Most games have you save yourself, but what if you could also help other characters? Let's say, the easy way to complete the game is to ignore the other characters and leave them to rot. But that way, the ending reflects the fact that your character was ultimately selfish. Whereas depending on how you help the other characters, the ending reflects this.

Fallout, Fallout 2 and Arcanum did this to a degree, although more on a town level than a character one. At the end of the game a short cutscene was played for each village, showing a picture and narration of that village's future based on what you did. So if you helped a village survive, it would flourish; if you ignored it, it stagnated; and if you slaughtered every living inhabitant then the town stayed dead.

the game ICO did this exactly for PS2. Resident Evil 4 also has a lot of parts where you have to help the girl through the different parts of the game. I think there are a lot more good examples out there, but those are the first that came to mind.

Quote:

Original post by Morpheus011 the game ICO did this exactly for PS2. Resident Evil 4 also has a lot of parts where you have to help the girl through the different parts of the game. I think there are a lot more good examples out there, but those are the first that came to mind.

Well, that wasn't quite what I had in mind because I think both those games *require* you to save the girl to win, what I'm proposing is that it is up to the player to decide whether to do so.

Hey, Ketchaval, I just thought of another game that does what you suggest; Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood, an old adventure game by Sierra.

In this game, the player (as Robin Hood) has to skulk around the road through Nottingham Forest, and deal with the passers-by. Occasionally you have to help honest peasant folk who are being harshly treated by the Sheriff's men, and sometimes you have to get the clothes of various people in order to use as a disguise. In these cases you usually have the option of using force, or using diplomacy.

At the end of the game, you are caught and put on trial by King Richard as to the strength of your character. All the people you dealt with in the game testify in the game either for you or against you. What happens at the end of the game (such as whether you get hanged, get let off, and what rewards the king gives you) depends on what side everyone was on. In order to win the hand of the fair Maid Marion, you pretty much need nearly everyone on your side.

Is this the kind of thing you are talking about? Have you got a game design you are thinking about that implements this well, because I love this kind of thing.