Sliding Scale of Illusion of Choice.

[ztrepzilius]

Quote

Do you want to eat trash?
1. Yes.
2. Of course.
3. I don't waste delicious food.

Does it matter if they give you multiple choices but the results are minimal such as minor dialogue difference or same result.

[Seraphim]

I'd say it's worse when it's a case of conflicting answers that end up with the same result, either by your answer being completely ignored or another event forcing you back on the developer's intended course later on. *cough* Walking Dead: Season 3 *cough*

[nihilloligasan]

It's annoying, but i think real life itself is just a collection of meaningless choices

[Clephas]

Meaningless choices are an annoyance and interrupt the experience because they require you to consider something completely irrelevant.

[Zalor]

13 hours ago, Clephas said:

Meaningless choices are an annoyance and interrupt the experience because they require you to consider something completely irrelevant.

Exactly this. I feel like VNs are filled with these meaningless choices since by having them, it allows them to market the VN as a "game" and not a kinetic novel. But it also makes sense since it's really easy to deal with from the developer side of things. Instead of each choice leading to a different branching direction, all you have to do is write one story and temporarily branch out with these illusory choices that ultimately just funnel you back into the same direction. It's lazy, and imo a mockery of choice mechanics. You would be better off just not even having choices, or better yet, only including choices when they actually matter. 

[Clephas]

9 hours ago, Zalor said:

Exactly this. I feel like VNs are filled with these meaningless choices since by having them, it allows them to market the VN as a "game" and not a kinetic novel. But it also makes sense since it's really easy to deal with from the developer side of things. Instead of each choice leading to a different branching direction, all you have to do is write one story and temporarily branch out with these illusory choices that ultimately just funnel you back into the same direction. It's lazy, and imo a mockery of choice mechanics. You would be better off just not even having choices, or better yet, only including choices when they actually matter. 

Thankfully, this bad habit mostly died down over the years, though a few companies - like Minato/Candy Soft, Hook Soft, and Navel - still indulge at times.  That said, the reverse phenomena, of choices that have profound meaning and effect everything, is also incredibly rare these days.