Novelization

[#686578]

I feel that there are many games out there with incredible story lines that leave me not really adequately in touch with the story. Sometimes it's because the story line is so complex it's hard to grasp in game form, or sometimes it's just because of the gameplay perhaps how the storyline is picked up, presented, or the gameplay is too fast and detracts from the story.

It's just every time I finish a game I go "Wow that was a great game" but then several months later I revisit the game and I realize I don't know anything about the storyline, why somethings occurred or what their impacts were that I really wish could be addressed. Or perhaps they were there and I just missed them altogether in getting caught up in the game play.

I feel that most popular games should be accompanied by an appropriate novelization of sorts. Not a bastardization such as a game -> movie, but more something to either fill in the backstory, or what's happening in conjunction with what you're doing in the game, or possibly just straight up a story form of the game.

It just makes me so sad because there are some legitimately great games with these great story lines but as I finish them I know almost nothing about the story at all. Perhaps that's just me and how I pay attention to games, though, what do you think?

And no, I dont mean shitty fan fictions. I mean an official novelization that would accompany the game. None of this bullshit that would never happen and is a bastardization as said previously.

[Yuri-G]

I think Xenogears could use a LOTR-style trilogy, with each book being anywhere between 500 to maybe 1,000 pages or so. I'd read the whole thing, if it were well-written.

I also hear that Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance has a novelization, but it's probably pretty shitty compared to the game.

[#686578]

At first it seems a horrible idea because some games are meant to be games, and to have a novelization from that would detract from the game itself. But I mean to explore the other side of games, the story side, and traditionally stories are best represented as text and literature. I feel that with certain games some form of traditional story telling element would be a great accoutrement. And obviously it all is subjective to the game. You obviously dont need a novelization of Tetris. A novelization of Half Life would probably be boring. There are some games out there where I think--interjection: and now I do see how it would actually kind of be like fan fiction except my intention would be less of these horrible stories that you see on the internet of the characters taken out of the story and used in ways that they never should or were meant to be used but more as an official this is what the original Writers thoughts are, this is how the story is meant to be displayed, and if you missed this in the game or if it was confusing or obscured here it is in a more traditional fashion to which you might be more accustomed--it would work very well, for example I would like a novelization of Bioshock. Not because I was unable to appreciate the story in the game, or uncover the story (although it was annoying, and frankly hard to remember when broken up into those tapes), but because I think it would be a legitimate way in which I could enjoy the story line more. It might be relatively short, but I think I would enjoy it all the same.

[#686578]

And someone brings up a good point:

See while I agree it would be cool, especially for Bioshock or AC [Assassin's Creed, which I mentioned to him as another game I'd enjoy], I'm saying by expanding the universe you belittle the original game.

Take Bioshock, if you were to write a story detailing what happens to Rapture (something greatly detailed in game) or after game events (which would be dull) you are left with little more than that Halo book that detailed the events of Halo 1 (and arguably was the best book in the series)

I'm saying your either just redoing the game in print format (which I honestly enjoy but serves little function) or you make the uniqueness of the games story less special

To which I reply that so what if it was just a retelling of the game? As he says "I honestly enjoy but serves little function" who cares if it doesn't expand on the original premise? The point is to enjoy the story more, not to expand on the subject. I don't want to explore the game universe more or to belittle or make the original game something less special, but merely to clarify what's already present.

[Ivaden]

I agree with you wholeheartedly about this, and it's something I've thought about for a long time.

As far as the possibility of a novel that prequels a game to set the story bastardizes or belittles the story in the actual game, I have to disagree. I can't really see how anyone who thoroughly enjoyed a game to the point where they would want a novel based on the game could possibly say that a novel bastardized the game in any way. While I'm sure most games have deep background stories and reveal them through tedious tasks or random item gatherings (such as the tapes in Bioshock, since they've been used as examples already), if anything a novel would just support the game that much more. I guess it would depend on how the background story was supported in the actual game. For example with Bioshock again, if it was written in a journal format, I think it would compliment the game quite well since the tapes were pretty much audio journals.

I dunno. I really enjoyed the Halo books and what Resident Evil books I read, and this topic being brought up reminded me that Mass Effect has two books that I'd like to read since I recently finished that game.

[Rhinox]

I'd love the novelization of The Riddick Universe and more into his background on how he came to be. Haven't had a chance to play the new game but something about Riddick's character is so appealing.

[Atreides]

Mass Effect has 2 relatively decent books that further explore the backstory and delve further into the game universe, they're pretty decent. In addition the game has an unbelievably extensive in-game encyclopedia that paints such a comprehensive picture of the history/politics/science behind everything that you really do become immersed.

I read that Bioware will similarly be releasing a novel set in the Dragon Age universe before DA: Origins comes out, which I'll be sure to pick up.

But yea, Mass Effect: Ascension and Mass Effect: Revelation were like 7 bucks on amazon and worth every penny for a fan of the game like me.

[#686578]

I dunno. I really enjoyed the Halo books and what Resident Evil books I read, and this topic being brought up reminded me that Mass Effect has two books that I'd like to read since I recently finished that game.

Mass Effect has novels? That's awesome, I loved playing Mass Effect. How did they handle the being able to choose two story lines? Or is that kind of covered in the two books aspect? I was wanting to touch on how I thought there might be some complexities especially with how video games are moving towards that "choose your own fate" sort of gameplay, but really it's usually only two or three paths anyway.

[Ivaden]

Mass Effect has novels? That's awesome, I loved playing Mass Effect. How did they handle the being able to choose two story lines? Or is that kind of covered in the two books aspect? I was wanting to touch on how I thought there might be some complexities especially with how video games are moving towards that "choose your own fate" sort of gameplay, but really it's usually only two or three paths anyway.

Haven't read them yet but from what I understand they're a prequel and sequel to the first game, and if I had to guess they're more about how humanity came to be with the rest of the races and not so much actual character progression as Shepard.