Opensource vs Mystery...
Posted: 21 Mar 2017, 14:33
Hi all!
I've run into an interesting issue during development of a plot-oriented FOSS game (with many secrets and easter eggs).
Well... when we were playing games in 90s... there was a lot of mystery and unknown. We didn't have the walkthroughs. We just tried our best to try and fail.
Today (even not in opensource) - its easy. You have the problem - you google "what is the answer to the fountain riddle?" and you've got the answer.
In opensource it's even more "problematic" as, e.g. using just plain text files for plot description, everybody can open them and see what to do.
In many cases it just spoils the fun. Yes, some self-discipline in such issues is a cool thing to have. But not many can handle it.
So... how do you feel about it? What is the right thing to do?
Keep the plot in secret for as long as possible?
Encrypt/obfuscate the plot (e.g. with blowfish) in order to make it hard to read without specific qualification?
Or just leave it as-is. Who wants to have his fun spoiled - let everybody see everything.
Similar issue.
We have savegames. They are saved as plain text with HP=78 for the player character. Nothing forbids the player to make HP=78000.
Yes, we were doing that stuff in 90s with hex editors Or with special cheating software.
But maybe some special cheat-proof check should be made to detect if the player is playing fair. I'm speaking of stand-alone games.
Or let him just do as he likes? And don't bother with any checks (which is additional work to do).
Anyway, what do you think?
I've run into an interesting issue during development of a plot-oriented FOSS game (with many secrets and easter eggs).
Well... when we were playing games in 90s... there was a lot of mystery and unknown. We didn't have the walkthroughs. We just tried our best to try and fail.
Today (even not in opensource) - its easy. You have the problem - you google "what is the answer to the fountain riddle?" and you've got the answer.
In opensource it's even more "problematic" as, e.g. using just plain text files for plot description, everybody can open them and see what to do.
In many cases it just spoils the fun. Yes, some self-discipline in such issues is a cool thing to have. But not many can handle it.
So... how do you feel about it? What is the right thing to do?
Keep the plot in secret for as long as possible?
Encrypt/obfuscate the plot (e.g. with blowfish) in order to make it hard to read without specific qualification?
Or just leave it as-is. Who wants to have his fun spoiled - let everybody see everything.
Similar issue.
We have savegames. They are saved as plain text with HP=78 for the player character. Nothing forbids the player to make HP=78000.
Yes, we were doing that stuff in 90s with hex editors Or with special cheating software.
But maybe some special cheat-proof check should be made to detect if the player is playing fair. I'm speaking of stand-alone games.
Or let him just do as he likes? And don't bother with any checks (which is additional work to do).
Anyway, what do you think?