Is originality necessary?

[IBlackKiteI]

It seems like it seems everything coming out these days, be it a film or game or whatever, needs some form of originality to be successful.
Like Dead Space's strategic dismemberment, Crysis 2's nanosuit, Dead Island's emphasis on melee combat, Alan Wake's use of light as a weapon, Brink and its customization and SMART movement system, the list goes on.

It seems like many games have at least one thing they push to the foreground as a sort of cry of originality and innovation. In other words, a gimmick, which is usually just a small addition to an otherwise average and/or standard-ish game or its main selling point.

But I've been wondering, is such an attempt at differentiating something from everything else really needed?
Is originality, or the guise of originality, needed to make a game fun or entertaining?
I'm not quite sure. On one hand something different done well is always nice. On the other some of the most fun I've had in games is in playing games like Call of Duty and those like it, which are not exactly seen as the pinnacle of creativity.
It just feels that way too many seem to think that everything that comes out must have some big (or maybe even small) original addition or else its the same as everything else and therefore a bad game.
Sometimes this belief is taken to a near ridiculous level in the instance of sequels. Of course Starcraft 2 is going to be much the same as Starcraft 1, of course each Halo and Call of Duty installment will be largely the same as their predecessors.
Why would any developer change what made their game special, and why should they be ridiculed for not doing so?

To me, if a game is fun and engaging then what else is needed?

Anyways I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, is originality needed or not, and to what extent?

 

[-Drifter-]

It seems like it seems everything coming out these days, be it a film or game or whatever, needs some form of originality to be successful.

Not if Call of Duty, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Hangover 2, Fast Five, Uncharted, et cetera are any indicator.

I think there's too much of a focus on inserting new gimmicks as opposed to anything original (which is why we get a million shooter clones with maybe a different reload function.) You want to see something truly original?

Sacrifice. That is all.

 

[Zhukov]

Strictly speaking, no. No it is not.

However, if you're not bringing anything original to the table then you'd damn well better have some quality to offer.

Way too many games have neither.

 

[Archangel768]

No, for the game to be fun and/or entertaining it does not need originality.

Imagine a game industry where every game was original.

There would be for example
1. One FPS made.
2. One TPS made.
3. One RTS made.
4. One RPG made.

etc.

Imagine if this happened, any common mechanics found in these genres would never have been improved and refined by other games that utilised this method because every game tried to be original and come up with completely new types of gameplay.

I enjoy many games of the same genres that use similar gameplay all the time. So I do not believe originality is necessary in making a game fun and/or entertaining. What I do find is that after playing a few games of one genre, I tend to be tired of it for a while and search for another genre of games to play. Originality is important in creating new genres of games and helps people like me find new (or old but, have since come back to after not playing for a while) types of game to have fun with.

There's also many different situations that originality comes into. For example, certain franchises such as Final Fantasy and Call of Duty rely of being similar to the last entry but, at the same time bringing something 'original' to the table that makes the next entry 'fresh'. This is a delicate process that should be given much attention to when designing these types of games. Too little originality and the next entry may be boring, too much and it may be unenjoyable to the people that played the last entry. I believe series such as these while they should try to be 'original' to an extent have certain standards they must keep to as they have specific people that I believe are entitled to a certain extent to be pleased. For example, imagine if Final Fantasy XV was an FPS and the next Call of Duty was a turn based RPG, In my own personal opinion, this would be unacceptable as these series rely on their own styles of gameplay to be considered part of the franchise. if they're going to do something as drastic as that, I do not believe that game should be named Final Fantasy or Call of Duty as this would be unfaithful to those who enjoy these franchises. While the creators can do this and are fully within their rights to make these 'original' changes to the series, I do think it would be wrong to do such a thing.

