Preview Exciting The Witcher 2 Hands-On Impressions

[Mrowak]

I don't understand how QTE became an acceptable form of gameplay.

And why not? It`s good addition if used well and at appriopriate places.

QTE should never be regarded as a valid form of gameplay. It is just mashing buttons to a given set of cues. There's no "game" whatsover in it, no real thinking involved - just Pavlov's conditioning - any monkey can do that.

However, I am inclined agree that QTE could be interesting IF implemented in right places in the RIGHT way. That it is often not the case is another question

 

[Archibald]

Of course whole gameplay shouldn`t be based around QTEs but from time to time i see nothing wrong with it, in theory.

 

[ghostdog]

It's better to just have a button combination to perform a kewl fatality when an enemy is near death, than have some stupid QTE make you button-smash like a fucking retard.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

QTE should never be regarded as a valid form of gameplay. It is just mashing buttons to a given set of cues. There's no "game" whatsover in it, no real thinking involved - just Pavlov's conditioning - any monkey can do that.

 

[Phelot]

Of course whole gameplay shouldn`t be based around QTEs but from time to time i see nothing wrong with it, in theory.

I guess they're not so bad if they're like Max Payne 1 when you have to shoot out those towers in order to kill the big bad meanie... though I don't even know if that counts as QTE and I'd still prefer just killing the end boss the old fashion way, but still... it's better then pressing "A" down a bunch of times and then "B" to finally cut the d00dz headz off.

 

[Rhalle]

QTE should never be regarded as a valid form of gameplay. It is just mashing buttons to a given set of cues. There's no "game" whatsover in it, no real thinking involved - just Pavlov's conditioning - any monkey can do that.

 

[Drakron]

But here is the thing, Dragon Lair was a arcade game ... you know, were you put coins to play.

They did it that way so they could beat the crap of any game in terms of graphics (as they were pre-rendered movies) and people would have to spend a lot of money to memorize the button combination.

There is no place for QTE in games with ACTUAL gameplay, if I am playing a RPG last thing I want is some random QTE to show up because mechanic wise its not part of the game mechanics you are using from the start.

There are two games I never finished, one is Halo as I could never finish the timed driving obstacle course at the end and the other is Lost Odyssey because there is a fucking QTE string at the end of disk 3 (I think its disk 3).

Its fucking STUPID to throw in a QTE when you are not going to use it as part of gameplay, Lost Odyssey did it and so did Tales of Vesperia ... it comes out of the blue, only happens ONCE and serves no fucking purpose.

After Lost Odyssey I initiated the "QTE=No Buy" policy.

 

[Archibald]

There is no place for QTE in games with ACTUAL gameplay, if I am playing a RPG last thing I want is some random QTE to show up because mechanic wise its not part of the game mechanics you are using from the start. [/qoute]

What is this bullshit? So i guess Acromage was stupid addition to M&M7 because you don`t use it from the start. In fact almost every mini game is stupid addition because you don`t use it from the start.

Its fucking STUPID to throw in a QTE when you are not going to use it as part of gameplay, Lost Odyssey did it and so did Tales of Vesperia ... it comes out of the blue, only happens ONCE and serves no fucking purpose.

Why is it stupid if you`ll use it only once? Might as well argue that character creation is stupid because you`ll use it only once when you create your character.


I have played like 2 games with QTEs but these arguments against them are rather retarded. Mainstream games are bad, mainstream games use QTEs, therefore QTEs are bad. Right?

I guess they're not so bad if they're like Max Payne 1 when you have to shoot out those towers in order to kill the big bad meanie... though I don't even know if that counts as QTE and I'd still prefer just killing the end boss the old fashion way, but still... it's better then pressing "A" down a bunch of times and then "B" to finally cut the d00dz headz off.

Only two games i played with QTEs are Jericho and God of War. In GoW it was getting retarded at some points but i liked it in Jericho, usually it would happen when certain enemy would jump on you and you had to throw it away. It was FPS game so it made sense that once it`s close combat mechanics should somewhat change and QTE was good enough for me. Also because i don`t suck they jumped on me like few times only in 2 playthroughs, so that they were avoidable also helped.

 

[Mrowak]

It's better to just have a button combination to perform a kewl fatality when an enemy is near death, than have some stupid QTE make you button-smash like a fucking retard.

This.

 

[KalosKagathos]

I have played like 2 games with QTEs but these arguments against them are rather retarded. Mainstream games are bad, mainstream games use QTEs, therefore QTEs are bad. Right?

I've been replaying Bayonetta the other day. After you defeat the boss of the second chapter you do a QTE. Mess it up and you die (easy to do, as the timing is very specific). But hey, there's a checkpoint right before it, you don't even have to fight the boss again, so it's not too bad, right? Wrong. The game's scoring system treats it like any other death, so even if you waltz through the 20 minutes long level, laughing at the enemies' futile attempts to hit you, but then die to a goddamn QTE, your score gets penalized.

 

[Drakron]

What is this bullshit? So i guess Acromage was stupid addition to M&M7 because you don`t use it from the start. In fact almost every mini game is stupid addition because you don`t use it from the start.

Acromage is a minigame, were did I said those are stupid? (Even if they can be)

MANY games have minigames that tend to be optional, a example is Final Fantasy were you are not forced to win at Chocobo Racing or Triple Triad in order to progress.

