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Available in 21 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-21" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">21 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videojoc_no_lineal" title="Videojoc no lineal – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Videojoc no lineal" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichtlineares_Gameplay" title="Nichtlineares Gameplay – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Nichtlineares Gameplay" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videojuego_no_lineal" title="Videojuego no lineal – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Videojuego no lineal" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DA%AF%DB%8C%D9%85%E2%80%8C%D9%BE%D9%84%DB%8C_%D8%BA%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%AE%D8%B7%DB%8C" title="گیم‌پلی غیرخطی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="گیم‌پلی غیرخطی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gameplay_non_lin%C3%A9aire" title="Gameplay non linéaire – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Gameplay non linéaire" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%B9%84%EC%84%A0%ED%98%95_%EA%B2%8C%EC%9E%84%ED%94%8C%EB%A0%88%EC%9D%B4" title="비선형 게임플레이 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="비선형 게임플레이" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alur_permainan_nonlinear" title="Alur permainan nonlinear – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Alur permainan nonlinear" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gameplay_non_lineare" title="Gameplay non lineare – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Gameplay non lineare" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%90%E1%83%96%E1%83%9D%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98_%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98" title="არახაზოვანი თამაშის სტილი – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="არახაზოვანი თამაშის სტილი" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mk mw-list-item"><a href="https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD_%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BD_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0" title="Нелинеарен начин на игра – Macedonian" lang="mk" hreflang="mk" data-title="Нелинеарен начин на игра" data-language-autonym="Македонски" data-language-local-name="Macedonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Македонски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikkje-line%C3%A6rt_spel" title="Ikkje-lineært spel – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Ikkje-lineært spel" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieliniowa_rozgrywka" title="Nieliniowa rozgrywka – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Nieliniowa rozgrywka" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jogabilidade_n%C3%A3o_linear" title="Jogabilidade não linear – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Jogabilidade não linear" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C_(%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BF%D1%8C%D1%8E%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%8B)" title="Нелинейность (компьютерные игры) – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Нелинейность (компьютерные игры)" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icke-linj%C3%A4rt_spel" title="Icke-linjärt spel – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Icke-linjärt spel" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87" title="ระบบเกมไม่เป็นเส้นตรง – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="ระบบเกมไม่เป็นเส้นตรง" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" 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href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%E1%BB%91i_ch%C6%A1i_phi_tuy%E1%BA%BFn_t%C3%ADnh" title="Lối chơi phi tuyến tính – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Lối chơi phi tuyến tính" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9D%9E%E7%B7%9A%E6%80%A7%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2%E5%BA%A6" title="非線性遊戲度 – Cantonese" lang="yue" hreflang="yue" data-title="非線性遊戲度" data-language-autonym="粵語" data-language-local-name="Cantonese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>粵語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9D%9E%E7%B7%9A%E6%80%A7%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2" title="非線性遊戲 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="非線性遊戲" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" 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class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Gameplay involving unordered sequences</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nonlinear_gameplay.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Nonlinear_gameplay.png/220px-Nonlinear_gameplay.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="83" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Nonlinear_gameplay.png/330px-Nonlinear_gameplay.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Nonlinear_gameplay.png/440px-Nonlinear_gameplay.png 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="300" /></a><figcaption>Diagram of routes from a beginning to one of three game endings</figcaption></figure> <p>A <a href="/wiki/Video_game" title="Video game">video game</a> with <b>nonlinear gameplay</b> presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played in a different order. Conversely, a video game with <b>linear gameplay</b> will confront a player with a fixed sequence of challenges: every player faces every challenge and has to overcome them in the same order. </p><p>A nonlinear game will allow greater player freedom than a linear game. For example, a nonlinear game may permit multiple sequences to finish the game, a choice between paths to victory, different types of victory, or optional side-<a href="/wiki/Quest_(gaming)" class="mw-redirect" title="Quest (gaming)">quests</a> and <a href="/wiki/Subplot" title="Subplot">subplots</a>. Some games feature both linear and nonlinear elements, and some games offer a sandbox mode that allows players to explore an <a href="/wiki/Open_world" title="Open world">open world</a> game environment independently from the game's main objectives, if any objectives are provided at all. </p><p>A game that is significantly nonlinear is sometimes described as being open-ended or a sandbox, and is characterized by allowing players to measure progress through self-determined goals, independent of scripted game elements.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Level_design">Level design</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Level design"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:E1M7dots.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/E1M7dots.png/220px-E1M7dots.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="187" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/E1M7dots.png/330px-E1M7dots.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/E1M7dots.png/440px-E1M7dots.png 2x" data-file-width="999" data-file-height="851" /></a><figcaption>Map recreation of "E1M7: Computer Station" from the action shooter <i><a href="/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game)" title="Doom (1993 video game)">Doom</a></i></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Oolite_galactic_map.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Oolite_galactic_map.png/220px-Oolite_galactic_map.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="115" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Oolite_galactic_map.png/330px-Oolite_galactic_map.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Oolite_galactic_map.png/440px-Oolite_galactic_map.png 2x" data-file-width="750" data-file-height="392" /></a><figcaption>Galactic trade map of the <a href="/wiki/Space_flight_simulator_game#Space_trading_and_combat_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Space flight simulator game">space trading and combat simulator</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Oolite_(video_game)" title="Oolite (video game)">Oolite</a></i></figcaption></figure> <p>A game <a href="/wiki/Level_(video_games)" title="Level (video games)">level</a> or <a href="/wiki/Virtual_world" title="Virtual world">world</a> can be linear, nonlinear or interactive. In a linear game, there is only one path that the player must take through the level, but in games with nonlinear gameplay, players might have to revisit locations or choose from multiple paths to finish the level. </p><p>As with other game elements, linear level design is not absolute. While a nonlinear level can give the freedom to explore or backtrack, there can be a sequence of challenges that a player must solve to complete the level. If a player must confront the challenges in a fixed order nonlinear games will often give multiple approaches to achieve said objectives. </p><p>A more linear game requires a player to finish levels in a fixed sequence to win. The ability to skip, repeat, or choose between levels makes this type of game less linear. <i><a href="/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros." title="Super Mario Bros.">Super Mario Bros.</a></i> is an early example of this, where the player had access to warp zones that skipped many levels of the game. </p><p>In some games, levels can change between linear design and free roaming depending on the objective of the stage. <i><a href="/wiki/Super_Mario_64" title="Super Mario 64">Super Mario 64</a></i> is an example where the main stages are free roam, while the levels where Bowser is encountered follow a straight path to the end. