Mechanics in games that should just die.

[Psychotic Ninja]

Are QTE's still a thing? I feel like they died a few years ago, if not, they should. Did anyone actually like them? I mean sure, they might be a bit amusing at times (like in Spider-Man 3) but over all, very annoying.

[Ursa Doom]

I thought that the God of War games used QTE in a good rytm kind of way and they are a fun optional part of the Mortal Kombat games. Most of the time they are just not worth it, though.

 

Do video games still do that thing when you only have one saveslot and the game only uses autosave? Because I hated that.

last game im aware of this is AC: unity

 

Oh good. Maybe it's actually dying then?

[turbodevil]

The problem you seem to have is instant gratification and hand holding, or rather a lack there of. It makes me wonder why you're even playing stealth games where the point is to avoid action.

By action I mean playing the game. Like, you know, entering level and participating in gameplay (no matter if it stealth, shooting or driving a crane). I figured many things make you wonder. Like sentences. They do funny thing in your head, when you draw conclusions like that.

 

Me: I want to access levels sooner and without long, boring in-between sequences. I want these in-betweens to be condensated into something fun and fitting. Like cutscenes

K4_Kydure: You want game to hold your hand. The point of stealth game is to avoid action

Me: ...

 

Are QTE's still a thing? I feel like they died a few years ago, if not, they should. Did anyone actually like them? I mean sure, they might be a bit amusing at times (like in Spider-Man 3) but over all, very annoying.

The seem to slowly vanish from existence. I disliked those. Felt like all control over character was taken from me, instead I'm supposed to push exactly this button at exactly right time. Like: why, game? I wanted to roll away and kick him in the groin. Instead, either I will tap key 'E' and decapitate him in spectacular manner, or I don't tap 'E' and die. That's more like interactive movie than actual gameplay. On the flip side, I liked qte assasinations in Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones.

[TheTron852]

I took a look at the complaints here. In my honest opinion: this thread is starting to turn into a second, more extreme version of "Video Game Pet Peeves". Aren't we talking about mechanics that we want to see, well, DIE? A third of the complaints here just seem to focus on things that can be done pretty well, or heck, there are games that do a good job with these mechanics. You kill the mechanics people complained about in that third of complaints - and a good chunk of the games will become ruined, or they'll be gone and we would never had a joy of playing them.

 

And about QTE: Asura's Wrath and God of War. I'll say nothing else.

[K4_Kydure]

Free roaming doesn't work in action games...

By action I mean playing the game. Like, you know, entering level and participating in gameplay (no matter if it stealth, shooting or driving a crane). I figured many things make you wonder. Like sentences. They do funny thing in your head, when you draw conclusions like that.

Nice hypocritical and condescending attitude.

 

It's best not to try and pull the sentence comprehension card on someone only to show you can't do it yourself. You specifically said "action games" and not "the action in games". This generally implies games that focus solely on the action, like Metal Gear Rising. Dishonored, among many others, is a stealth game that focuses on the avoidance of action.

Me: I want to access levels sooner and without long, boring in-between sequences. I want these in-betweens to be condensated into something fun and fitting. Like cutscenes

This is what I meant by instant gratification and hand holding. Those "boring in-between sequences" allow you talk to the various characters in order to learn more about them and even the heart can warn you about future events in the story depending on who you point it at. However you rather not have that lull in the "action" of a game whose core game play exists of waiting. You would much prefer it if the game didn't have it at all only to throw you into the next "action" scene because fleshing out characters is boring to you, because you can't be arsed to move to the next scene or talk to and learn about the characters yourself, you want the game to do it for you.

 

If that's what you want in video games, then try playing Alien Shooter, Crimson Land, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Metal Gear Rising, Neir, F.E.A.R., ect... Literally any action focused game would better suit you than stealth games or RPGs.

[Heliocentrical]

This is what I meant by instant gratification and hand holding. Those "boring in-between sequences" allow you talk to the various characters in order to learn more about them and even the heart can warn you about future events in the story depending on who you point it at. However you rather not have that lull in the "action" of a game whose core game play exists of waiting. You would much prefer it if the game didn't have it at all only to throw you into the next "action" scene because fleshing out characters is boring to you, because you can't be arsed to move to the next scene or talk to and learn about the characters yourself, you want the game to do it for you.

 

If that's what you want in video games, then try playing Alien Shooter, Crimson Land, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Metal Gear Rising, Neir, F.E.A.R., ect... Literally any action focused game would better suit you than stealth games or RPGs.

I have to agree, RPGs and stealth games are highly involved and dense. It's just the way they're designed and if that's not to your taste then move on to something else like K4_kydure suggested. I would also suggest Painkiller, Doom and Quake, anything else with a traditional level-to-level structure and stir clear of any open world games.

