Question about writing a walkthrough for a game.
If you have more than one ending, do you write a walkthrough for all endings? Or do you choose the ending you want the audience to see, while hinting that there is another way?
Obviously beta-testers should see everything, so a walkthrough for them would have all paths, but for a larger audience?
I’m not keen on the idea of a walkthrough at all, but I know that comp games would get marked down by those who can’t finish without one.
For IFComp, it depends on whether or not you think the other paths are going to help your score. At a minimum, provide a walkthrough for the path you most want players to see – whether that’s the optimal ending or not is up to you. It wouldn’t hurt to hint at other paths, though, because people are in a hurry. They may not realize there is anything but one way, if you don’t hint to them. Even so, unless somebody is really fascinated by your game, they’re going to beat it and move on to the next. You might get more post-comp buzz by releasing alternate walkthroughs or hints later on, especially if your game ranks highly.
I’m not intending to include a walkthrough for my IFComp entry, but then it doesn’t really need one. It’s puzzle free so I doubt anyone will have any real issues with finishing it.
Saying that, if my game were harder I’d include a walkthrough. If only for the reason that people will complain if they can’t finish your game and mark it down as a result.
As far as multiple path game are concerned, I’d include a walkthrough for the main path with a mention at the end of the game that other paths exist. Most likely, people will finish the game once and move on to something else, but if they like it, the fact that they know there are other ways through it, might encourage them to have another go.
If I remember right, Vespers, last year’s comp winner, included a walkthrough for only one of three possible paths.
Greg
It’s been my experience that someone always has trouble with a game, regardless of how puzzle-free it is.
That’s unfortunately true. I should know as well because I’m generally one of the people who gets stuck at games everyone else breezes through.
So one walkthrough coming up.