Poll: Training levels

[Iron Mal]

Sometimes the training zone is actually pretty damn handy and badly needed but for those of us who know our 'time to kick some ass' from our 'run like hell!' it can be a bit patronising when you're forced to sit through 10-20 minutes of the game desperately trying to teach you what you already know.

So in summary, they have a definate purpose but the option to skip is a must (if only the people who made games caught onto this more often).

 

[Eagle Est1986]

I'd like an option to skip training. At least ODST understands this need

Pardon my ignorance but I loathed the training bits in the first mission, how do you skip them? It's kinda putting me off trying a second play through.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

I'm not saying that Tomb Raider Underworld was an amazing game, it was okay, but I really liked the training level. It put you in the middle of the action, and the only, tutorial" part of it was a line or two of text at the top of the screen. I think that when a tutorial is fun, fantastic, and FINTUITIVE, there is no need to skip. Give the gamers something clever and fun.

 

[HentMas]

i liked the approach in Gears Of War where you have 2 paths, one to train and the other to enter the fight directly

 

[RikSharp]

<-- playing devils advocate

lets make a level that shows the player the ropes, put some nice scenery, some awesome scripted events, sort of thing that will get them right into

now lets add a skip button so, if they want, they can avoid ever seeing what we just spent weeks working on...




incidentally i think that having the option to skip is the best way as in at the start of the game:
training (yes or no)
if player chooses yes, do training level with full instructions etc
if player chooses no, then dont bother with instructions, just throw them into the level. and throw a few more bad guys in for good measure, keep em on their toes...

 

[Fear Gingers]

Gears of War had the whole training thing figured out pretty well

 

[McMarbles]

I like training areas. They're great for easing into a game's gameplay system.

 

[Woburn]

As long as you are not forced to do it every time you start a new game, I like them.

 

[Iskenator67]

I like them in the beginning but after replaying it for the 5th time and having to go through them it gets really annoying.

Yes I know how to fire the gun, shut up!

 

[Minjoltr]

I like training levels but I'd like the option to skip them in some cases. TR: Angel of Darkness really got on my tits with that because it kept interrupting me while I was trying to play. I tried to play it again but gave up halfway through the first section because I wanted to kill Lara and be done with it but the game wouldn't let me.
I rather like the way Psychoanuts did it though; giving interesting and challenging training levels so you can get to grips with each new power but not forcing you to use a particular set of Psi powers for a mission. I think there was also the option to skip exposition and launch yourself into it. Portal did it pretty well too in that, towards the beginning, you'd often be able to get stuck in before GLaDOS had finished explaining what the objective was.
I like starting off easy and getting gradually harder as the game progresses or giving you a short 'These are the buttons you press to move, jump, pick up, fight etc' like TES tends to have and then letting you run off and get yourself hacked to bits thereafter should you so choose. That said, I tend to start Oblivion from a save at the end of the sewers because I won't be held responsible for my actions if I have to do that bloody escape one more time.

 

[Woodsey]

They need a skip option (like in Mirror's Edge). Assassin's Creed is the first that springs to mind. The game is repetitive, but I've played it through nearly 3 times and enjoy it a lot, and believe me I know how the bloody controls work - so quit with the stupid robot lady reading the instructions to me.

 

[JonnoStrife]

Loved the training on COD4: Modern Warfare. Was joyous.

 

[ShotgunSmoke]

It depends on the game and my mood. Sometimes I want to take my time and feel the game, sometimes I want to get straight to the missions.

 

[suhlEap]

i don't mind them. it's pointless if you've already played them though yeah. so an option to skip would be good!

 

[Abedeus]

I HATE THEM SO MUCH!!

Seriously, games didn't have training missions and we were fine. The new gamers are spoiled with the walk-throughs...


Unless it's an integral part of the game, like in Call of Duty 4 or America's Army 2.

 

[mad benji89]

i prefer when a game trains u how to do stuff along the way because i think the basic controlls u can figure out yourself but say if a game has some specail moves or unlockable abillitys i would rather it teach me stuff as i need it rather than one big bulk at the begining and it taking about 10 min before u propperly get into a game, but most games what ive played the last couple of years dont seem to have any training levels i think the last one that i played that had them was bionic comando, most games i just decside to wing it and skip the training and learn stuff as i go along xD

 

[Kukakkau]

Splinter cell had one in the first game and I liked it because the controls are so complex. And so did Star Wars Bounty Hunter, one of my favorite games. Both were necessary, but if the game is going to be generic you might as well make it short or NON-EXISTENT

Bounty Hunter had complex controls? I thought it was just like d-pad weapon select, X jump, sqaure shoot and lock on and jetpack button and you were like set?

I haven't played it in years so I'm not too sure on that though

remember how to claim a bounty?
that was at a minimum of a 4 step process

Oh yeah! Scan, tag, cable tie then claim. Forgot about that - yeah pretty complex. Especially during a firefight

 

[Chicago Ted]

I'd like an option to skip training. At least ODST understands this need

There was a major problem I found. Whenever I had to do the tutorial for the map, it always took ages and I was interupted twice by brutes in the middle that killed me since I couldn't get back into the game to fight back.

 

[Nannernade]

I think it'd be good if you had to beat the game once with the training/tutorial but after you beat the game you have the option to turn it off if say you feel like going back to it again and starting a new game.

 

[Deleted]

I hate training in RPGs where the girl (it's always a girl) will talk to you mid-battle and teach you the commands that you could figure out on your own.
'The attack opens up an attack menu and lets you.. guess what... ATTACK!'
'Choosing the 'escape' option gives you ten thousand gold. I promise.'