[turbodevil]

I have to agree, RPGs and stealth games are highly involved and dense. It's just the way they're designed and if that's not to your taste then move on to something else like K4_kydure suggested. I would also suggest Painkiller, Doom and Quake, anything else with a traditional level-to-level structure and stir clear of any open world games.

That doesn't make any sense. The entire Thief series (did not play 4th one so may be wrong on that one) and most of Splinter Cell series (both series have most stealth focused games I played) doesn't have long free-roaming boring in-betweens. These sequences seem to get popular now. In no way they reinforce idea behind stealth games.

 

Besides, you put stealth games and RPG in the same bag? I mean, really? Sneaking around = story & world & character progression?

 

My point is not limitted to stealth games though. It's very simple thing: if I play stealth game, or shooter, I want to sneak around. Or shoot. Other game elements should support that. Not keep me away from it, because they are artficaly long and useless.

 

Open world has nothing to do with it. Assassin's creed has open world, and it doesn't make me do boring stuff in between (because I'm always parkouring/sneaking around and get in trouble). Actually, I get cutscenes between missions, just the way I like! The exception are sequences outside animus (long and boring stuff, imo), but they are so detached from main game focus so I can forget them and keep playing proper game. Still, I wonder why they decided to have those, for the same reason I dislike other long boring stuff: they keep me from playing the actual game.

 

I suggest you try those games and observe intense lack of yawning in between missions. It's refreshing

[Heliocentrical]

The exception are sequences outside animus (long and boring stuff, imo), but they are so detached from main game focus so I can forget them and keep playing proper game. Still, I wonder why they decided to have those, for the same reason I dislike other long boring stuff: they keep me from playing the actual game.

Okay so if you want nothing between levels then why would you want cutscenes?

 

Open world has nothing to do with it. Assassin's creed has open world, and it doesn't make me do boring stuff in between (because I'm always parkouring/sneaking around and get in trouble). Actually, I get cutscenes between missions, just the way I like!

 

I suggest you try those games and observe intense lack of yawning in between missions. It's refreshing

Wow I couldn't have more of an opposite experience to yours. IMO Assassin's creed has some of the most bland platforming I've ever seen. It's all automatic with virtually no input from the player. You might as well classify Assassin's Creed as an on-rails platformer. Just start running in any direction and your character will just magically figure out what to do. There was no thought put into any of it. It was so unbelievably boring I actually fell asleep once at my desk while playing. I've played good third person platformers like Sly Cooper and this was no Sly Cooper. Sly Cooper by contrast had great player input and you had to skillfully time when you jumped. There is no skill to playing Assassin's Creed. Assassin's Creed's platforming was so thoughtless and bland. I mean if you liked it then cool but I didn't find Assassin's Creed to be fun at all.

 

I like the Thief series a lot. The hardest difficulties were so gratifying to play on. That reminds me have you played the Darkmod? It's basically nothing but Thief like missions in a modern engine.

 

Haven't played Splinter Cell, though it doesn't particularly catch my interest. I always find modern day settings to be incredibly uninteresting. That's why I find titles like the Fallout series and Deus Ex so difficult to get into. Their settings are just "modern day with a twist.". Those games just seem so uninventive with their settings and their lack of art direction doesn't help either. Fallout is just a brown desert visually and Deus Ex is Black and Blue City visually. Now I haven't gotten very far in those games but man, they do not give me a encouraging impression. I'm Hoping that Fallout 2 gets better as I play but if it continues with and does nothing but its post-apocalyptic 1950s schtick then I'll be sorely disappointed.

[turbodevil]

Okay so if you want nothing between levels then why would you want cutscenes?

I never said I want nothing in between. Obviously there is room for story & stuff. But it can be dynamic and last 5 minutes rather than boring 20 minutes snoozefest.

Wow I couldn't have more of an opposite experience to yours. IMO Assassin's creed has some of the worst platforming I've ever seen. It's all automatic with virtually no input from the player. Just start running in any direction and your character will just magically figure out what to do. There was no thought put into any of it. It was so unbelievably boring I actually fell asleep once at my desk while playing. I've played good third person platformers like Sly Cooper and this was no Sly Cooper. Sly Cooper by contrast had great player input and you had to skillfully time when you jumped. There is no skill to playing Assassin's Creed. It's all so thoughtless and bland.

Okay, but that's not the point . I mean, you can find Assassins's Creed patforming boring, that's your opinion, I respect that. It is part of the game though, like assasinations, escape sequences, sneaking and fighting. I do not praise/critisise its core gameplay, it's irrelevant. What is bad in context of my point, are sequences outside of Animus, where you do none of these things. Like, gameplay (good or bad, no matter) stops and you walk around and talk and hack computers to read emails and do other wtf stuff which doesn't fit the game about being medieval assassin and, more importantly, it doesn't fit game dynamic. These sequences are (ususally) not dynamic, there are no guards to avoid, no targets to assasinate etc. It's like game stopped to tell yo usomething... and then went on and on and on an on about it. There is context for that, but these sequences are so long and provide so little entertainment and I wish they were trimmed in length... a lot.

