By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming Discussion - In game mechanics for collectibles. W or L? (Poll)

 

From the examples below in thread...

This is good mechanics 5 71.43%
 
This is bad mechanics 0 0%
 
I'm indifferent on the matter 2 28.57%
 
Total:7

Examples:

Nioh 2 has a Kodama sensor that'll ping these on the mini map

Stellar Blade has a very subtle haptic sensation when near essentials and a sensor for can collection 

Alan Wake 2 has a charm you can equip that marks every item and collectible on map when close

Astro Bot has the little birds you can purchase on replaying a level that will alert when close to bots and puzzles 

... There are other examples but those are off the top of the noggin. Some people do NOT like this for some odd reason, preferring to explore and work for them with pain or use a guide. I personally love it. I'll only go for a guide anyway if I'm going for the platinum so this allows me to stay with the game in the world and do it my way. Also having a list in game to track collections is a must for me, regardless of wheter these mechanics are implemented. I hope devs expand on these ideas without making it trivial. 

This is not to be confused with characters calling stuff out, that's a terrible feature.

Last edited by LegitHyperbole - on 13 January 2025

Around the Network

I'm fine with the examples mentioned.

Other stuff such as fast travel, the ability to change difficulty modes during a playthrough and a map that tells you or points you to the direction in a side quest or main story objective are all great in game mechanics.



I think the Astro Bot method is great. For those who are stuck or want to hit 100% more quickly, they can fork over some coins to get a leg up. And those who want to earn the secrets the hard way can do that as well.

I never used the hint system, because I get more joy from deciphering/discovering things myself, but I commend the game for providing options.



Only time I’ve utilized this type of mechanic was in Breath of the Wild. I wasn’t about to search for all 900 korok seeds solo! lol thankfully I found out I only needed half that to max out my weapon slots.



You called down the thunder, now reap the whirlwind

They're good as long as they don't detect the highest level and rarest items (that are useful). I often find myself having no time or energy to explore "everything" on my own (it's one of the reasons I dropped Tears of the Kingdom. Rewards are typically just not worth it to me) but I would like a middle ground where your manual exploration can be rewarded.

Doing a lot of work only to get a tiny fragment, or an abundant item, or a consumable is a waste of time and makes me angry.

Honestly, collectibles in general are a giant waste of time and I end up having a billion items that I will never use anyway. But I still more often than not explore every nook and cranny because OCD. I'm also a hoarder, thankfully not in real life. My main drive for exploration is probably that I think I'll eventually find things that are actually worth it (99% is not. "You found a consumable that makes this easy game even easier! Rejoice!!" It's like you're working hard to make the game worse, not better, but you still do it anyway in the hope that something good might happen lol.

I guess if the game has a beautiful world and good design, the reward is the journey and imagination as opposed to whatever you're receiving or discovering in the end.



Around the Network
Veknoid_Outcast said:

I think the Astro Bot method is great. For those who are stuck or want to hit 100% more quickly, they can fork over some coins to get a leg up. And those who want to earn the secrets the hard way can do that as well.

I never used the hint system, because I get more joy from deciphering/discovering things myself, but I commend the game for providing options.

Exactly. It makes the game so much more appetising. I was gonna pass on the platinum for this until I realised that you could pay, I just couldn't get behind doing a guide when I'm missing bots more than every other level. Although I do know you need gold for the Gavha so I might use a guide for the levels with the secret missions. Game isn't a 10 but following the platinum for 100% will definitely raise its score for me, these hidden missions are cool. 



BasilZero said:

I'm fine with the examples mentioned.

Other stuff such as fast travel, the ability to change difficulty modes during a playthrough and a map that tells you or points you to the direction in a side quest or main story objective are all great in game mechanics.

I'm iffy on the map. I don't like mini maps cause you start watching the mini map for traversal when you're playing, even in games like COD, it becomes all about that 2d square in the corner. Ghost of Tsuhima like guides, wind or magic vapor or whatever is always better in my book with the option to turn it off, along with individual guides like the foxes and birds and more of a focus on in game stuff like sign posts and NPC's giving directions. FF7 Rebirth, Elden Ring and a few others took this system (partially) and I hope more implement it, have a map aswell but don't make me open it every 15 seconds, Alan Wake 2 was awful for this cuase the levels are so samey or confusing. Tapping the touch pad and having the wind point you is genius. In something like SpiderMan which becomes so full of clutter IDK why they can't have that but his spider sense show stuff around the general vicinity or a visor for their suits. 



There's no downside, especially if they're optional. They're a W.



Lifetime Sales Predictions 

Switch: 161 million (was 73 million, then 96 million, then 113 million, then 125 million, then 144 million, then 151 million, then 156 million)

PS5: 115 million (was 105 million) Xbox Series S/X: 40 million (was 60 million, then 67 million, then 57 million. then 48 million)

PS4: 120 mil (was 100 then 130 million, then 122 million) Xbox One: 51 mil (was 50 then 55 mil)

3DS: 75.5 mil (was 73, then 77 million)

"Let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind." - Guru Laghima

Wman1996 said:

There's no downside, especially if they're optional. They're a W.

I've seen people say it ruins exploration and reward but same as you though, I don't see it. It's really thoughtful of the devs and especially when you have to do an in game task to unlock it as a feature. 



I like game to tell how many of each sort of collectible is in each level/area - preferably in pretty small areas. And it's OK to have some kind of warmer/colder signal to tell you're close to one.
But rather not quite put them on map or have straight up pointed out - unless there's some catch that they are difficult to reach.