Innovations that ruin...

[Textbook Bobcat]

Forza 3. Infinite rewind.

FPS. Regenerating health/limited "carrying ability"

Action adventure. QTE

Three examples that are at the forefront of my mind when I type this.

Rewind was a fantastic feature when introduced in Grid. The intensity and unforgiving nature of the cars/tracks/opponents could be wiped away within twenty seconds.

Multiple attempts could be made at that last corner - smashing into your rival at different angles in an attempt to thieve the win.

However, does it really have a place in a simulation game? One that's all about the realism and the relationship of chassis contortion etc. All of that becoming nothing when faced with the power of time control.

Regenerating health. It's not a new thing, but a gripe on a game mechanic doesn't warrant a thread, so I'll gripe about multiple.

It's good to see games offering modes that do away with regeneration (Operation Flashpoint - not including HC on CoD, asthat has the option of Juggernaut), but why along with "two weapons only" did this turn into the exception?

Developers of FPS listen - Arcade type shooters with half of the world's weaponry on your back are fun too. I don't mind health packs (kudos L4D) or armour, you can take one step back to take three forward.

QTE. Fantastic idea, but now we have a genre that solely relies on this (Rhythm) fully established, we will gladly accept the removal in other genres.

I don't want to "press X to not die" anymore.

What gaming "innovations" have irked my fellow Escapists? Or is the new age of Follow the Leader the best thing to happen to the industry? (especially if one looks solely at the sales percentage)

 

[ohgodalex]

Any mechanics that have been added to Guitar Hero since the series was launched. Just give me more tracks, not new games to buy, god damnit.

 

[Chipperz]

The attempt to make everything "realistic". I think graphics whores should be forced to play 8-bit games until their eyes bleed.

Two-gun limit, I actually don't have a problem with. It forces you to actually think about what you're going to carry.

 

[Baby Tea]

No-one is forcing you to use the rewind ability.
The health thing is a bit annoying, but the 'limited carrying' ability is great, forcing player to actually think about what guns they are carrying, rather then just carrying a massive arsenal. I like it.
QTEs? A tad annoying, sure, but the best games that use it, use it well and sparingly. The worst games that use it are, well, bad games.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Perhaps I'm a hardcore Splinter Cell fan, but I really wasn't thrilled at this "mark and execute" addition.

 

[suhlEap]

NATAL sounds like a balls idea to me... that's an innovation that is destined to fail in my eyes. for the same reason that the wii isn't exactly great. it'll be fun for about 20 minutes...

 

[GrinningManiac]

Snipers having atheritis when they zoom.

I understand they wobble a bit, but really? flailing about about two feet to the right of a target before capzise-swinging a full 360?

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Paying for the ability to use your internet on a console, the internet your already paying for as well.

 

[Textbook Bobcat]

No-one is forcing you to use the rewind ability.

That is then creating artifical difficulty, which is extremely weak.

One does not use the pistol if one has the orbital laser.

The health thing is a bit annoying, but the 'limited carrying' ability is great, forcing player to actually think about what guns they are carrying, rather then just carrying a massive arsenal. I like it.

Agree to disagree then. The games that offer these limited weapons usually don't come with strategic choice. Drop the weak in favour of the strong can't qualify, can it?

Obviously online can have balance issues if Mr Armageddon is running around, but still.

QTEs? A tad annoying, sure, but the best games that use it, use it well and sparingly. The worst games that use it are, well, bad games.

Prince of Persia was (arguably) good, QTE sullied it. I could list more, but my point is is that it is overused. Resident Evil even used it -.-

 

[Textbook Bobcat]

Paying for the ability to use your internet on a console, the internet your already paying for as well.

What about paying to play (or not play in some cases like Skate 2 and Tales of Vesperia) a game you've already hardlined?

NFS Shift the most recent offender. DLC could have been used for good but for the most part it is pure evil.