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Open_worlds_and_sandbox_modes">Open worlds and sandbox modes</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Open worlds and sandbox modes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When a game is sufficiently large and open-ended, it may be described as an <a href="/wiki/Open_world" title="Open world">open world</a> or as a <a href="/wiki/Sandbox_game" title="Sandbox game">sandbox game</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Open-world game designs have existed in some form since the 1980s, such as the space trading game <i><a href="/wiki/Elite_(video_game)" title="Elite (video game)">Elite</a></i>, and often make use of <a href="/wiki/Procedural_generation" title="Procedural generation">procedurally generated</a> environments. </p><p>In a game with a sandbox <a href="/wiki/Game_mode" class="mw-redirect" title="Game mode">mode</a>, a player may turn off or ignore game objectives, or have unlimited access to items.<sup id="cite_ref-adams_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-adams-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This can open up possibilities that were <a href="/wiki/Emergent_gameplay" title="Emergent gameplay">not intended</a> by the <a href="/wiki/Game_design" title="Game design">game designer</a>. A sandbox mode is an option in otherwise goal-oriented games and is distinguished from open-ended games that have no objectives, such as <i><a href="/wiki/SimCity" title="SimCity">SimCity</a></i>,<sup id="cite_ref-adams_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-adams-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <i><a href="/wiki/Garry%27s_Mod" title="Garry's Mod">Garry's Mod</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Branching_storylines">Branching storylines</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Branching storylines"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Games that employ linear stories are those where the player cannot change the story line or ending of the story. Many video games use a linear structure, thus making them more similar to other fiction. However, it is common for such games to use <a href="/wiki/Interactive_narration" class="mw-redirect" title="Interactive narration">interactive narration</a> in which a player needs to interact with something before the plot will advance, or <a href="/wiki/Nonlinear_narrative" title="Nonlinear narrative">nonlinear narratives</a> in which events are portrayed in a non-chronological order. Many games have offered premature endings should the player fail to meet an objective, but these are usually just interruptions in a player's progress rather than actual endings. Even in games with a linear story, players interact with the game world by performing a variety of actions along the way.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>More recently, some games have begun offering <a href="/wiki/Multiple_endings" class="mw-redirect" title="Multiple endings">multiple endings</a> to increase the dramatic effect of moral choices within the game, although early examples also exist.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Still, some games have gone beyond small choices or special endings, offering a branching storyline (also known as an <a href="/wiki/Interactive_narrative" class="mw-redirect" title="Interactive narrative">interactive narrative</a> outside of a video game context), that players may control at critical points in the game. Sometimes the player is given a choice of which branch of the plot to follow, while sometimes the path will be based on the player's success or failure at a specific challenge.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, <a href="/wiki/Black_Isle_Studios" title="Black Isle Studios">Black Isle Studios</a>' <i><a href="/wiki/Fallout_(franchise)" title="Fallout (franchise)">Fallout</a></i> series of role-playing video games features numerous quests where player actions dictate the outcome of the story behind the objectives. Players can eliminate in-game characters <a href="/wiki/Permadeath" title="Permadeath">permanently</a> from the virtual world should they choose to do so, and by doing so may actually alter the number and type of quests that become available to them as the game progresses. The effects of such decisions may not be immediate. Branches of the story may merge or split at different points in the game, but seldom allow backtracking. Some games even allow for different starting points, and one way this is done is through a character selection screen.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Linear stories cost less time and money to develop, since there is only one fixed sequence of events and no major decisions to keep track of.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, several games from the <i><a href="/wiki/Wing_Commander_(franchise)" title="Wing Commander (franchise)">Wing Commander</a></i> series offered a branching storyline,<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but eventually they were abandoned as too expensive.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Nonlinear stories increase the chances for bugs or absurdities if they are not tested properly, although they do provide greater player freedom.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some players have also responded negatively to branching stories because it is hard and tedious for them to experience the "full value" of all the game's content.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As a compromise between linear and branching stories, there are also games where stories split into branches and then fold back into a single storyline. In these stories, the plot will branch, but then converge upon some inevitable event, giving the impression of a nonlinear gameplay through the use of <a href="/wiki/Nonlinear_narrative" title="Nonlinear narrative">nonlinear narrative</a>, without the use of <a href="/wiki/Interactive_narrative" class="mw-redirect" title="Interactive narrative">interactive narratives</a>. This is typically used in many <a href="/wiki/Graphic_adventure_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Graphic adventure game">graphic adventure games</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-fundamentals_7-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fundamentals-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A truly nonlinear story would be written entirely by the actions of the player, and thus remains a difficult design challenge.<sup id="cite_ref-sandboxstory_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sandboxstory-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As such, there is often little or no story in video games with a truly nonlinear gameplay.<sup id="cite_ref-sandboxstory_9-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sandboxstory-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/Facade_(interactive_story)" class="mw-redirect" title="Facade (interactive story)">Facade</a></i>, a video game often categorized as an <a href="/wiki/Interactive_storytelling" title="Interactive storytelling">interactive drama</a>, features many branching paths that are dictated by the user's text input based on the current situation, but there is still a set number of outcomes as a result of the inherent limitations of programming, and as such, is non-linear, but not entirely so. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Visual_novels">Visual novels</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Visual novels"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Branching storylines are a common trend in <a href="/wiki/Visual_novel" title="Visual novel">visual novels</a>, a subgenre of <a href="/wiki/Interactive_narrative" class="mw-redirect" title="Interactive narrative">interactive narrative</a> and <a href="/wiki/Adventure_game" title="Adventure game">adventure games</a>. Visual novels frequently use multiple branching storylines to achieve <a href="/wiki/Multiple_endings" class="mw-redirect" title="Multiple endings">multiple different endings</a>, allowing non-linear freedom of choice along the way. Decision points within a visual novel often present players with the option of altering the course of events during the game, leading to many different possible outcomes.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources"><span title="The material near this tag relies on an unreliable source. Cavallaro is generally unreliable. See RSN discussion. (June 2024)">unreliable source</span></a></i>]</sup> Visual novels are popular in <a href="/wiki/East_Asia" title="East Asia">East Asia</a>, especially in <a href="/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a> where they account for nearly 70% of <a href="/wiki/Personal_computer_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Personal computer game">personal computer games</a> released there.<sup id="cite_ref-ANN_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ANN-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A recent acclaimed example is <i><a href="/wiki/999:_Nine_Hours,_Nine_Persons,_Nine_Doors" title="999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors">999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors</a></i>, where nearly every action and <a href="/wiki/Dialog_tree" class="mw-redirect" title="Dialog tree">dialogue choice</a> can lead to entirely new branching paths and endings. Each path only reveals certain aspects of the overall storyline and it is only after uncovering all the possible different paths and outcomes through multiple playthroughs that everything comes together to form a coherent well-written story.