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The Last of Us : Listen Mode, Melee Prompts and Tag Pop Ups can be turned off

Amir0x

Banned
Sure. And the good games you feel satisfied with playing through the sequence a few times, thinking, "Well, that felt good to overcome!"(DKCR). And the bad challenging games you throw yourself into a brick wall again and again until you get through it, thinking, "Well, never want play that piece of shit again"(Super Meat Boy).

Super Meat Boy has one of the greatest, most perfectly tuned difficulty levels of any game. Sorry, ViewitfulJC, you just might be a weaksauce gamer. Especially since DKCR is crap in the avenue of challenge - only the tomb/temple levels were remotely interesting. It's OK, never hold anything against you. Viewtiful Joe is amazing and for that we must find common ground
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
No kidding. I don't recall ever having a human take more than 1 shot to head in Uncharted besides the armored guys like you said.

Not sure how that's spongy but I'd understand if he was talking about chest shots which take quite a few but Last of Us won't be nearly as bad as that.

The only people that think headshots aren't instakills on Uncharted can't aim. Some helmets take a couple shots but the headshots are always lethal. I adore Uncharted's combat because of the reliance on headshots.
 

SoulClap

Member
I love when games include options like this, because that's really how to accommodate shitty no-skill gamers that hate life and themselves: you include options so that their barely functioning motor skills can be appeased. Don't ruin it for everyone else by pandering to them, ya know?

This might be one of the most condescending things I've read on the board. Congrats.
 

Amir0x

Banned
This might be one of the most condescending things I've read on the board. Congrats.

Sorry I feel no remorse for people who refuse to challenge themselves and learn to get better at things. If that's condescending, I bathe in the accusation.
 
Super Meat Boy has one of the greatest, most perfectly tuned difficulty levels of any game. Sorry, ViewitfulJC, you just might be a weaksauce gamer. Especially since DKCR is crap in the avenue of challenge - only the tomb/temple levels were remotely interesting. It's OK, never hold anything against you. Viewtiful Joe is amazing and for that we must find common ground

putting super meat boy up on a pedestal as a hard game is what a weaksauce gamer would do, sorry Amirox. this is coming from someone who is a "golden god" (lol) at the game as well.
 

The Lamp

Member
Sorry I feel no remorse for people who refuse to challenge themselves and learn to get better at things. If that's condescending, I bathe in the accusation.

I'm tempted to bring up your comments about learning math from another thread, hehe :p you seemed pretty adamant about not enjoying learning that.

For some people there is no enjoyment in spending time learning to be better at action video games. It can be a waste of someone's time, especially if they don't enjoy it. Entertainment doesn't sell off of being not fun, and if the fun threshold is lowered by an easy option, then it's worth it. Basic marketing. It expands your market segment.
 
I wonder if the game will break with listen mode off.

I can imagine sneaking around and repeatedly being seen by a bad guy because you didn't see their patrol paths like the designers originally intended you to.


They put listen mode in for a reason. Namely they couldn't design a proper stealth/survival game without it. They couldn't get the AI right. They relied to heavily on enemy placement and onset scripting.

I really hope it works with listen mode off, I fear it won't be how the game was meant to be played and thus not worth my time playing with it off.
 
Come on chaps, please be civil, this is great news, lets keep it positive.

no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
This might be one of the most condescending things I've read on the board. Congrats.

It's not as bad as people telling me I don't deserve to play Demon's/Dark Souls since I would like a mode that introduces the mechanics better instead of leaving the player entirely in the dark.

no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?
It sounds to me like they designed the game around the audio and realized that a lot of people wouldn't have the necessary sound set ups to fully utilize it so they added a mode that will allow those players to be able to properly gather information.
 
no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?

They want you to use it if you feel that you need it, and if you don't them you don't have to. Think it more like a driving line in a racing game. It's not needed, but for some people it can greatly help them understand where they're supposed to be on a track. And just like a driving line the listen mode can be disabled because it's just there for a little help and not a requirement.
 
I hope the game is fairly balanced to account for Listen Mode being off. Hitman: Absolution is pretty unplayable with all its Instinct nonsense turned off.
 
no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?

I believe the reason it's called "listen mode" is because you can already hear the people/infected the mode you can see behind those walls. Listen mode just lets you pinpoint exactly where they are.

I could be wrong, but that was the impression they gave from the PAX previews.
 
It's not as bad as people telling me I don't deserve to play Demon's/Dark Souls since I would like a mode that introduces the mechanics better instead of leaving the player entirely in the dark.