 

[bookboy]

Operation Flashpoint

did you even play OFP? it does not apply as a good example of your limited weapon point as it is a full on military simulation, not an arcade style game, more in the veins of America's army than Call of duty.

that being said, I definately don't like ther regenerating health, I prefer a system closer to that of the original Halo, with a weak shield that recharges and a limited amount of health that could only be replenished by finding a health pack.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I personally like the recharging shields/limited guns mechanic. Gives the games a certain tactical element that's absent when you're toting an entire armoury, and all that matters is your aim.

 

[Textbook Bobcat]

did you even play OFP? it does not apply as a good example of your limited weapon point as it is a full on military simulation, not an arcade style game, more in the veins of America's army than Call of duty.

that being said, I definately don't like ther regenerating health, I prefer a system closer to that of the original Halo, with a weak shield that recharges and a limited amount of health that could only be replenished by finding a health pack.

I refer to their new and upcoming game, with their "Insert hard man name" mode. Obviously it isn't released yet, and knowing the genre will not deliver what it insinuates, but one can hope.

Halo was a happy medium I agree - a "realistic" one as well. TimeSplitters will shake them up when it finally rears its head

 

[COR 2000]

Hmmm, likely regenerative health and, for RTSes, over-simplicity(Halo wars, anyone?)

 

[A Weary Exile]

Two-gun limit, I actually don't have a problem with. It forces you to actually think about what you're going to carry.

My thoughts exactly, I also don't mind the regenerating health thing all that much either.

OP: Motion controls, they just make games more akward and less immersive.

 

[Erisnas]

Personally the only problem I have with the limited carrying capacity is that if the 2 weapon system is favored then you only can carry so much ammo but there is so much of spread around it is more of a matter of going back to get more or just picking up a new gun during a fight. If the arcade system is favored then often you can't carry enough ammo and it is usually hard to come by during the harder levels. They both could use a little tweaking. As for health I do enjoy a system that is slightly rechargeable where the main hits count. Enough that you can make a push without it being suicidal. There are very few alternatives though.

The only problem I have with the regenerative health really is that you regenerate it mid-fight. If you could regenerate slowly then it would work out better as long as you didn't take too much damage at a single time. Taking cover for a few seconds is a little bit too much, this doesn't necessarily apply to a game's armor system though.

 

[Baby Tea]

No-one is forcing you to use the rewind ability.

That is then creating artifical difficulty, which is extremely weak.

One does not use the pistol if one has the orbital laser.

I'm pretty sure the rewind ability can be turned off for those who are more 'hard core'.
Which makes the game accessible. Not everyone wants a racing sim, and Turn 10 seems understand that.
Heck, the game even offers 'auto braking'. Seriously.

Now I turn that all off when I play, but that's because I like a more sim-like experience. You can do the same. Can't complain about a great franchise getting more accessible to the 'casual' player, especially if it doesn't force those changes upon you.

As for the two gun limit, I rarely see a game that is just dropping the weak gun for the stronger gun.
Any examples?

And as for QTE, I didn't mind them in Prince of Persia. There were only a few that were random, and the rest were the same every time. I do agree that they can be annoying, however, and I think they should stop being random. If my character is about to punch a guy, the punch button should be used. This would make it more free-flow and logical, I think.

I will also add, quickly, that I really really enjoyed the fact that the new Prince of Persia didn't kill you. Some might say it's a 'hand holding' thing, but it really kept you in the game. No 'loading', no 'checkpoints', just gaming. I loved it. I wish more games did something like that.

 

[Stormz]

The only three I could really complain about are motion controls, graphics over gameplay and Grinding that is pointlessly put into a game to take away all strategy, here's looking at you Jrpgs.

 

[Mr. Fister]

OP: Motion controls, they just make games more akward and less immersive.

When done wrong, yes, but used correctly, like MadWorld and Tiger Woods 10, and it's kinda hard to go back to a controller.

 

[Aqualung]

I don't really like skill points. I think they belong better on table-top RPGs, but in games, I'd really rather just, you know, rock at the game because I'm nimble and smart- not because my strength is lacking 7 points.