Posts by Sentura

  • Doom (4)

    @(HP) post your thoughts in here >>>>>>>>> https://migrationtest.mapcore.org/topic/19016-game-overhead/

    PaulH I was being facetious. I think even back in the day Doom's level design wasn't the best, but back then we didn't really have much to compare it to, so it stood out. Right now the trailer looks like it could be any other of such game and doesn't really sell the feeling of being a Doom game. But then again what do I know, the last time I played Doom was some 15 years ago. In my mind redoing a Doom title has more to do with the Doom setting than it does with the gameplay being an absolute fragfest. If it was just that, we might as well just watch the Doom movie or play the original. There are tons of ways to improve a classic, the only thing preventing improvement are rose tinted glasses.

  • Texans Under Fire in Donetsk

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  • Doom (4)

    Quote from PaulH

    I actually think this looks alright, looks like an action packed, gory shooter. Doesn't really bother me how well it ties into the original Doom, as long as it's fun in it's own right. The one thing that bothered me is the enemies highlighting as you shoot them, I guess this was done to show that they are ready to be melee'd though. There is a big emphasis on melee'ing too, hopefully they have loads of different animation variants so it doesn't become too stale, saw a couple repeat in that demo alone.

    I think I'd be worried more about gameplay getting stale if the trailer represents everything you can and will do in the game. But hey, at least I can get the feeling of playing the full game by watching the trailer on repeat for 8 hours. Score!

  • Game Overhead

    Player training is important, but it should be spaced out through the entire game and not just happen during the first hour. The main problem I have with these sections is that most designs focus on rudimentary training which is akin to watching the flight emergency instruction video when you've been on an airplane for the 200th time. It's too overt and too shallow to really make a difference, even for new players. In my mind what they should instead focus on is trying to explain the game depth.

    Most games have a depth that goes a few layers of abstraction down, and such depth allows for creative thinking from the player's side. Investing time into training players how to get creative with game challenges rather than how to play it would immediately give players a greater emotional investment as they would feel they were the ones coming up with a solution to a challenge rather than the game handing them the solution on a plate. Game depth is a complex and hard entity to understand for most games, meaning that anyone would be hard pressed explaining it using just words. This would mean designers would have to get creative and use non-verbal methods of communicating/telegraphing design to players - which would work on a more instinctual and intuitive level. The beauty of teaching game depth in this way is that design stays subtle and elegant without boring neither seasoned players nor newcomers. It also forces the design to be simple without being shallow.

    blackdog, I think your example with Just Cause 2 and tethering enemies is a good example of what should have been explained instead of the conventional tutorials. Tethering enemies (or using a grappling hook in creative ways) is what makes a game like that fun. It's not just about killing people, it's about how stylish you can be while killing them.

  • Game Overhead

    I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to crank up graphics, game options in general are relevant and perhaps the least problematic overhead. I think the bigger culprits are long tutorial sessions and missing transparency (e.g. game loading not showing). I was also briefly thinking about how games could begin with cold openings as well - like they do in movies/tv series where you get a piece of drama before the title slams in. In this way you get some action immediately and afterwards you could transfer to a title/menu screen.

    My main point with this thread was to see what people think about these things and how to potentially combat them.

  • Game Overhead

    Lately I've not really been interested in playing games. It's not really that I don't want to play them, but the whole ordeal of installing, booting up, going through the menus to ensure the default settings wont screw me over etc. Only after doing this I get to start the game, and if it's a new one it's usually filled with a tutorial that is text heavy and not really focused on gameplay for the first half hour or more. At this point it feels like starting up a game is an achievement in itself, and it often tires me out so much that the few times I do boot up, I stop some 20 minutes in because there's just too much overhead. Not all games are like this, but the exceptions often either lack depth or points of interest, or require you to specifically set down a date to play them - sort of like planning a field trip.

    I wanted to present this topic as a discussion for what we as designers can do to change this sort of behavior. I think it is especially valid during this period of the Steam summer sale, where many of us have and still fork over cash for titles that we'll never get to play simply because they're cheap. I also keep hearing people having huge backlogs of games, and I suspect one of the culprits behind that is also the same issue.

    I was personally tinkering with the idea of having games where you would completely remove menus, startup cinematics and logos. You boot the game and you immediately start playing. I get that people are proud of their accomplishments and want to present them in a proper manner and also give nods to sponsors and supporting entities, but most of those requirements could also be a part of the game world. This is of course a trade-off, and not a one-size fits all solution. I'm interested in hearing other perspectives on this.

  • NEW Unreal Tournament!!!

    Really love your design reflections, I think you were spot on with what face was lacking. I really wish we'd get more of designers talking like this. I was worried for a second that the fissure path would be op BUT THEN YOU DROPPED THE BASS LAVA MECHANIC AND I WAS LIKE DAYUM SON. I'm not big on CTF, but this map looks glorious and I might have to install the new UT just to play it.

    GET HYPE

  • What have you watched recently?

    Quote from General Vivi

    I just started watching this with my wife. While interesting, seems like there is a lot going on that doesn't need to be there. I'm not a big fan of the main character either.


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    I think I would have helped if they didn't include the wife/kid, and if his presence in the town was forced due to him needing to be there (for whatever reason) rather than him not being able to leave.

  • What have you watched recently?

    Wayward Pines. The show had a great premise but falls short because there is no reason for the protagonist not to just kill everyone in town and leave. It doesn't happen, but instead we get a lot of The Village style fearmongering cult bullshit, courtesy of M. Night Shyalaman.

  • Valve: Future Hardware Plans

    Quote from (HP)

    Looks like they put up the steam controller up for pre order, I wish I could try one before buying it. here's hoping it's on E3 somewhere, then i'll put my order in.


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    http://store.steampowered.com/hardware/

    let me know what you think if you find one, I'm curious about it too

  • Fallout 4

    I honestly don't care too much about graphics, but the F4 trailer presentation is just bad. How many times do we have to hear the "war never changes", see the F1 power armor, or a pipboy bobblehead, see yet another reference to A Boy and his Dog? And every reference is so in your face that it barely leaves room for anything original to see, which I assume - maybe wrongly so - is the point of new trailer?

    Contrast it with the New Vegas trailer that manages to show many elements of the game with subtlety, making the audience do guesswork and adding intrigue and mystery. Even the original F3 reveal trailer was better than this.