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Next Generation Gameplay

Razzorn34

Razzorn34

Member
There is another thread going on about games that give you "next gen" feels. Yes, we all know games have improved visual quality overall. What is truly lacking in that thread is examples of good next generation gameplay.

Almost everything I've seen so far this generation could have been done last gen, with less visual quality. I play a wide variety of games myself, and the only decent example that I've seen so far is the Nemesis System in Shadow of Mordor.

Does GAF have any other good current/upcoming examples of true next generation game mechanics?
If not, what would qualify as next generation gameplay for you?

Edit: Don't just list games. Please give reasons why.
 
A

Alvarez

Banned
Virtual reality gameplay where you play as your body (differentiating it from Kinect, etc.).

Or a game where crafting is fun. Just one.
 
A

AntiFacebook

Member
like i said in that thread,the only difference between this gen and the last is the graphics.
Gameplay wise,there is nothing that can be done this gen that wasn't done in the previous one.
 
C

Chairman Yang

if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
I'm sure the Nemesis system (or something similar) could have been done on last-gen. I know it wasn't on the last-gen version of Shadow of Mordor, but it could have been with enough sacrifices in other areas.
 
J

Jonneh3003

Banned
Splatoon is the only game I can think of to truly take new gameplay possibilities and make them great. I'm of course talking about gyro aiming but seeing your team mates on the gamepad and jumping to them is also great. Infamous Second Son tries a ton of different gimmicks but they come across as tacky and poorly implemented

Zombi U and The Wind Waker HD also offered a next generation gameplay feel with amazing gamepad usage that truly changes their flow and convenience. Nintendo Land achieves this too with asymmetric gameplay.
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
Arkham Knight

  • no loading screens
  • switchable FreeFlow characters mid combo
  • seamless Batmobile integration

It would be impossible on last gen.
 
C

Chairman Yang

if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
AntiFacebook said:
like i said in that thread,the only difference between this gen and the last is the graphics.
Gameplay wise,there is nothing that can be done this gen that wasn't done in the previous one.
Click to expand...
While this is true, I think it also applies to last gen and the PS2/Xbox/GC era. Cut enough graphical fidelity, and I think pretty much everything would have been possible then too.
 
T

thomasmahler

Member
The craziest 'next-gen' experience I had so far was with Oculus Touch. Being in VR and using your hands to interact with things is beyond crazy.
 
C

Chairman Yang

if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
Garrett Hawke said:
Arkham Knight

  • no loading screens
  • switchable FreeFlow characters mid combo
  • seamless Batmobile integration

It would be impossible on last gen.
Click to expand...
Really? You don't think a graphically downgraded GTA5 with real-time character switching would have been possible, for example?
 
L

Lunar15

Member
Everything I think of kind of boils down to visual splendor.

Like, one of the biggest "next gen" moments for me was walking into a house in Witcher 3 and having no loading screens then being able to walk over to a window and seeing the town through the weird, blurry distortion of the glass. It's not really a gameplay improvement... you know?
 
N

nynt9

Member
Nemesis system in Shadow of Mordor.

The level of destructability and options for breaching in Rainbow 6 Siege.
 
Strangelove77

Strangelove77

Member
Same thing could be said of last gen as well. PS2 to PS3 wasn't a leap gameplaywise either.
I'd even go further and say the same about the PS1 to PS2 transition.
 
O

Orayn

Member
Chairman Yang said:
While this is true, I think it also applies to last gen and the PS2/Xbox/GC era. Cut enough graphical fidelity, and I think pretty much everything would have been possible then too.
Click to expand...

"Cutting graphical fidelity" doesn't give you infinite processor and memory capabilities. Some of the bigger open world games would have been literally, actually impossible on those systems due to RAM constraints alone.
 
A

Auctopus

Member
I think next-gen gameplay is a pointless label used by people to whine more or criticise games they don't like. The closest I can think of is "No Man's Sky", that is an idea that wasn't possible on last-gen games. You're on a planet, you can mine, trade, shoot and explore then when you're bored take off and head to countless other planets.

Sn4ke_911 said:
MGSV.
Click to expand...

Its great gameplay is down to the fluidity of its controls... which are the same on PS3.
 
R

Raysoul

Member
Sn4ke_911 said:
MGSV.
Click to expand...

I played Ground Zeroes, and I felt that the controls and mechanics of Splinter Cell: Blacklist is better. I don't know if MGSV did refine it from GZ though.

My vote goes to Wonderful 101. The combat mechanics are very brilliant.

Edit: Also Zombi U. Best usage of Gamepad.
 
I

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
you could say that about every game ever to be honest in some fashion, with enough downgrading.

