Crystal Dynamics: Tomb Raider Won't Just Be Quick Time Events

[vansau]

Crystal Dynamics: Tomb Raider Won't Just Be Quick Time Events

The heavy reliance on quick time events in Tomb Raider's E3 demo isn't a good example of the game's gameplay and "emotional impact."

Crystal Dynamic's upcoming Tomb Raider has a lot of Lara Croft fans excited about her upcoming adventure. The game was on display at E3 and came away with mixed previews: On one hand, the story and general atmosphere generated a lot of praise, but many journalists expressed concern at how gameplay seemed to mainly consist of quick time events. However, the studio is promising that such events are not its "primary tool" when it comes to gameplay.

Even The Escapist's own Susan Arendt was pretty impressed with what she saw last month, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110737-E3-Tomb-Raider>but wrote in her preview, "We didn't get to see much combat beyond button-slamming quick time events, though Lara was armed with a bow for this portion of the game."

Meanwhile, Crystal Dynamics creative director Noah Hughes recognized concerns about the gameplay content and did some damage control in a recent interview with Gamespot:

"Quick-time sequences is something we will leverage in the game.

"One of the things which is absolutely important to us is to deliver an intense and cinematic experience. At very specific times, we feel we can do that best - while still delivering challenging gameplay - in a quick-time type event.

"Having said that, it really isn't the primary tool we use to deliver drama in the game."

Hughes also promised that "emotional impact" will be a key component of the game. As a result, the quick time events in the E3 demo are only a "small sweep" of the game's overall experience.

Source: <a href=http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/tomb-raider-2012/video/6326235/tomb-raider-interview-with-noah-hughes>Gamespot via <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-03-tomb-raider-developer-downplays-qtes>Eurogamer

Permalink

 

[Belgariontheking1]

I wasn't thinking oh god another QTEtastic game. I was more worried them turning Laura Croft into the Samus from Other M.

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

I don't care about the quick time events as much as they really need to stop butchering one of my favorite series, thanks. It's gone from, you know, raiding tombs, to just dealing with evil people and crazed henchmen...

 

[Zhukov]

Eh, fair enough... I guess.

Personally, I wish QTEs would just collectively bloody die. If the developers want to show me something then ideally they should work it into gameplay. If that can't be done then just use a plain ol' cutscene or scripted event.

QTEs are just an irritating middle ground that present the worst of both worlds. I'm not really playing because I'm just making predetermined inputs in response to prompts without any control or freedom. And I can't sit back and enjoy watching the on-screen action because I'm too busy looking out for the next bloody prompt.

 

[Voulan]

I don't care about the quick time events as much as they really need to stop butchering one of my favorite series, thanks. It's gone from, you know, raiding tombs, to just dealing with evil people and crazed henchmen...

They've stated several times now that the game will involve tombs. Lara's escape is vital to understanding the archaeological phenomena on the island. Her necklace, for example, has a symbolic connection to the Japanese sun god and magatama beads (Ying/Yang) - and as is pointed out over at the Tomb Raider Forums that I frequent, she does not have this necklace in the E3 demo. Therefore, she finds it on the island, presumably in a tomb she stumbles across.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Let me guess you got game journalists line up to sign a wall that proves your game is good?

That you have QTE's at all is bullshit, the franchise is hanging by a thread and you decide to smear it with pigshit.

 

[Kahunaburger]

If QTE are a "small part" of their game, then maybe they should have picked a different part of their game to demo.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Still early days, and it needs to be pointed out that Quick Time Events are not in and of themselves awful. Tomb Raider Anniversary actually made pretty interesting (if bland) use of them, and games like Resident Evil 4 managed to inorporate them well.

I guess what irritates me is that self-important gaming douchebags have reached the point where they criticise before they know anything, which worries me. It's like the film critics who automatically rail against whatever the big superhero blockbuster is because 'it's superheroes, it can't be good.' Those sorts of people get attacked mericilessly on these very forums, but suddenly when it comes to our preferred medium, we're all experts? 'It's got QTEs, it can't be good.' Yes it can, you haven't seen the finished product, so you can't know.

They chose a bad part of their game to demonstrate, no doubt about that, because as above, gamers will leap all over something with QTEs even if it turned out to be the greatest game ever, simply because of their inclusion. But that's bad marketing, not bad game design or gameplay, and people really need to learn the difference.

But then again, no one's going to read this post seriously because I think Tomb Raider Anniversary was all right and I just suggested nice and reasonably that Quick Time Events weren't all bad, so clearly in the eyes of our little internet village I'm due to be shipped off to Bedlam.

 

[Voulan]

*snip*

To prove that I did read and care for your post.

No doubt the premature hatred towards the game is because of the average response the past games have received (though I did enjoy TR:A too), and because of the somewhat dramatic change to the series. Suddenly, everyone's an expert on Tomb Raider because they played the Core ones years back, and assume that nothing's changed - the game will somehow still be as mediocre as the last.

If the massively positive responses by several different game reviews is anything to go by (and the fact that the game is still in very early development), we don't have much to worry about here. Besides, the QTEs reminded me of Heavy Rain, which I enjoyed immensely.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

*snip*

snip.