The Souls games tell you everything you need to know in the tutorial.

I guess what I am getting at is that I am sick of seeing this x-ray see through walls toggle button appearing in every game that is supposed to be a "stealth" game (or has elements of it). It is super obnoxious.
 

StuBurns

Banned
no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?
It's wholly possible, and in fact, almost guaranteed, to have been play-tested plenty in both forms. It's like saying what's the point of difficulty settings, because a game can't have completely different level designs based around more challenging encounter designs. A game can be designed with multiple skill sets in mind, and they are.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
The Souls games tell you everything you need to know in the tutorial.

Not about items, how stats relate to one another, etc. I hate having to feel like I need to rely on a guide to get everything out of them. I've heard Dark was better than Demon's about this, so I may give that a shot.
 
Super Meat Boy has one of the greatest, most perfectly tuned difficulty levels of any game. Sorry, ViewitfulJC, you just might be a weaksauce gamer. Especially since DKCR is crap in the avenue of challenge - only the tomb/temple levels were remotely interesting. It's OK, never hold anything against you. Viewtiful Joe is amazing and for that we must find common ground

It's cool. As I get older, I've grown tired of the tedium of "hard" games with shitty little draconian level design that wouldn't know "pacing" if it slapped them in the face (Super Meat Boy, VVVVV) or "this is like the normal game, but we just made it REALLY tedious for you old skool dudes with huge e-dicks" (Bioshock Infinite 1999 mode), mitigating all the game's strengths and embracing it's weaknesses to the breaking point. I grew out of "proving" my hardcore status and just focus on enjoying the game, on whatever difficulty setting that might be. I like a good challenge, I like learning systems, but the game has to support those systems, and learning them has to be fun. And outside the occasional Platinum or Cave game, they mostly aren't these days.

I hope we both find a fun experience with this game, in our own way.
 
A good effort. Commendable. Hopefully it is balanced for that well.

Thing is, that should be in the "easy" mode, when one goes to normal, that is unavailable.

Not about items, how stats relate to one another, etc. I hate having to feel like I need to rely on a guide to get everything out of them. I've heard Dark was better than Demon's about this, so I may give that a shot.

If one goes into a game expecting to comprehend everything one encounters, one has set oneself up to fail (if only at having a good time). Such a concept was once hubris in the very BEST of gamers.
 

Evolved1

make sure the pudding isn't too soggy but that just ruins everything
I wonder if the game will break with listen mode off.

I can imagine sneaking around and repeatedly being seen by a bad guy because you didn't see their patrol paths like the designers originally intended you to.


They put listen mode in for a reason. Namely they couldn't design a proper stealth/survival game without it. They couldn't get the AI right. They relied to heavily on enemy placement and onset scripting.

I really hope it works with listen mode off, I fear it won't be how the game was meant to be played and thus not worth my time playing with it off.

This made me chuckle.

Think of it like this... not all players are very good at games, invested enough to carefully consider their actions, or thinking about how they can manipulate the game's underlying systems to their advantage. Listen mode is for them. Listen mode is also for people looking for an assist or less challenging encounter. Listen mode is a way to mitigate frustration for a lot of people who aren't used to or looking for a serious challenge. Even then, going by the videos, LM is not a win button. I watched tons of people get killed who were crutching on it pretty hard.

With or without this aid, you still have to get through the area. You still have to survive the scenario. LM will give you some information to help you make better decisions... but it's not anything you couldn't achieve with good old fashion situational awareness. They give you lots of stuff to chuck around the environment, so if ever in doubt, throw some shit at a wall and see if it triggers anything.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
Ok I gotta check this out when I get home. I know the armored guys take more hits because of helmets, but yeah. Who knows, I might be getting mixed up with some other title.

You must be, because as long as you hit them in the head they are down. Been that way since Uncharted 1.
 
no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?

Simple, really. "Do you have a good sound system or headphones with a good set of ears? Play our game without listen mode. Playing with just your television speakers without being able to discern where the enemies are? Or are you hard of hearing? Try playing with listen mode ON for a better experience."
 
I wouldn't scrap listen mode altogether. At the very least, it seems necessary for hearing-impaired players who don't want to get destroyed by OHK infected they have no way of locating.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
If one goes into a game expecting to comprehend everything one encounters, one has set oneself up to fail (if only at having a good time). Such a concept was once hubris in the very BEST of gamers.
I just found Demon's Souls overly obtuse. It may have just been the state of mind I was in while playing it. I need to give it another go at some point.
 

