History Main / ScriptedEvent

* Every 3D ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' game has this. They usually involve Sonic, or whatever speed-based playable character is in control running forward and temporarily taking away control of him while the camera dramatically pans out or closes in on him. These mainly exist to demonstrate Sonic's badassery to a level that usually can't be achieved in gameplay.

* The photographer in ''Videogame/{{Earthbound}}'' shows up when the player walks across certain patches of ground for the first time. Say "fuzzy pickles"!

* ''Videogame/BattleForWesnoth'''s single player mode is full of them.

* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has one in the finale of Dead Air. When the survivors leave the safe room, an airplane can be seen in the background making a really tight turn and is low to the ground before it crashes and explodes into fiery bits, causing the survivors to reply in shock and awe. Happens every time the map is played.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout3}}'', No matter what, you will be captured by the Enclave after retrieving the GECK. Then, Fawkes will be there to help you escape, and lastly, (before Broken Steel) the game will end, whether you started the purifier, or made Lyons do it, you evil bastard.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' has one event where you have to help Wally catch a Pokemon and by helping, the game means watching Wally use a Pokémon to weaken a wild one and then catching it with a Poké Ball. The results are the same every time the event is played out.

* Every 3D ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' game has this. They usually involve Sonic, or whatever speed-based playable character is in control running forward and temporarily taking away control of him while the camera dramatically pans out or closes in on him. These mainly exist to demonstrate Sonic's badassery to a level that usually can't be achieved in gameplay.

* Happens very often in the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series, although all of them "might" be part of the GambitPileup featured in every game...

* While games of the ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' franchise are known for their open worlds and non-linear gameplay, many quests still rely on scripted events that can't be changed whatever you do. For example, if an [=NPC=] is set to be killed by someone else during a scripted scene, killing the would-be killer would merely result in said [=NPC=] falling dead on his own accord. Notable examples are:
** During one of the Mages Guild quests in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', your companion Fithragaer is set to die when triggering a trap that pushes the floor to a ceiling full of spikes. Preventing him from triggering this trap does not help, as the game has several alternative ways of killing him off. While there is a convoluted way to save him, doing so is not recommended, as the quest relies on his death.
** The tutorial mission of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' is one big scripted event. It always plays out the same way; Your character starts out being captured by Imperials, almost gets executed after being mistaken for a Stormcloak Rebel, after which he unintentionally gets saved by the timely interruption of the BigBad Alduin. What follows is you escaping the Imperials' camp during the chaos of the dragon attack. There is no way to deviate from these events at all.

** ''[[Videogame/Portal Portal]]'' is built the same way. In the developer commentary, they specifically referred to scripted speech events where a door would stay closed until [[AiIsACrapshoot GlaDOS]] finished talking as "gates."

** ''Videogame/Portal'' is built the same way. In the developer commentary, they specifically referred to scripted speech events where a door would stay closed until [[AiIsACrapshoot GlaDOS]] finished talking as "gates."

** ''VideoGame/Portal'' is built the same way. In the developer commentary, they specifically referred to scripted speech events where a door would stay closed until [[AiIsACrapshoot GlaDOS]] finished talking as "gates."

* VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}} has the guillotine in Waterloo World. When you get close to it, it crashes down and you can't get through. The solution? [[spoiler:Turn invisible.]]

* Incredibly annoying in the Game Boy Advance game ''Drill Dozer''. To get HundredPercentCompletion, the player has to go through levels multiple times with better equipment. In-level plot events play out every time, with no changes -- if a character taunts you, they'll taunt you every time, even if they join your side later in the game.

** Done to a poor effect in Sonic '06 where running up the loops are scripted but are not scripted to be automated. This means you can literally have Sonic stand ''upside down'' on the loop without falling off should you decide to stop moving. Other scripted events launch Sonic across a gap or some other obstacle, which is supposed to be automated, but failing to hold forward will cause Sonic to miss the jump and die.

* Most ParadoxInteractive games have had scripted events that fire for specific countries at specific dates, although usually with some other qualifiers as well. In the later installments, Paradox has moved away from this into scripting highly complex random events instead (where various factors can increase or decrease the chance of a particular event firing). Whether or not this change is good or not is one of the perennial topics of debate on the Paradox boards.

* Part of the beauty of games like ''Skyrim'' is that the game has very few scripted events, leaving most of the dramatic storytelling up to chance and the player's choices. However, there are some scripted events that occur, and the strange thing is, a player with quick reflexes can try to avert them, but they happen all the same. For example, certain characters are scripted to die no matter what steps you take to save them. There's one character who is scripted to be impaled by spikes, and even if you push her out of the way she'll still die, seemingly without cause. Another character is scripted to be murdered by two Forsworn disguised as housekeepers, but even if you preemptively kill the housekeepers, as soon as you hit the event trigger she'll drop dead as if they were still there to murder her.
** What's most interesting, is other cases DO let you avert such events. Specifically, a seperate murder allows you to stop the Forsworn...in which case the plot changes slightly to acknowledge you prevented a murder.

* Every 3D ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' game has this. They usually involve Sonic, or whatever speed-based playable character is in control running forward and temporarily taking away control of him while the camera dramatically pans out or closes in on him. These mainly exist to demonstrate Sonic's {{Badass}}ery to a level that usually can't be achieved in gameplay.

A Scripted Event failing to trigger when it should (or at all) can lead to the game becoming {{Unwinnable}}. Cause them to trigger when they ''shouldn't'' results in ScriptBreaking. [[GoodBadBugs Fun times!]] ([[GameBreakingBug Or not.]])

