(re: re: Space Quest taught me to type! (text input isn’t dead))
Yeah, Sierra was right about the future gaming especially with the blurring of the lines between multimedia and video games. But, while one part of me feels nostalgic about the “good ole days” I can’t help but feel that there is still room in the world for games that use text commands as input.
I say this because using a computer still requires a large amount of typing. Until some geek out in Silicon Valley comes up with a way to commit our thoughts unto the digital ether via some kind of computer/mind interface (I am sure they are already working on it) typing thoughts in on a keyboard will still be necessary evil of using the computer.
Instant messaging has probably help a lot of people to type faster, but doesn’t necessarily lend it’s self to eloquence. I still believe that there is room for a game based upon text input that can be married up with a more literary subject matter. I’m not talking about reinventing Zork, but instead a game that would require players to read and then use the commands and vocabulary that they’ve learned to complete their tasks.
In all honesty this would be less like a game and more like a teaching tool. The reason I think that it would work is because of all the “learning” software that I’ve used I’ve found both the premise and plot to be over simplistic. Just because a piece of software is supposed to teach players something doesn’t mean it should skimp on story or details.
With all the emphasis placed on getting kids to read, don’t you think it’s time someone wrote a game that taught them to comprehend and think critically? Learning to digest information and use it to solve problems should be equally as important as learning to communicate your thoughts with others. That’s why I feel that the text control scheme still has merit in the modern age of gaming.