Oh yeah that makes sense.
whole game is a simulation so it makes sense 
also it is an unlockable item from MGS1.
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Best canonical reasons for in-game mechanics
- Thread starter MetroidPrimeRib
- Start date
also it is an unlockable item from MGS1.
Gnomepowered
Neo Member
It came out of turn based PnP RPGs where turns are actually just incredibly compressed amounts of time, broken down for the benefit of players. At full speed, all of the combat actions are happening quickly, like in a real fight. An entire evening might be spent on a combat that, in game time, took a few minutes. Now most JRPGs get rid of the movement portion of a fight and thus abstract it even more, but still, that's generally how turn based battles are meant to be interpreted I think. Idle animations and other factors can make this hard to swallow though.
JinjoUnchained
Member
Minish Cap explains that all of the hearts/rupees/etc you find lying around in Zelda games were placed their by the microscopic Minish race. Why else would you get a heart when breaking a random pot or a 5 piece rupee when cutting a random bush?
In Terranigma, your inventory pause menu is actually a magical box you carry with you and jump into whenever you pause the game.
In Terranigma, your inventory pause menu is actually a magical box you carry with you and jump into whenever you pause the game.
FF14 pretty much have an in-game explaining for everything? /tell that's link shells, NPCs use them all the time. Glamour/transmog, that's special prisms that are also used for disguises by NPCs.
Still gotta feel bad about scamming the banker.
ichtyander
Member
As far as UIs go, the modern Fallouts use an actual 3D model of a Pip-Boy worn by your character, although there are UI elements (HP, ammo) that are also constantly visible and floating on your screen, even when you're not wearing any helmet (meaning you could at least explain it as the UI being displayed on the helmet's visor etc).
The first System Shock had hardware attachments you can optionally install to enhance your UI, movement, hazard protection etc. because you're a hacker jacked up with military-grade tech.
EDIT: Also, the station's medical restoration bays restore humans to life but serve as gameplay checkpoints. The reason you spawn at those bays when you die is because the mutated crew drag you there (off screen) as another carcass to be converted into a cyborg soldier under the station's rogue AI control. If you previously flipped the control switch and reverted to the bay's original purpose, you'll be revived at one of those bays. This idea was of course later used in System Shock 2 for the Quantum Bio-Reconstruction Machines which, as the name suggests, reconstruct your body, and even later inspired the Vita-Chambers in BioShock.
Far Cry 2's map is also a good example.
There's probably lots more examples to find if you search for "diegetic interface" or "diegesis", which regarding to games is often attached to UI (the aforementioned Dead Space being a great example) but can really be used to describe any game element that has an "in universe" explanation.
The first System Shock had hardware attachments you can optionally install to enhance your UI, movement, hazard protection etc. because you're a hacker jacked up with military-grade tech.
EDIT: Also, the station's medical restoration bays restore humans to life but serve as gameplay checkpoints. The reason you spawn at those bays when you die is because the mutated crew drag you there (off screen) as another carcass to be converted into a cyborg soldier under the station's rogue AI control. If you previously flipped the control switch and reverted to the bay's original purpose, you'll be revived at one of those bays. This idea was of course later used in System Shock 2 for the Quantum Bio-Reconstruction Machines which, as the name suggests, reconstruct your body, and even later inspired the Vita-Chambers in BioShock.
Far Cry 2's map is also a good example.
There's probably lots more examples to find if you search for "diegetic interface" or "diegesis", which regarding to games is often attached to UI (the aforementioned Dead Space being a great example) but can really be used to describe any game element that has an "in universe" explanation.
DeathbyCheerios
Member
They explained mist so much better in FFIX. They even explained what a Trance was very well too. So odd that they would go back on it.
I would of accepted a "because magic" answer than "because this thing that makes no sense"
So what is the plot reason behind Xenogears save point?
Jack Random
Member
El Shaddai.
You play as a quasi-biblical character, Enoch, who was sent to earth by God in order to stop seven fallen angels who are corrupting the planet by having humanity worship them.
Enoch is guided and protected by an angel, Lucifel, who lives outside of linear time and as a result, has some "out of place" items on his person. (such as blue jeans, an umbrella, and most importantly, a cell phone. )
When you encounter Lucifel during a level, he's chatting to God on the phone and updating the almighty on how you're quest is going.
This is how you save.
You play as a quasi-biblical character, Enoch, who was sent to earth by God in order to stop seven fallen angels who are corrupting the planet by having humanity worship them.
Enoch is guided and protected by an angel, Lucifel, who lives outside of linear time and as a result, has some "out of place" items on his person. (such as blue jeans, an umbrella, and most importantly, a cell phone. )
When you encounter Lucifel during a level, he's chatting to God on the phone and updating the almighty on how you're quest is going.
This is how you save.
The magic/leveling bonus system in FF6.
