[MercuryLS]

Stuff like Goldeneye was so fun because you were dropped into a level with objectives to complete and that's it. You'd have to make your way through the level figuring out how to complete them. Took some brainwork, some exploration and planning. Now it's all shooting gallery -> cutscene -> action setpiece -> rinse and repeat. Have gamers attention spans become so low that they need pretty explosions and constant pushing forward to enjoy a game? These games might as well be on rails considering how restricted and focused they are.

[ViewtifulJC]

You saw that Far Cry 3 "gameplay" video, too, huh?

[Forkball]

You asked for this.

[salpa]

In my experience, there are correlations between those who really like FPS games and those who really enjoy graphically impressive software.

Smaller maps and more boundaries allows developers to have more control over resources in order to make the game as realistic and visually appealing as possible.

[Blizzard]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution might provide a little more flexibility in that sense. *edit* Already beaten in the time it took for me to write this post. Also, Minecraft. :^P

However I would imagine it's a mix -- the Call of Duty series is so popular that other companies might try to imitate it, so it's a sort of catch-22 that people believe gamers don't want it otherwise (maybe the majority of them don't).

[Eggman]

Won't Dishonored be like this?

[animlboogy]

This is only true if you stick with the big FPS games. And Deus Ex: HR is an FPS with RPG elements that is VERY open, and was a modest hit last year.

At this point even CliffyB recognizes this style is played out. So even the big games over the next few years are going to move away from this. Mark my words: now that indie devs have taken the risk and focused on open ended experiences and done well, mainstream guys will have an easier time convincing the suits to pay for games at least closer to what we want. Give it a couple years.

Come play DayZ with us. Go right into the deep end.

[hatchx]

I agree with this OP.


Just drop me in a fucking big level, give me some missions, let me handle the rest. I'm tired of shoehorned, linear FPS level design.

"when that door is unlocked, you go through it and never come back."

[Sho_Nuff82]

Far Cry 2, Crysis 1, Deus Ex HR, and the upcoming Far Cry 3 are what you're looking for.

[MercuryLS]

You saw that Far Cry 3 "gameplay" video, too, huh?

Haha, yes I did. It inspired this thread.

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Highly scripted fps games give me the shits. I wont touch the single player campaigns of them.

[Derrick01]

You asked for this.

Not a very good exploration game. Way too easy to find everything.

[Combichristoffersen]

Why can't we get 90s style (Doom, Blood, Duke 3D, RotT etc.) FPS's anymore?

[Munin]

Why can't we get 90s style (Doom, Blood, Duke 3D, RotT etc.) FPS's anymore?

Singularity says hi

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Human Revolution isn't really a shooter at all.

[Rufus]

Strike the 'at all' and there's a faint chance someone might agree.

Singularity says hi

No.

[bigboss370]

Fallout 3 and new Vegas. can't get more exploratory than that.

[Vulcano's assistant]

They are not the less common type of game. There are a few almost every year. Last year there was Rage and Deus Ex, for instance. Call of Pripyat in '10, ArmaII and Bisoshock 2 in '09.

[Red Blaster]

Haha, yes I did. It inspired this thread.

Pretty ironic considering Far Cry 3 will be an open-world FPS

[Glass Rebel]

Pubs are scared. People don't want em.

Every night when I go to bed I think about someone creating an FPS in the style of Quake 1. Just give me decent graphics, cool weapons and enemies and maze-like levels without all the bullshit that comes with most modern shooters.

Then I cry myself to sleep.

Singularity says hi

No. No no no. Singularity is great, one of my favourite shooters this gen but it isn't like Doom at all.

[Blizzard]

Human Revolution isn't really a shooter at all.

It's a first-person game where you have a gun and can shoot things, so I think it's close enough to not need to argue about details. :p Unless RPG-style character building is really repulsive to someone for some reason.

Fallout 3 and new Vegas. can't get more exploratory than that.

These are also good ideas.

[Neuromancer]

Yeah I've been thinking about this a lot lately but I've had a hard time coming up with the best way to explain it. Linearity and scripted events have a lot to do with it but they don't explain the total shift from the games we used to play to the games we play now.

It used to be you entered a level, and the enemies didn't all know exactly where you were from the get go. You could move around undetected for a while, look around, and initiate combat on your terms. Enemies were usually either placed in stationary positions or on patrols allowing you to sneak by them sometimes or at least surprise them, giving you control over th situation. Games allowed you to be get creative.

Now most shooters just make me feel like I'm going through a hunted house style amusement park disguised as a dumb action movie. Enemies pop out of doors or windows and immediately know exactly where I am and start shooting or running at me. At this point the entire game becomes me reacting to what the AI is doing, and not giving me the chance to do much of anything but shoot and move forward.

It's really depressing. With our modern technology developers have the ability to make amazing games that not only look great but also give players freedom to play the way they want. But instead they're more content to shuttle us down hallways until the end credits roll.

I know that's not exactly what the OP is talking about but I do think its all related. It used to be games were OK with you getting lost for a bit, and explore some dead ends and see some areas that didn't even have much purpose to them. The Goldeneye dam level is a great example as they actually designed it after a real dam, rather that just make a video game level from thin air.

