Topic 011 - FicFAQs

started 1999-03-26

What are FicFAQs?

Roguelikes need FAQs and spoilers. Without them, people would get frustrated, confused, or bored and games would shrivel from lack of interest.

Years ago, games frequently came with hint books and expository text, using invisible ink and red filters to leak information to you piece by piece? You'd sit down and read the diary of an old adventurer, taking mental and even physical notes of what you think will be important when you are playing the game.

NetHack had a great idea with its rumors files. Back before they were encrypted and limited to oracles and fortune cookies, you could browse through these one-liners and have a ball. They were funny, puzzling, and trust-at-your-own risk. You could go test their truth for yourself. Spoilers were fun!

Nowadays, most FAQs and spoilers have become sterile and statistical, reduced to lists and tables of cryptic names and numbers. They're not very fun to read, and add very little to enjoyment of the game, unless winning is all-important to you.

My suggestion is that developers (and fans) try to express FAQ and spoiler info using verbose, game-world fiction. All the same information would be in there, but "fuzzified" to read easier and focus on what's really important: strategies. Strategies cannot be conveyed in tables and lists.

Topic 011 - FicFAQs

started 1999-03-26