what is your opinion on a game including bits from different time periods, without having some explanation like time travel or aliens? for instance, in wild wild west (yes, its a movie/tv show, but same concept) there was stylized technology that looked like it could have been developed in that period, but realistically never did. is this a pleasing concept to anyone? if not, how do you guarantee that you are being historically accurate? or isnt that important, as long as it isnt blatant?

It can be cool. It doesn't make a game--or even a genre--but it can be cool. If you are not making a historical simulation, accuracy is not important.

Wild Arms for the SNES did the same kinda thing, and in a way games like FF7, with their using swords in technologically superior times, did too. It can add for a cool effect, but only if the two are blended together nicely. I can think of some instances where it would just be wierd.

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Original post by Sneftel It can be cool. It doesn't make a game--or even a genre--but it can be cool. If you are not making a historical simulation, accuracy is not important.

heh, i dont intend to make it a focal point. i suppose i should explain a bit more. i am working on an idea which takes place in 1940s france and focuses on the resistance movement against the german occupation. i would like to incorporate computer use in some way, but they weren't around then (other than very basic mechanical computers). originally, i considered making it just a similar idea, but taking place in more modern times, in a fictional near-future. the more i think about it though, the more i would like to actually base it on the time, using fictional events. i am now considering incorporating more advanced mechanical computers with primitive screen type displays. any thoughts on this?

It's really interesting reading the Foundation series by Asimov. There's a pretty noticeable shift toward computers as you read the books written later (not necessarily occuring later in the series, just written later). The older ones describe technology in terms of advanced chemical, mechanical, and analog solutions, while the newer ones describe a more computerized world. I personally found the latter less interesting, more mundane (after all, that is how we do things). The earlier ones could still give you a sense of awe at their technology because it used a solution qualitatively different to the ones we use.

Personally, I really enjoy what you describe, so long as it fits with the feel of the world you're creating. Sort of needs a "stylized" setting to go with the "stylized" technology.

As for historical accuracy, in my view, it's a tool. If just borrowing the feel of the period (which is what you're basically doing) fits your movie/game/book/whatever, go for it. If not, don't.

Grim Fandango had this in the computers, a dos style computer system that was implemented alongside pneumatic message tubes and wall sized CRT displays.

"The Difference Engine" by Gibson? talks about Babbage engines brought up to full technological capability, with Kineoscopes, basically physical LCD panels, using flippers of different colors to implement the pixels.

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Original post by N8dunn what is your opinion on a game including bits from different time periods, without having some explanation like time travel or aliens? for instance, in wild wild west (yes, its a movie/tv show, but same concept) there was stylized technology that looked like it could have been developed in that period, but realistically never did. is this a pleasing concept to anyone? if not, how do you guarantee that you are being historically accurate? or isnt that important, as long as it isnt blatant?

In designing a game, the atmosphere plays a big role in its appreciability. By providing a self-explanatory, thematic environment, you provide a conveneint handle to-which the player can take-hold and love the game even more.

But the atmosphere must be a mechanism that supports and conveys a powerful, interesting gameplay. The two must be woven together in a comprehensive and logical way so that the player can feel more like a part of the game's world.

The very old-school AppleII adventure game, "Below the Root," was a good example of this sort of thing. In this game, the player's abilities were intrinsicly tied to the theme of the sort of wood-elfie environment. Allowing the puzzles to revolve around the game's metaphysics allowed for a more palpable, appreciable atmosphere that did not need any header like "In the year 2101AD, War was beginning." You knew the theme of the game before any dates, numbers, or crude "world of fantasy" labels were thrust into your face.

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Original post by N8dunn what is your opinion on a game including bits from different time periods, without having some explanation like time travel or aliens? for instance, in wild wild west (yes, its a movie/tv show, but same concept) there was stylized technology that looked like it could have been developed in that period, but realistically never did. is this a pleasing concept to anyone? if not, how do you guarantee that you are being historically accurate? or isnt that important, as long as it isnt blatant?

Steampunk is a great theme. Arcanum was a neat game that combined a world with mechanical contraptions based on steam engines with magic and fantasy. Certainly not "historically accurate" (as it was a fantasy world with elves, orcs, etc, then again you could insist that it was historically accurate with relation to that particular fantasy world), but it had great atmosphere. And you could even turn junk from garbage cans and junk dealers into weapons of mass destruction, e.g. machine guns, tesla guns, robots, etc (well ok, for some things you needed stuff that was not available in trash cans, but from inventor shops and what have you).

Then there is the postapocalyptic variant, e.g. Fallout, where high technology exists but is rare, but obviously won't fit in with 1940 France. [grin]

Adding explanations afterwards is not a great idea. If your game has no other reason to include aliens, time travel, civilizations from beyond the apocalypse, or what have you, they will look like afterthoughs added for the sake of explanation. As long as the technology fits in the game world, no explanations are needed. After all, you're not writing a history book, and something ought to be left for the player's imagination to sort out. The more explicit explanations you give, the more artificial the environment will start to feel. Well, in my opinion anyway.

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i am now considering incorporating more advanced mechanical computers with primitive screen type displays. any thoughts on this?

I would agree with the anonymous poster on the recommendation on "The Difference Engine" by William Gibson.