Plot holes in games? (SPOILERS)

[burninmylight]

mysteryman said:

burninmylight said:

Not going to name any names, but I'd like to educate or remind some posters in this thread what the definition of a plot hole is:

"A plot hole, or plothole is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that creates a paradox in the story that cannot be reconciled with any explanation. These include such things as illogical or impossible events, and statements or events that contradict earlier events in the storyline." -Wikipedia

In other words, it's not a plot hole if the characters in the plot made some questionable choices, make cutscene or plot decisions that don't fit with actual gameplay, or the game world defies some real world natural laws or physics. It's only a plot hole if something that happened that logically should have grounded the events to a halt with no possible explanation as to why that event happened.

So for instance, Samus' refusal to use her full arsenal in Metroid: Other M is not a plot hole, because Malkovitch commanded her not to. But poklane's example from Fallout 3 is a plothole, because logically, it would not be possible within the game's world.

I disagree with Other M. While forbidden use of the power bomb is properly explained (it could kill potential survivors nearby) a plothole emerges for all of the other weapons when you die. Why would Samus take an order from someone who used to be her superior, when it will result in her death? She can't save anone when she's dead, and even worse, many of the monsters threaten the entire universe, not just the potential survivors on board. Holding back isn't really an option.

Even more jarring are the non-offensive suit capabilities like the varia and gravity suit, which couldn't harm anyone around her, but would save samus in extreme evironments (not to mention continually reduce all damage from enemies).

From memory, they also lose communication for a decent part of the game. Samus is a self-sufficient bounty hunter and should be making her own calls even more so in this situation. For all she knows, he's been killed (with a known assassin on the loose). Stop holding out for orders that may never come Samus.

It's simply illogical for Samus to put her life so on the line on the whim of an old superior. Sure, some restrictions made sense, but the majority just didn't.

....That still doesn't make any of those things we've mentioned plot holes, no matter how questionable or dumb they may be.  If someone does something that doesn't make sense to you, that doesn't make it a plot hole.

Scenario 1: We're on the 100th floor of a building. A bomb is about to explode on the second floor in 10 minutes, unless I can defuse it in person. Thankfully, there's a working elevator. I take the elevator down to the second floor, defuse the bomb with minutes to spare, we all go home happy, everything makes sense.

Conclusion: NO PLOTHOLE

Scenario 2: We're on the 100th floor of a building. A bomb is about to explode on the second floor in 10 minutes, unless I can defuse it in person. Thankfully, there's a working elevator. But for whatever inane reason, I'm holding an idiot ball. So instead of taking the elevator, I somehow run down 98 flights of stairs and defuse the bomb with seconds left, out of breath and sucking down wind like a vacuum. We all go home happy, but the viewer is still screaming at me and facepalming because I could have easily taken the quicker elevator like any sane person would. However, it's still possible in this scenario.

Conclusion: NO PLOTHOLE

Scenario 3: We're on the 100th floor of a building. A bomb is about to explode on the second floor in 10 minutes, unless I can defuse it in person. There are no working elevators. The doorway leading to the stairwell is locked. I spend the next 9:45 seconds trying to get down to the second floor, but it took me that much time to break open the stairwell door on Floor 100. We're doomed. The camera zooms in on the bomb's timer, showing tick down all the way to 4...3....2....1..... But wait, I defused it just in the nick of time, with a fraction of a second left. We all go home happy, the day is saved. But wait... How the hell did I get down 98 floors in 15 seconds!? That's impossible!

Conclusion: PLOTHOLE