Friday, April 29, 2011

Gaming Conventions That Need to Go! Pt. 1

This is the first of a series I will be doing in which I look at gaming trends/conventions/just little things in games that either don't make sense, are annoying, outdated, need to be done away with, or all of the above. Not all are big deals, some are very minor, so don't take this too seriously.

1) Dying in games. I was playing Dead Space, and what should have been a terrible moment (literally being ripped apart by a very fierce enemy) didn't really matter because I knew I'd be back 10 seconds later as though it didn't happen. I'm not sure what could take the place of deaths in games, but they just don't make any sense. You die dozens of times during the course of some games.....and it never really matters. Except in one game I can think of: Steel Battalion. In this game, if you die, your SAVE GAME GETS ERASED.

2) Pressing start at the title screen. Um, why? Flash the title then go to the menu or have the title imposed on the menu screen. Not a big deal just makes me chuckle.Especially when some games literally force you to press the START button. The A button won't even work.

3) QTE's. Hey, you just worked hard to get to this awesome looking boss. You could use the skills you have learned to take it out in some epic fashion......OOORRRR you could play Simon Says and see you kick it's ass out of the corner of your eye while you pay attention to the button prompts.

4) Exploding barrels everywhere. Hey guys, we're hding out here where the good guys are coming with guns and grenades. We should stock this place with explosive barrels, and stand near them!

DUR, OKAY!

And finally:

5) Locked doors. Let's see, I have a chainsaw, grenades, a rocket launcher, and an assault rifle....but I think I'll find the long way around........WHY NOT BLOW THE DAMN DOOR DOWN!

Alright, that's it for now. Stay tuned for more to come.

3 comments:

  1. 1. Depends on the game and the mechanics. I like save points in RPGs. If I die I shouldn't have to restart the entire game, but rather at a point of my choosing. I feel that starting the game back up pretty close to where I left off is fine. The consequences of dying is that you can't move forward, and that's typically enough of a penalty. And sometimes you even have to redo an entire dungeon, which is a penalty in and of itself. Then again with RPGs I play a lot for the storyline and character development, so dying and returning back to the same spot isn't a let down on gameplay or difficulty. Now, if I was playing a game for another purpose.. like accumulating points.. different story. For example, if I'm playing a 2d side scroller spaceship shooter (I forget the lingo).. I SHOULD have to restart the level. Mario is another good example.. I should have to restart the level if I die; the levels aren't long enough to feel like a negative penalty, but if I died and then restarted at the same exact spot I would feel cheapened.

    2. Yeah I don't get this either.

    3. I like button prompts when it works, but definitely not for entire fights. If my character is doing some super special move in which goes outside of normal gameplay, then flashes for button prompts to do different things.. sure, that's cool, as it adds to it. But having to basically button smash through entire fights? I would feel let down.

    4. LOL. Well, if the "exploding barrel" style works, sure. By that I don't mean literally an exploding barrel.. but other mechanisms in the game. Like enemies standing in water and then throwing an electrical current into it.. or exploding a vehicle.. etc etc.

    5. LOL Yeah. Mostly this comes down to gameplay or design limitations. As far as gameplay limits go.. I think its a shitty way to progress the story, if like you say you could just as easily blow up the door (different if its like a security style door thats impenetrable). Or whats worse.. if there is no jumping in the game.. and you have to walk around this big as area when your character could just as easily have jumped over the obstacle, lol.

    However, if its a design limitation, then it depends then if its due to their laziness, or due to the limits of the programming and animation being done.... you know what, scratch that.. it can only be done through laziness. Even if the animation was cheap (or non existent) you can easily program a door opening by exploding it.

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  2. I read it , and this kind of information can be so good,I want to have the chance of read more about it!I read it in important magazines and books!

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