4th June 2009, 10:20 PM
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/overhe.../#comments
So there's some questions at the start of the game. It reminds me of the ones asked during the opening of Ogre Battle, only these are "edgy". I guess they're going to expand on the main character's... character. That's good. The main character of the first game was more or less a blank slate except for the loving father driving the story at the start. There's more details, but they expand more on the daughter than him.
I suppose my question is, do they intend for these questions to be answered honestly or in terms of role playing the character as you wish? Either way works, but if it's the former, they need to make sure they have enough answers to actually allow everyone to answer honestly. For example, no "when did you stop beating your wife?" questions. Don't ask, for example, "Do you feel guilty when you fantasize about killing your boss?", as that makes the assumption I actually do fantasize about that. At least add a third option of "I don't fantasize about killing my boss.". Further, assume the person you are quizzing is telling the truth in their answers. It's a very poor testing protocol to ask people questions about themselves and then assume afterwards that everyone that answered differently from your initial assumptions must have been lying, and it would also be poor form in game design.
What I'm saying is, these questions could take some lessons from proper psychological tests. That is, ask questions in order to test for something ELSE. Lie to the test taker in other words. Heck, give the quiz as a series of flashbacks during the course of the game. After the player goes into a room and gets the option to steal something from someone in town, later on, ask a question about whether the player would steal money from someone. The real test is, they actually stole a gun, not money, and it's a test of their memory. Did I just blow your mind?
So there's some questions at the start of the game. It reminds me of the ones asked during the opening of Ogre Battle, only these are "edgy". I guess they're going to expand on the main character's... character. That's good. The main character of the first game was more or less a blank slate except for the loving father driving the story at the start. There's more details, but they expand more on the daughter than him.
I suppose my question is, do they intend for these questions to be answered honestly or in terms of role playing the character as you wish? Either way works, but if it's the former, they need to make sure they have enough answers to actually allow everyone to answer honestly. For example, no "when did you stop beating your wife?" questions. Don't ask, for example, "Do you feel guilty when you fantasize about killing your boss?", as that makes the assumption I actually do fantasize about that. At least add a third option of "I don't fantasize about killing my boss.". Further, assume the person you are quizzing is telling the truth in their answers. It's a very poor testing protocol to ask people questions about themselves and then assume afterwards that everyone that answered differently from your initial assumptions must have been lying, and it would also be poor form in game design.
What I'm saying is, these questions could take some lessons from proper psychological tests. That is, ask questions in order to test for something ELSE. Lie to the test taker in other words. Heck, give the quiz as a series of flashbacks during the course of the game. After the player goes into a room and gets the option to steal something from someone in town, later on, ask a question about whether the player would steal money from someone. The real test is, they actually stole a gun, not money, and it's a test of their memory. Did I just blow your mind?
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)