It's a trap you idiot!

[TheKruzdawg]

In some mindless shooters it doesn't matter that much, or the bad storytelling can be amusing, but in a game where the story is important...

I just had an experience like this when I was replaying Mass effect yesterday. I was investigating some crashed probe in an open area of a random planet for the Alliance when Ashley ans Wrex pipe up that this "doesn't feel right" and "I smell a trap" (respectively). In order to complete the assignment and get the XP, credits and some equipment, I had to go up to it, trigger the anti-vehicle mine THAT I COULD SEE THROUGH THE MAKO SCOPE, but was unable to destroy unless I walked up to it and it would self-destruct, signaling the Geth ambush that was waiting for me. And they just showed up out of nowhere, which also bothered me.

I wish there had been a way to work around the trap and still get all the rewards. Maybe find the Geth lying in wait or shoot the mine so I don't potentially get injured before having to fight a bunch of enemies who have better aim than I do?

 

[SwimmingRock]

Well, I think it depends on the purpose of the trap. If it's a gameplay trap, where you need to react quickly to avoid dying, I agree the player should be surprised. Otherwise there's just no point.

However, if the trap is integral to the plot, I think it can actually improve the immersion if the player knows about it. By which I mean that if the player has exhausted all possibilities and going forward into the trap is the only feasible option, this can give the player a sense of powerlessness that would mirror the characters reaction. This is exceptionally difficult to pull off effectively.

By way of an example, I occasionally had this feeling during the Legacy of Kain series. I never trusted Moebius, but what else was I going to do? He knew things I didn't and I had no real other options. I could wander about a bit, but in the end I had to go where he'd told me to. This made Raziels/Kains frustration more relatable to me.

On a side-note, I was expecting this thread to be about famous traps in the crossdressing sense. I clicked on it hoping for pics of very passable traps meant to warn straight guys. I am slightly disappoint. Fortunately, the threads actual topic was interesting enough to compensate. I should probably be less of a perv.

 

[Nicarus]

I'm one for a surprise, but I think the fully expected deal is good too. It basically plays off that one form of irony (the name escapes me at the moment).

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

On a side-note, I was expecting this thread to be about famous traps in the crossdressing sense. I clicked on it hoping for picks of very passable traps meant to warn straight guys. I am slightly disappoint. Fortunately, the threads actual topic was interesting enough to compensate. I should probably be less of a perv.

My Apologies for misleading you please enjoy the following as compensation for contributing:

Spoiler: Can you spot the traps? (SFW)

I'm hyper-paranoid in my non-gaming life so I tend to spot fluctuations in tone and visual cues quite easily. This makes it a little frustrating when the character does not spot them (from characters trying to trick you or changing sides) and can draw me out of my immersion.

 

[jonyboy13]

Traps shouldn't be predictable, otherwise it's just a bad twist that ruins the story.
"Hey, meet me in the abandoned X and come alone." That sort of stuff sucks the fun out.
Either no traps at all or actually surprising traps.

 

[SwimmingRock]

On a side-note, I was expecting this thread to be about famous traps in the crossdressing sense. I clicked on it hoping for picks of very passable traps meant to warn straight guys. I am slightly disappoint. Fortunately, the threads actual topic was interesting enough to compensate. I should probably be less of a perv.

My Apologies for misleading you please enjoy the following as compensation for contributing:

Spoiler: Can you spot the traps? (SFW)

I'm hyper-paranoid in my non-gaming life so I tend to spot fluctuations in tone and visual cues quite easily. This makes it a little frustrating when the character does not spot them and can draw me out of my immersion.

XD That wasn't necessary, but appreciated all the same. Although I've seen that picture before and figured it out the first time I saw it. Probably because I have so much asian tranny porn, I'm damn near an expert on the matter.

Not sure what you mean by your last paragraph, however. You suspect videogame characters of being traps? Or did you mean it in the more general sense? It really only bothers me when parts of the same monologue were clearly done in different takes. Having somebody change pitch and tempo halfway through an explanation without a good reason is a little jarring.

 

[Platypusbill101]

Here's the scene: Your character has just been told by the game to investigate something or somewhere that you, the player, can clearly see is a potential trap. Your character, however, is prancing his/her merry way right into it.

Is it good to have the player know it is a trap when they are walking in or is it better if the trap is a surprise to both the player and the character the first time you play a game?

In the former the player is prepared and less likely to die and get frustrated while in the latter the player gets the thrill of a surprise. Which do you think is better? Which do you prefer? (the two could be different)

[sub]Edit: for those of you mislead by the title and slightly disappointed at the lack of cross-dressing "traps" I offer the following for your amusement: (SFW)http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.272495-Its-a-trap-you-idiot#10509204[/sub]

Well you can´t really do anything about it. If you do understand it is a trap, how can you ´tell it´ to the game? It would be kinda suspicious if there was a popup that says "Is this a trap? "YES/NO"

 

[Itachi576]

I thinik Dungeons & Dragons does it best your chareter has a perseption check to see if thay can see it if they cant they get hit by it (but it doesnt kill them) if they could see it then they can disarm it useing another check. thats the way i like it anyway

 

[M0rp43vs]

I think it can be used for comedy, like a blatantly obvious trap that the hero falls for to show that he's an idiot. Or maybe an obvious trap that the player tries to avoid... which leads into an even more deadly/well-hidden trap.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

I think it can be used for comedy, like a blatantly obvious trap that the hero falls for to show that he's an idiot. Or maybe an obvious trap that the player tries to avoid... which leads into an even more deadly/well-hidden trap.

Zhuge Liang from Dynasty Warriors series is the worst for that. Oh so you spotted my attempted fire attack? Well that was part of my plan because while you were away dealing with that I have surrounded your main base/commander with archer troops and generals.

 

[Sir Boss]

I absolutely detest seeing the player character walk in to trap, if the player can see it why can't the character, it's eyeball tearingly frustrating... ...IMO

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

I like it when a game can actually surprise me, most of the time. Screw those cougars in Red Dead though. They come out of nowhere sometimes and kill your horse/you in one pounce.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

omg baldurs gate and 2.... I was so mad so many times that my 18+ intelligent character was getting taken in every time by the bad guys. I man she really can't see that villain has just put his name backwards?! They used that plot device so many times too. There must be a less aggravating way to move a story along lol.