What I'm Playing: 65th edition
InFamous
(Sucker Punch / PlayStation 3)
When I started playing InFamous I ran into hurdles that kept me from really enjoying the game. One issue that frustrated me is that very basic elements of the game are not explained well, leading to misunderstanding.
There is a HUD on the screen showing bolts of electricity, which relates to the character because he uses electricity as a weapon. This HUD meter turns out not to represent the character's health, or general electrical charge the character has to attack with, but the special electrical attacks he can use. It seems simple enough, and probably was explained, yet somehow I missed this introduction and couldn't figure out the purpose of this important meter for several hours.
It is also strange that such a prominent HUD meter exists yet the character's health is not displayed on this HUD. Instead, there is an overlay effect on the screen indicating how wounded the character is, similar to the Call of Duty games. The common reason for having a hidden health indicator is to minimize the HUD thus making the game more "immersive," yet the electricity and karma meters cover a large part of the screen. It seems to be sensible to either represent all important game information on the HUD, or to make it all dynamically hidden. In particular, I think InFamous could use a visible health indicator is so that the player can understand the extent of damage they are taking and how quickly it recovers. Currently, it is hard to know how long recovery takes and whether absorbing electricity speeds up this process. I still don't know if sucking up electricity actually heals me, and I've played for a while.
In addition to not knowing the character's exact health, the character can be killed fairly quickly. I ran into a some situations early on where I was outnumbered and outgunned, generally leading to a fast death. Even after buying all the damage resistance upgrades I still find that the character can die within a few seconds in certain situations. Finally with other upgraded abilities I have a better chance at fighting back, but the opponents still seem to be unfairly challenging. Constantly are the cases where enemies will snipe you from a distant building top where you can barely fight back. In a game that is basically a shooter, it seems troubling that the enemies can spot you much more easily than you can see them.
Add on top of all of this that the control scheme is not incredibly intuitive and you get a game that is hard to get into early on. What works against the controls is that they have to work for both a platformer and shooter. Their solution is to make most all attacks only accessible when you are holding down the "aim" button, but this can be confusing as buttons have totally different functions in each mode. A good lesson can be learned from Assassin's Creed which maintains similar functionality of the buttons across multiple contexts.
Having said all that, InFamous is still enjoyable because there are solid mechanics that hold the game together. There are a number of things that inhibit enjoyment of the game at the beginning, but hopefully these problems can be remedied in a potential sequel.
4.12.2010
3.30.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 64th edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
I have just completed Uncharted 2 and I must agree that it is one of the better games of the year. In the bonus material one of the developers from Naughty Dog says that it would not have been possible to achieve Uncharted 2 without making the first Uncharted. It may seem obvious that sequels can be much improved from the earlier versions, yet these successive games are often stigmatized for doing the same thing all over again.
This is one of the dilemmas faced when making games; either make something completely new yet likely flawed, or create a copy and try to improvement. Uncharted 2 is a sequel that manages to offer enough new experiences that it is forgiven for being a sequel. However, there are many more games out there that don't quite pass the threshold that makes them a worthwhile followup to their successor.
Ideally, the next game in a franchise is done to hone and explore the ideas created in the previous game, but this is not always the motivating factor. More often, the creation of a sequel is driven by desire for an easy cash-in. Sadly, the sequels can often sell on name and pedigree alone without matching the quality of the previous titles. This issue is not something most developers can address, it is more in the hands of the publishers driving these sequels into existence. Basically, give sequels a fair shake in development so they can reach their potential, otherwise the sequel stigma will be reinforced.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
I have just completed Uncharted 2 and I must agree that it is one of the better games of the year. In the bonus material one of the developers from Naughty Dog says that it would not have been possible to achieve Uncharted 2 without making the first Uncharted. It may seem obvious that sequels can be much improved from the earlier versions, yet these successive games are often stigmatized for doing the same thing all over again.
This is one of the dilemmas faced when making games; either make something completely new yet likely flawed, or create a copy and try to improvement. Uncharted 2 is a sequel that manages to offer enough new experiences that it is forgiven for being a sequel. However, there are many more games out there that don't quite pass the threshold that makes them a worthwhile followup to their successor.
Ideally, the next game in a franchise is done to hone and explore the ideas created in the previous game, but this is not always the motivating factor. More often, the creation of a sequel is driven by desire for an easy cash-in. Sadly, the sequels can often sell on name and pedigree alone without matching the quality of the previous titles. This issue is not something most developers can address, it is more in the hands of the publishers driving these sequels into existence. Basically, give sequels a fair shake in development so they can reach their potential, otherwise the sequel stigma will be reinforced.