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>It is not uncommon for visual novels to have morality systems. A well-known example is the 2005 title <i><a href="/wiki/School_Days_(visual_novel)" class="mw-redirect" title="School Days (visual novel)">School Days</a></i>, an animated visual novel that <a href="/wiki/Kotaku" title="Kotaku">Kotaku</a> describes as going well beyond the usual "black and white choice systems" (referring to video games such as <i><a href="/wiki/Mass_Effect" title="Mass Effect">Mass Effect</a></i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Fallout_3" title="Fallout 3">Fallout 3</a></i> and <i><a href="/wiki/BioShock" title="BioShock">BioShock</a></i>) where the players "pick a side and stick with it" while leaving "the expansive middle area between unexplored". <i>School Days</i> instead encourages players to explore the grey, neutral middle-ground in order to view more interesting, "bad" endings.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>It is also not uncommon for visual novels to have multiple protagonists giving different perspectives on the story. C's Ware's <i><a href="/wiki/EVE_Burst_Error" title="EVE Burst Error">EVE Burst Error</a></i> (1995) introduced a unique twist to the system by allowing the player to switch between both protagonists at any time during the game, instead of finishing one protagonist's scenario before playing the other. <i>EVE Burst Error</i> often requires the player to have both protagonists co-operate with each other at various points during the game, with choices in one scenario affecting the other.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/Fate/stay_night" title="Fate/stay night">Fate/stay night</a></i> is another example that features multiple perspectives.<sup id="cite_ref-klug_194-7_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-klug_194-7-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Chunsoft" class="mw-redirect" title="Chunsoft">Chunsoft</a> sound novels such as <i><a href="/wiki/Machi_(video_game)" title="Machi (video game)">Machi</a></i> (1998) and <i><a href="/wiki/428:_Shibuya_Scramble" title="428: Shibuya Scramble">428: Shibuya Scramble</a></i> (2008) develop this concept further, by allowing the player to alternate between the perspectives of several or more different characters, making choices with one character that have consequences for other characters.<sup id="cite_ref-1up_novel_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1up_novel-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-destructoid428_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-destructoid428-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>428</i> in particular features up to 85 different possible endings.<sup id="cite_ref-destructoid428_18-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-destructoid428-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another approach to non-linear storytelling can be seen in <i><a href="/wiki/Cosmology_of_Kyoto" title="Cosmology of Kyoto">Cosmology of Kyoto</a></i>. The game lacks an overall plot, but it instead presents fragmented narratives and situations in a non-linear manner, as the <a href="/wiki/Player_character" title="Player character">player character</a> encounters various <a href="/wiki/Non-player_character" title="Non-player character">non-player characters</a> while wandering the city. These narratives are cross-referenced to an <a href="/wiki/Encyclopedia" title="Encyclopedia">encyclopedia</a>, providing background information as the narratives progress and as the player comes across various characters and locations, with various stories, situations and related information appearing at distinct locations.<sup id="cite_ref-auug_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-auug-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It provides enough freedom to allow for the player to <a href="/wiki/Emergent_gameplay" title="Emergent gameplay">experiment with the game</a>, such as using it as a resource for their own <a href="/wiki/Role-playing_game" title="Role-playing game">role-playing game</a> campaign, for example.<sup id="cite_ref-Dragon218_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Dragon218-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Role-playing_games">Role-playing games</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Role-playing games"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Branching storylines are also often used in <a href="/wiki/Role-playing_video_game" title="Role-playing video game">role-playing video games</a> (RPGs) to an extent. An early example, published in 1999, is the <a href="/wiki/Fantasy" title="Fantasy">fantasy</a> role-playing game <i><a href="/wiki/Might_and_Magic_VII:_For_Blood_and_Honor" title="Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor">Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor</a></i>, where players have to choose between Light and Dark. While the dark side wants to destroy the world of Enroth, the light side tries to save it. The choice determines which grandmaster levels the player characters can obtain and the quests they have to do in that part of the game. Earlier in the game, the player already has to choose sides in a border conflict between Elves and Humans, or remain neutral. This affects the flag in their Castle Harmondale and a few quests, but not the outcome. </p><p>A second example is <a href="/wiki/Obsidian_Entertainment" title="Obsidian Entertainment">Obsidian Entertainment</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Fallout:_New_Vegas" title="Fallout: New Vegas">Fallout: New Vegas</a></i>, where the player's decisions influence whether one of three different factions gain control of the area surrounding post-apocalyptic <a href="/wiki/Las_Vegas" title="Las Vegas">Las Vegas</a>. These factions include Caesar's Legion, a group of <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman</a>-esque slavers; the <a href="/wiki/New_California_Republic" title="New California Republic">New California Republic</a> (NCR), an expansionist military government; and Mr. House, the enigmatic <i><a href="/wiki/De_facto" title="De facto">de facto</a></i> ruler of New Vegas, in command of an army of robots that patrols the city. Each of the three sides aim to control <a href="/wiki/Hoover_Dam" title="Hoover Dam">Hoover Dam</a>, which is still operational and supplying the <a href="/wiki/American_Southwest" class="mw-redirect" title="American Southwest">American Southwest</a> with power and clean, non-irradiated water; thus, control of the dam means effective control of the region. A fourth option, siding with a robot named Yes Man and prevailing upon or eliminating the other faction leaders, enables the player to go solo and take over the Hoover Dam for themselves. </p><p>Another RPG example is <a href="/wiki/Tri-Ace" title="Tri-Ace">tri-Ace</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Star_Ocean" title="Star Ocean">Star Ocean</a></i> series, where the storyline is not affected by moral <a href="/wiki/Alignment_(role-playing_games)" title="Alignment (role-playing games)">alignments</a> like in other role-playing games but, inspired by <a href="/wiki/Dating_sim" title="Dating sim">dating sims</a>, by friendship and relationship points between each of the characters.<sup id="cite_ref-Escapist_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Escapist-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/Star_Ocean:_The_Second_Story" title="Star Ocean: The Second Story">Star Ocean: The Second Story</a></i> in particular offers as many as 86 different endings<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with hundreds of permutations, setting a benchmark for the number of possible outcomes of a video game.<sup id="cite_ref-Escapist_21-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Escapist-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Another unique variation of this system is the <i><a href="/wiki/Sakura_Wars" title="Sakura Wars">Sakura Wars</a></i> series, which features a <a href="/wiki/Real-time_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Real-time game">real-time</a> branching choice system where, during an event or conversation, the player must choose an action or <a href="/wiki/Dialog_tree" class="mw-redirect" title="Dialog tree">dialogue choice</a> within a time limit, or not to respond at all within that time; the player's choice, or lack thereof, affects the <a href="/wiki/Player_character" title="Player character">player character</a>'s relationship with other characters and in turn the direction and outcome of the storyline. Later games in the series added several variations, including an action gauge that can be raised up or down depending on the situation, and a gauge that the player can manipulate using the <a href="/wiki/Analog_stick" title="Analog stick">analog stick</a> depending on the situation.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A similar type of conversation system later appeared in a more recent <a href="/wiki/Action_role-playing_game" title="Action role-playing game">action role-playing game</a> also published by <a href="/wiki/Sega" title="Sega">Sega</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Alpha_Protocol" title="Alpha Protocol">Alpha Protocol</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another unique take on the concept is combining non-linear branching storytelling with the concepts of time travel and <a href="/wiki/Multiverse" title="Multiverse">parallel universes</a>. Early attempts at such an approach included <a href="/wiki/Square_(video_game_company)" title="Square (video game company)">Squaresoft</a>'s <i><a href="/wiki/Chrono_(series)" title="Chrono (series)">Chrono</a></i> role-playing game series (1995–1999)<sup id="cite_ref-Radiant-Historia_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Radiant-Historia-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/ELF_Corporation" title="ELF Corporation">ELF</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Visual_novel" title="Visual novel">visual novel</a> <i><a href="/wiki/YU-NO:_A_girl_who_chants_love_at_the_bound_of_this_world" class="mw-redirect" title="YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world">YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world</a></i> (1996).