Don't blame the scripting, blame the design

Over at Game Girl Advance there is a piece on the Perils of Scripting. While I agree that the monsters-appearing-from-behind-a-secret-door idea seems weak, it's not the problem of the scripting but of the design. You can only script what's been designed, after all.

The problem with secret panels opening to reveal the monsters behind is how do you rationalise it within the context of the world you've created? Why on earth are there secret panels in the first place? Who built them and for what purpose? Who on earth put the monsters behind the panels ("Just hide in here will you, please?") and set up the triggers? How on earth did they know you were going to be coming along and from that direction? If you can't answer these questions, then the world that's been created isn't as believable as the creators would like to think.