Is there a reason behind unskipable cinematics?

[SimuLord]

After my third or fourth failed attempt to fight Almalexia after her longass speech in Tribunal, I finally just opened up the game options and set the difficulty to minimal so I could just be done with it. Morrowind's a great game, Bloodmoon's a great expansion, Tribunal...the game can live quite well without it.

 

[level250geek]

Why unskippable cut scenes?

Some art-fart on the development team can't stand the fact that somebody might not want to see his/her work.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I want story, I'll read a book. Game play comes first with games, so make your cut scenes skippable.

With that being said, I can understand why some shorter cut scenes MUST be played out. The first time the Valkyrie picks you up in Too Human, it truly is an awe-inspiring moment--the first time. Every time after that, it's an exercise in stupidity.

I'm no programmer, but I'm pretty sure that there is a way to make it so that you have to watch the cut scene the first time, but you can skip it each time after that.

 

[Jandau]

I understand not allowing the player to skip the cutscenes the first time. Heck, nothing wrong with it. The cutscene I mentioned in my OP is quite good. However, forcing me to watch it over and over again just to get a shot at the boss after it is just wrong. A lot of work went into these games and the designers might not want the player miss important plot elements, but playing the same thing over and over again is just cruel. I've seen the hard work, I've seen the plot, I've heard the orchestral soundtrack, now please let me get on with the game

 

[Tullio]

Most elegant way of showing plot moments I've seen is in Call of Duty 4. It just happens in game, you can act just the same as ever if you like or hang around and watch what's going on.

 

[sokka14]

short answer: no GOOD reason.
long answer: writers are huffy and want to make sure you watch the effort they put in.

i don't ever skip them first time, but if i have to watch them again, it can become annoying. i don't really see the point of playing a game if you're not going to watch the story, but for those who do want to skip first time, they should still have the option.

 

[smargh1015]

Without them Unskippable wouldn't have a name

 

[Good morning blues]

It's almost always because it's loading the game in the background. Ever notice how there's no loading screen before unskippable cutscenes? It's because the game is loading while the cutscene is running, and if you skipped it, there wouldn't be anything there.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Cinematics are often the only, or at the very least the most direct form of exposition in a video game. If a developer feels that the story is truly critical for the game, then they tend to force you to watch the entire process. Take any of the MGS games - if you take out the cinematics how exactly would you have a clue as to what you're supposed to do (much less why you're supposed to do something).

Making them consistantly unskippable, especially directly before an encounter that the average player is unlikely to overcome on the first try however is a sin that I'm forced to wonder about.

 

[PirateKing]

I've thought this for a long time, all cutscenes should be pausable and skippable.

 

[Jabbawocky]

I've thought this for a long time, all cutscenes should be pausable and skippable.

Here, here.

Tomb Raider Underworld being the best example I can think of.

 

[yankeefan19]

because game developers wanted the series Unskippable

 

[SnurreFisk]

because it might be a very important piece in the plot, but I see no reason to not just give the most vital information during gameplay?

 

[sms_117b]

Because they put all that effort into it, you better watch it!

Haha

 

[LisaB1138]

I can only imagine there's some developer out there who can't imagine why we wouldn't want to watch every cutscene over and over.

Seriously, first time, I'll tolerate un-skippability. After I've watched it once, I want to be able to skip it. I'll always remember dying at the water trap in Onimusha Warlords only to have to go all the way back to the long Yumemaru explanation cutscene *again.* *sigh* Thank goodness Genma fixed that.

 

[DarkBlood626]

In my opinion they are an irradiation but if there is a plot im enthralled in then I don?t mined but now unskipable cut-scences after every death that?s a different story. One I dont want to have to sit and watch for the 5th dam time

 

[sokka14]

I've thought this for a long time, all cutscenes should be pausable and skippable.

agreed. pauseable is really convenient, so why is it so rare?

 

[Uncompetative]

Why do some developers still neglect to put a "skip!!!" button of some sort in their games? Is it some form of torture? Testing the player's endurance? Perhaps a way to get the players to get off their arses for a few minutes while the damn thing plays out? Or just crappy design?

Specifically, how can one possibly justify putting a several minute long cutscene right before a tough boss fight? How can anyone think that's a good idea? Haven't the years of feedback from gamers gotten through? And yet, these things still happen...

As you might have guessed, the questions posed in the previous paragraph were motivated by a specific occurence. Namely, The Last Remnant (PC version): Mostly I can sing praises to this game. Truly it does honor to the genre. But I've ran into a bit of a snag. At the end of one of the early dungeons, a cutscene occurs. It is a good cutscene, featuring emotion, intrigue, shiny spells and 20 meter tall swords. It also lasts several minutes.

After this cutscene comes a boss fight. This fight is entirely luck-based, to the extent that I've had my units drop dead before they got to do anything in the FIRST ROUND! This is compunded by the fact that 3/4 of your units are controlled by the AI, so forming a plan is useless. Overall, the battle is a mess, but I'm bound to get a lucky break eventually.

HOWEVER! I've had to suffer through the cinematic four times already. It was especially fun in the aforementioned "Death on the first turn" instance, where I barely got to press 2 buttons before having to watch the damn cutscene again. HOW can this be good game design? How can this NOT be obsolete at this point?

This also reminded me of other similar situations, such as a certain cinematic in FF9 involving a lot of dragons and a skyship fleet. That one was awesome and didn't deserve to be remembered with hate. Yet it is, since it preceedes a damn boss fight...

This thread is as much of an actual topic as it is just me venting. However, I'd appreciate any thoughts you have on the subject.

Technical point: It shouldn't be a "Skip" button, but a press (X) to "Resume gameplay" button. This would mean that if you were in a cut scene you would press (X) to resume gameplay - i.e. Skipping it - as well a have the added benefit of being able to take a (tea/toilet) break if you had seen the cut scene already and come back and find that the game hadn't resumed without you.

Case in point: in Project Gotham Racing 3, there is a "loading screen" as it gets hold of the track for the next race, if you go away during this it doesn't wait for you and you will find that you are still at the starting line with other cars lapping you. I would understand this if it were Multiplayer, but it also does this in Singleplayer. Who is the game for? I was under the impression that I had payed for it and was the only one playing it...

Furthermore, you should be able to Pause a singleplayer game even during a cut scene - with those scenes that are used to mask loading should carry on loading as the game won't resume until you give it permission anyway by pressing (X).

 

[sims629]

mostly beccause the developers feel that every cutscene is solid gold and "important"