Another week means another discussion doing the rounds on the internet. No, not that one, though I’ve made my stance on the issue pretty clear.
This time we’re talking about graffiti in video games, especially when used as storytelling. There’s plenty of it to be found in games, whether it’s there to guide the player or just to add a bit more flavour and depth to the world.
Indie developer Chris Bischoff asked the question on Friday: what’s your stance on narrative graffiti?
Bischoff’s accompanying example, a topical choice of “CUT OFF THEIR LIMBS” from Dead Space, may be a tad on-the-nose for your liking as its presence is there to help the player out. This was confirmed by the game’s art director Ian Milham, who stated that play testers “didn’t get the mechanic” so it had to be spelt out for them, quite literally.