The Little Things You Appreciate About Video Games

[Heliocentrical]

I find myself appreciating the little things in video games. As a game designer I know when things will be the same but when they're not I pay very close attention to them because they seem as though they were cared for by delicate hands. Whoever the developer was for the given thing had carved their own particular design philosophy into it.

 

* Leveling in The Witcher 3

Witcher 3's Leveling system at first isn't very notable at first but it's the way it was handled that really take it over the top for me. In the Witcher 3 Geralt only levels when something important has occurred and nothing else. So not only is it virtually impossible to grind, thus make it the same as many other leveling systems it also serves to highlight those moments. Every time you handle some situation smartly you feel it because you get more exp from it. Whereas had you handled the situation like a complete moron then you would be rewarded with similar exp and feel like one.

 

* Fallout 2's Combat

Initially I hated Fallout 2's combat. As I kept playing I got used to it but didn't love it either. Then the big moment happened, I had just acquired a new revolver from a person I killed earlier and I wanted to go see what this baby could do. So I went outside and aimed my revolver at some random thug. Now this shot had a 55% chance to hit as I was a fair bit away from the thug. But I took the shot and not only did it hit the shot blew his arm clean off for 74 DAMAGE!!!! My eyes were fixed on what the combat prompt was telling me and I was completely baffled at what had just occurred. I was thinking "There's no way that could be right" but then I realized that's exactly what happened. It was fucking magical, perfect and insane all at the same time. I doubt I will ever see something like that again.

[BidetoftheDead]

Realistic character design. No uncanny valley, no perfect looking character that look like super models but live in a medieval themed universe.

[Psychotic Ninja]

Skippable cutscenes

 

Nothing's worse than watching a ten minute cutscene right before a difficult boss, only to have it kick your ass to Pluto and back, and you have to watch the cutscene again. I'm looking at you FFX.

 

 

Pausing at any time (especially during cutscenes)

 

Just imagine: You just finished a battle gauntlet, then a cutscene plays, suddenly a wild urge appears:

 

dXaVLr8ikZ0

 

Luckily you can pause! So off you go, and good thing too, because you could've missed that vital cutscene that informs you that your dad's the big bad.

[BidetoftheDead]

I'm honestly surprised unskippable cutscenes are still a thing, you'd think that would've phased out.

[rairii]

I love games that let you break sequence, especially Super Metroid and Dark Souls.

The simple fact that you can beat every boss in Super Metroid in reverse order with enough time and effort is amazing to me.

[Alyxx Thorne]

Akimbo guns

Ability to play as a female character

Good soundtrack

[BTGBullseye]

Devs that aren't dicks, but are still actively communicating with the community.

[TheTron852]

Good optimization. This is my Mass Effect 2 is superior to Mass Effect 1 in many ways.

 

Also nice little touches here and there (usually graphical) in a video game that correspond with situation and lore (if it's present)

[Heliocentrical]

Devs that are still actively communicating with the community.

What exactly do you mean by that? As far as I'm aware most games get support and patches from devs.

[Psychotic Ninja]

Just because devs constantly update a game, doesn't mean ghey really care about the community. Just look at Payday 2.

[Heliocentrical]

Just because devs constantly update a game, doesn't mean ghey really care about the community. Just look at Payday 2.

I've never played Payday 2 so that really doesn't help me. Did the devs of Payday 2 screw over their playerbase? Is BTG saying that he appreciates it when developers aren't complete dickheads to their playerbase? I'm really kind of lost as to what he meant.

[Psychotic Ninja]

Oh, they screwed us harder than four (L4D) Tanks butt raping without lube. And yes, it's really nice when devs (well anyone for sure) aren't dickheads.

[Reverend_UshankaCat_]

When DiRT 3 launched, everyone was horrified to see that it had Games for Windows Live DRM. You literally couldn't save the game without it. That was really shitty for those people where GFWL just didn't work (like me). All the devs (Codemasters) said was that they were working on removing it.

So, a few years later, it turns out Codemasters didn't abandon the game, because suddenly they managed to remove GFWL AND to everyone who previously bought the game and had to deal with the awful DRM, they gave the "Complete Edition" of DiRT 3 for free!

[Psychotic Ninja]

When DiRT 3 launched, everyone was horrified to see that it had Games for Windows Live DRM. You literally couldn't save the game without it. That was really shitty for those people where GFWL just didn't work (like me). All the devs (Codemasters) said was that they were working on removing it.

So, a few years later, it turns out Codemasters didn't abandon the game, because suddenly they managed to remove GFWL AND to everyone who previously bought the game and had to deal with the awful DRM, they gave the "Complete Edition" of DiRT 3 for free!

 

Same with Arkham Asylum/City

[rairii]

Just because devs constantly update a game, doesn't mean ghey really care about the community. Just look at Payday 2.

Even though the Payday team has been working tirelessly to make amends with the community as of late?

Oh, they screwed us harder than four (L4D) Tanks butt raping without lube. And yes, it's really nice when devs (well anyone for sure) aren't dickheads.

and the most tasteless, unfunny, cringe-worthy joke of 2016 award goes to...

[Heliocentrical]

Please don't start. The last thing this thread needs is you two at each other's throats again.

[TheTron852]

Everybody, here is an idea! How about we add this "Username" to the foes list, and we'll never hear from him or her again? Sounds like a good idea, in my opinion

[Heliocentrical]

provoking people will only make this situation worse than it needs to be. Also stop going off-topic.

 

OT: Interaction with NPCs in Deus Ex 1

I find fascinating how far Deus Ex 1 takes Interaction with NPCs. I knocked out all the guards before rescuing Gunther. So I gave my 10mm pistol to him as a joke and now he sort of likes me. In fact He told Anna Navarre that I handled the situation rather well. Deus Ex 1 can be interesting sometimes.

[rairii]

Please don't start. The last thing this thread needs is you two at each other's throats again.

Everybody, here is an idea! How about we add this "Username" to the foes list, and we'll never hear from him or her again? Sounds like a good idea, in my opinion

provoking people will only make this situation worse than it needs to be. Also stop going off-topic.

Or you guys could stop looking for excuses to go at my throat

If I wanna criticize someone for making a joke in poor taste I damn well will

Literally all you're doing by responding to drama that you have no involvement in is fueling drama

Speaking of criticism, you're a bit of a hypocrite by provoking a response while simultaneously telling people not to be provocative.

[TheTron852]

provoking people will only make this situation worse than it needs to be. Also stop going off-topic.

That's not what I meant... *sigh* Fine.

 

OT: Defender's Quest: Valley of the Forgotten has an option to select the speed of battle at any time. Something that ALL tower defense games should have implemented (with the exception of those WarCraft III\StarCraft maps)