Poll: Ugh, Quick-Time Events

[MercurySteam]

I don't know if I'm the only one who finds them a problem, but quick time events deserve to eat a 'dick pavlova' and die in a corner.

In Clive Barker's Jericho the first QTE (quick time event) took me at least five minutes to complete. And then where you need to exorcise the messed-up Nazi *****, my tactic of getting killed then going back and predicting her moves failed me because she used different moves (solved by using a cheat). And in Gears 2 I can only win chainsaw duels aginst bots. Mercs 2 pisses me off in particular becasue if you're like me then you'll know that it doesn't show you what key to spam, it only shows you its symbol and at no point in the game do you get told what symbol is what (on the 360 and PS3 it WILL show you which button), plus towards the end of the game the vehicles get REALLY hard to jack. An in COD 4, I'm NEVER fast enough to stop a dog from ripping me a new one. Also in F.E.A.R. 2 I had to assign the keys to spam to different keys as it hurt my hand. Plus spamming buttons/keys doesn't exactly help them last. If they were made easier, then I guess it wouldn't be so much of an issue.

However I have nothing wrong with the one in Dead Space where you need to tap one button a few times.

EDIT: Also I have no quarrel with the car-hopping QTE in WET where all you have to do is press one button and you have about five seconds to do so.

EDIT 2: I went through the controls menu in Mercs 2, and they actually do tell you the keys that match the symbols. It would be more useful if they told you what they were in-game as well.
Am I the only one with this problem?

 

[Cargando]

They're all right sometimes. I don't see what all the fuss is about really.

 

[Emphraim]

The only real problem that I have with quick time events is that it can be really immersion breaking when a glowing symbol pops up in the middle of the screen telling you what button to hit.

 

[Chipperz]

Soo... You're bad at something, so it should be banned?

I get the impression you're a PC gamer, have you tried playing with a 360 controller?

 

[Nukey]

no because there are certain times were they work for example, if you hanging from a cliff from one hand your going to need to pull yourself up quickly other wise your going to fall, however they are annoying if there overused

 

[AndyFromMonday]

"Oh my, what beautiful scenery...PRESS 5 NOT TO FUCKING DIE, FUCKING DO IT FAST!"

 

[MercurySteam]

Soo... You're bad at something, so it should be banned?

I get the impression you're a PC gamer, have you tried playing with a 360 controller?

Nice sterotyping. I honestly hope it's not the fact most of my QTE troubles are caused by me using a keyboard, cause I sure as hell ain't gonna buy something vI don't need, just to make my life easier, plus it's unfair to PC gamers.

And I like my 360 alot thank you very much.

 

[JanatUrlich]

I personally have no problem with quick time events. I don't get why they get so much hate to be honest

 

[T5seconds]

As long as there easy and dont enterupt gameflow then i have no problem with QTE

 

[MercurySteam]

no because there are certain times were they work for example, if you hanging from a cliff from one hand your going to need to pull yourself up quickly other wise your going to fall, however they are annoying if there overused

Yes, good for one use every so often, not so good if used to do complex combos lightning-fast.

 

[Fightgarr]

I don't think QTEs are an inherently bad game mechanic. They can work pretty well as long as the buttons for the QTE remain assigned to certain types of commands, similar to what Heavy Rain is going to be doing and what Prince of Persia already (kind of) did. The problem I have with the mechanic is not with the concept but often the execution. I mean sure its an immersion-breaker to have buttons appear on screen but I actually like what it can add to gameplay. It breaks the monotony of some games. Its when execution is shoddy that QTEs become frustrating. Take Prince of Persia as an example. Some of its QTEs were total bullshit, and often the button mashing sequences versus monsters like The Warrior were almost impossible to beat (bringing back unfond memories of the torture sequence from Metal Gear Solid). The way a buddy of mine had to solve some button mashing sequences was by unplugging his controller, plugging in the rock band drums, unpausing and drumming on the right pad as fast as he could. That is when the QTE button mash has gone too far.

But no, as a concept I don't have a problem with them. I really don't think there's anything wrong with a little follow-the-prompt to break the monotony of some modern action games. Especially when they are an important, incorporated game mechanic.

 

[Chipperz]

Soo... You're bad at something, so it should be banned?

I get the impression you're a PC gamer, have you tried playing with a 360 controller?

Nice sterotyping. I honestly hope it's not the fact most of my QTE troubles are caused by me using a keyboard, cause I sure as hell ain't gonna buy something vI don't need, just to make my life easier, plus it's unfair to PC gamers.

And I like my 360 alot thank you very much.

*sigh* I got the impression because you kept going on about binding keys and using phrases like "on the 360 and PS3 it WILL show you which button". Unless you were talking about the Wii, I took an educated guess...

Also, I've never personally had an issue with quick-time events on the PC, but that's because I also own a 360, and simply used one of the controllers from that. I apologise now if this train of logic offends you further.

 

[lasherman]

I think quick-time events are great, provided that they are actually used properly. There are some games--the only example I can think of is Soul Calibre 3-- where you only need to pay attention for them like three times in the entire story, which makes them completely useless. They just pop out of nowhere so you aren't expecting them and screw you over. I played the demo for Wet and--I don't know if this will be true for the full game, though-- I loved the QTEs. For an entire level you had to be on guard for when you would need to jump from the roof of one car to the other, and they didn't interupt gameplay; the game would prompt you to press the jump button, but while you were doing that you were still in complete control of your character, letting you shoot at baddies while leaping over cars on the freeway.

 

[Souplex]

I somehow have never played a game with a QTE, maybe it is just my taste in games.

 

[Sassafrass]

I don't mind them as long as they are not overused. The only game that breaks that rule for me is The Last Remnant, where in combat, when you press a button that it tells you to, you can cause more damage and your other party members to move up the attack chain therefore making harder fights a little more easy.

 

[Sonicron]

Ugh. People bitching about QTEs. Again.

Congratulations on picking out some of the examples of bad QTE use in games. I wonder why nobody ever mentions GOOD use of QTEs. People keet bitching and moaning, but then they go frosting their pants over upcoming releases like God of War 3. Say what you want, those epic boss kills the God of War series employs are all QTEs, there's no denying it, and if you go on to tell me those are unimpressive and not crucial to the experience these games offer, then I'll have to call you either a hypocrite or a liar.
Besides, your major complaint seems to be that QTEs are employed without being essential to gameplay. Have you ever tried playing a game that is BUILT around the use of QTEs? It can actually be fun, believe it or not. Rent 'Ninja Blade', for example, give it a whirl and then tell us your impressions.

-EDIT- I will give you this: If you play PC games with a keyboard, QTEs are annoying, I've experienced it firsthand.

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

The Force Unleashed had QTE's that I found weren't to bad.


But Gears of War I totally agree with you. Macro'd controllers and 9 year olds hyped on sugar.

 

[PureChaos]

i don't see why they are hated so much, they don't bother me in the slightest. i lot of the time i don't realize it's a QTE until after i've done it

 

[headshotcatcher]

In games like God of War it's cool and related but in other games its often so misplaced :S

 

[squid5580]

Soo... You're bad at something, so it should be banned?

I get the impression you're a PC gamer, have you tried playing with a 360 controller?

If you are bad at something or if something was made for people other than the one's in your demographic. That is what makes the Escapist go round.

Depends on the game really. Some are well done others aren't. Although changing them if you miss the first time should only be reserved for the hardest difficulty.