Amir0x

Banned
I'm tempted to bring up your comments about learning math from another thread, hehe :p you seemed pretty adamant about not enjoying learning that.

For some people there is no enjoyment in spending time learning to be better at action video games. It can be a waste of someone's time, especially if they don't enjoy it. Entertainment doesn't sell off of being not fun, and if the fun threshold is lowered by an easy option, then it's worth it. Basic marketing. It expands your market segment.

That's basically exactly what I'm celebrating though - tinkering a game toward the more hardcore/skilled gamer, and then providing options that allow entry for the less talented. That's why i'm so happy this option is here, because it says to me that maybe the game design might possibly be willing to accommodate genuine tension via really challenging and superior gameplay.

It's cool. As I get older, I've grown tired of the tedium of "hard" games with shitty little draconian level design that wouldn't know "pacing" if it slapped them in the face (Super Meat Boy, VVVVV) or "this is like the normal game, but we just made it REALLY tedious for you old skool dudes with huge e-dicks" (Bioshock Infinite 1999 mode), mitigating all the game's strengths and embracing it's weaknesses to the breaking point. I grew out of "proving" my hardcore status and just focus on enjoying the game, on whatever difficulty setting that might be. I like a good challenge, I like learning systems, but the game has to support those systems, and learning them has to be fun. And outside the occasional Platinum or Cave game, they mostly aren't these days.

I hope we both find a fun experience with this game, in our own way.

That sucks that you've no longer the time for such things. I find I'm exactly the opposite... the older I get, the more I despise games which don't respect everyone's intelligence. I cannot relate at all with Modern game design anymore. I'm like the old man yelling at a cloud.
 

Tain

Member
It's a funny situation actually. If you're 'hardcore' (please forgive the term) enough to be that engaged in the game's difficult balancing, then you're exactly the kind of person who would turn these things off. If you're the casual sort of player who just wants to kill monsters in the post-apocalypse, they're probably going to have a better experience with a few assists. What ND want you to play like is impossible to say, because the game is being designed for five million other people too, and you have to take that into account yourself.

I don't think people can really complain about being treated like simpletons unless they're willing to disable options. learning what this options are, and what removing them does to your game experience is inherently part of being the kind of engaged user people want to be rewarded for being, if that makes sense.

If a game has to try to cast such a large net by presenting options like this, I want developers to be more clear about how the affected elements fit into the rest of the game. I feel like it's not enough to simply give the option. Something like MoonsaultSlayer's explanation above would be great to see in the option menu. I also really appreciate when developers explain specific differences between difficulty levels.

I also don't really complain about being treated like a simpleton, though. The way these games are designed is wholly understandable despite not being exactly what I want.
 
That sucks that you've no longer the time for such things. I find I'm exactly the opposite... the older I get, the more I despise games which don't respect everyone's intelligence. I cannot relate at all with Modern game design anymore. I'm like the old man yelling at a cloud.

Don't get me wrong; I didn't finish Skyward Sword's "babby's first Zelda" shit. There really should be an option for these guys, "Have you ever played a video game before? Fi instructions reduced by 90%!" But there's gotta be a happy medium between that and "here's a bunch of obtuse shit and lot of player agency under the distress of uncertainty, have fun figuring out what the game mechanics even are and losing hours of progress"

As it is, I don't have surround sound system. I don't have headphones I can plug in to my PS3. If it comes down to me having to use this mechanic to know where the enemies are because I can't hear shit, I'll do it.
 

StuBurns

Banned
If a game has to try to cast such a large net by presenting options like this, I want developers to be more clear about how the affected elements fit into the rest of the game. I feel like it's not enough to simply give the option. Something like MoonsaultSlayer's explanation above would be great to see in the option menu. I also really appreciate when developers explain specific differences between difficulty levels.

I also don't really complain about being treated like a simpleton, though. The way these games are designed is wholly understandable despite not being exactly what I want.
All of that is fine. When we see the final option menu, if it's not clear what options mean, then you should certainly complain. As of right now, you're speculating on a problem that could easily not exist.
 

Moonlight

Banned
I was hoping that there'd be some way to toggle your ammo counter, one of the things that really excited me when they were showing the game off was how the enemies would react to hearing an empty gun, and all it would entail (namely having to count your shots yourself) and some of the impact is taken out when it tells you exactly how much you have left in your gun.

Ah well, not a huge deal.
 

