Pancaking Scripted Sequences

Pancaking Scripted Sequences means that, at certain points in a mission (I'll call these points nodes), scripted sequences are stacked on top of each other like a stack of pancakes. When you reach that node of the game, any one of a number of scripted sequences could be triggered.

Here's an example.

In a "Desert Storm" type of first-person shooter, you go to take out an enemy radar antenna. One of your men follows you. Once the two of you shoot your way through a ring of enemy troops, one of two scripted sequences are triggered. Either:

1. Your comrade gets injured by an enemy who ambushes you, or

2. You blow up the antenna, but it falls in such a way that it blocks your and your comrade's best exit route.

So these two scripted sequences are pancaked on top of each other, and you don't know which one will occur. Either the computer picks one randomly, or selects one of the other factors that occurred earlier in the game.

Each one of these two scripted sequences demands separate courses of actions. Let's say option (1) occurs, and you drag your wounded comrade to a medic. This will be the next node. At this node, one of two pancaked scripted sequences could occur:

1. The medic could save your friend. Just as it seems that everything worked out well and you're relieved that your comrade didn't die, the medic himself is unexpectedly shot and killed by an enemy. Now you've got to find and take out that sniper. Or:

2. Your comrade, who has been treated, is now okay. He stands up, and notices that some other members of your squad are pinned down 50 yards away. The two of you rush off to help them.

No matter which of the two options occurs, once you go off and do what you need to do, you'll hit another node and another series of pancaked scripted sequences.

What pancaking scripted sequences means is that two people playing the game will experience very different stories. And if at each node where the scripted sequences occur, you could end up experiencing one out of three possible scripted sequences instead of one out of two, then the variance between the stories experienced by different players will increase manyfold.

The big disadvantage of pancaking scripted sequences is that is costs a lot of money and time to program time and money that could be otherwise used to enhance different aspects of the game. This disadvantage is large enough that it would dissuade most developers from utilizing this technique. The advantage of this approach is that makes repeat gameplay a lot more fun.

However, because many gamers only play through their games once, before taking this approach you've got to decide if your game is one intended to be played many times.

Electronic Arts has discovered that many gamers play their Medal of Honor games more than once, so EA is introducing some pancaking of scripted sequences into their game Medal of Honor Rising Sun. In fact, I first heard the term "Pancaking Scripted Sequences" from one of their executives who was discussing Rising Sun in particular. Because the game wasn't out when this book was completed, it will be interesting to see if they pull off pancaking in a way that also keeps the varying story-lines within each mission both exciting and emotionally gripping.