I've heard lots of people make the complaint that characters "lose all individuality" in battle because of it, but think of it this way:
If ultra-powerful beings from another world were giving you their power and you and your buddies were fighting a life-or-death battle against an evil empire, wouldn't you just say "fuck it, we should all learn every spell and become as strong as possible"?
Or would you be the one shouting "Hold on, guys!!! He's a martial artist!! He shouldn't learn magic!!"
My only problem with the system is how
. It could have been executed way better.
I've heard lots of people make the complaint that characters "lose all individuality" in battle because of it, but think of it this way:
If ultra-powerful beings from another world were giving you their power and you and your buddies were fighting a life-or-death battle against an evil empire, wouldn't you just say "fuck it, we should all learn every spell and become as strong as possible"?
Or would you be the one shouting "Hold on, guys!!! He's a martial artist!! He shouldn't learn magic!!"
My only problem with the system is how
the first few espers you meet make it seem like they have to agree with your cause and willingly turn into magicite. I wish they kept that consistent throughout the game, but instead, you just start finding magicite on beaches or in skulls or buying them from auctions or random crazies.
I post this in every thread like this because it's so goddamn amazing
In Nier, you can pick up a lot of the same weapons (with the same animations) from Drakengard 1. It was obviously done to keep the budget down, but Taro states the reason as
In Nier, you can pick up a lot of the same weapons (with the same animations) from Drakengard 1. It was obviously done to keep the budget down, but Taro states the reason as
to achieve Ending E in Drakengard, which directly leads to Nier, you have to collect every weapon in the game. Caim is practically nuked at the end of the game over Tokyo, and the resulting explosion sends the weapons you collected all over the world for you to find again as Nier
FlutterPuffs
Member
It's why its in this threadwhole game is a simulation so it makes sense
also it is an unlockable item from MGS1.
Dying and coming back to life in Destiny. Your ghost reassembles another copy of you on the spot, and you get to keep playing. The same mechanic seems to handle why you have access to a giant inventory of items in your "backpack" ... your ghost just assembles a copy of whatever armor or weapon you're equipping.
Much like Demons' Souls, the lore provides a reason why your character can literally die and come back to life routinely.
Most games let you do this anyway, but the reasons behind it are never explained.
Much like Demons' Souls, the lore provides a reason why your character can literally die and come back to life routinely.
Most games let you do this anyway, but the reasons behind it are never explained.
Do you have an image of the blurry screen in VLR? I played on the Vita and don't recall anything like that. I'm not seeing anything in the 3DS screenshots either.
Edit: Are you referring to the scanlines on the inventory screen?
Mist is just some natural energy source, it powers things in the world and is also the source of magick. I think magick is common, it's been a while since I played but I think you can just buy the spells straight from shops in the world.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
- Chrono Cross: the magic system is different than in Chrono Trigger because you're using magic stones that were manufactured by an ancient Dragonian culture, rather than the actual real magic spells from the original game
- Baten Kaitos making a distinction between you and the protagonist
- Baten Kaitos making a distinction between you and the protagonist
potatohead
Member
Materia for sure didn't see it written yet
Tearaway the "you" delivering a letter and being a character in the game
Tearaway the "you" delivering a letter and being a character in the game
ElectricKaibutsu
Member
Shoot, that was mine.
I'll say Zelda: OOT. Z-targeting is Navi trying to draw Link's attention. (don't know about the spinning triangles though)
Shifty
Member
Cool thread idea.
in Vanquish is a nice implementation of the concept.
If memory serves it played out as "okay go through the hot area and survive by the skin of your teeth, then we'll unlock the thing so you can go deeper" or something to that effect.
Breaking from the good ability formula aside, it's still dumb as hell from a narrative standpoint. What space marine commander would say no to reducing the likelihood of their most powerful ally literally dying in a fire?
Removing the suit's limiters to double your speed and meter for the final boss
If memory serves it played out as "okay go through the hot area and survive by the skin of your teeth, then we'll unlock the thing so you can go deeper" or something to that effect.
Breaking from the good ability formula aside, it's still dumb as hell from a narrative standpoint. What space marine commander would say no to reducing the likelihood of their most powerful ally literally dying in a fire?
In PM:TTYD, the way you gain Star Power is by putting on a show for the audience, and the state of the audience affects how much Star Power you gain. Additionally, as Mario ranks up as a Star, the stage he performs on gains new props/equipment and the auditorium itself becomes bigger so more people can watch. Sometimes, fans who like you will throw good things on stage and people who don't like you will throw bad things on stage, and sometimes battle participants will attack the audience.
There's like zero context for why battles are a stage show, but within the battles themselves, I always though this was an interesting way to explain how the super moves charge and why random elements may come into play.
There's like zero context for why battles are a stage show, but within the battles themselves, I always though this was an interesting way to explain how the super moves charge and why random elements may come into play.