 

I like the Thief series a lot. The hardest difficulties were so gratifying to play on. That reminds me have you played the Darkmod? It's basically nothing but Thief like missions in a modern engine.

Sigh... There is so many games in my queue and so little time to play them Yeah, Darkmod is on my todo list (hopefully in this lifetime). Btw Thief 1 & 2 got visual upgrade mods quite recently, they look gorgeous and support widescreen.

[Heliocentrical]

@Turbodevil I can see your point now. You want stealth games to handle their levels like how Thief does. I do appreciate how straight forward Thief was with it's levels. Here's a cutscene for the context of your mission which you can skip if you like then here's the shop screen where you buy supplies for said mission and then bam you're at the level. Nothing more, nothing less. Thief provided everything you needed before starting the mission with no waffling. It felt very concise. Whereas most games today feel a need to cram in as much stuff as possible even if it's half-assed for world building sake which I honestly find a bit unnecessary.

 

I've never played Dishonored so I assume there's a fair bit of waffling?

[turbodevil]

Excatly

[Ursa Doom]

I feel that the world building these days are more for the sake of franchise building rather than just because it seems like a cool element to have in there.

[BidetoftheDead]

Are QTE's still a thing? I feel like they died a few years ago, if not, they should. Did anyone actually like them? I mean sure, they might be a bit amusing at times (like in Spider-Man 3) but over all, very annoying.

 

QTEs are still a thing but I feel they can be useful when setting a scene right and can be fun. For instance I kinda feel Saint's Row 3 and 4 did a good job with it's QTE stuff and I enjoy them in TellTale's games because they fit the atmosphere and urgency those games have in certain scenes.

[K4_Kydure]

I've never played Dishonored so I assume there's a fair bit of waffling?

It does not.

[Heliocentrical]

Achievements:

"Hey you did a thing, here's a trophy for doing the thing that gives you these points which do absolutely nothing. Those points speak to the world about how much pointless bullshit you did that you wouldn't have done otherwise if an arbitrary trophy wasn't attached to it. Your existence isn't completely sad and meaningless"

 

Achievements are stupid and deserve to die.

[Psychotic Ninja]

To be more specific: Story based achievements, especially when they take up 90% of the achievement list. "Oh hey, you got further in the story, here's a coupon". What's worse are multiplayer/co-op specific achievements for games that are single player focuse, and odds are the multiplayer is Dead On Arrival, or is at death's door. I'm looking at you Arkham Origins.

[Kirkreng]

While I personally have nothing against most achievements(after all I can just ignore them). Those story achievements are beyond comprehension to me,. Getting to progress in a story based game should be it's own reward, right?

[rairii]

Achievements:

"Hey you did a thing, here's a trophy for doing the thing that gives you these points which do absolutely nothing. Those points speak to the world about how much pointless bullshit you did that you wouldn't have done otherwise if an arbitrary trophy wasn't attached to it. Your existence isn't completely sad and meaningless"

 

Achievements are stupid and deserve to die.

 

some people just like the sense of accomplishment

i'd love it if you weren't such a negative nancy while voicing your concerns about harmless things

[Descriptor]

To be more specific: Story based achievements, especially when they take up 90% of the achievement list. "Oh hey, you got further in the story, here's a coupon". What's worse are multiplayer/co-op specific achievements for games that are single player focuse, and odds are the multiplayer is Dead On Arrival, or is at death's door. I'm looking at you Arkham Origins.

While I agree that story based ones are silly, I kinda like them on Steam at least, since it gives you a rough estimate of how far most people who bought the game got if you look at the global achievements. In fact, I think that might be why the devs use them, in fact.

Plus, to be fair, they can be used well. Just look at the "The Part Where he Kills You" achievement in Portal 2!

 

My least favorite achievements are the "kill x things" style achievements, since they are just grindy. The unique achievements (like the gnome one in HL2 Ep 2) are the best, though.

[Heliocentrical]

some people just like the sense of accomplishment

Or maybe people just like wasting time doing pointless bullshit. Remember that achievement where you had to carry a garden gnome through all of Half Life 2 Episode 2. That was a remarkable achievement that totally wasn't stupid as hell. It fills me with accomplishment.

i'd love it if you weren't such a negative nancy while voicing your concerns about harmless things

Look if my posts are bringing you down then you're more than welcome to block/ignore me. I don't care, being whiny, gripey and snarky is just how I roll and I have no intentions of changing. Making fun of what I believe to be stupid is a great deal of fun for me.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Guest (see edit history)