no choice

in yesterday’s email, I proposed the importance of the player agency in narrative games.

that is, their actions should have consequences.

but for some reason, many video game writers ignore this.

and I’m not talking about ignoring it in major story arcs, where sometimes it’s hard to keep the promise of agency.

what I mean is giving you choices, which are not really choices.

we’ve seen this many times:

BARTENDER: Good day, traveler, what are you looking for on this beautiful day?
 * A good beer
 * A clean bed

[The PLAYER chooses 'A good beer']

BARTENDER: Sorry, but I've run out of beer for today.
BARTENDER: How about a clean bed instead?

is there anything more frustrating than this? I doubt it.

giving the feeling of agency only to take it away the next moment is one of the worst narrative experiences we can design.

unless, of course, you’re using it narratively, seeking that effect. as a designer.

have you ever done this? why?

did you have a good reason? did you do it by mistake?

or is there something I’m missing, and it’s an essential narrative design pattern and I’m just the weird one here?

anything is possible