Some times they are not, like KotOR were you had to win a ridiculous easy pod race and then win at the turret minigame (and people HAD problem with that one).

Why is it stupid if you`ll use it only once? Might as well argue that character creation is stupid because you`ll use it only once when you create your character.

I think you are a idiot by defending that crap.

I am going to go with Lost Odyssey ... the game plays as a classic turn based JRPG so when that event happens you are used to navigate menus and select the option, now comes a QTE that is COMPLETELY different from what you been doing so far and FAILING IT leads to a dead end, its not "OK, its the 5th time you failed ... want to skip it?" ... no, its GAME OVER!

Its as if I am playing a Turn Based Strategy Game and sudden being forced into a FPS segment?

I have played like 2 games with QTEs but these arguments against them are rather retarded. Mainstream games are bad, mainstream games use QTEs, therefore QTEs are bad. Right?

And I played more, its a lazy way to make cutscenes interactive and when its only used once then why the hell are they even there? if its a break from gameplay then MAKE A GOD DAMN OPTIONAL MINIGAME!

Edit:
BTW, nice quote fail and I dont like to judge people by registration date but really ... this place is full of old people that PREFER Turn Based system, twitch gaming in RPGs is not something is well received around here.

 

[Archibald]

I`m sorry to hear that QTE ruined your perfect score.

 

[Archibald]

this place is full of old people that PREFER Turn Based system

So do i.

I think you are a idiot by defending that crap.

Meh, maybe just haven`t played enough of them to develop true codexian hatred so i`ll stand by my point that QTEs, in theory, can be done well. And obviously not in turn based games.

 

[Mrowak]

I`m sorry to hear that QTE ruined your perfect score.

The main problem most of us have with QTEs is that they are not gameplay. If we take that as true it appears that penalising a player for a part of the game that has no gameplay in it is not only unfair. It is plain retarded. And here is why:

Throughout the game the player utlises a set of rules that determine controls, interface, spells, abilities, weapons etc. The game is about using all these to your advantage to gain an upper hand against your opponents. Everything is fine and dandy so far. And then in modern video games when the player is supposed to undergo a test of his expertise of the given ruleset the game decides to break it by introducing sth that even the most ignorant person cannot call gameplay: QTEs. At this point all the knowledge of the system throws itself right through the window.

Why do the devs include QTE then? Because it is a perfect way to cover simplicity and barenness of the assumed fighting mechanics. If you had to whack that big huge boss with your sword for an hour using exactly the same tricks you used against his minions... only for longer you'd get bored quickly. After all a boss simply must have X times more hp than you do. In a game from the former days you would have to face your opponent directly fighting with him on equal terms (eg. Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast, Prince of Persia) or scan the environments in search for solution to his unfair advantage (eg. Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Warrior's Within). But owing to QTEs you don't have to do all that - you will be provided with ready solution - just be an ape and hit buttons as we tell you and everything is fine. So what it is against the ruleset you have been forced to learn?

I am convinced that there is a feasible way to introduce QTEs as important gameplay mechanic. Why not make QTE a part of the game - reacting to opponents weapon stance or spell incantations instead of "push button X Y A Y B"? Only then the question rises - is it still a QTE that which is a valid form of gameplay?

Coming back to the topic - the QTEs in TWitcher 2 I've seen so far suck ass... hard.

 

[AnalogKid]

The main problem most of us have with QTEs is that they are not gameplay.

I would say that QTEs are retarded gameplay (see examples of Simon and Dragon's Lair), but can be fun for appropriately retarded audiences (console kiddies). Note, though, that Simon also requires remembering the sequence. Imagine if only one light at a time came on, and the players just kept pressing the lit button, for ever! What a game!

If I may speak for the entire 'Codex (of course i can), here it is nice and simple:

RPG = Character skill, not player skill (except for mental decision making).
QTE = The most extreme possible example of player skill, not character skill. (and absolutely no mental effort)

ergo, QTE in RPG = FUCK YOU!!!!

Talking about QTEs in God of War or other action games has no relevance, and just serves to highlight the poster's unfortunate retardation.

 

[commie]

I have played like 2 games with QTEs but these arguments against them are rather retarded. Mainstream games are bad, mainstream games use QTEs, therefore QTEs are bad. Right?

I've been replaying Bayonetta the other day. After you defeat the boss of the second chapter you do a QTE. Mess it up and you die (easy to do, as the timing is very specific). But hey, there's a checkpoint right before it, you don't even have to fight the boss again, so it's not too bad, right? Wrong. The game's scoring system treats it like any other death, so even if you waltz through the 20 minutes long level, laughing at the enemies' futile attempts to hit you, but then die to a goddamn QTE, your score gets penalized.

Achievement whore detected.

 

[KalosKagathos]

I`m sorry to hear that QTE ruined your perfect score.

Did I mention the score dictates how much halos (in-game currency) you get at the end of the level? Because it certainly does.

Achievement whore detected.

Except Bayonetta doesn't have any score-affected achievements. It's there purely to measure how much you rock/suck at the game.

 

[Archibald]

Talking about QTEs in God of War or other action games has no relevance, and just serves to highlight the poster's unfortunate retardation.

I was talking about QTEs in general. Sorry that i don`t play new age rpgs with QTEs.

Did I mention the score dictates how much halos (in-game currency) you get at the end of the level?

No and i don`t know what that means nor do i care.