Vault Dweller
Commissar, Red Star Studio
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2003
- Messages
- 28,035
You know why games suck today? Too many mechanics. They distract people from enjoying the next-generation graphics and ambiance. So, Gamasutra has cooked an article exploring this growing problem:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3 ... r_game.php
It's actually scary that someone thinks that an inventory system is a "hardcore element". Have we reached the new dumbing down milestone?
Edit: The comments:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3 ... r_game.php
WHAT A WASTE OF MECHANICS!A recent trend in games is the ability of players to "play their own way." It's a design choice that includes more mechanics than any particular player will explore in a single playthrough.
Tyranny of choices!Even worse, most games penalize the player for misreading the system and making the wrong choice, if only to add an element of challenge. When challenges become difficult, too many choices in the form of too many mechanics only confuse and irritate.
I can't believe this shit is real.BioShock is an example a great game whose giant mechanic set only weakens its play aesthetic. While the title's story and environment have set the bar for many games to come, there's just too much to do. In many a difficult situation players are left to decide between their guns, plasmid powers, hacking, stealth, and the use of one-shot items.
That explains Fallout 3 design.For example, including hardcore elements in a children's game is often dubious...
Thinking of poor dumb bastards getting confused by teh inventory system brought a tear to my eye.Imagine an inventory system in the original Super Mario Brothers.
It's actually scary that someone thinks that an inventory system is a "hardcore element". Have we reached the new dumbing down milestone?
Edit: The comments:
...I'll say that I do agree some games try to push too much onto the player in the way of options. But personaly if I wanted an example of that I'd look to a game like Morrowind or Oblivion. Both are good games but figuring out what to do with yourself can be hard.