3.25.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 63rd edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
It is problematic when certain parts of a game cause the player to fail many more times than in any other portion of that game. The player begins to understand the difficulty of a game as they play it, and they stumble when there is a sudden change. Skewing too far from the typical challenge can be a negative experience, but this is compounded when failure repeatedly occurs. Even if the player is immune to the frustration of having to redo their past actions, the game is still diminished because the entirety of the experience is being disintegrated.
Levels are often created as a continuous experience but failing causes a back step in that timeline. The player may be able to jump back in as though their demise did not occur, but with repeated losses the experience is shattered into disconnected parts. The problem is not only losing too often, but not being able to play through a level as a single event. Specifically, in Uncharted 2 the "tank" level would have been exhilerating if I could have played it through as a whole, but the result was broken apart due to failure and thus less engaging. While the characters failure is really my own, I should not feel bad for being put in an situation I could not handle.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
It is problematic when certain parts of a game cause the player to fail many more times than in any other portion of that game. The player begins to understand the difficulty of a game as they play it, and they stumble when there is a sudden change. Skewing too far from the typical challenge can be a negative experience, but this is compounded when failure repeatedly occurs. Even if the player is immune to the frustration of having to redo their past actions, the game is still diminished because the entirety of the experience is being disintegrated.
Levels are often created as a continuous experience but failing causes a back step in that timeline. The player may be able to jump back in as though their demise did not occur, but with repeated losses the experience is shattered into disconnected parts. The problem is not only losing too often, but not being able to play through a level as a single event. Specifically, in Uncharted 2 the "tank" level would have been exhilerating if I could have played it through as a whole, but the result was broken apart due to failure and thus less engaging. While the characters failure is really my own, I should not feel bad for being put in an situation I could not handle.
3.22.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 62nd edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
I had a feeling like something was off when playing a recent level of Uncharted 2. The level is fun and looks really nice, so the issue isn't with the quality of the scene, so what is it? When thinking back upon it I realized that I encountered the uncanny valley, but for level design.
Those working in the game or computer effects industries are probably familiar with the concept of the uncanny valley. Our brains can recognize stylized characters and they still look fine to us. However, if the character is not entirely photorealistic then the slight differences stand out. Applying this concept to level design, it is acceptable to have obviously designed levels in an intentionally fake game world. Think of the floating blocks in Mario games, they don't make sense but we suspend our disbelief because we know it's not meant to be realistic.
Uncharted 2 is a very realistic games in terms of its visuals, but also in the setting. That is why it feels strange when there is a natural environment with fairly obvious platforms and climbing ledges. It is also harder to rationalize puzzle sections that require treacherous traversal. This kind of level design fits in a cartoony world, or even the less serious Tomb Raider series, but in Uncharted it feels slightly out-of-place. While such levels may not always fit thematically, the gameplay is still enjoyable and that is what really matters.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
I had a feeling like something was off when playing a recent level of Uncharted 2. The level is fun and looks really nice, so the issue isn't with the quality of the scene, so what is it? When thinking back upon it I realized that I encountered the uncanny valley, but for level design.
Those working in the game or computer effects industries are probably familiar with the concept of the uncanny valley. Our brains can recognize stylized characters and they still look fine to us. However, if the character is not entirely photorealistic then the slight differences stand out. Applying this concept to level design, it is acceptable to have obviously designed levels in an intentionally fake game world. Think of the floating blocks in Mario games, they don't make sense but we suspend our disbelief because we know it's not meant to be realistic.
Uncharted 2 is a very realistic games in terms of its visuals, but also in the setting. That is why it feels strange when there is a natural environment with fairly obvious platforms and climbing ledges. It is also harder to rationalize puzzle sections that require treacherous traversal. This kind of level design fits in a cartoony world, or even the less serious Tomb Raider series, but in Uncharted it feels slightly out-of-place. While such levels may not always fit thematically, the gameplay is still enjoyable and that is what really matters.
3.17.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 61st edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
Having recently finished the train level in Uncharted 2, if you played it you know which one I am talking about, I wonder if it is a good thing to have a level that may overshadow all other levels. Now, I haven't completed the game yet so I can't speak with finality, but it also seems strange to have a level that may not be surpassed the rest of the game. It makes more sense to put such a high intensity level at the end, yet it is not strategic to hold off everything good until the last moment.
So, what lesson can be learned? It shouldn't matter if the most memorable part of a game is mid-way through, just make sure there are memorable moments; people will remember them no matter what time they take place. Just be sure to have something significant for the end. The climax doesn't have to be about the biggest explosions or the craziest situation, but it should pack a punch in art, design, or story.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
Having recently finished the train level in Uncharted 2, if you played it you know which one I am talking about, I wonder if it is a good thing to have a level that may overshadow all other levels. Now, I haven't completed the game yet so I can't speak with finality, but it also seems strange to have a level that may not be surpassed the rest of the game. It makes more sense to put such a high intensity level at the end, yet it is not strategic to hold off everything good until the last moment.
