Linearity as a limiting factor in RPGs

by Mat Noguchi 

In the present state of things, RPGs are and always have been extremely linear. Nearly all RPGs have the same structure:

Beginning - introduction of quest
Middle - series of actions which fulfill a predetermined set of goals
End - resolution of quests

Even games claiming to be non-linear still cling to this basic structure:

Daggerfall - you can supposedly proceed through the game in any fashion you may wish, but you must fulfill 12 distinct quests; your choices have no real effect on the outcome of the game.

Ultima - Same as above.

Of course, what would any review of the RPG genre be without a critique of the most popular RPG, FF7. Final Fantasy 7 definitely represents a pinnacle in RPGs, but it does not represent a revolution or change. Revolution implies something different; there is nothing truly different in FF7 than there is in any other RPG. FF7 is simply the product of superior creativity and a monstrous budget.

Now, before you decry me as a heretic for denouncing FF7, think about this. I am the proud owner of the NES, Gameboy, Game Gear, SNES, PSX, Saturn, Jaguar (yes, Jaguar, stop laughing!) and N64. I have FF1, FF2US, FF3US, FF7, Destiny of an Emperor, DW1-4, FFL1-3, FFA and Secret of Mana. In other words, not only am I a gaming freak, I am an RPG freak. So much so that I'm in the process of designing / writing my own console style RPG. But more on that later.

Back to FF7. Being the RPG freak I am, I do not criticize FF7 lightly. However, in doing this critique, I hope to enlighten potential RPG game designers out there to the possibilities that lie on the horizon. First of all, in the traditional style of Final Fantasy, discovering secrets does not impact the resolution of game in the slightest. Finding Vincent and / or Yuffie changes nothing in the end, nor does destroying the Ultimate Weapon, Jade, Ruby, or any other secret you can find. One might ask, "Why does it matter if secrets don't affect the game?" The answer is simple. The game is about you. Technically, the central character is Cloud, but he is merely a vehicle for you to explore and affect the story. And if the story centers around you, why don't you have an effect on it when you destroy a major menace, such as Ruby or Jade? Or why don't Vincent and Yuffie play a major role in the ending cinemas if you discover them?

This flaw extends from the extreme linearity of FF7 as a whole. However, given the underlying story, there is little room for independence on the part of any of the heroes. The sheer magnitude of the plot leaves almost no choice for the player. Sephiroth vows to destroy the world. You really can't decide not to save the world, no matter how much of a nihilist you are. In the end, there is only one real outcome that will satisfy the player. Sephiroth must die. Plots of this magnitude, e.g. save the world, prevent collapse of country, etc., leave little freedom in one's own destiny.

(Of course, one could argue that the goal changes from saving the world to bringing vengeance for Aerith's death. You could also argue that, if the designer were clever enough, he could have allowed the player to make the choice of whether to kill Sephiroth to save the planet or to avenge Aerith's death. However, the choice between killing Sephiroth out of duty or out of revenge, while great in its moral implications, probably wouldn't have impacted any of the drama in the game.)

Another shortcoming comes from the switch to the CD format. The use of pre-rendered movies puts a restriction on how many they can produce, even on a CD. These files are extremely big and, while excellent in quality, do not allow for multiple paths through the game. In order for FF7 to be non-linear and account for different outcomes in the game, at each decision point there would need to be multiple movies. If they kept the volume of movies the same, the number seen in one run through the game would drop dramatically, which would clearly ruin the effect FMV had on the game.

By now, it's clear I do not like linearity. While linear games are extremely enjoyable, I have a problem with the amount of control I have when playing linear RPGs. I want to be able to play a RPG as me, where the central character is an extension of me, not an extension of the designer. I want to be able to go off from the main story line and have a real effect on the game. I want secrets to be secrets not because they extend gameplay time, but because they are secrets about the game itself which will change its outcome. I want to feel that I've truly had an effect on the world contained within the game. I bought the game; why can't I feel like I own it?

In defense of FF7, it is clearly an excellent game. It has a long and involved storyline; it takes experienced players 30-40+ hrs to finish. Wonderful graphics pervade throughout the game, and it has the best use of FMV as of yet in a video game. The Materia system allows for some customization of battles. There are many secrets to uncover, and, of course, chocobos!

What can be done to change RPGs, then? If a multi-million dollar RPG can't do it, what can? The answer lies in a fundamental change in how we design RPGs. In contrast to how Shawn Bruckner feels, I do not believe RPGs have to be linear. They must provide direction for the player, but direction does not imply linearity. Chris Crawford has some great arguments, starting at http://www.erasmatazz.com/library/JCGD_Volume_8/Free_Will_Determinism.html. RPGs must make the transition to a new plot structure, what I'd like to coin as a radial plot structure. Like a linear structure, you go from A to B; however, instead of A and B being points, they are distances from the center. What is the center? The beginning of the story. The outer circle is the end. The circles inbetween are major plot points, places where the hero can choose a direction and follow it to its conclusion.

This probably sounds esoteric, so let me simplify a little bit. With a radial plot structure, the story always moves outward; however, the player can choose to move around the circle in any manner he / she chooses. One may choose to go straight from the center to a point on the outer circle, while another may choose to make a spiral. In terms of RPGs, imagine playing FF7, only now, you can decide to join Sephiroth if you want to. Imagine the possibilities that would open!

How do we crate such a game? I am working on my own solution, but only time will tell if I can pull it off. I will write later of my efforts, with hope that it will inspire others to explore this new genre.