<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/Radiant_Historia" title="Radiant Historia">Radiant Historia</a></i> takes it further by giving players the freedom to travel backwards and forwards through a timeline to alter the course of history, with each of their choices and actions significantly affect the timeline. The player can return to certain points in history and live through certain events again to make different choices and see different possible outcomes on the timeline.<sup id="cite_ref-Radiant-Historia_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Radiant-Historia-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-destructoid_radiant_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-destructoid_radiant-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The player can also travel back and forth between two parallel timelines,<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and can obtain many possible parallel <a href="/wiki/Multiple_endings" class="mw-redirect" title="Multiple endings">endings</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/PlayStation_Portable" title="PlayStation Portable">PSP</a> version of <i><a href="/wiki/Tactics_Ogre:_Let_Us_Cling_Together" class="mw-redirect" title="Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together">Tactics Ogre</a></i> featured a "World" system that allows players to revisit key plot points and make different choices to see how the story unfolds differently.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XIII-2" title="Final Fantasy XIII-2">Final Fantasy XIII-2</a></i> also features a similar non-linear time travel system to <i>Radiant Historia</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_examples">Early examples</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Early examples"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Early examples (pre-1983) of nonlinear gameplay include: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1184024115">.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}</style><div class="div-col" style="column-width: 15em;"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Colossal_Cave_Adventure" title="Colossal Cave Adventure">Colossal Cave Adventure</a></i> (1976)<sup id="cite_ref-arstechnica_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-arstechnica-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Zork" title="Zork">Zork</a></i> (1977/1980)<sup id="cite_ref-advgamers2_34-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-advgamers2-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/MUD1" title="MUD1">MUD1</a></i> (1978)<sup id="cite_ref-wired_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wired-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Akalabeth:_World_of_Doom" title="Akalabeth: World of Doom">Akalabeth</a></i> (1979)<sup id="cite_ref-gamtrend_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gamtrend-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Star_Raiders" title="Star Raiders">Star Raiders</a></i> (1979)<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Superman_(1979_video_game)" title="Superman (1979 video game)">Superman</a></i> (1979)<sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Temple_of_Apshai" title="Temple of Apshai">Temple of Apshai</a></i> (1979)<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Computer_Bismarck" title="Computer Bismarck">Computer Bismarck</a></i> (1980)<sup id="cite_ref-SG_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SG-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/History_of_Microsoft_Flight_Simulator#Sublogic_flight_simulators" title="History of Microsoft Flight Simulator">Flight Simulator</a></i> (1979/1980)<sup id="cite_ref-gamasutra_elite_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gamasutra_elite-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Mystery_House" title="Mystery House">Mystery House</a></i> (1980)<sup id="cite_ref-advgamers_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-advgamers-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Prisoner_(video_game)" title="The Prisoner (video game)">The Prisoner</a></i> (1980)<sup id="cite_ref-liddel198109_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-liddel198109-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Rogue_(video_game)" title="Rogue (video game)">Rogue</a></i> (1980)<sup id="cite_ref-chaddock_chp2_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-chaddock_chp2-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Adventure_(Atari_2600)" class="mw-redirect" title="Adventure (Atari 2600)">Adventure</a></i> (1980)<sup id="cite_ref-gsutra_20games_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gsutra_20games-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/005_(video_game)" class="mw-redirect" title="005 (video game)">005</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Bosconian" title="Bosconian">Bosconian</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Castle_Wolfenstein" title="Castle Wolfenstein">Castle Wolfenstein</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-kotaku_48-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-kotaku-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Crush,_Crumble_and_Chomp!" title="Crush, Crumble and Chomp!">Crush, Crumble and Chomp!</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Ultima_I:_The_First_Age_of_Darkness" title="Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness">Ultima</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-arstechnica2_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-arstechnica2-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Star_Warrior" title="Star Warrior">Star Warrior</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Venture_(video_game)" title="Venture (video game)">Venture</a></i> (1981)<sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)" title="E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game)">E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Haunted_House_(video_game)" title="Haunted House (video game)">Haunted House</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Hobbit_(1982_video_game)" title="The Hobbit (1982 video game)">The Hobbit</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-thereg_52-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thereg-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Pitfall!" title="Pitfall!">Pitfall!</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark_(video_game)" title="Raiders of the Lost Ark (video game)">Raiders of the Lost Ark</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-wolf_38-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Snipes_(video_game)" title="Snipes (video game)">Snipes</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-pcmag_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pcmag-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Time_Pilot" title="Time Pilot">Time Pilot</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Ultima_II:_The_Revenge_of_the_Enchantress" title="Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress">Ultima II</a></i> (1982)<sup id="cite_ref-arstechnica2_50-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-arstechnica2-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game" title="Massively multiplayer online game">Massively multiplayer online games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Types_of_fiction_with_multiple_endings" title="Types of fiction with multiple endings">Multiple endings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_world" title="Open world">Open world</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Metroidvania" title="Metroidvania">Metroidvania</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lofigames.com/about-kenshi/">"About Kenshi"</a>. 25 August 2014.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=About+Kenshi&rft.date=2014-08-25&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Flofigames.com%2Fabout-kenshi%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">18 October</span> 2011</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Wired&rft.atitle=Time-Travel+Gameplay+Could+Save+Final+Fantasy+XIII-2&rft.date=2011-09-08&rft.aulast=Schreier&rft.aufirst=Jason&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fgamelife%2F2011%2F09%2Ffinal-fantasy-xiii-2-time-travel%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-arstechnica-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-arstechnica_33-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMoss2017" class="citation web cs1">Moss, Richard (March 25, 2017). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/youre-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming/">"Roam free: A history of open-world gaming"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Ars_Technica" title="Ars Technica">Ars Technica</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 6,</span> 2017</span>. <q>Amazingly, open-world games can be traced back to the days of mainframes—namely, to the 1976 text-only game <i>Colossal Cave Adventure</i> for the PDP-10. <i>Adventure</i> at its core wasn't much different to the <i>GTA</i>s, <i>Elite</i>s, and <i>Minecraft</i>s of today: you could explore, freely, in any direction, and your only goals were to find treasure (which is scattered throughout the cave) and to escape with your life.