screen as necessary, or text may scroll by at a slow enough speed that players have
time to read it.- Images: Sometimes players are presented with simple images that communicate
some part of the story line. These do not qualify as standard cut-scenes precisely,
since they do not include camera cuts or other cinematic techniques, though a
simple camera pan may be used to sweep across an image that does not fit on the
screen. The image may be a map of an area, an “establishing” image of the
challenges to come, or a recap of those the players have just accomplished. Images
are often mixed with text, sometimes using comic book techniques but usually
without word balloons (with the notable exception ofMax Payne). - Audio: Sometimes players are given directives that are spoken dialog or other
audio. This is usually when the budget did not exist to create FMV to go along with
the dialog or when the dialog is presented over other information players are
supposed to be looking at, such as maps, dossiers, or a list of objectives.
One of the most important goals to have when working with cut-scenes is to estab-
lish a consistent visual appearance between the cut-scenes and the gameplay. If at all
possible, the same engine should be used for the cut-scenes as for the rest of the game.
In the mid-’90s, as games switched to CD-ROM as the distribution medium of choice,
for the first time games were able to include actual video playback, even if these movies
often could not fill the entire screen. Thus came into being the dreaded FMV game,
such as The 7th Guest. Typically, these games presented long FMV clips with
mini-games between them, resulting in products that were more movies than games. In
these games the vast majority of the players’ time was spent not actually playing the
game but instead watching totally non-interactive cut-scenes, with these cinematic
sections usually amateurish and somewhat worse than what one would find on even the
cheapest TV show. This serves to explain why the genre quickly fell out of favor with
players. Other games, such as the aforementionedCommand & ConquerandDark
Forces, used FMV sections between the levels that made up the actual game. These
games were fortunate enough to actually include viable and compelling gameplay and
thereby stood up as games regardless of the inclusion of FMV. However, the FMV sec-
tions of these games were created using live actors in worlds that looked nothing like
the worlds in which the gameplay took place. Other games, such asMechWarrior 2and
my ownCentipede 3D, used super high polygon, pre-rendered 3D environments to han-
dle these cut-scenes, creating an environment that looked nothing like the ones
generated by the real-time 3D engines used for the gameplay. The result is a disjointed
visual experience for players, something that breaks whatever suspension of disbelief
players may have established. The use of cut-scenes is in itself already a very jarring
experience for players; one minute players have an active role in the proceedings, the
next they have to be passive, content to sit back and watch instead. Using cut-scenes
that look nothing like the game-world only exacerbates matters.
Many games have successfully incorporated cut-scenes that use the same graphics
as the in-game visuals, going back to 2D games such asPac-Man,Karateka, andManiac
Mansion, up to such modern RT3D titles asThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeand
theDrakangames. In these games, though players may lose control of the game briefly,
at least they have a completely seamless visual experience. The artists may complain
208 Chapter 11: Storytelling