[Conor 419]

Haha, yes I did. It inspired this thread.

What? That was clearly just a random set piece. The rest of the game probably wont be like that.

[Derrick01]

Some of you guys are confusing RPGs with normal shooters which is what the OP is asking about.

Also Far Cry 3 will be open world and similar to 2. It's just some main story missions will be like that linear video we just saw. There's no reason to panic there yet.

[Y2Kev]

My problem is that I guess I'm looking for a different exploration. To me, exploration is discovery. I have much more fun exploring something linear and examining its design, how the pieces fit together, how the scripts work, etc., than something like a big open world game where you can explore a lot but find absolutely nothing of interest.

I dunno, Far Cry 2 was pretty good at this. I liked that game.

[bangai-o]

so there are games with the specified attributes, gamer says no not good enough and does not buy the game, genre dies.

[Grecco]

My problem is that I guess I'm looking for a different exploration. To me, exploration is discovery. I have much more fun exploring something linear and examining its design, how the pieces fit together, how the scripts work, etc., than something like a big open world game where you can explore a lot but find absolutely nothing of interest. I dunno, Far Cry 2 was pretty good at this. I liked that game.

Far Crys respawning check points were an incredible annoyance though.


Anwyays id make the argument that Halo is pretty exploratory.

[Y2Kev]

Far Crys respawning check points were an incredible annoyance though. Anwyays id make the argument that Halo is pretty exploratory.

I never drove on the roads.

[rCIZZLE]

Most shooters aim for finely tuned MP with SP tacked on.

Borderlands was a pretty fun (mostly) shooter and kind of fits what you're looking for.

[wolfmat]

I don't like how game designers seem to think gamers have to be told what to do every step of the way. Give me a sec, will ya? I beat Myst 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Uru, for God's sake. Shit don't phase me. YEAH I GET IT, PRESS C TO CROUCH UNDER THESE PIPES, AGGH

[NervousXtian]

My problem is that I guess I'm looking for a different exploration. To me, exploration is discovery. I have much more fun exploring something linear and examining its design, how the pieces fit together, how the scripts work, etc., than something like a big open world game where you can explore a lot but find absolutely nothing of interest. I dunno, Far Cry 2 was pretty good at this. I liked that game.

Once you got over the whole respawning outposts and the like, it did open world pretty damn well.

[Neuromancer]

I don't like how game designers seem to think gamers have to be told what to do every step of the way. Give me a sec, will ya? I beat Myst 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Uru, for God's sake. Shit don't phase me. YEAH I GET IT, PRESS C TO CROUCH UNDER THESE PIPES, AGGH

"FOLLOW"

Hey Call of Duty. I know. I know.

[MercuryLS]

Pretty ironic considering Far Cry 3 will be an open-world FPS

Well the video gives the impression that they're going to a more COD-like structure. Far Cry 1/2 had nothing like that.

[wolfmat]

"FOLLOW" Hey Call of Duty. I know. I know.

Well, CoD is kind of that game, you know. Sucks that everyone else is doing it now.

Like I can't figure out how to jump in a videogame. What the fuck!

[Neuromancer]

Well, CoD is kind of that game, you know. Sucks that everyone else is doing it now. Like I can't figure out how to jump in a videogame. What the fuck!

There should be an option for "I've played Call of Duty before" and then they could hide all that shit.

[bengraven]

Far Cry 2 had some great moments to explore. I rarely did the story bits (and didn't mind the respawning checkpoints most of the time).

[GooeyHeat]

Didn't people used to complain about finding keys and stuff in Doom and Duke Nukem 3D and stuff? I guess we got what we asked for...

[The_Hitcher89]

Too many people don't want to walk down the same corridor twice

[Alextended]

Metroid Prime 3 was pretty good this gen.

[Xanadu]

There should be an option for "I've played Call of Duty before" and then they could hide all that shit.

or just a "i'm not retarded" option

[walking fiend]

Because Retro was busy making Donkey Kong?

[Orayn]

Because the people who buy the best-selling FPS games generally don't want exploration, meaning there's "no market for it." It's subtle. It takes some time to understand. It can be unintuitive. It doesn't make fifty setpieces explode and award you 2000 funpoints for not walking into fire, nor is it conducive to selling 3 re-released maps from the last game for $15.

[drspeedy]

Metroid Prime 3 was pretty good this gen.

Prime series is the the epitome, post-1996...

[Overdoziz]

So good.

[paperboywriter]

bioshock without the quest arrow could be the game you're searching for.

[Stitch]

Stuff like Goldeneye was so fun because you were dropped into a level with objectives to complete and that's it. You'd have to make your way through the level figuring out how to complete them. Took some brainwork, some exploration and planning.

Duke Nukem Forever was actually a bit like this. People hated it so I guess that means more Dudebro Duty games for us...

[Emily Chu]

DayZ

[Hot Coldman]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416756

[Dibbz]

ARMA 2

[Deadbeat]

So good.

The problem with the exploration in halo is there is nothing to find. There doesnt need to be a lot of items, just on occasion something there. Whether it be items or a set piece that adds to the game on some way.

Stalker series has a ton of exploration.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416756

Xenus 2 was way too rough to enjoy. It was too low budget. Dont know about precursor.