Anoregon
The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
It's implied in like a single piece of dialogue in Final Fantasy 14 that the reason you can see all the stereotypical MMO mob telegraphs (cast bar that shows what they are casting, incoming AoE zones to move out of, etc), is one of the effects of your character having the Echo, which is a major "chosen one" trope plot point.
Mass Effect's infinite ammo: weapons are loaded with solid blocks of metal. The weapons creates ammunition out of it by shaving grains off of the block and propelling them at supersonic speeds using a mass effect field. Actually running out of ammo is technically possible, but not a realistic scenario in normal use. This is also why special ammo is an equippable mod that works with any weapon; you're just loading a different block of metal into the weapon.
psychowave
Member
Mila's Turnwheel in Fire Emblem Echoes allows you to rewind time and undo a limited amount of moves. The in-universe explanation is that the Turnwheel lets Alm and Celica look into the future, and they can avoid decisions that will lead to the deaths of their comrades.
It's not amazing, but much better than I expect from Fire Emblem "lore", so I was kind of impressed.
It's not amazing, but much better than I expect from Fire Emblem "lore", so I was kind of impressed.
Drillary Clinton
Banned
Witcher 3 signposts used as fast travel.
Bloodporne
Member
The reason for Bloodborne's visceral attack animation being what it is is alluded to here:
Black Church Set Information
"Attire of Healing Church hunters.
Most Healing Church hunters are elementary doctors who understand the importance of early prevention of the scourge, achieved by disposing of victims, and even potential victims, before signs of sickness manifest themselves.
Their black attire is synonymous with fear, and that peculiar Yharnam madness.
When a cancer is discovered, one must pinpoint its location, reach in, and wrench it from the host's bosom"
Black Church Set Information
"Attire of Healing Church hunters.
Most Healing Church hunters are elementary doctors who understand the importance of early prevention of the scourge, achieved by disposing of victims, and even potential victims, before signs of sickness manifest themselves.
Their black attire is synonymous with fear, and that peculiar Yharnam madness.
When a cancer is discovered, one must pinpoint its location, reach in, and wrench it from the host's bosom"
DeathbyCheerios
Member
And then they had to make it into more of a shooter and the weapon would...overheat. So ammo wasn't bullets, it was coolant cartridges, completely defeating the whole explanation in the first place.
So... what's the reason?
stanislavskov
Banned
In Silent Hill 1,when you reach your first save point (in this game, save points are note pads), Harry explains that he'll write about the events taking place in order to help others who might find themselves in the same situation some day. It's a pretty simple explanation, but it has a cool payoff in Silent Hill 3.
Skittzo0413
Member
I always liked Baten Kaitos' reason for being able to carry around limitless amounts of huge items- they can essentially be captured inside of cards.
IIRC your commander basically says "okay you are authorized to use X ability!". And that often happens after you just REALLY could've used it. It's terrible.
IIRC your commander basically says "okay you are authorized to use X ability!". And that often happens after you just REALLY could've used it. It's terrible.
Same team isn't it?
Cause she wasn't supposed to be there and she had to follow his orders if she wanted to stay.
DiscoJer
Member
In City of Heroes, superheroes were given medical transporters that would move them to a hospital when they got killed.
In the game though, there was a mission involving someone who was upset that everyone didn't get this technology and wanted revenge because he had a loved one die.
In the game though, there was a mission involving someone who was upset that everyone didn't get this technology and wanted revenge because he had a loved one die.
this blew my fucking mind and made me remember a really forgettable game like the bureau
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Star Ocean 3's game mechanics are due to
the game literally being a video game designed and played by people from a higher dimension
super-famicom
Member
TheDinoman
Member
The way Samus refills health and ammo in Metroid Fusion.
Rather than enemies releasing random purple orbs or missiles after being killed like in every other game, they instead release the X parasite(s) that infected them, coming in mostly yellow (health) and green (ammo) variety. Because Samus' fusion suit is part Metroid (the predator to the X parasites), she can absorb them to fill up on her HP and missiles.
Rather than enemies releasing random purple orbs or missiles after being killed like in every other game, they instead release the X parasite(s) that infected them, coming in mostly yellow (health) and green (ammo) variety. Because Samus' fusion suit is part Metroid (the predator to the X parasites), she can absorb them to fill up on her HP and missiles.
Zap Rowsdower
Banned
The save points in Anachronox are a race of creatures that exist outside linear time that record your progress in their memories. If you die you just reload the memories of the last creature you saved with.
Which lead to a funny oversight in one of the loyalty missions, where
a group of people who had been stranded on a remote planet magically acquired these weapons with overheating cartridges long before they were invented
DealWithIt
Member
Omg. This is so good. Live news coverage.
Spieler Eins
Member
Soul Reaver, going into the other world by dying. And sucking souls by removing your scarf.
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