* Incredibly annoying in the Game Boy Advance game ''Drill Dozer''. To get HundredPercentCompletion, the player has to go through levels multiple times with better equipment. In-level plot events play out every time, with no changes--if a character taunts you, they'll taunt you every time, even if they join your side later in the game.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' has one event where you have to help Wally catch a Pokemon and by helping, the game means watching Wally use a Pokemon to weaken a wild one and then catching it with a Poke Ball. The results are the same every time the event is played out.

* Most ParadoxInteractive games have had scripted events that fire for specific countries at specific dates, although usually with some other qualifiers as well. In the later installments Paradox has moved away from this into scripting highly complex random events instead (where various factors can increase or decrease the chance of a particular event firing). Whether or not this change is good or not is one of the perennial topics of debate on the Paradox boards.

* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' uses many. Everytime an enemy lobs a grenade at you as you come round a corner? That was Pre-scripted. The enemy AI doesn't know how to throw grenades, run for cover, or anything else more complex than shooting or jogging.

** Part of the beauty of games like ''VideoGame/Skyrim'' is that the game has very few scripted events, leaving most of the dramatic storytelling up to chance and the player's choices. However, there are some scripted events that occur, and the strange thing is, a player with quick reflexes can try to avert them, but they happen all the same. For example, certain characters are scripted to die no matter what steps you take to save them. There's one character who is scripted to be impaled by spikes, and even if you push her out of the way she'll still die, seemingly without cause. Another character is scripted to be murdered by two Forsworn disguised as housekeepers, but even if you preemptively kill the housekeepers, as soon as you hit the event trigger she'll drop dead as if they were still there to murder her.

* Most ParadoxInteractive games have had scripted events that fire for specific countries at specific dates, although usually with some other qualifiers as well. In the later installments Paradox has moved away from this into scripting highly complex random events instead (where various factors can increase or decrease the chance of a particular event firing). Whether or not this change is good or not is one of the perennial topics of debate on the Paradox boards.

* Many recent action-military shooter games (especially those based on previous wars) are filled with scripted sequences. ''CallOfDuty 2'' featured many set-piece battles and events, from squadmates kicking down doors to carrying a wounded teammate (both impossible for the {{player character}}).

* Many {{Escort Mission}}s in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' have scripted events to make sure you don't just clean out the escort path beforehand and waltz the guy to safety (even where that ''would'' make sense).

* The ''MidnightClub'' series, and many other "free-roam" racing games, love to script in large moving obstacles (such as trucks or traffic) during otherwise calm moments. If the player knows one is coming and correctly controls their speed, they can often get the scripted obstacle to take out NPC cars, allowing for easier victories.

* The photographer in ''{{Earthbound}}'' shows up when the player walks across certain patches of ground for the first time. Say "fuzzy pickles"!

* ''BattleForWesnoth'''s single player mode is full of them.

* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', at the beginning of the ''Honest Hearts'' expansion pack, there is no way to save any of the caravaneers from the White Legs, in fact, some of the tribals are [[StoryDrivenInvulnerability invincible]] until the caravan has been wiped out.

* ''HalfLife'' and its sequel make use of scripted events throughout the games, with scientists being dragged into air vents, marines rappelling through sky lights, aliens teleporting in suddenly and characters having conversations with one another. However, many of the scripted events might as well just be {{Cut Scene}}s, since you are almost always stuck in the room they happen in and can't progress until the event ends, particularly if it invovles lengthy dialog. Being able to (usually) move around the room or shoot friendly [=NPCs=] (which then ends the game, of course) are the only things that makes the events at all different from a regular cutscene.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' is famous for its sudden scares from zombie dogs crashing through the windows. At least, it's scary the [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/1999/09/29 first couple of times.]]
** Sequels varied the scripted scare repertoire to include zombie arms crashing through walls, Licker encounters, and Nemesis encounters.

* The photographer in ''{{Earthbound}}'' shows up when the player walks across certain patches of ground for the first time. Say "fuzzy pickles"!

* Many {{Escort Mission}}s in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' have scripted events to make sure you don't just clean out the escort path beforehand and waltz the guy to safety (even where that ''would'' make sense).
* ''BattleForWesnoth'''s single player mode is full of them.

* Most ParadoxInteractive games have had scripted events that fire for specific countries at specific dates, although usually with some other qualifiers as well. In the later installments Paradox has moved away from this into scripting highly complex random events instead (where various factors can increase or decrease the chance of a particular event firing). Whether or not this change is good or not is one of the perennial topics of debate on the Paradox boards.
* Happens very often in the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series, although all of them "might" be part of the GambitPileup featured in every game...
* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' uses many. Everytime an enemy lobs a grenade at you as you come round a corner? That was Pre-scripted. The enemy AI doesn't know how to throw grenades, run for cover, or anything else more complex than shooting or jogging.
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has one in the finale of Dead Air. When the survivors leave the safe room, an airplane can be seen in the background making a really tight turn and is low to the ground before it crashes and explodes into fiery bits, causing the survivors to reply in shock and awe. Happens every time the map is played.

* Every 3D ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' game has this. They usually involve Sonic, or whatever speed-based playable character is in control running forward and temporarily taking away control of him while the camera dramatically pans out or closes in on him. These mainly exist to demonstrate Sonic's {{Badass}}ery to a level that usually can't be achieved in gameplay.
** Done to a poor effect in Sonic '06 where running up the loops are scripted but are not scripted to be automated. This means you can literally have Sonic stand ''upside down'' on the loop without falling off should you decide to stop moving. Other scripted events launch Sonic across a gap or some other obstacle, which is supposed to be automated, but failing to hold forward will cause Sonic to miss the jump and die.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout3}}'', No matter what, you will be captured by the Enclave after retrieving the GECK. Then, Fawkes will be there to help you escape, and lastly, (before Broken Steel) the game will end, weather you started the purifier, or made Lyons do it, you evil bastard.