Risette

A Good Citizen
That sucks that you've no longer the time for such things. I find I'm exactly the opposite... the older I get, the more I despise games which don't respect everyone's intelligence. I cannot relate at all with Modern game design anymore. I'm like the old man yelling at a cloud.
Then why are you playing games like Super Meat Boy? It is basically the worst of both worlds, new and old.
 

BadAss2961

Member
Subtitles and lock-on off.

Other than that, i'll just play with the default settings and maybe go hardcore after that. Listen mode might be important to the design, or could possibly reveal certain moments that you'd miss without it... I believe in playing as the developers intended at least the first time through.

I'll only turn it off if it really is just used as a cheat to overpower the player.
 

masterkajo

Member
I like all these options. Especially the "violence off" option. For my personal taste, most video games have too much violence and I like to be given the option to choose for myself if I want to enable or disable the most brutal stuff. Of course, if I will enable or disable it will depend on what exactly the difference is in the end. But horray for options, lots of options :)
 

Gadirok

Member
Me neither. I'm really curious what the difference will be. The guy's head exploded after being shot in the first demo. What will happen if the violence is turned off?

I think it was the E3 demo that displayed the footage or didn't display it when the head got blasted off but damn, that was pretty gorey.

I know people always hate on god of war but to me nothing in god of war came close to that, some dude begging you to not shoot and then you blasting that shotgun right up to his head. Then watching the bits splatter across everything.


It created a lasting impression in my head since E3. And I guess that will be there for the people who don't want violence in. Some people may not be able to handle that level of brutality so I applaud Naughty Dog for their actions by adding in that option.
 

nib95

Banned
no its not

Do they want the player to use listen mode, or dont they? What is the game designed around - it is either one or the other. There is no way that Naughty Dog designed every level around not having x-ray vision and then tacked it on at the end. Why should this option be celebrated?

Err.. Why not both? Ones harder, ones easier. Simple really. Stop being obtuse. It's no different to having no crosshairs on Killzones hardest modes, or no HUD in certain games etc. The game can work well with both.
 

Gadirok

Member
The only people that think headshots aren't instakills on Uncharted can't aim. Some helmets take a couple shots but the headshots are always lethal. I adore Uncharted's combat because of the reliance on headshots.

That game (Golden Abyss atleast) showed me how important headshots are. Walking with a pistol for the first half of the game was frustrating and made you realize its the head or nothing. Especially when playing on the harder difficulty. You can't screw up like that.

There was one sequence in particular where several armored baddies came in with shotguns who approach you when you are behind cover, along with snipers from higher leverage, some guy with an RPG in the background, and about three regular baddies with AK47s or some semiautomatic rifle packed filled with grenades to throw where you are at cover.

This happened right after
Sully didn't make that large jump and was basically crippled down while Dante's mercenaries closed in on you
so you were basically trying to protect the guy and take out all these guys who were closing in.


That sequence was so absolutely difficult on "crushing". I died atleast 10-15 times, because I was being a idiot and didn't want to change the way I played the game each time. I had to switch up my strategy quite a few times before I got it but it was possible to win in many different ways, but cover fire was just essential against that much crap against you.

If you stayed too far back, they would set their priority on Sully, so you had to get their attention and sacrifice yourself by going closer to them and taking cover behind some smaller sacks leaving you open from several sides. Basically becoming a survival mission on your own. Equipped with very limited shots and a few grenades (once you were behind cover it was honestly stupid to move out of it because trying to get a different gun was too far away and you why on earth would you want to go straight in the open to gunfire?)

I ended up taking the larger armored guns through stealth when they got close enough (which was really risky, these guys had shotguns so it was a hit or miss) and taking their guns to get the second round of guys behind them and getting the guys from higher up with headshots which was also hit or risk dieing.

It pains me, because I won't be trying a platinum run for that game anytime soon after that sequence.

In reality though, Nathan Drake would have never made it and Sully would have died within seconds.
 

The Lamp

Member
That's basically exactly what I'm celebrating though - tinkering a game toward the more hardcore/skilled gamer, and then providing options that allow entry for the less talented. That's why i'm so happy this option is here, because it says to me that maybe the game design might possibly be willing to accommodate genuine tension via really challenging and superior gameplay.



That sucks that you've no longer the time for such things. I find I'm exactly the opposite... the older I get, the more I despise games which don't respect everyone's intelligence. I cannot relate at all with Modern game design anymore. I'm like the old man yelling at a cloud.
Oh, then I must have been really confused because I thought you were being sarcastic about the use of the feature. My bad.
 
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