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Ars+Technica&rft.atitle=Roam+free%3A+A+history+of+open-world+gaming&rft.date=2017-03-25&rft.aulast=Moss&rft.aufirst=Richard&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farstechnica.com%2Fgaming%2F2017%2F03%2Fyoure-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-advgamers2-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-advgamers2_34-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMorganti2013" class="citation web cs1">Morganti, Emily (April 19, 2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/24424ComposerWhile">"Mystery House"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Adventure_Gamers" title="Adventure Gamers">Adventure Gamers</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q><i>Zork</i> was another inspiration—both brothers had played it, and liked how it presented a non-linear world to explore.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Mystery+House&rft.pub=Adventure+Gamers&rft.date=2013-04-19&rft.aulast=Morganti&rft.aufirst=Emily&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fadventuregamers.com%2Farticles%2Fview%2F24424ComposerWhile&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-wired-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-wired_35-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKellyRheingold1993" class="citation web cs1">Kelly, Kevin; Rheingold, Howard (March 1, 1993). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wired.com/1993/03/muds-2/">"The Dragon Ate My Homework"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Wired_(magazine)" title="Wired (magazine)">Wired</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q>MUD is very much like the classic game Zork, as well as any of the hundreds of text-based adventure video games that have flourished on personal computers . . . Your job is to explore the room and its objects and discover treasures hidden in the labyrinth of other rooms connected to it. You'll probably need to find a small collection of treasures and clues along the way to win the mother-lode booty, a search that may involve breaking a spell, becoming a wizard, slaying a dragon, or escaping from a dungeon.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Dragon+Ate+My+Homework&rft.pub=Wired&rft.date=1993-03-01&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=Kevin&rft.au=Rheingold%2C+Howard&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2F1993%2F03%2Fmuds-2%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-gamtrend-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-gamtrend_36-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBurke2015" class="citation web cs1">Burke, Ron (May 5, 2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://gamingtrend.com/feature/previews/how-the-witcher-3-changes-open-worlds-forever/">"How The Witcher 3 changes open worlds forever"</a>. GamingTrend<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q>Open-world games are not exactly new. <i>Akalabeth: World of Doom</i> (precursor to the <i>Ultima</i> series) was arguably first...</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=How+The+Witcher+3+changes+open+worlds+forever&rft.pub=GamingTrend&rft.date=2015-05-05&rft.aulast=Burke&rft.aufirst=Ron&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fgamingtrend.com%2Ffeature%2Fpreviews%2Fhow-the-witcher-3-changes-open-worlds-forever%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRetro_Gamer_Team2014" class="citation web cs1">Retro Gamer Team (February 17, 2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.retrogamer.net/top_10/top-ten-atari-8-bit-games/">"Top Ten Atari 8-Bit Games"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Retro_Gamer" title="Retro Gamer">Retro Gamer</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 14,</span> 2017</span>. <q>The granddaddy of the Elite-style 'space opera', it was also the world's first free-roaming first-person perspective game.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Retro+Gamer&rft.atitle=Top+Ten+Atari+8-Bit+Games&rft.date=2014-02-17&rft.au=Retro+Gamer+Team&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.retrogamer.net%2Ftop_10%2Ftop-ten-atari-8-bit-games%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-wolf-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-wolf_38-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWolf2010" class="citation book cs1">Wolf, Mark J.P. (July 22, 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/mediumofvideogam0000unse/page/118">"Formal Aspects of the Video Game: Adventure"</a>. <i>The Medium of the Video Game</i>. University of Texas Press. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/mediumofvideogam0000unse/page/118">118-19</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-292-79150-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-292-79150-3"><bdi>978-0-292-79150-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Formal+Aspects+of+the+Video+Game%3A+Adventure&rft.btitle=The+Medium+of+the+Video+Game&rft.pages=118-19&rft.pub=University+of+Texas+Press&rft.date=2010-07-22&rft.isbn=978-0-292-79150-3&rft.aulast=Wolf&rft.aufirst=Mark+J.P.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fmediumofvideogam0000unse%2Fpage%2F118&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDerboo2010" class="citation web cs1">Derboo, Sam (December 17, 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hg101.kontek.net/dunjonquest/dunjonquest.htm">"Dunjonquest"</a>. <i>Hardcore Gaming 101</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q><i>Temple of Apshai</i> uses an open-ended structure, the quest merely being to plunder the temple and get filthy rich. So all the levels are accessible from the very beginning, although a fresh, uncheated character is likely to get slaughtered fast in the higher levels.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Hardcore+Gaming+101&rft.atitle=Dunjonquest&rft.date=2010-12-17&rft.aulast=Derboo&rft.aufirst=Sam&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hg101.kontek.net%2Fdunjonquest%2Fdunjonquest.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-SG-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-SG_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSuchar1980" class="citation journal cs1">Suchar, Joseph T. (July 1980). "Capsule Reviews". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Space_Gamer" title="The Space Gamer">The Space Gamer</a></i> (29). <a href="/wiki/Steve_Jackson_Games" title="Steve Jackson Games">Steve Jackson Games</a>: 29–30. <q>This is a superb game. It has so many strategic options for both sides that it is unlikely to be optimized.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Space+Gamer&rft.atitle=Capsule+Reviews&rft.issue=29&rft.pages=29-30&rft.date=1980-07&rft.aulast=Suchar&rft.aufirst=Joseph+T.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-gamasutra_elite-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-gamasutra_elite_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBarton,_MattBill_Loguidice2009" class="citation web cs1">Barton, Matt; Bill Loguidice (April 7, 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3983/the_history_of_elite_space_the_.php">"The History of Elite: Space, the Endless Frontier"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Gamasutra" class="mw-redirect" title="Gamasutra">Gamasutra</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2009-12-27</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+History+of+Elite%3A+Space%2C+the+Endless+Frontier&rft.pub=Gamasutra&rft.date=2009-04-07&rft.au=Barton%2C+Matt&rft.au=Bill+Loguidice&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamasutra.com%2Fview%2Ffeature%2F3983%2Fthe_history_of_elite_space_the_.php&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-advgamers-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-advgamers_42-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVan_Es2005" class="citation web cs1">Van Es, Martijn (October 5, 2005). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17880">"Mystery House"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Adventure_Gamers" title="Adventure Gamers">Adventure Gamers</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 14,</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Mystery+House&rft.pub=Adventure+Gamers&rft.date=2005-10-05&rft.aulast=Van+Es&rft.aufirst=Martijn&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fadventuregamers.com%2Farticles%2Fview%2F17880&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-liddel198109-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-liddel198109_43-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLiddel,_Bob1981" class="citation news cs1">Liddel, Bob (September 1981). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1981-09/BYTE_Vol_06-09_1981-09_Artifical_Intelligence#page/n387/mode/2up">"The Prisoner"</a>. <i>BYTE</i>. pp. 386–387<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">19 October</span> 2013</span>. <q>When you awaken, the game begins in room #6, which contains a time-consuming invisible maze that is never the same twice . . . [S]cenarios are contained within twenty 'buildings', each of which may be entered at any time.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=BYTE&rft.atitle=The+Prisoner&rft.pages=386-387&rft.date=1981-09&rft.au=Liddel%2C+Bob&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fstream%2Fbyte-magazine-1981-09%2FBYTE_Vol_06-09_1981-09_Artifical_Intelligence%23page%2Fn387%2Fmode%2F2up&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-chaddock_chp2-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-chaddock_chp2_44-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCraddock2015" class="citation book cs1">Craddock, David L (August 5, 2015). "Chapter 2: "Procedural Dungeons of Doom: Building Rogue, Part 1"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>". In Magrath, Andrew (ed.). <i>Dungeon Hacks: How NetHack, Angband, and Other Roguelikes Changed the Course of Video Games</i>. Press Start Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-692-50186-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-692-50186-3"><bdi>978-0-692-50186-3</bdi></a>. <q>Wichman likewise observed players inventing strategies for survival. Bats, for example, moved in a zigzag pattern meant to imitate their wild fluttering. Crafty players realized they could defeat bats easily by luring them into tight corridors. With no room to weave around, bats were helpless to dodge arrows. 