Amagi82
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
I've been having a dispute with some friends on what elements comprise a good computer game, notably of the roleplaying variety.
What I like:
1) Immersive dialogue options with real effects in the game world (Bioware is the only company doing a decent job at this).
2) Quality voice acting (again, Bioware is the only company doing a good job here. Bethesda gets mediocre marks)
3) The ability to play the villain. I hate games that railroad you into playing the hero. I'll be the good guy in real life- games are an outlet for the darkness within.
4) Player creativity. I want to be able to design and build things. I want to solve problems in creative ways.
5) Feeling like I'm in an action movie. I like cut-scenes. I like awesome visuals.
6) Combat is terrifying and has realistic consequences
7) Realism, or at least plausibility.
8) Puzzles (7th Guest puzzles were amazing. Skyrim puzzles were pure shit.)
9) NPCs that you can form relationships with. I love the romance options in Bioware games (but I hate how you can't romance multiple characters... I want it all!)
10) Magic items with a story behind them. Magic items should be rare but really exciting to find and meaningful.
What I hate:
1) Combat, so often and so mindless that it becomes routine. Combat should be very rare. I hate grinding.
2) If you die, you respawn or reload a previous save. Death becomes meaningless, combat is no longer scary. Reloading a combat for the 10th time just turns the whole experience into boring, annoying, unrealistic nonsense.
3) Health bars. People don't have health bars. In real life, if you slit someone's throat, or stab them in the heart, they will die. They don't keep on attacking you with 15 arrows sticking out of them. This goes for the player too.
4) Lack of injuries. Part of the health bar bullshit is a lack of convincing injuries from being attacked. A big gash across your leg and you're not walking away. This should be modeled and implemented convincingly.
5) Stupid methods of health regen. You don't heal immediately by waiting 30 seconds, by eating food, or by downing some pills.
6) Questing. It's almost always contrived bullshit.
7) Railroad plot. I don't want to kill the evil wizard because the king told me to. Maybe I want to join him and be his apprentice.
What are your thoughts? Things you like or dislike?
What I like:
1) Immersive dialogue options with real effects in the game world (Bioware is the only company doing a decent job at this).
2) Quality voice acting (again, Bioware is the only company doing a good job here. Bethesda gets mediocre marks)
3) The ability to play the villain. I hate games that railroad you into playing the hero. I'll be the good guy in real life- games are an outlet for the darkness within.
4) Player creativity. I want to be able to design and build things. I want to solve problems in creative ways.
5) Feeling like I'm in an action movie. I like cut-scenes. I like awesome visuals.
6) Combat is terrifying and has realistic consequences
7) Realism, or at least plausibility.
8) Puzzles (7th Guest puzzles were amazing. Skyrim puzzles were pure shit.)
9) NPCs that you can form relationships with. I love the romance options in Bioware games (but I hate how you can't romance multiple characters... I want it all!)
10) Magic items with a story behind them. Magic items should be rare but really exciting to find and meaningful.
What I hate:
1) Combat, so often and so mindless that it becomes routine. Combat should be very rare. I hate grinding.
2) If you die, you respawn or reload a previous save. Death becomes meaningless, combat is no longer scary. Reloading a combat for the 10th time just turns the whole experience into boring, annoying, unrealistic nonsense.
3) Health bars. People don't have health bars. In real life, if you slit someone's throat, or stab them in the heart, they will die. They don't keep on attacking you with 15 arrows sticking out of them. This goes for the player too.
4) Lack of injuries. Part of the health bar bullshit is a lack of convincing injuries from being attacked. A big gash across your leg and you're not walking away. This should be modeled and implemented convincingly.
5) Stupid methods of health regen. You don't heal immediately by waiting 30 seconds, by eating food, or by downing some pills.
6) Questing. It's almost always contrived bullshit.
7) Railroad plot. I don't want to kill the evil wizard because the king told me to. Maybe I want to join him and be his apprentice.
What are your thoughts? Things you like or dislike?
