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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Games don't need stories.

richardhutnik on 21 December 2009
disolitude said:
I agree with you 100%. Best games are the ones that are pure gameplay goodness.

Most videogame stories are horrible and just a waste of time.

Your average videogame story may entertain a 13 year old, 17 year old...hell even 21 year olds... But there comes a point in a persons life where there is not a lot of time available for entertainent due to kids, family, work, obligations... when that happens, the game that becomes fun to play within 30 seconds of pushing the start button is the better game.

I am at that point in my life and to me this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPEbHQZm68

is better than this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4g2LHSGEs

The second game is great as well but it wastes way too much time on story which is too dumb to appear on a Wrestling show.

Wow, I am impressed with "The Impossible Game".  I am a bit intimidated though by it.



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Riachu on 21 December 2009
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
I've come up with a great solution. Every cutscene in every game should have a skip button. There. Problem solved.

What I find ridiculous is the people who don't enjoy cutscenes, have the option of skipping through them, but endure them just so they can spew their hate over the internet.

I like good cut scenes, and back story and all that.  What does get criticism is when you have a game like MGS4, where you have a cut scene that must run something like approach 1/2 hour.  My take is if you are using a game to tell a story, the storytelling needs to be interactive for the most part.

I wasn't talking about you specifically.

But aren't all MGS4 cutscenes skippable? If you skip all of them, not only would you have only gameplay but you would create extra challenge because you wouldn't know what to do next.

Yes, that is the problem with having cut scenes that are too long.  You skip by them, and then wonder what the heck you have to do.  I believe superior storytelling in a game uses a shorter cut scenes and also reveals plot while playing the game.

For the most part I do agree with this.  Uncharted 2 being a prime example.



 

http://www.youtube.com/user/InvaderZimGuy1?feature=mhum

Zer0John on 21 December 2009

I generally prefer games with a good story, but for a fps like MW2 it doesn't have to be. But in general i'm more fascinated from games with a good story like MGS and FF.



Favourite Games:

PS: Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy VII. PS2: Resident Evil 4, Shadow Hearts Covenant, Final Fantasy X, Silent Hill 4, Soul Calibur III. PS3: Metal Gear Solid 4, Heavy Rain, Valkyria Chronicles, Uncharted 2, Mototstorm PR, God of War III, Modern Warfare 2. Xbox: Suteki, Fatal Frame II DC, Jade Empire. 360: Dead Rising, Lost Odyssey, Dead or Alive 4.

Johann on 21 December 2009
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
I've come up with a great solution. Every cutscene in every game should have a skip button. There. Problem solved.

What I find ridiculous is the people who don't enjoy cutscenes, have the option of skipping through them, but endure them just so they can spew their hate over the internet.

I like good cut scenes, and back story and all that.  What does get criticism is when you have a game like MGS4, where you have a cut scene that must run something like approach 1/2 hour.  My take is if you are using a game to tell a story, the storytelling needs to be interactive for the most part.

I wasn't talking about you specifically.

But aren't all MGS4 cutscenes skippable? If you skip all of them, not only would you have only gameplay but you would create extra challenge because you wouldn't know what to do next.

Yes, that is the problem with having cut scenes that are too long.  You skip by them, and then wonder what the heck you have to do.  I believe superior storytelling in a game uses a shorter cut scenes and also reveals plot while playing the game.

I see your point.

Whenever I had doubts on what was I supposed to do next in MGS games I'd call someone and they would usually tell me.

I also believe that it is a bad design choice to not have the information on where you're supposed to go next outside of the cutscene. What if you stopped playing the game for a long time and when you return, you have no idea where you were?

 



Quem disse que a boca é tua?

Qual é, Dadinho...?

Dadinho é o caralho! Meu nome agora é Zé Pequeno!

loves2splooge on 21 December 2009

Single-player video games do not need a story to be fun. In fact I especially hate it when story is used to compensate poor gameplay. I like a lot of story-oriented games (ie. visual novels) but I also like a lot of games with little to no story at all.

 

This blogger's blog post goes waaaay out of line insulting jrpgs (http://www.haterade-gaming.com/editorials/44-game-design/53-why-jrpgs-suck-dick) but he makes some great points: video game stories just aren't that good (and this can be readily apparent if gamers actually read more... and watched more movies, tv and anime for that matter) and story shouldn't be a crutch to salvage poor game design.

To me, I think of video game stories mainly as guilty pleasures. I consider Phoenix Wright, Hotel Dusk and Tsukihime as guilty pleasures. They ARE low-brow, they are not high art, but they are fun. Just like a low-brow tv show, movie or anime. Video game designers that try to pass off their stories as high art literature are pretentious.



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libellule on 21 December 2009
Riachu said:
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
I've come up with a great solution. Every cutscene in every game should have a skip button. There. Problem solved.

What I find ridiculous is the people who don't enjoy cutscenes, have the option of skipping through them, but endure them just so they can spew their hate over the internet.

I like good cut scenes, and back story and all that.  What does get criticism is when you have a game like MGS4, where you have a cut scene that must run something like approach 1/2 hour.  My take is if you are using a game to tell a story, the storytelling needs to be interactive for the most part.

I wasn't talking about you specifically.

