[morelisp]

I find FPS writing is often a lot better, probably because there is a lot less of it. Yes, RPGs have a more narrative focus so more nuance to characters or whatever but you're asking a committee of 1-5 usually mid-tier writers to pump out 2-10 novels worth of text within a year under often radically changing requirements. The actual writing is usually hot garbage.

[coffeebeqn]

Games are not books or movies either. Usually the best stories are inferred by the player from well designed systems in the game. Just ask any 10 year old about their stories from their Minecraft world and they’ll never stop talking. None of that was written by a “writer” at mojang

[morelisp]

Yeah if I’m being honest my position is pretty close to https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/03/video... but I know this is way too radical for HN.

[corethree]

It depends on the RPG. Pokemon vs. Disco Elysium. Botw vs. Planescape torment.

Rpgs do not universally have good/bad writing. And FPSs like BioShock and soma don't all necessarily have less writing..

[morelisp]

Pokémon (most of them) have pretty good writing. Planescape Torment has ok “endcap of the airport bookstore fantasy shelf” writing. You’re making exactly the mistake I’m talking about.

(Even narrative-heavy FPSs like Bioshock have an order of magnitude less writing than most RPGs.)