Trying hard and failing decently

Well, I've been trying to get the mindset to actually bother with PISS beyond the first 20 minutes of gameplay, but it seems impossible. Perhaps it's the wall of texts that keep appearing in my face that prevent me from fullfilling aforementioned task. And since I've promised a weekly post, I'll have to deliver one.

So the topic of this post, if you haven't giving up already, is story hooks. A hook is a plot device that interests a person in the continuation of the story or the grand reveal if such exists, by simply grasping the attention/curiosity of the reader. The same applies to videogames, some use gameplay mechanics to attract the player and keep him interested, others use more story driven mechanisms. Adventure games as a genre, usually create a hook via an introductory scene to either attach the player sentimentally with the protagonist or create an element of curiosity or some other thing I'm oblivious about.

Perhaps the setting works as well. I believe my favorite hook in a medium can be attributed to Kurosawa's Rashomon. Though the delivery completely failed to satisfy my expectations, I was "chained" till the reveal/explanation. Admittedly paranormal elements rub me off horribly. I find the explanation to paranormal reasons to be the cheapest way to explain situations. It's really dangerous to create a sense of mystery and then use the oldest trick in the book, trying to fool a mature audience, only ending up fooling A-graders, if that.

Blade Runner: A hook based mostly on the setting.

Other entertaining examples would be Blade Runner, practically missing a hook, eventually getting to it. Several sequences, even though proven to be cult classics later, initially are viewed with prejudice. I mean showcasing technological gadjets, doesn't get the story going much anywhere. But it's fancy.
I think Blade Runner works the same way that Beneath A Steel Sky does, the setting and the world are terribly interesting in their own diverse ways, spawning that explorer child into the viewer/player.

In conclusion, PISS is missing a hook, and I really want to review it. I've lost my line of thought.

Interview BakeSale: Ponch

Tonight with us we feature one of the key factors to the AGS Bake Sale. A man whose games are masterpieces only to the lucky devils that gave them that chance. No, it's not Ron Gilbert. It's a bigger man. PONCH. Famous for his fantastic series, Barn Runner, now brings a new installment under the wings of the bake sale. This time is for the kids.

GO TO THE GAME TOPIC

1) Why and how did you join the AGS Bake Sale ?

I joined up when I asked myself "Ponch, do you think it would be a good idea to have a bake sale? You should totally do that." It found it hard to disagree with such a well-reasoned argument and thus I joined the bake sale.

2) Talk a bit about your game (what is it about, how you came up with it).

I've made over a dozen Barn Runner games. So I asked myself "What harm could come from one more?" As before, I couldn't say no to such a pretty face.

The Rich Dame Who Cut The Cheese is a standard whodunnit which was originally going to take place after the events of The Forever Friday. But since that story is still ongoing, I tweaked it a bit to take place shortly after Christmas Soup instead. This gave me the opportunity to work Mayor DuChamp into a game again. She's one of those characters I like to write for, but rarely find a place for when I make a new game. Also, I was able to introduce several new characters into the Barn Runner world, as well as showing established characters in new ways. I hope people like playing it even half as much as I enjoyed making it.

3) Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got yourself into game making in the first place.

I'm just a goofball living in Texas who wanted a forum that didn't crash every time CJ forgot to turn the hand crank that powers the server. When that idea didn't work out, I spend several days pulling my hair out and getting a head start on an early grave until we decided that Child's Play was the way to go.

I've been making games since I learned how to in the pages of RUN magazine. I have a tiny replica of Micheal Keaton's Batmobile on top of my DVD player and my favorite cheese is cheddar. I'm still not over the heartbreak that was Galactica: 1980. Chris Eccleston is my favorite Doctor. I made an omelet for breakfast. It had mushrooms in it. I like cows.