'We didn't design the game or bat with that strategy in mind. It's just that bats flutter as bats do. People playing it came up with that strategy for beating them.' . . . 'All videogames, in the mind of my grumpy, curmudgeonly self, were: To win this game, just go up, up, left, right', Toy said. '[Games were] just a series of moves with timing in between them. Execute them in the right order and you win. Permadeath was an attempt to make that go away.'<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Chapter+2%3A+%22Procedural+Dungeons+of+Doom%3A+Building+Rogue%2C+Part+1%22&rft.btitle=Dungeon+Hacks%3A+How+NetHack%2C+Angband%2C+and+Other+Roguelikes+Changed+the+Course+of+Video+Games&rft.pub=Press+Start+Press&rft.date=2015-08-05&rft.isbn=978-0-692-50186-3&rft.aulast=Craddock&rft.aufirst=David+L&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-gsutra_20games-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-gsutra_20games_45-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHarris2007" class="citation web cs1">Harris, John (September 26, 2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1902/game_design_essentials_20_open_.php">"Game Design Essentials: 20 Open World Games"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Gamasutra" class="mw-redirect" title="Gamasutra">Gamasutra</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2008-07-25</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Game+Design+Essentials%3A+20+Open+World+Games&rft.pub=Gamasutra&rft.date=2007-09-26&rft.aulast=Harris&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamasutra.com%2Fview%2Ffeature%2F1902%2Fgame_design_essentials_20_open_.php&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://hg101.kontek.net/005/005.htm">"005"</a>. <i>Hardcore Gaming 101</i>. <q>You first face cops in the "maze" segment, where you must hightail your keister into a building. Usually, you start out pretty close to an available edifice, so these mazey bits are really more of a hub where you pick either the "forklift" or "ice skate" building to tackle first.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Hardcore+Gaming+101&rft.atitle=005&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fhg101.kontek.net%2F005%2F005.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141114172056/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=398">"Bosconian - Overview - allgame"</a>. 14 November 2014. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=398">the original</a> on 14 November 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">4 April</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Bosconian+-+Overview+-+allgame&rft.date=2014-11-14&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allgame.com%2Fgame.php%3Fid%3D398&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-kotaku-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-kotaku_48-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAlexandra2017" class="citation web cs1">Alexandra, Heather (May 14, 2017). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170516173941/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/05/the-hitman-series-has-a-long-history-of-excellence/">"The Hitman Series Has A Long History Of Excellence"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Kotaku" title="Kotaku">Kotaku</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/05/the-hitman-series-has-a-long-history-of-excellence/">the original</a> on May 16, 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2017-10-15</span></span>. <q>In many ways, the <i>Hitman</i> series draws a direct lineage to Silas Warner's original <i>Castle Wolfenstein</i> games, released in 1981. Both provide labyrinthine spaces, tasking the player to survive through a mixture of impersonation and intelligent planning. It's a strong foundation that led to a memorable game series.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Hitman+Series+Has+A+Long+History+Of+Excellence&rft.pub=Kotaku&rft.date=2017-05-14&rft.aulast=Alexandra&rft.aufirst=Heather&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kotaku.com.au%2F2017%2F05%2Fthe-hitman-series-has-a-long-history-of-excellence%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDerboo2010" class="citation web cs1">Derboo, Sam (December 17, 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hg101.kontek.net/dunjonquest/dunjonquest.htm">"Dunjonquest"</a>. <i>Hardcore Gaming 101</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q>There are five different goals to select from, like killing as much civilians as possible or destroying the whole city . . . When [the monster] finally succumbs to its hunters or starves, you'll be shown your final score, which once again represents the actual "goal" of the game - scoring better than your friends.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Hardcore+Gaming+101&rft.atitle=Dunjonquest&rft.date=2010-12-17&rft.aulast=Derboo&rft.aufirst=Sam&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hg101.kontek.net%2Fdunjonquest%2Fdunjonquest.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-arstechnica2-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-arstechnica2_50-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-arstechnica2_50-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMoss2017" class="citation web cs1">Moss, Richard (March 25, 2017). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/youre-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming/">"Roam free: A history of open-world gaming"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Ars_Technica" title="Ars Technica">Ars Technica</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 6,</span> 2017</span>. <q>On home computers, the influential role-playing series <i>Ultima</i> similarly captured the freedom, if not the liveliness, of <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>. Even the first entry (1981) had no levels or "gates" to curb your wanderings through villages, towns, dungeons, and empty countryside in search of a time machine that would allow you to travel back in time a thousand years to kill an evil wizard.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Ars+Technica&rft.atitle=Roam+free%3A+A+history+of+open-world+gaming&rft.date=2017-03-25&rft.aulast=Moss&rft.aufirst=Richard&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farstechnica.com%2Fgaming%2F2017%2F03%2Fyoure-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDerboo2010" class="citation web cs1">Derboo, Sam (December 17, 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.hg101.kontek.net/dunjonquest/dunjonquest.htm">"Dunjonquest"</a>. <i>Hardcore Gaming 101</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q>The player can take part in this war in one of two possible tasks. The target in scenario 1 is it to cause as much wanton destruction as possible while proceeding to the far north. This is meant as a maneuver to distract from the actual target in Scenario 2, the military commander in control of the occupation. At the beginning of each scenario comes the choice between three combat suits, which differ in attack strength, shield power, special options and the like.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Hardcore+Gaming+101&rft.atitle=Dunjonquest&rft.date=2010-12-17&rft.aulast=Derboo&rft.aufirst=Sam&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hg101.kontek.net%2Fdunjonquest%2Fdunjonquest.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-thereg-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-thereg_52-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSharwood2012" class="citation web cs1">Sharwood, simon (November 18, 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/18/hobbit_author_veronika_megler_reminisces/">"Author of '80s classic <i>The Hobbit</i> didn't know game was a hit"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Eurogamer" title="Eurogamer">Eurogamer</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2017-10-14</span></span>. <q><span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'I wrote the game to be very general and to not restrict people from doing things', Megler recalls. 'Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects. That was something you could not do with other games of the time, they had fixed possibilities.'<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span></q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Author+of+%2780s+classic+The+Hobbit+didn%27t+know+game+was+a+hit&rft.pub=Eurogamer&rft.date=2012-11-18&rft.aulast=Sharwood&rft.aufirst=simon&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theregister.co.uk%2F2012%2F11%2F18%2Fhobbit_author_veronika_megler_reminisces%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-53">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFParish2016" class="citation web cs1">Parish, Jeremy (April 19, 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgzDMPNKUvE">"Metroidvania Chronicles #005: Pitfall"</a>. <a href="/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">October 15,</span> 2017</span>. <q><i>Pitfall!</i> became the first action game that demanded its fans sit down and map out routes, breaking down the complex arrangement of what initially appears to be a simple linear path.