This idea of "next gen gameplay" is nonsense applied to generational standards, and has only to do with how imaginative devs are.
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
Chairman Yang said:
Really? You don't think a graphically downgraded GTA5 with real-time character switching would have been possible, for example?
Click to expand...
The character switching in GTAV is NOTHING on Arkham Knight. Free flow makes it feel like you're controlling two characters at once with the precision of controlling one character and the characters each have their own unique fighting styles and animations - vs GTA where they all shoot and reload in the same way.
 
A

AntiFacebook

Member
Chairman Yang said:
While this is true, I think it also applies to last gen and the PS2/Xbox/GC era. Cut enough graphical fidelity, and I think pretty much everything would have been possible then too.
Click to expand...

Exactly. The last time hardware's strength affected gameplay was when 3D was introduced(the move from SNES to ps1,for example).
 
I

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
"Hey, you can make an approximate version of Tekken 6 on PSP! I guess PSP isn't that big a difference to PS3 huh?"

Come on dudes, being pedantic isn't even funny.

You can't just dismiss examples you don't want to hear because they dismiss the notion that 'next gen gameplay' doesn't exist.

Its just bigger in scale and prettier stuff we've been doing for like 25 years.
 
RowdyReverb

RowdyReverb

Member
Assassin's Creed Unity and Syndicate are pretty good examples I keep bringing up in these threads. The increased scale of the buildings and cities, as well as the ability to enter many of them (at least in Unity) was certainly not possible last gen.
The AC games weren't slouches last gen, and these entries veritably one-upped them.
 
N

nath999

Member
I felt Titanfall felt very Next-Gen gameplay wise but it was playable on 360. I still hop into games every now and again and it feels great, the combat feels so fluid.
 
J

Jonneh3003

Banned
Storm Raider said:
It's unbelievable how much better the gameplay is from GZ to TPP.

Feels so much better.
Click to expand...

I would argue Ground Zeroes is a better game than The Phantom Pain. TPP adds a whole lot more stuff but the mechanics are pretty much the same and while GZ is incredibly short I didn't find any segment of TPP to be more enjoyable or replayable. Plus it's crossgen so I'm not sure it qualifies for Next Gen gameplay.
 
V

valkillmore

Member
I'm gonna say No Man's sky. Being able to pilot around in an infinite universe, fly down into a planet then back out again, that's something I've never done or seen before, much less in such a visually striking manner. That game has a 'next gen' feel to it. As does Dreams. Being able to paint and create anything, with that level of visual fidelity, I have never seen or played anything like that ever.
 
D

DownGrader

Member
Wasn't "next generation gameplay" a thing that was never a result in hardware progress? I mean, for example, Metal Gear Solid 3 looked and felt just like "next gen" game.
 
A

Always-honest

Banned
Rainbow Six Siege brings a lot of destructible environments. That's makes it a really immersive experience.

With more power you can do more stuff.
A new gen doesn't have to mean revolutionairy gameplay. The Wii was the most next gen in that regard.
 
S

Solid Samus

Banned
AntiFacebook said:
Exactly. The last time hardware's strength affected gameplay was when 3D was introduced(the move from SNES to ps1,for example).
Click to expand...

No way, every single modern console has games that wouldn't have been possible on previous generation hardware just by cutting the visuals down to that level.

Always-honest said:
Rainbow Six Siege brings a lot of destructible environments. That's makes it a really immersive experience.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Siege is packed with intense moments thanks to the destructibility, it's been my go-to shooter lately because of it.
 
T

Thewonandonly

Junior Member
Titanfall for me.

Sure it was done on last gen to but I don't think it looked as good. The gameplay was laggy and it looked worse graphically. This game on the Xbone gave me next gen feels tho. Titan fall had the smoothest gun play imaginable. From wall running to zipping around with you jetpack. It all worked together to fit so smoothly. Then you have the titans that you call down and it amazed me seeing it drop down every time. This game was something else and I can't wait until the sequel.
 
Razzorn34

Razzorn34

Member
Inuhanyou said:
you could say that about every game ever to be honest in some fashion, with enough downgrading.

This idea of "next gen gameplay" is nonsense applied to generational standards, and has only to do with how imaginative devs are.
Click to expand...

There is truth to this. If people demanded better game mechanics over graphical fidelity, we'd see more of it. As long as people are fine with stuff like "dynamic beard growth" over worthwhile gameplay, it won't change much anytime soon.
 
T

thehillissilent

Member
From generation to generation, we have an massive increase in processing power which leads to increased scale, more complex physics, more complex procedural systems, and detailed rendering systems. The key is tying gameplay into these improvements to give it a novel feel.
 
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