So, what lesson can be learned? It shouldn't matter if the most memorable part of a game is mid-way through, just make sure there are memorable moments; people will remember them no matter what time they take place. Just be sure to have something significant for the end. The climax doesn't have to be about the biggest explosions or the craziest situation, but it should pack a punch in art, design, or story.
3.15.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 60th edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
In Uncharted 2 there is a journal in which the main character, Drake, writes in to catalog important pieces of information. This is not the standard mission reminder screen that often appears in other games, this version shows you images and text of what Drake considers useful and worth remembering. This journal is not even necessary to reference until mid-way through the game. I believe that is the interesting point, that for the most part this journal in not needed, yet care went into crafting this hidden part of the game.
The fact that the developers were able to spend time on a part of the game that is mostly unnecessary, yet beneficial for story means, shows that they had their project mostly under control. Small features with little importance are often cut to lessen the burden of meeting the next milestone, but when planned properly even these minor features can be completed.
It is tragic to think of all the mechanics, all the art and code that has been scrapped just because the developers out there did not have enough time. Too often, what is necessary in game development is simply shipping the product and not giving all the pieces of a game their due time. Cuts can and should be made for weak content, but throwing away parts of a game that improve the experience is not a situation developers should have to face.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
In Uncharted 2 there is a journal in which the main character, Drake, writes in to catalog important pieces of information. This is not the standard mission reminder screen that often appears in other games, this version shows you images and text of what Drake considers useful and worth remembering. This journal is not even necessary to reference until mid-way through the game. I believe that is the interesting point, that for the most part this journal in not needed, yet care went into crafting this hidden part of the game.
The fact that the developers were able to spend time on a part of the game that is mostly unnecessary, yet beneficial for story means, shows that they had their project mostly under control. Small features with little importance are often cut to lessen the burden of meeting the next milestone, but when planned properly even these minor features can be completed.
It is tragic to think of all the mechanics, all the art and code that has been scrapped just because the developers out there did not have enough time. Too often, what is necessary in game development is simply shipping the product and not giving all the pieces of a game their due time. Cuts can and should be made for weak content, but throwing away parts of a game that improve the experience is not a situation developers should have to face.
3.14.2010
Wh.I.P (Uncharted 2)
What I'm Playing: 59th edition
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
One relationship to consider, not just concerning Uncharted 2 but with all games, is the effect of the story on gameplay. I do not mean the how the story changes how we view the entire product, but specifically how the story may change the perception of the playable portions of the game. Simply put, if all the cutscenes in a game are removed, does the player have less fun during gameplay?
Relating to Uncharted 2, without the cinematics would the gunplay and navigation be diminished? It may seem that without a solid sense of purpose delivered by a cutscene, the gameplay would lack a strongly enforced goal. Without a sense of purpose the player may then be less motivated to carry out certain actions, yet those actions could be deemed essential if the story is provided.
However, the rampant success of multiplayer focused games shows that story-only content can be removed without decreasing the players enjoyment. Most multiplayer games do not provide any sort of story for a given match, there is just an arbitrary objective that each side is trying to reach. While there is still a story that exists for the game, such as where it takes place and who is involved, these elements can be shown without the need for cinematics. So it seem at least it is possible to strip story portions from a game without an impact on the actual gameplay.
My intent is not to conclude that cutscenes should be removed from games. I do belive that story is important and can contribute positively to a game as a whole, but I think it is also useful to remind ourselves that fun gameplay can exist without separate narrative sections. The real point is that a game should be enjoyable without cinematics, and that the entire experience is then improved with them.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
(Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3)
One relationship to consider, not just concerning Uncharted 2 but with all games, is the effect of the story on gameplay. I do not mean the how the story changes how we view the entire product, but specifically how the story may change the perception of the playable portions of the game. Simply put, if all the cutscenes in a game are removed, does the player have less fun during gameplay?
Relating to Uncharted 2, without the cinematics would the gunplay and navigation be diminished? It may seem that without a solid sense of purpose delivered by a cutscene, the gameplay would lack a strongly enforced goal. Without a sense of purpose the player may then be less motivated to carry out certain actions, yet those actions could be deemed essential if the story is provided.
However, the rampant success of multiplayer focused games shows that story-only content can be removed without decreasing the players enjoyment. Most multiplayer games do not provide any sort of story for a given match, there is just an arbitrary objective that each side is trying to reach. While there is still a story that exists for the game, such as where it takes place and who is involved, these elements can be shown without the need for cinematics. So it seem at least it is possible to strip story portions from a game without an impact on the actual gameplay.
My intent is not to conclude that cutscenes should be removed from games. I do belive that story is important and can contribute positively to a game as a whole, but I think it is also useful to remind ourselves that fun gameplay can exist without separate narrative sections. The real point is that a game should be enjoyable without cinematics, and that the entire experience is then improved with them.
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