Haha, cheers.

I guess I'm just a little sore because I am a massive Tomb Raider fan (my first post ever on this site was supporting her as my favourite gaming heroine!) and so whenever people attack the franchise I get defensive. I've liked every game (except Angel of Darkness, but even that I tried to like) and I have nothing but hope for the reboot.

Also, people who compare them to the Core games really get me irritated as well. I play the old games pretty regularly, not because they are perfect classics but to remind myself how much better we have it today (and because I have nostalgia goggles on, but shut up)

Never played Heavy Rain, but did enjoy Fahrenheit, so I assume it's just more of the same, and thus will enjoy.

 

[Soxafloppin]

As long as its better than Underworld, Its all gravy.

Just make a new Legacy of Kain instead..

 

[ResonanceSD]

It's like a car company going "hey guys! our new car won't be ENTIRELY made of cheese!

 

[ImprovizoR]

They better release a demo that doesn't really on QTE's if they want my money. What I've seen so far is an extremely hot chick moaning on her every step, like there's a foot long cock stuck up her ass. Now that would be enough for me to buy it if I was 13. But since I'm older, I want quality for my money.
You know the weird thing, this new Lara is actually my type. The hair color, the eye shape and the lips, the body type. It's like someone tapped into my mind to create a perfect my type of woman. Well it's not gonna work. Like I said, the game has to be good, not the girl.

 

[DarthCaine]

Does anyone actually LIKE QTEs? Why do devs so insist on putting them in?

 

[ImprovizoR]

Does anyone actually LIKE QTEs? Why do devs so insist on putting them in?

No one likes them. Not a single soul in the world. That's been established over and over again. I don't understand what kind of explanation are the devs giving us here. From what they've said, I can conclude that they clearly understand that no one likes QTE's. I don't understand why are they implementing them if they know that? How retarded do you have to be to do something like that?

 

[mjc0961]

There is nothing challenging about a cutscene QTE, though. They're just boring and cheap because they come in out of nowhere yelling "SURPRISE!" when you'd set your controller down to watch.

 

[leady129]

Does anyone actually LIKE QTEs? Why do devs so insist on putting them in?

No one likes them. Not a single soul in the world. That's been established over and over again. I don't understand what kind of explanation are the devs giving us here. From what they've said, I can conclude that they clearly understand that no one likes QTE's. I don't understand why are they implementing them if they know that? How retarded do you have to be to do something like that?

I beg to differ, but there are plenty of games which make quite good use of QTE's. Some may retort here saying that all quicktime hate comes from Yahtzee. I'm not going to accuse you of that, to each their own, although if I could quickly nick one of his opinions which I do agree on; "If QTE's are present, they should be a core and logical part of the gameplay and not randomly thrown in for the sake of a cheap death."

The times when they really are not welcome is if a dev decides to suddenly throw a random QTE into a game where it doesn't belong. Ala, Uncharted. Only 2 in the whole game, there's no real way you can be ready for that. God of War, or Heavy Rain on the other hand, you know they're coming and in many cases they can add to the effect of a certain scene.

Still, as I said above; to each their own. I don't mind them, you may hate them with a passion. Either way, I'm gonna keep my eye on this game. Looks like it'll shape up to be a pretty good package.

 

[tk1989]

It's like a car company going "hey guys! our new car won't be ENTIRELY made of cheese!

not really. QTE's are a regular occurrence in games. On the other hand, cheese is not regularly used in the production of cars

 

[ImprovizoR]

God of War, or Heavy Rain on the other hand, you know they're coming and in many cases they can add to the effect of a certain scene.

Yahtzee hates everything. If all the hate came from him, we'd all hate every aspect of 99% of games today.

You are right about God of War. I never played Heavy Rain so I don't know about that. But in GoW I never thought of QTE's as QTE's, because it felt natural when they happen. It wasn't just button mashing, because every time I pressed something Kratos would respond accordingly, and it just flows so well. And some of the moves he does with QTE's are fun to watch. But games like Spider-man, Resident Evil 4 and 5, Force Unleashed etc. all made use of idiotic QTE's. They just didn't belong there.

 

[Sonicron]

Still early days, and it needs to be pointed out that Quick Time Events are not in and of themselves awful.

How very true. It's worth remembering that (as Yahtzee said) QTEs cab work quite well if they're a core part of gameplay, and if they're well-implemented they can serve to enrich the gaming experience. For example, anyone who's played "Ninja Blade" will probably agree with me that, while horrendously silly and over-the-top, it was actually a decent game, relying on both a regular combat system and QTEs; the game actually had a built-in rating system that would judge the player on (among other things) QTE performance, which also neatly illustrates an instance of a game where partial failure during QTE sequences would not result in instant death.
I say jumping the gun and judging the game before it's even out is unwise - let's at least wait until we've played the damn thing. After all, it really doesn't look half bad, right?

That said, I'd appreciate it if Crystal Dynamics would put the Tomb Raider franchise on ice a bit after this game and start developing another much-wanted instalment to Legacy of Kain.