Astral Dog
Member
Depends on the game
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If you value game mechanics most of all, do you feel the industry is passing you by?
- Thread starter goldenpp72
- Start date
visiblemode
Member
The way I see it gameplay setbacks are usually basically growing pains.
Think of it this way. Tight gameplay was easier to hone in on when dealing in a simple 2d space.
When we went to 3D everything loosened up until devs and players came to terms with the tech, the space and play styles.
Then the expansion continued into stuff like open-world titles. Early open world titles had limited interactivity and generally poor controls.
As devs have learned to tame the variables and learned how gamers interact with those variables the control/gameplay has tightened.
One of the issues at hand isn't the dumbing down of games but rather the continued rapid expansion of what games are and can be.
Think of it this way. Tight gameplay was easier to hone in on when dealing in a simple 2d space.
When we went to 3D everything loosened up until devs and players came to terms with the tech, the space and play styles.
Then the expansion continued into stuff like open-world titles. Early open world titles had limited interactivity and generally poor controls.
As devs have learned to tame the variables and learned how gamers interact with those variables the control/gameplay has tightened.
One of the issues at hand isn't the dumbing down of games but rather the continued rapid expansion of what games are and can be.
JinjoUnchained
Member
I'm feeling more and more that this is why RPG and open world elements are becoming omnipresent. They allow devs to cater to both casual and core audiences at the same time. Core gamers can focus on the intricacies of combat, builds, skill trees, and all that, while the more casual player can play content tourist and grind away if they can't overcome the skill barrier.
Astral Dog
Member
What im seeing is that recent games are being made with tbe idea of be too focused on having a huge world at the cost of questionable mechanics and gameplay systems.
Because the focus is on this world and maybe the plot, the game itself is a little rough so you end with massive 40-50 hours campaigns when a shorter, more focused game with excellent design can be as rewarding or even better experience.
But of course, it depends on the execution ,there are examples on both sides were they clearly failed to meet certain quality standards.
Because the focus is on this world and maybe the plot, the game itself is a little rough so you end with massive 40-50 hours campaigns when a shorter, more focused game with excellent design can be as rewarding or even better experience.
But of course, it depends on the execution ,there are examples on both sides were they clearly failed to meet certain quality standards.
ex The Order 1886
Ceadeus
Member
I feel like i've seen everything the industry have to offer. When a game is announced, i already know what i'll be doing and why and how.
It's the main reason i prefer grinding over a story.
But then , i lose my addiction to loot and get bored quickly enough.
Younger, games were exciting, now it feels like a loop that has not many variety.
I literally skip dialogue as I only want gameplay. Storytelling just isn't good enough. There is no way i can it seriously and feel invested.
It's the main reason i prefer grinding over a story.
But then , i lose my addiction to loot and get bored quickly enough.
Younger, games were exciting, now it feels like a loop that has not many variety.
I literally skip dialogue as I only want gameplay. Storytelling just isn't good enough. There is no way i can it seriously and feel invested.
timetokill
Banned
Luckily Nintendo still exists and indie games are thriving, so I'm doing okay.
I do find it weird that the industry itself praises presentation above all else, like around awards season, but that's the Hollywood envy complex for you.
I do find it weird that the industry itself praises presentation above all else, like around awards season, but that's the Hollywood envy complex for you.
That's the thing tho, they don't need to be saving graces because there are plenty of games with gameplay, even ones that are cinematic, heavy on narrative.
It's not that most games today don't focus on mechanics, it's that they focus on the wrong ones.
Rather than focusing on Tools vs. Obstacles gameplay mechanics, focus is instead put on Reward cycles and addiction mechanics, designed to create compulsive behavior in players.
That said, there are still games out there based on core gameplay fundamentals, but it's not the industry's focus at all.
Rather than focusing on Tools vs. Obstacles gameplay mechanics, focus is instead put on Reward cycles and addiction mechanics, designed to create compulsive behavior in players.
That said, there are still games out there based on core gameplay fundamentals, but it's not the industry's focus at all.
I'm fine with walking sims. The good ones do what they set out to do well and are short and sweet experiences. This is preferable to me then jack of all trades master of none approach you get in many big releases. In those there is an appearance of a game that could be mechanically satisfying but it never really gets there.
Noooope.
I value gameplay mechanics and as long as you avoid walking simulators, Bethesda (which IMO dumbed down the mechanics that made Morrowind great), and bad shooters, this is a great time to be a gamer.
Sure, some genres are underrepresented, but given time, they will come back (I'm looking at Rogue Squadron and points chasing games like SSX and Burnout).
Also, indies are your friend.
I value gameplay mechanics and as long as you avoid walking simulators, Bethesda (which IMO dumbed down the mechanics that made Morrowind great), and bad shooters, this is a great time to be a gamer.
Sure, some genres are underrepresented, but given time, they will come back (I'm looking at Rogue Squadron and points chasing games like SSX and Burnout).
Also, indies are your friend.
As developers strive to achieve grander scales with their games it becomes far more difficult to fully realize a mechanical system that allows meaningful interaction on those scales. This is exacerbated by the fact that unless you're aiming for the niche of the niche, your design has to remain relatively simple and straightforward so your audience doesn't get lost. So game design principles have trouble keeping up with the aspirations of those designing the games. That's how stuff like NMS gets fumbled so badly.
Even games in genres that are typically considered 'hardcore' like turn-based strategy games or simulators have to "compromise" their scope by focusing almost exclusively on presentation and information that is directly relevant to the game's flow of play and little else. I'm reminded of the Civ 4 dev videos where they explain how in the beginning they had very natural-looking and varied coastlines and landmasses meant to more closely approximate how landmasses actually form in the real world. And then they scrapped all of that work because Civ 4 is tile-based and the natural look made it difficult for players to discern tiles at a glance.
I feel like many devs are either unable to or unwilling to make sacrifices of that nature for the sake of playability.
Even games in genres that are typically considered 'hardcore' like turn-based strategy games or simulators have to "compromise" their scope by focusing almost exclusively on presentation and information that is directly relevant to the game's flow of play and little else. I'm reminded of the Civ 4 dev videos where they explain how in the beginning they had very natural-looking and varied coastlines and landmasses meant to more closely approximate how landmasses actually form in the real world. And then they scrapped all of that work because Civ 4 is tile-based and the natural look made it difficult for players to discern tiles at a glance.
I feel like many devs are either unable to or unwilling to make sacrifices of that nature for the sake of playability.