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What does "next gen gameplay" mean to you?

It just means new better experiences to me like deeper gameplay and better AI. Which so far.. we are not getting.

VR is the closest to next gen gameplay we will get I guess.

When I can play a shooter with VR and the gun is not connected to the first person camera.. I will consider that a next gen gameplay experience.
 
I think, maybe more importantly, we decouple the opinion that it is inherently a good thing from the definition of the term itself. I'm not sure I want next-gen gameplay...
 
The problem here is that the term is being represented androgynously denoting:

  • Undiscovered gameplay
  • Refined gameplay

I prefer it to reduce the term to it's simplistic form - in this case "next-gen". The only consistency of "next-gen" is more powerful hardware, so let us emphasize on that particular aspect and revolve our concepts around it.

This means it all boils down to a few mandatory questions:

  1. How does more power in console change the way we play games?
  2. What significant aspect can developers work through this gen with more power that is unattainable previously?
  3. How does this power manifest itself on identical budgeted titles from previous gen?
  4. At what point does the power becomes saturated that it no longer affects gameplay?

By answering these questions, we can elaborate where and how much impact it does have compared to the previous generation. And when we can come to an agreement that there is more positive than negative aspects to that particular discussion, only then can we consider "next-gen" as a more concrete statement rather than this mish-mash of interpretations we're observing in this thread.
 
GTA V "felt" next-gen to me. Next gen gameplay for me is having more freedom in a game, having more things occurring at once on screen, ai reacting to me and the environment in a realistic and believable fashion. And on top of all of that I want shiny graphics in addition to consistent performance. I feel like the Division will deliver on all of this.
 
Y2Kev said:
I think, maybe more importantly, we decouple the opinion that it is inherently a good thing from the definition of the term itself. I'm not sure I want next-gen gameplay...
Click to expand...

Good point, will this theoretical gameplay have more or less QTE's and button mashing sequences
 
Y2Kev said:
I think, maybe more importantly, we decouple the opinion that it is inherently a good thing from the definition of the term itself. I'm not sure I want next-gen gameplay...
Click to expand...

Given the history of the industry trying to "innovate" something to make it next-gen I 100% agree with this.

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and

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The worst part is that I own both.
 
Y2Kev said:
I think, maybe more importantly, we decouple the opinion that it is inherently a good thing from the definition of the term itself. I'm not sure I want next-gen gameplay...
Click to expand...

Precisely. Bad Company 2 is a better game than the supposedly next gen gameplay of BF4. The next gen (at the time) gameplay of Socom 4 was terrible in comparison to last gen ps2. Everytime someone shoe horned crap into a game to make it some unique snowflake it is rarely a better game for it. Remember early sixaxis implementation?

Again the next gen gameplay critique to me is a cop out for not being able to articulate why you don't like something more, and hints at a mind being made up before the reviewer ever hit start.
 
The first inFamous definitely had next gen gameplay.

The wall climbing would be impossible on PS2 with its boxy buildings.
 
LegendofLex said:
The difference between solo play and simultaneous multiplayer.
The difference between a joystick and a gamepad.
The difference between side-scrolling/top-down shooters and first-person shooters.
The difference between keyboard-only and keyboard-and-mouse.
The difference between D-pad only eight-way movement and 360 degree analog control.
The difference between single-analog and dual-analog control.
The difference between local and online multiplayer.
The difference between Wii Sports and pretty much any other home console game before it.
The difference between dual-analog aiming and motion aiming.
The difference between timed button presses and precision movements/gestures.

Basically, new experiences that weren't achievable on previous hardware, and that aren't minor iterations of stuff that came before.
Click to expand...

I like this post
 
For me, just an application of what devs promised when they were promoting the power of the console platforms their games will be running on have. Unfortunately, most of those things are just for presentation only like better visuals, physics, immersion, etc.

The most devs can probaby do as far as next-gen gameplay is concerned is a revolution in fun AI. I'm not really expecting a lot from this generation to be honest. It's probabaly going to be a repeat of the previous generation with better presentation, marketing and writing.

Prove me wrong AAA developers!
 
SNES games with it's 6 button controller. Genesis with it's graphics. N64 with it's analog stick. PS2 where I really felt I no longer needed to go to Arcades. Along with the eyetoy. 3D for the DS. Wiimote. Wii U controller.
 
If anything, most games seem to be declining in terms of gameplay as the industry moves forward. When I think of games with good gameplay, most are from several years ago.
 
