Coursework Survey on Shooters.

[Arkia]

1. 3, while they're enjoyable at times they're also all pretty average

2. Favourite singleplayer: Deus Ex
Favourite Multiplayer: Timesplitters: Future Perfect

3. PC, nothing can beat the mouse when it comes to speed and precision.

4. 1st, but 3rd is fine too

5. No, smartphones don't really have a way to properly control shooters

6. No

7. No, I'm pretty sure we have enough 12 year olds mic spamming on the various multiplayer networks

8. Yes

9. Depends

10. It really depends on the game. While destructible environments are great in shooters like Battlefield it wouldn't make much sense to be blowing holes in walls in something with a little more of a stealth element like the recent 007 games.

11. Yes, some of them though, not all of them

13. 4

 

[Aur0ra145]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

3

2. What's your favourite shooter?

Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear

3. What platform is better for shooters?

PC

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

1st

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

No

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women?

No

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?

No

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

Yes

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Depends on what the game is trying to accomplish.

10. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

Some games aren't meant to have "Destructible environments" For instance, COD games are for the most part just Unreal Tournament matches. Environment destruction really doesn't have a place there. Though in something that prides itself on being more "realistic" like ARMA II, then destructible environments will be one of the largest contributors to game play and immersion.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Yes

12. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

5

 

[sooperman]

1. How do you rate this generation's shooters?

3/5. Tons of heavy-hitters, but no Dooms or Half-Lifes this generation.

2. What?s your favorite shooter?

Single-player: Half-Life 2
Multi-player: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

3. What platform is best for shooters?

I always play on PS3. My PC runs Steam just fine, but mouse/keyboard is so mechanical and lifeless that there's no point in playing.

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

1st, generally.

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

I believe a few are actually. I played an FPS on the iPad a while back. It's the wave of the future, I suppose.

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women?

No, that is needlessly specific.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?

Definitely. Too much violence for violence's sake, lately.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

To an enormous extent, yes. The staples of Quake-era gameplay don't shine through in modern games, but without them, we wouldn't have had a formula to change from.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Yes. All of them. I cannot think of a reason for a game to allow a player to camp behind an impenetrable outhouse for any period of time.

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

It depends.

12. If you answered ?Depends? on question 11, please explain your reasoning.

If it adds to the story, sure. But sometimes you just don't need a parallel to the real world.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

4/5. Thorough enough to get some solid information, but the realism and generic-ness issues were overlooked.

 

[Plurralbles]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

4

2. What's your favourite shooter?

Timesplitters

3. What platform is better for shooters?
PC

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
1st

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
No

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
Yes No

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
Yes

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?
Yes

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Yes

10. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Yes

12. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

Secret answer Q

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Spoiler: Press to view

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

4

2. What's your favourite shooter?

Team Fortress 2

3. What platform is better for shooters?

PC

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

1st

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

No

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women

No - It shouldnt matter what Genre as its aimed as a game, not a simulator or gender-specific.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?

No

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

Yes - They certainly have made a standing point. (especially Goldeneye for Consoles)

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Depends

10. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

PhyX wise it would be good, but it shouldnt be aimed as the sole purpose for the game.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Depends

12. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

Depends on the story of the game, for something like Metal Gear Solid series it was a necessity.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

Over 9000. (4)

 

[More Fun To Compute]

1. 2
2. Quake
3. PC
4. 1st
5. No
6. No (if they want to play, they can, what would one aimed at women look like anyway, if they don't like shooting then why try to trick them into playing shooting game)
7. No (they will play the 18 rated ones anyway)
8. Yes (uh, some of the biggest current titles started using the Quake engine)
9. Depends.
10. Depends on if it improves a the game and if it is realistic to add it.
11. Depends.
12. Developers should avoid politics unless they have something really insightful to add, which few do.
13. 3

Also I need to interview a 'Professional' who's obviously made a career in some way or another with Shooters. Can be done over Email, or if you're in the UK, over the phone.

email: [email protected] (lol)(not me)

 

[thelonewolf266]

1.4
2.Battlefield Bad Company 2
3.Xbox 360
4.1st
5.No
6.Yes as in it can't hurt
7.No
8.Yes
9.Yes
10.
11.Depends
12.
13.4

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters.
5

2. What?s your favourite shooter?
Currently still TF2.

3. What platform is better for shooters?
PC. The consoles still don't have a great mouse replacement (though controller buttons are far superior to a keyboard in a lot of cases).

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
1st

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
No. Small screen and awkward input mechanism (having to cover part of your already limited view to do things with touch).

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
Yes

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
I'll say no, but this is really a hard question since I think it depends a lot on the shooter.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?
Yes. It would be silly to suggest anything else. All of the central tropes (first-person view, only your weapon is visible, etc.) are the result of these games.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?
Depends

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.
There's something to be said for linearity. When you can't force players down a path at all, it's much harder to design a compelling experience.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?
Depends

12. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.
There's a time and a place for such elements. Not every game should have them, but I see no reason why shooters as a whole should avoid the topic.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?
2. The open-ended questions were reasonable, the others are just going to give you awkward results due to broad questions and a forced decision task. Hopefully this isn't for a class on experimental design...