If originality was required for a game to be released, there would also be 30 or so games ever made because of how hard it is to come up with something completely original. (that sentence was more about how the industry would be affected)

(This bit is just what I think of originality and how the industry should use it) What I personally would like to see is the video game industry, while continuing to make multiple games in each genre like it has been, there should be people seeking different original ideas for games. For example, the invention of the Wii remote. While the I have NEVER been a fan of the Wii and much prefer an original controller, I still think it is important to come up with and use these original ideas so that the video game industry can become increasingly varied. This way, there are more ways people can be entertained by video games. People that only like the motion controllers can be happy while other people such as myself can still play games using a more traditional controller. This way, originality can improve the industry by allowing more and more people with varying tastes to find something they might enjoy.

Hope that made sense... Didn't really read it through to see if it did or not.

 

[nbamaniac]

It seems like it seems everything coming out these days, be it a film or game or whatever, needs some form of originality to be successful.

Not if Call of Duty, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Hangover 2, Fast Five, Uncharted, et cetera are any indicator.

I think there's too much of a focus on inserting new gimmicks as opposed to anything original (which is why we get a million shooter clones with maybe a different reload function.) You want to see something truly original?

Sacrifice. That is all.

Overlord too.. though in this case, originality =/= necessarily good

 

[Kevonovitch]

i'd like to think that w/ quality comes something resembling originality, but...it doesen't. and frankly, and much as i love actually original games, i'll settle for quality games, instead of originality, burried in heaping pits of shit.

 

[IBlackKiteI]

I think there's too much of a focus on inserting new gimmicks as opposed to anything original (which is why we get a million shooter clones with maybe a different reload function.)

Agree with that statement so much.

And Sacrifice, man. Sacrifice was absolutely incredible, one of the most underappreciated games ever.
We need more games like it, but not too many, or else what was great about it will be completely mutilated.

Epic snip

I get what you mean, (mostly) and I agree.

I think the originality is in games all the time, its just the original or innovative components are often over or underused.

 

[joebthegreat]

Gamers continue to scream for it, and continue to claim that it is a problem in game development, even while ignoring games that are pushing it.

Gamers that only pay attention to the mainstream AAA titles while calling for this are particularly bad.

Frankly, you should find your niche, your set of genres that you enjoy, and you should play those games. From the biggest AAA releases to the lesser known titles. If you really enjoy those genres, then the slight "gimmicks" and little differences can be really interesting and enjoyable.

In my case, I enjoy RTS and 4X grand strategy. I also enjoy turn based tactical games and management/simulation games. From Football Manager to StarCraft, from Galactic Civilizations to Fire Emblem, from Silent Hunter to Victoria. There is a ton of originality constantly being pushed and new ideas constantly being incorporated into new games.

Some might argue that FPS/TPS don't have this. If you can honestly tell me that a genre that encompasses COD, Halo, STALKER, Counter Strike, Team Fortress, Portal, Dead Space, and Tom Clancy games isn't pushing new concepts and mechanics then you aren't looking hard enough.

Originality continues to exist and new things are tried all the time. From major new IP to simple mechanical changes in the next sequel, it all adds to the experience and helps improve your genre of choice.

If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go play some GalCiv2 now.

 

[Rathcoole]

The problem is that it's not that people are making similar games. It's that there making the same game over and over. (Fifa and madden as chief examples) The games indestry is becoming just like the movies. Go with the safe money, don't think for yourself or try anything different, just find something popular and steal every single feature.

Are amoured marines popular? Great then make every game gray, boring and filled with cover based shooting, What's that your cover system is crap and can't stop bullets? well that not a problem it did not hurt kane and lunch.

Is sci-fi popular? great then make a million and one space games with freaky aliens and enough flashing lights to give you a f*cking seizure.

Is realism popular? Great then make a boring game with no fun feature's what so ever and if anybody complains. It's not that your game is crap is just that you where going for realism and that there simple minds just don't get it. But if your going to do that might as well go all the way and take a franchise known for is outlandish nature and turn it into a more "realitic" version. If doing so happens to remove everything that was ever fun about it in the first place well you can just give them the old copout phrase above.

 

[viranimus]

World of Warcraft my friend.

About the furthest thing in the world from any sort of original idea, But one of the most popular games of all time.

As much as I dread saying it, its not about how fresh the idea is, Its all about how its implemented. For good or ill.