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Metroidvania+Chronicles+%23005%3A+Pitfall&rft.pub=YouTube&rft.date=2016-04-19&rft.aulast=Parish&rft.aufirst=Jeremy&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYgzDMPNKUvE&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-pcmag-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-pcmag_54-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEdwards2016" class="citation web cs1">Edwards, Benj (March 10, 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pcmag.com/feature/342727/7-classic-pc-games-with-ascii-graphics/2">"7 Classic PC Games With ASCII Graphics"</a>. <a href="/wiki/PC_Magazine" class="mw-redirect" title="PC Magazine">PC Magazine</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2017-10-15</span></span>. <q>The founders of networking giant Novell designed this free-roaming shoot-em-up that inadvertently presaged the arcade classic <i>Gauntlet</i>...</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=7+Classic+PC+Games+With+ASCII+Graphics&rft.pub=PC+Magazine&rft.date=2016-03-10&rft.aulast=Edwards&rft.aufirst=Benj&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcmag.com%2Ffeature%2F342727%2F7-classic-pc-games-with-ascii-graphics%2F2&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBishop2000" class="citation web cs1">Bishop, Sam (7 January 2000). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ign.com/articles/2000/01/08/konami-arcade-classics-2">"Konami Arcade Classics"</a>. <i>ign.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">4 April</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ign.com&rft.atitle=Konami+Arcade+Classics&rft.date=2000-01-07&rft.aulast=Bishop&rft.aufirst=Sam&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fign.com%2Farticles%2F2000%2F01%2F08%2Fkonami-arcade-classics-2&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110711072007/http://nds.gamezone.com/reviews/item/konami_classics_series_arcade_hits_nds_review">"Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits - NDS - Review - GameZone.com"</a>. 11 July 2011. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://nds.gamezone.com/reviews/item/konami_classics_series_arcade_hits_nds_review">the original</a> on 11 July 2011.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Konami+Classics+Series%3A+Arcade+Hits+-+NDS+-+Review+-+GameZone.com&rft.date=2011-07-11&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnds.gamezone.com%2Freviews%2Fitem%2Fkonami_classics_series_arcade_hits_nds_review&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANonlinear+gameplay" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline 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navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Platformer" title="Platformer">Platformer</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Endless_runner" title="Endless runner">Endless runner</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Platform_fighter" title="Platform fighter">Platform fighter</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Shooter_game" title="Shooter game">Shooter</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Arena_shooter" title="Arena shooter">Arena</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First-person_shooter" title="First-person shooter">First-person</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hero_shooter" title="Hero shooter">Hero</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Light_gun_shooter" class="mw-redirect" title="Light gun shooter">Light gun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shoot_%27em_up" title="Shoot 'em up">Shoot 'em up</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bullet_hell" title="Bullet hell">Bullet hell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rail_shooter" title="Rail shooter">Rail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twin-stick_shooter" title="Twin-stick shooter">Twin-stick</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_shooter" title="Tactical shooter">Tactical</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Third-person_shooter" title="Third-person shooter">Third-person</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Survival_game" title="Survival game">Survival</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_royale_game" title="Battle royale game">Battle royale</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Survival_horror" title="Survival horror">Survival horror</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beat_%27em_up" title="Beat 'em up">Beat 'em up</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hack_and_slash" title="Hack and slash">Hack and slash</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fighting_game" title="Fighting game">Fighting</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Platform_fighter" title="Platform fighter">Platform fighter</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maze_video_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Maze video game">Maze</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Pac-Man_clones" title="List of Pac-Man clones"><i>Pac-Man</i> clone</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snake_(video_game_genre)" title="Snake (video game genre)">Snake</a></li> <li><a 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class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Action-adventure_game" title="Action-adventure game">Action-adventure</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_clone" title="Grand Theft Auto clone"><i>Grand Theft Auto</i> clone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Metroidvania" title="Metroidvania">Metroidvania</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Adventure_game" title="Adventure game">Adventure</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Escape_room_video_game" title="Escape room video game">Escape room</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_graphic_adventure_games" title="List of graphic adventure games">Graphic adventure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Interactive_fiction" title="Interactive fiction">Interactive fiction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Interactive_film" title="Interactive film">Interactive film</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Visual_novel" title="Visual novel">Visual novel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Walking_simulator" title="Walking simulator">Walking sim</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Digital_tabletop_game" title="Digital tabletop game">Digital tabletop</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Deck-building_game" title="Deck-building game">Deck-building</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike_deck-building_game" title="Roguelike deck-building game">Roguelike deck-building</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_collectible_card_game" title="Digital collectible card game">Digital collectible card</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Puzzle_video_game" title="Puzzle video game">Puzzle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hidden_object_game" title="Hidden object game">Hidden object</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sokoban" title="Sokoban"><i>Sokoban</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tile-matching_video_game" title="Tile-matching video game">Tile-matching</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Role-playing_video_game" title="Role-playing video game">Role-playing</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Action_role-playing_game" title="Action role-playing game">Action role-playing</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Looter_shooter" title="Looter shooter">Looter shooter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soulslike" title="Soulslike">Soulslike</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dungeon_crawl" title="Dungeon crawl">Dungeon crawl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_game" title="Massively multiplayer online role-playing game">MMORPG</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monster-taming_game" title="Monster-taming game">Monster-taming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike" title="Roguelike">Roguelike</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roguelike_deck-building_game" title="Roguelike deck-building game">Roguelike deck-building</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game" title="Tactical role-playing game">Tactical role-playing</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Simulation_video_game" title="Simulation video game">Simulation</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Life_simulation_game" title="Life simulation game">Life</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dating_sim" title="Dating sim">Dating</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Farm_life_sim" title="Farm life sim">Farming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/God_game" title="God game">God</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_simulation_game" title="Social simulation game">Social</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Virtual_pet" title="Virtual pet">Virtual pet</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Construction_and_management_simulation" title="Construction and management simulation">CMS</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Business_simulation_game" title="Business simulation game">Business</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/City-building_game" title="City-building game">City-building</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Government_simulation_game" title="Government simulation game">Government</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Sports_video_game" title="Sports