 

[cgmetallica1981]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.
-There are incredibly generic shooters coming out lately, the majority of them being in modern times. It would be a 2 out of 5.

2. What's your favourite shooter?
-Not answered, the definition of shooter is debatable.

3. What platform is better for shooters?
-PC. Controls are superior and there are much more options for controllers, too.

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
-First. There are not many third person shooters out there but the ones out there are very generic. Compare Gears of War to Army of Two and you have two very similar games.

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
-No. I personally do not use a Smartphone and I think game developers should focus on actual gaming systems.

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
-No, the majority of gamers are men, and targeting the game towards women will not do much.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
-No. I do not want kids plaguing the online modes and the forums of the game. And when a game is rated M for Mature, it should be aimed towards mature gamers.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?
-Yes. Doom and the other id games jump started the FPS genre, but modern games are moving away from the arcade-like gameplay and health system to enemies that die with a few shots and regenerating health, which is very bland.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?
-Depends. I think having destructible environments belong in class based games such as Bad Company, but they would not work on action based, run and gun games like Modern Warfare.

10. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?
-I could care less about politics present in video games. I want a game, I don't care if there are fascists or communists in there. So, the answer would be 9.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?
-4.

 

[BabySinclair]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

3

2. What's your favourite shooter?

HL2

3. What platform is better for shooters?
PC

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
Both

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
No

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
Yes

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
Yes - Further explanation, war shooters and overly violent material need not be marketed

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?
Yes

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Depends.

10. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

Not every game needs the realism.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Depends

12. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

If addressed correctly they can have a positive impact, throwing them in their to garner media attention is detramental to the industry and the political element itself

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

4

 

[razelas]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

4

2. What?s your favourite shooter?

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

3. What platform is better for shooters?

PC

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

1st Person

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

No.

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women?

Yes.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?

No.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

No.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Yes.

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

-

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Yes.

12. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

2

You should distinguish if questions are either yes/no questions or open-answer.

 

[thom_cat_]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters.

3, most games are horrible and generic. I really dislike most shooters, takes a while to come across gold.

2. What?s your favourite shooter?

The Half Life series. They're a testament to good design and storyline. Although the first one's story is a little insane!

3. What platform is better for shooters?

PC. Not just because of mouse and keyboard, but for mods and customisation. I couldn't live with out them.

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

1st, I play a few 3rd but that's just because they happen to be that way. 1st is always better!

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

If they want to... but I wouldn't go near them!

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women

Every market should be gender neutral. Unless it's tampons or something

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)

Nah, unless they are actually lessened down to suit the audience. So maybe separate them from killing entirely.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

They did, but not enough. Today's shooters take some aspects from the oldies, but they still miss out on the key stuff and add aspects I don't like seeing in shooters.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

I think it depends on how it works with the gameplay. If it's not needed I fail to see the point. I suppose it'd still be fun to blow shit up though.

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

It works well with over the top blowin' shit up games, I quite like the BF2 environment damage, but in a shooter like half-life destroying the environment would be detrimental to gameplay. Keep it to set pieces.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Depends on the plot. But sure, they're good and powerful topics.
-----

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

Sexy

 

[Katana314]

1. 3

2. Half-Life 2

3. PC

4. 1st (but this very much depends on the game's context. Some shooters would never work in first person)

5. Yes

6. No. Just make GOOD games, and women will inevitably be a part of the market. Case in point: TF2.

7. Yes, if they are rated E for Everyone (which is possible; see Chex Quest and Pokemon Snap)

8. Bad question. Quake, Doom, and Wolfenstein were the FIRST shooters; it's like asking whether cavemen changed humanity.

9. No.

11. Depends.

12. If you do it badly, no. If you do it PERFECTLY, maybe. It's a touchy subject.

13. 3

 

[ScarletRider]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.

Four. They're fun, but I often go back to the previous gen shooters.

2. What?s your favourite shooter?

Varies with my mood, but often between Half-Life 2 and Quake III Arena.

3. What platform is better for shooters?

PC. There's just no beating a keyboard and mouse for this type of game.

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?

First person. Better for immersion and aiming.

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?

I don't think it's a good platform for shooters, but experimentation is key to improving the genre. So yes.

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women

No. I think they should market such games to shooter fans.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?

Depends on the content. A shooter, in and of itself, can be benign enough. Replace all the rifles with water pistols and you have something that can be rated for a younger audience.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?

Yes. They were the first, and they set the standard.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?

Depends.

