Bad Endings Options

[Jens of Zanicuud]

Some times ago I was working on a project (now dismissed - or rather, waiting for my current project completion) which was designed to end badly, with the death of every character in the party (this was however related to the plot).

I've seen quite a few RPG with a default (i.e. not optional) bad ending (FFXIII-2 / KH Birth by Sleep - if we can call their ending bad), so I wonder if it's a taboo to make your game ends in a tragic way, or simply players prefer an happy ending to every game they play, since they are playing not to think to their problems...

What's your point about it?
Would you play/create a game with a tragic ending (not optional - main ending)?

If so, why?

That's a feature I've never found in a RPG Maker game (excluding maybe survival horror...)
If you know some link 'bout that, I'd be pleased to give it a look.

Maybe my project will resurrect, who knows?

Jens

[amerk]

To Jonnie: Why couldn't Tidus have been modeled after Shuyin? Eh, the world may never know.

I'm a sucker for sappy, happy, Hollywood endings, but I also enjoy a decent tragedy when done right. When it comes to gaming, it's a good idea to have a proper balance. I want to feel like I accomplished something, even if at great cost, otherwise I wonder what was the point.

As for multiple endings, I don't like to refer to them as "The Good Ending" and "The Bad". What may be good in my mind may not be to somebody else and, unless one is more canonical than another, both should be written as a good ending, even if one is more tragic.

The thing to avoid, probably, is a complete and utter mess where nothing is resolved. While this may work on a Shakespearean level, for many gamers it will just feel empty and incomplete. That's not to say you need the perfect happy love story where everybody lives, either, but finding that balance between resolution and incompletion is vital.

[Jonnie19]

To Jonnie: Why couldn't Tidus have been modeled after Shuyin? Eh, the world may never know.

Because he's much better as a whiny bitch..."Ah..ha ha ha ha..." I WANT TO PUNCH HIS FACE IN, He could at LEAST fake laugh like less of a dickhead.

The thing to avoid, probably, is a complete and utter mess where nothing is resolved. While this may work on a Shakespearean level, for many gamers it will just feel empty and incomplete. That's not to say you need the perfect happy love story where everybody lives, either, but finding that balance between resolution and incompletion is vital.

That is something you've gotta remember. Make sure the death makes sense. You cannot just kill the character for a shock factor. Kill the for a reason...That doesn't necessarily mean give an obvious reason...but you've gotta give some "clue" to why they die!