video game">Sports</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fishing_video_game" title="Fishing video game">Fishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Racing_game" title="Racing game">Racing</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kart_racing_game" title="Kart racing game">Kart racing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sim_racing" title="Sim racing">Sim racing</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Vehicle_simulation_game" title="Vehicle simulation game">Vehicle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Flight_simulation_video_game" title="Flight simulation video game">Flight simulation</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Combat_flight_simulation_game" title="Combat flight simulation game">Combat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lunar_Lander_(video_game_genre)" title="Lunar Lander (video game genre)">Lunar Lander</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Space_flight_simulation_game" title="Space flight simulation game">Space</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Submarine_simulator" title="Submarine simulator">Submarine simulator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Train_simulator" title="Train simulator">Train simulator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vehicular_combat_game" title="Vehicular combat game">Vehicular combat</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Falling-sand_game" title="Falling-sand game">Falling-sand</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Immersive_sim" title="Immersive sim">Immersive sim</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Strategy_video_game" title="Strategy video game">Strategy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/4X" title="4X">4X</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Auto_battler" title="Auto battler">Auto battler</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Multiplayer_online_battle_arena" title="Multiplayer online battle arena">MOBA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_strategy" title="Real-time strategy">Real-time strategy</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Time_management_game" title="Time management game">Time management</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Real-time_tactics" title="Real-time tactics">Real-time tactics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_role-playing_game" title="Tactical role-playing game">Tactical role-playing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tower_defense" title="Tower defense">Tower defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_strategy" title="Turn-based strategy">Turn-based strategy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turn-based_tactics" title="Turn-based tactics">Turn-based tactics</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Artillery_game" title="Artillery game">Artillery</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Computer_wargame" title="Computer wargame">Wargame</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grand_strategy_wargame" title="Grand strategy wargame">Grand strategy</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other genres</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cozy_game" title="Cozy game">Cozy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fitness_game" title="Fitness game">Fitness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Horror_game" title="Horror game">Horror</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Survival_horror" title="Survival horror">Survival horror</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Incremental_game" title="Incremental game">Incremental</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_video_game" title="Music video game">Music</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rhythm_game" title="Rhythm game">Rhythm</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Non-game" title="Non-game">Non-game</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Party_video_game" title="Party video game">Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Photography_game" title="Photography game">Photography</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Programming_game" title="Programming game">Programming</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Typing_game" title="Typing game">Typing</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related concepts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Themes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advergame" title="Advergame">Advergame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bish%C5%8Djo_game" title="Bishōjo game"><i>Bishōjo</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_video_game" title="Christian video game">Christian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comedy_in_video_games" title="Comedy in video games">Comedy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Educational_video_game" title="Educational video game">Educational</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Girls%27_video_games" title="Girls' video games">Girls</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Licensed_game" title="Licensed game">Licensed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Otome_game" title="Otome game"><i>Otome</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sexual_content_in_video_games" title="Sexual content in video games">Sexual</a> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Eroge" title="Eroge">Eroge</a></i></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nonviolent_video_game" title="Nonviolent video game">Nonviolent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Personalized_video_game" title="Personalized video game">Personalized</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Science_fiction_video_game" title="Science fiction video game">Sci-fi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serious_game" title="Serious game">Serious</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Art_game" title="Art game">Art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Climate_change_video_game" title="Climate change video game">Climate change</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Newsgame" title="Newsgame">News</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Player modes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Multiplayer_video_game" title="Multiplayer video game">Multiplayer</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cooperative_video_game" title="Cooperative video game">Co-op</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game" title="Massively multiplayer online game">MMO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Player_versus_player" title="Player versus player">PVP</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Single-player_video_game" title="Single-player video game">Single-player</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Production</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/AAA_(video_game_industry)" title="AAA (video game industry)">AAA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indie_game" title="Indie game">Indie</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Doujin_soft" title="Doujin soft"><i>Doujin</i> soft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fan_game" title="Fan game">Fan game</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Design</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Casual_game" title="Casual game">Casual</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hypercasual_game" title="Hypercasual game">Hypercasual</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Emergent_gameplay" title="Emergent gameplay">Emergent gameplay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Full-motion_video" title="Full-motion video">FMV</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gacha_game" title="Gacha game"><i>Gacha</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kaizo" title="Kaizo"><i>Kaizo</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Masocore" title="Masocore">Masocore</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Nonlinear gameplay</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Open_world" title="Open world">Open world</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sandbox_game" title="Sandbox game">Sandbox</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Side-scrolling_video_game" title="Side-scrolling video game">Side-scrolling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twitch_gameplay" title="Twitch gameplay">Twitch gameplay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vertically_scrolling_video_game" title="Vertically scrolling video game">Vertically scrolling</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Minigame" title="Minigame">Minigame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Toys-to-life" title="Toys-to-life">Toys-to-life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_clone" title="Video game clone">Video game clone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_modding" title="Video game modding">Video game modding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Video_game_remake" title="Video game remake">Video game remake</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&oldid=1257007906">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nonlinear_gameplay&oldid=1257007906</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Category</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Video_game_terminology" title="Category:Video game terminology">Video game terminology</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a 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