Overview
Type “use key on door”? Just click. Point-and-click adventure games replaced text parsers with mouse-driven interfaces, lowering barriers while changing puzzle design. Different studios approached interaction differently—LucasArts’ verb coins, Sierra’s icon bars, single-click smart cursors—each with trade-offs between accessibility and expression.
Fast facts
- Predecessor: Text parser adventures.
- Innovation: Mouse-driven interaction.
- Benefit: Accessibility.
- Trade-off: Reduced expression.
Interface evolution
| System | Approach |
|---|
| Text parser | Type commands |
| Verb list | Click verbs, then objects |
| Icon bar | Visual verb selection |
| Smart cursor | Context-sensitive |
| Single-click | Simplified interaction |
LucasArts approach
| Game | Interface |
|---|
| Maniac Mansion | Verb list |
| Monkey Island | Verb coin (SCUMM) |
| Full Throttle | Simplified |
| Grim Fandango | Direct control |
Sierra approach
| Era | System |
|---|
| AGI | Parser + graphics |
| Early SCI | Icon bar |
| Later SCI | Smart cursor |
Verb debates
| Philosophy | Argument |
|---|
| More verbs | Greater expression |
| Fewer verbs | Less pixel hunting |
| Context-sensitive | Best of both |
| Single-click | Maximum accessibility |
Puzzle design impact
| Change | Effect |
|---|
| No guess-the-verb | Puzzles shift focus |
| Reduced vocabulary | Simpler interactions |
| Visual cues | Show clickable objects |
| Hotspot hunting | New frustration |
| Platform | Preference |
|---|
| PC | Mouse native |
| Amiga | Mouse standard |
| Console | Adapted cursor |
Legacy
| Modern use | Application |
|---|
| Hidden object | Casual games |
| Escape rooms | Puzzle focus |
| Walking simulators | Exploration |
See also