Seagulls fly overhead, blue waves lap along the shoreline (press X to lap) while our hero contemplates (press left-trigger to contemplate) the ramifications of his post-apocalyptic existence. The fate of the (open)world lies in your blood-soaked hands (as seen in the download-only prequel chapter for $9.99) and it's up to you and your A.I. companion (voiced by Troy Baker) to defecate all over the place.
 
It's a stupid statement.

but for the thread I'll play along. I think it's different for every game, and game type.

Say for example a fallout 4

I expect that all of the garbage would be important. when I started that game I was keeping everything... I need a cup to drink from, a plate, silverware, tools, a container for water, and such. I expect less canned interactions... and a hell of a lot less subways... The hotel in Fallout 3 was awesome... I felt so bad when I inadvertently had all the residence killed... but what was done was done... I had to live with that. That was great. more like that... but even better.

Or TLoU

If I need a knife I should be able to grab it off the counter if it is their, and the NPC's in my group should be in stealth like me.

Or Infamous

should make you feel like a bad ass with super powers... from what I can tell the new one does this... I'm not looking for waggle controls or something....

Or GT7

More tracks, more cars, MORE OPTIONS... oh and make the car wash oil change gas gauge etc. actually mean something. I blast around a track with a GTR for 5 laps... it shouldn't still be on full.

All graphics should be upgraded... unless lesser graphics have a reason for being there.

While I'm at it... more top-down offline/online co-op games.... I guess that would be to last last last last last gen.... lol
 
Let's take Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect as examples. On the first, you never could have a dialogue tree before the other NPC finished talking. Areas were smaller, which meant more loading. New hardware meant they could change those things.

I've been seeing the other threads about this topic and my opinion about "next-gen gameplay" doesn't mean perfect AI or get into every building in an open-world game. But we can evolve the AI so it can adapt to situations more efficiently. I'm really interested in how the Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor game will do that. inFamous could do something similar. I want to see what destructible environments can do for level design in more games. I want to see shooters going from "cover -> shoot" to more options to use the environment against your enemies. On stealth games, I want to see options to change the level design, by pushing boxes, for example. And to see the AI change to avoid the usual "see what path the enemy goes -> avoid that"). Just some examples.
 
Cave Johnson said:
  1. How does more power in console change the way we play games?
  2. What significant aspect can developers work through this gen with more power that is unattainable previously?
  3. How does this power manifest itself on identical budgeted titles from previous gen?
  4. At what point does the power becomes saturated that it no longer affects gameplay?
Click to expand...

With more power there should a better and deeper level of interaction with the game's world, not just visual but in terms of dynamic physics. I want next gen worlds to be destructible, if given the tools I want to use all of my environment. If I have an ax then I should be able to cut some trees. If I cast a fire spell in a dry grass field, I at least expect the immediate area to be incinerated and cleared off of grass.

I don't want SUPER TREES that can survive the apocalypse.

Whatever the world I'm in, give me more interaction with everything in the environment. This includes AI in the game, build autonomous ecosystems where even if there is "a save the world story" in the savanna, the lions and tigers and hippos and elephants they should all be going about their lives (whatever that might be as per the AI present in game) and we have to deal with that as well as the predetermined enemies. I want to feel like the area I am playing in has an identity of it own.

Give me realistic flora and fauna.

Some games try to implement something like it but the implementation is minimal. Just Cause 2, FarCry 2 & 3 have some sort of autonomous AI but you can tell where the loop begins eventually. Luscious environment all devoid of any meaningful wild life.

Graphics look great already, really great., just look at the Snow Drop Engine. I would be ok if they kept that level of graphical fidelity if they would spend the rest of the console cycle working on ways to make the environment more realistic with things that are not just graphics. Right now graphics are just about saturated and gameplay has not evolved thanks to it.
 
"Gameplay doesnt feel next-gen" that too me means it doesn't feel like a step forward.. be that in AI, animations, physics, computing, lighting. Something has to feel progressive beyond the norm.

Seeing this eye-tracking stuff, kinect facial recognition, everything happening with the oculus rift, the promises of scaling up of multiplayer experiences like Destiny... those things feel like next-gen ideas.

I don't think beefier graphics alone are going to do it this gen.
 
Things that take the increased power of new hardware into account for gameplay. Case in point, N64 allowed us to take Mario into a 3D world with platforming etc.

Look at the difference in gameplay from a Resident Evil 2 to Resident Evil 4.

I'm not saying I want a reinvention of the wheel. I think simple things like increased textures and draw distance have such an impact on games. I think the really big innovation in gameplay will come from AI, animations etc. Imagine a Mass Effect where instead of pre-programmed responses, you get something new each time.

Just look at the difference between a San Andreas and a GTA V.
 
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