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

If you can destroy the entire map in a shooter, it would have an adverse effect on the experience, methinks. However, if you balance it by making certain elements destructible, it could provide for more immersion. Take Half-Life 2 for example: You're carrying an RPG, a zero-point energy weapon, grenades, and as you're walking it's likely you have a foot. So why is a locked door an obstacle?

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?

Yes.

12. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

I'll assume you mean question 11 here. Shooters are a medium for free speech, just like any other game. If the makers have a political message to convey, they have every right to use the game to convey it.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?

Three. Could use a little proof-reading, and the questions could be a little more varied.

 

[king_katchit]

Just out of interest, what does the coursework entail?

Contributin':

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5.
4

2. What's your favourite shooter?
Serious Sam

3. What platform is better for shooters?
I prefer the 360

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
1st person mainly, although I have been known to dabble

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
Why not?

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
No, Unisex all the way!

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
No

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today?
They are the daddies of the modern shooter, but I assume they don't influence things that much anymore.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?
Depends

10. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.
It's pretty good for multiplayer, adding a whole new tactical approach, but i think it would ruin a lot of scripted action sections games tend to rely on these days.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?
No. Game writers usually can't write for toffee.

12. If you answered 'Depends' on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire?
3 Pretty solid questionnaire, but seems a little fragmented.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

1. How do you rate this generations shooters. From 1-5. 1(bad) 2 3 4 5(good)
3ish, I guess.

2. What?s your favourite shooter?
"True" shooter? Time Splitters: Future Perfect (I like Mass Effect 2 better as a gamer overall, but not as a shooter).

3. What platform is better for shooters?
Wii PS3/360 Handhelds PC Other
Actually, I prefer PS3. I know everyone loves PCs, but I just don't like mouse-control as well as I like controllers.

4. Do you prefer shooters in 3rd or 1st person?
3rd 1st
No preference - I like both equally.

5. Do you think game developers should start experimenting with Smartphones as a new market for shooters?
Yes No
... I don't own a smartphone yet. But that's no reason not to experiment, so, sure, why not?

6. Do you think developers should do more to market shooters towards women
Yes No
YES. I'd like some attractive male characters (instead of a bunch of huge, ugly men), and some well written female characters.

7. Do you think any shooters should be marketed towards younger gamers (13 and below)?
Yes No
... well, they kind of already are, but they probably shouldn't be. So - no.

8. Do you think that old shooters such as Quake and Doom have changed the development of shooters today? Yes No
Sure - yes.

9. Do you think destructible environments should play a larger role in shooters?
Yes No Depends.
Sure, yes. Not in all shooters, but some, why not.

10. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

11. Do you think political elements should be touched upon by shooters?
Yes No Depends.
Yes, most certainly. Art deals with difficult topics, and if games are going to evolve as art, then they need to be able to deal with political issues.

12. If you answered ?Depends? on question 9, please explain your reasoning.

13. For my own feedback how would you rate this questionnaire? 1 2 3 4 5(good)
Pretty good - a 4.

 

[Weaver]

IF you want a professional opinion, you should email Gabe Newell (co-founder and director of Valve). He may not reply, but he freely gives his email out to the public and claims he at the very least reads every inquiry he recieves.

[email protected]

 

[Sentient6]

1. 4

2. Right now - Metro 2033

3. PC

4. 1st

5. No.

6. Sure, why not.

7. No.

8. Yes, and why isn't Half-Life one of the examples?!?!

9. Yes.

11. No.

13. 3.14

 

[kane.malakos]

1. 4

2. Team Fortress 2

3. PC, by far.

4. 1st-person. It's much more immersive.

5. No.

6. Yes

7. Yes, but not the extremely violent ones.

8. Yes.

9. Yes, definitely. The destructible environments in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 were one of the best things about the game.

11. Depends

12. If handled well, like in Bioshock, political elements can add a great deal to a game's meaning. If they are heavy-handed or extremely insensitive, they won't add anything to the game beyond meaningless controversy.

13. 4

 

[8bitlove2a03]

1. 3
2. Team Fortress 2
3. PC
4. 1st
5. No
6. No
7. No
8. Yes
9. Depends
10. Shooter maps are designed to create natural chokepoints, open fields of fire, long sight lines, etc. Through these map elements, designers are capable of producing an experience that is exciting and fun. The inclusion of destructible environments, if done properly, can certainly make the gameplay more interesting (I personally have personally enjoyed the Battlefield games for this reason; blowing out a wall, killing a defender behind it, and capturing an objective is quite satisfying). However, games such as Call of Duty or Halo would not benefit from destructible environments because the sheer amount of fire and explosions would leave the maps destroyed halfway through a round. Bungie and Infinity Ward would have to completely rethink their levels and gameplay, which would produce games that are not what their fans know and love.
11. No
12. Do we really need any more hyper-masculine imperialist-American-ego-stroking games than we already have?
13. 3

Make sure you select other forums to ask as well. This forum is known to be PC-oriented and Valve-loving, so if you only look at the Escapist your sample is going to be highly biased.