clay by Doug TenNapel? The game tells you what to do, there are buttons to push and set paths (most things have a purpose rather than just being random) but ultimately, it never tells you to find out what is going on. Perhaps it is more approachable?

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A good sign, of course, is the revitilisation of things like Monkey Island and Sam & Max - not quite the brain-busting puzzle adventures like Myst or T7G, but surely a step in the right direction. We can thank the Internet for that (and Steam), simply because Indie game development has a platform (although that didn't stop game creators in the first place, when there were no platforms... or EA!).

Ultimately, I fear the death of the true P&C Adventure is the current generation. They get rewarded for clicking their buttons and slaying their foes, not for spending half an hour being berated by a ghostly host for being too stupid to solve a beehive puzzle. I think that says a lot about the change in our culture, where intellect is somewhat scorned, and 'cool' is the rule.

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But that is just my viewpoint, perhaps I have overlooked a vital point?

What do you all think, out there, on the internet?
Why are there no P&C Adventures lining the #1 Spot on game store shelves?
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Metru Nui? HAH! Show Me A REAL Toa Anyday!
It Has Haunted Me For Twelve Years Of My Life, And Now I'm Here For Vengence

[117thDeath]

As nobody has replied to this yet, I will take a shot. I think the majority of the reason is two things. People in general are currently more driving to action. Being led semi-realistically through an adventure where all they have to do is push a button or click a mouse and they get to see something happen. Gaming has become more about action and less about actual intellect. There are still games out there like the 7th guest and myst, though not quite so provoking (those cheap stupid point and click search games) and programmers and developers are seeing this, and they want to create games that they know will sell. I don't think you could see let's say Id software creating a point and click adventure game in the vein of 11th hour. No matter how cool I think that would be. So maybe a little down the road some dev. will come along with a great idea and create the next 7th guest, or maybe those days off thoughtful adventure are over. Who really knows.
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Well Now, Looks Like This Puzzle Has Claimed Your Mind...

[Turaga Nuju]

I would suppose that genre fusion is a contributor as well, let's look at Mass Effect - that is an RPG much more in the vein of Baldur's Gate, but with Gears of War style combat - and more importantly it works.

Recently, there was a game released (I forget the name, it is on the Wii) where you walk around a spooky house with a flashlight (which is your weapon against ghosts also) where the ultimate point (seemingly) is to find the next set of batteries before your torch runs out of power.

Obviously someone figured it was a good idea, and it was good enough for Nintendo to put it onto its console...
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Metru Nui? HAH! Show Me A REAL Toa Anyday!
It Has Haunted Me For Twelve Years Of My Life, And Now I'm Here For Vengence

[117thDeath]

I had heard of that game, Ju On: The grudge I think. Yea it's good to see that some form of that type of game exists, but it's become more secondary. And let's face it, it doesn't take a whole lot of talent to get on nintendo's good side. You just have to have a snappy game.
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Well Now, Looks Like This Puzzle Has Claimed Your Mind...

[gruesday]

I confess that I, myself, have lost much interest in puzzle-based games. Penumbra Requiem was the last puzzle based game I played. I tried to go back and play Myst IV and V but could not really get in to it. I did play the demo for Outcry and found it very enjoyable--not too difficult and not too easy, but I have refrained from buying it because I am somewhat concerned I won't really get in to it. I adore the aesthetics though and the premise.

Most puzzle-based adventure games I have come across lately I have found rather boring. The Nancy Drew games have become pretty formulaic.

I think that many people may be somewhat disinterested in puzzle games when they fear that they might not be smart enough to solve them or have to put a lot of time and thought in to it.

Of course, what I am now coming to realize is that what appeals to gamers (or people in general) are heroes, but they don't want to be the hero of Myst or Zork; they want to be Lara Croft or the Prince of Persia, heros who defy death in the boldest of ways. Heros in P&C games may defy death but it is not in the same action packed way of action games.

[IfIOnlyHadABrain]

Theres not many games that really blow me away these days... Not like how - for example - Another world first did...

I would kill to see Day of the Testicle again but for a 2010 system!

Also can you imagine a game like Barbarian being modernised?!!!

No extra crap just brilliant graphics and the same 1 v 1 with the sole object of decapitating your enemy and watching the little green man kick his head off the screen....

Just wouldnt happen now

Ah simpler times..... think unibomber manifesto in gaming terms
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