But aren't all MGS4 cutscenes skippable? If you skip all of them, not only would you have only gameplay but you would create extra challenge because you wouldn't know what to do next.

Yes, that is the problem with having cut scenes that are too long.  You skip by them, and then wonder what the heck you have to do.  I believe superior storytelling in a game uses a shorter cut scenes and also reveals plot while playing the game.

For the most part I do agree with this.  Uncharted 2 being a prime example.

so true

MGS4 spoiler

the fact that you understand WHO is laughing octopus AFTER killing her and not before

it is even more crap that is not by intereacting with her that you get it (like Psycho Mantis) but because Drebin explain it to you ...)



Time to Work !

disolitude on 21 December 2009
richardhutnik said:
disolitude said:
I agree with you 100%. Best games are the ones that are pure gameplay goodness.

Most videogame stories are horrible and just a waste of time.

Your average videogame story may entertain a 13 year old, 17 year old...hell even 21 year olds... But there comes a point in a persons life where there is not a lot of time available for entertainent due to kids, family, work, obligations... when that happens, the game that becomes fun to play within 30 seconds of pushing the start button is the better game.

I am at that point in my life and to me this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPEbHQZm68

is better than this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4g2LHSGEs

The second game is great as well but it wastes way too much time on story which is too dumb to appear on a Wrestling show.

Wow, I am impressed with "The Impossible Game".  I am a bit intimidated though by it.


I couldn't beat it...Died over 200 times.



Pipedream24 on 21 December 2009
Johann said:
Pipedream24 said:
Johann said:
richardhutnik said:
Johann said:
I've come up with a great solution. Every cutscene in every game should have a skip button. There. Problem solved.

What I find ridiculous is the people who don't enjoy cutscenes, have the option of skipping through them, but endure them just so they can spew their hate over the internet.

I like good cut scenes, and back story and all that.  What does get criticism is when you have a game like MGS4, where you have a cut scene that must run something like approach 1/2 hour.  My take is if you are using a game to tell a story, the storytelling needs to be interactive for the most part.

I wasn't talking about you specifically.

But aren't all MGS4 cutscenes skippable? If you skip all of them, not only would you have only gameplay but you would create extra challenge because you wouldn't know what to do next.

Why not find a way to make most of the cutscenes playable?  Wouldn't you have rather played that sequence with Raiden and Vamp rather than sitting back and watching?

Yes that would be ideal (for me) in that scene specifically, but not in every scene ever.

And seriously, how hard it is to push one button? Most of the time they even show you wich button on the corner of the screen. Sometimes if you press any button at all, it skips. If you had to go through a menu or figure out a password in order to do it, I'd totally see your point. But it's just one button. It takes like a second. Try it sometime.

I guess this was already answered, in many games if you skip the cutscene, you have no idea what the hell is going on or what your supposed to do next.  There's nothing wrong with cut scene cinematics in proper amounts, they seem like a reward for accomplishing a major task. 

I do enjoy a good story.  I haven't said anything to the contrary.

But when your bombarded with scene after scene of not stop action I can't help but wonder...Why am I not playing this awesome scene?



richardhutnik on 21 December 2009
disolitude said:
richardhutnik said:
disolitude said:
I agree with you 100%. Best games are the ones that are pure gameplay goodness.

Most videogame stories are horrible and just a waste of time.

Your average videogame story may entertain a 13 year old, 17 year old...hell even 21 year olds... But there comes a point in a persons life where there is not a lot of time available for entertainent due to kids, family, work, obligations... when that happens, the game that becomes fun to play within 30 seconds of pushing the start button is the better game.

I am at that point in my life and to me this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPEbHQZm68

is better than this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4g2LHSGEs

The second game is great as well but it wastes way too much time on story which is too dumb to appear on a Wrestling show.

Wow, I am impressed with "The Impossible Game".  I am a bit intimidated though by it.


I couldn't beat it...Died over 200 times.

Is it even beatable?  I have the impression it probably goes on forever, procedurally generating the level as you go on.  Maybe that is what makes it impossible.



disolitude on 21 December 2009
richardhutnik said:
disolitude said:
richardhutnik said:
disolitude said:
I agree with you 100%. Best games are the ones that are pure gameplay goodness.

Most videogame stories are horrible and just a waste of time.

Your average videogame story may entertain a 13 year old, 17 year old...hell even 21 year olds... But there comes a point in a persons life where there is not a lot of time available for entertainent due to kids, family, work, obligations... when that happens, the game that becomes fun to play within 30 seconds of pushing the start button is the better game.

I am at that point in my life and to me this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPEbHQZm68

is better than this game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4g2LHSGEs

The second game is great as well but it wastes way too much time on story which is too dumb to appear on a Wrestling show.

Wow, I am impressed with "The Impossible Game".  I am a bit intimidated though by it.


I couldn't beat it...Died over 200 times.

Is it even beatable?  I have the impression it probably goes on forever, procedurally generating the level as you go on.  Maybe that is what makes it impossible.

There is the "practise mode" which changes that awesome music and lets you set flags...which allow you to continue from that point. however the game doesnt let you finish it like that. It just says stops and says "play the real game now". Best 1 dollar you will ever spend on a game...game is at least 1 hour of fun guaranteed before you snap and break your controller.