So I've gotten a bit curious about walkthrough philosophy

[Kalkrion]

As mentioned in the title I'm curious about which type of walkthrough do people prefer. Specifically do you like a pdf or something similar documenting variables and switches or a mod that directly tells you while you play a game. And why you prefer that.

Personally I prefer pdf since I like to play the game blind before I use a guide to optimize my save(s) and prefer not to mess around with the game files.

 

[MannBobinson]

Never heard of a walkthrough mod, but I wouldn't prefer it over a PDF or even a TXT. There's some old-school charm to be had stumbling around a confusingly designed JRPG world or a game with PS3 graphics with only a text manual to guide you.

 

[NeonSelf]

PDF is better long-term solution than a mod.
As someone who plays minecraft with 300 mods, I know that mods loose compatibility with the game over time.

But I think that all game mechanics should be explained in game itself. Walkthrough is a 3rd party patch to bad gamedesign.

 

[qwoppe]

I like the integrated walkthroughs that allow me to do zero clicking or thinking, but yeah, it's got huge problems with compatibility, games with complex paths, or even just the modder inserting personal preferences into choices without saying anything about it.

Devs who do built-in hint systems have a special place in my heart.

 

[Temp3]

I prefer mods, it keeps my concentration in the game and not on the second monitor. And walkthrough modders can add other functionality in their mods like transparent textbox and even fix bugs á la Sancho1969. I will often wait for his mod until I play that hot new update in games I like.

And the wt mod doesn't have to exactly tell you how to play and hold your hand, it can tell you the variable changes and if the choice opens or blocks routes or has some other unforeseen consequences in the future.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

I don't like walkthroughs, but some games have such opaque logic to them, that a guide becomes a necessity. In that case PDFs are generally a better option for me because I can look up that one exact problem I'm stuck on, and move on.

SanchoMods are great though.

 

[Sphere42]

It depends on the type of game and what you consider a "walkthrough". For a visual novel or a stat-gated sandbox I definitely like the option to simply display the variables which actually control the gameplay, although that honestly should be a first-party setting not a mod. Emphasis on setting mind you and I definitely don't mind it being off by default.

However for something closer to a traditional RPG having overview tables and/or an actual step-by-step walkthrough is very useful. And whereas "this choice locks you into a specific route" or "visit Saturday evening, must have 12 points, 30% chance to trigger" should be quite clear and accessible information for the dev to use in hints there's no easy equivalent in RPGM for example to tell players whether mana-restoring consumables will be available for unlimited purchase later or remain a limited resource which don't amount to listing all shop inventories in a table somewhere.

The main deciding factor for usability is whether text search works. I'll sooner read through a "shops.json" game file in notepad than navigate a clunky in-game encyclopedia with pretty animations but no search bar.

 

[Kalkrion]

I don't like walkthroughs, but some games have such opaque logic to them, that a guide becomes a necessity.

I understand that, like I said I do a full blind playthrough first, then a walkthrough playthrough. I just find it fun to parse why the developer made some choice higher value than others.

 

[woody554]

walkthroughs take out all the fun in games. it's like asking someone else play your game for you.

I prefer a fan community with conflicting opinions and dated information and widespread but wrong theories. it makes the whole thing more of a lore repository and more importantly fun.

 

[CaptainBipto]

Personally, I like a game that has a Hint system, instead of a full blown walk through. When you are chasing your tail, trying to figure something out and 'you tried everything', it is nice to have a ' hey, go check this area at X time or try talking to X person'. Having a 'go here, do this, go there do that, click this talk option' just takes all of the fun out exploring/experiencing a game.

If a game is convoluted and complex enough that a walk through is nearly mandatory, I just pass on by those games. Playing a 'guess the Dev's logic' isn't interesting or fun to me.

Never heard of a walkthrough mod, but I wouldn't prefer it over a PDF or even a TXT. There's some old-school charm to be had stumbling around a confusingly designed JRPG world or a game with PS3 graphics with only a text manual to guide you.

I have seen walk through mods on occasion, pretty much all of them were for Renpy games. There may be walk through mods for other engines, I just haven't seen (or used) any. Think of them as similar to a PDF walk through, just integrated into every choice and action the game presents.
The ones I have seen were usually edited choices that tell you what a particular option needs or which option provides the better outcome. If there are options that lock out certain characters or enables certain options, they are listed as a choose this option or this other option to romance character X.
The ones I have seen usually look something akin to this:
Choices:
1. Fuck (Starts MC on submissive sissy path)
2. Fight. (Locks out romance path with NPC)
3. Hold the Light. (Starts normal romance path)

 

[Jaike]

I really rather play them without a walkthrough, unless I know there's a lot of easy to miss content or there's a lot of crap I want to avoid. So if I, like, bother to look at one, I want to see enough details and don't give a damn about spoilers. I strongly prefer text walkthroughs, it doesn't matter to me if it's pdf or even txt stuff. I'll have a slightly outdated one of those over a mod.

Walkthrough mods don't tell you much about how the conditions in the game work most of the time, usually only which choices are "optimal". So you don't know if you can skip an "optimal" choice you don't like. But if there's only a walkthough mod, I prefer the ones that describe the routes or content they lead to, so maybe with small spoilers. I hate the ones that only code good or bad. My experience is that the modders that make those often code content they like as good and shit they dislike as bad. If that's in a game with lockouts and game overs, that's totally fucking useless.

 

[rk-47]

pdf with ingame pictures - but this can apply to collectibles and whatnot
i hate pdfs that have
day 1 - blah blah
day 2 - do this do that
day 3 - sex lady
day 4 - die