Quick-Time Event Hero?

[Escapefromwhatever]

Am I the only one who seems to notice that the ever beloved Guitar Hero/Rock Band series are nothing but quick-time events set to music? The goal is to press the button the screen prompts you to press at the right time in order to keep the music going. How is this different from the widely hated Force Unleashed QTEs telling me to press a button at the right time in order to keep the mini-movie going? The only difference is that in Guitar Hero there is no other gameplay than QTEs, and that Guitar Hero gives one the feeling of being a "Guitar Hero." Being somebody who knows how to strike a chord or two irl, I would be very interested to hear the appeal of the rhythm genre. Any thoughts?

EDIT- rhythm was spelled wrong

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Very interesting thought to that. I'm one of those arrogant guitar players who refuse to play GH or rock band, but ywhat you say does have merit.

The first game I played that had the quick time events was resident evil 4, and the interactive cutscenes, I thought, were pretty cool, but now that I see how all the other games are using them, I see why they are detestible

 

[SimuLord]

Considering that it basically boils down to "press orange fret to not die" I think you're on to something. May serve partially to explain why I don't like GH/RB...or most other modern console games, for that matter. I wish QTEs would just go away, permanently, and their inventor can go die in a fire.

 

[Bamcrash]

Rockband and Guitar Hero are based on a group of people having fun, where as QTE's (quick time events)are a series of button presses that advance a cinematic (very rarely occuring in multiplayer games). The thing is, you are completly right about what they are, but it's what they accomplish that seperate them. One is a continual experience that evolves and changes, without booting you out of the sense of being awesome with one mistake, the other is just to reach an endpoint. So you're right and wrong.

 

[Musicfreak]

well when you think about it like that pushing buttons on a keyboard or controller responing to things happening on the screen would also be a "quick time event". I really don't mind them unless theres only one in the game and it's thrown in at a completely random moment just for the hell of it. Although yeah i definetly prefer playing real guitar to guitar hero, it is just so much more satisfying.

 

[willard3]

Um no. Quick-time events are rarely, if ever, rhythm-based.

Guitar Hero, DDR, Rock Band, etc. are rhythm games. You strum/drum/step to a song in a (usually) logical manner. Quick-time events correspond to cutscenes, not music.

Now having a music degree, I find rhythm-based games relatively easy, as I can usually predict how the music is going, even if I don't know the song (plus, sight-reading is my strongest skill). Quick-time events, not so much, but I'm still not bad at them.


So to sum up: Your argument has a shred of merit, but it's largely incorrect and an inaccurate comparison of ideas.

 

[Yog Sothoth]

Am I the only one who seems to notice that the ever beloved Guitar Hero/Rock Band series are nothing but quick-time events set to music? The goal is to press the button the screen prompts you to press at the right time in order to keep the music going. How is this different from the widely hated Force Unleashed QTEs telling me to press a button at the right time in order to keep the mini-movie going? The only difference is that in Guitar Hero there is no other gameplay than QTEs, and that Guitar Hero gives one the feeling of being a "Guitar Hero." Being somebody who knows how to strike a chord or two irl, I would be very interested to hear the appeal of the rhythym genre. Any thoughts?

Believe it or not, this very same comparison has already been made here, though I can't seem to find the thread presently....

Anyhoo, the final verdict was that Guitar Hero and Rock Band are not quicktime games, as they require dexterity, rhythm, multiple simultaneous button presses and muscle memory, yada yada yada....

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

well the button bashing in guitar hero makes out the gameplay

and in other games it's just an impossible thing to do on a pad that wasnt perfectly designed sometimes for the combination that results in 10 deaths in a row before killing that one big wasp in the frikkin tutorial of the game
and then on to the big boy fights where it is oooh so necesarry to do it to win the game

the difference is Guitar hero is doable
quicktime events are doable if you have multiple controllers you want to wreck out of frustration

I've never really had that problem. If God Of War wants me to press triangle within a 1 second time period, I think I have a good enough understanding of the Dualshock to do that. My problem with QTEs is that they're often unneccesary and annoying.

 

[TheBluesader]

I've never really had that problem. If God Of War wants me to press triangle within a 1 second time period, I think I have a good enough understanding of the Dualshock to do that. My problem with QTEs is that they're often unneccesary and annoying.

Do you find Guitar Hero unnecessary and annoying then? Because I do not.

According to your logic, though, I wonder what game ISN'T technically a QTE. You push buttons on a controller at certain key moments to make your game avatar react to current in-game situations - sounds like a QTE to me!

So I guess every platformer is technically a QTE, every FPS is a QTE, and every RTS is a really heavy, complicated QTE, with lots of events demanding lots of simultaneous quick button presses.

No. I don't think I'm going to agree to that.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

If you really want QTE Hero, go play Fahrenheit (a.k.a Indigo Prophesy). Great game, but boy does it bust your balls with the QTEs.

 

[brainfreeze215]

well the issue with quicktime events is when they're thrown into the mix unexpectedly and there's no chance of making it past them on the first try. If they are a core part of gameplay, and you are in fact expecting them, then they're good. It's just when they're a surprise (RE4 cough cough) that they're annoying.

 

[Rodger]

In a way, you've pretty much summed up the problem with QTE's in games like TFU. In Guitar Hero, you would expect this sort of thing since its a rhythm game. The entire point of the game is to hit buttons in a specific sequence. In an action game, though, its basically mixing in aspects of a rhythm game for no discernable reason. And can get rather annoying if you'd rather take the cutscene as a chance to grab a snack instead of sticking around to hit "X" every now and then or face drastic consequences, often leading to death. Its more or less the same reason stealth levels aren't particularly welcome in action games or shooters, because it goes against the nature of the game. It'd be different if QTE's were, say, established as a gameplay element, came up often, and could even be manipulated into happening by positioning yourself to trigger a QTE. Ie., Action Commands from Kingdom Hearts 2 which were like QTE's but pretty much every enemy could have one triggered on them.

Of course, I'm speaking totally as an observer here. I've played neither TFU (as I will never touch it unless it gets dropped off on my doorstep along with a bag of money) nor Rock Band/Guitar Hero, or any game using QTE's. Not unless you count games like Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars or Kingdom Hearts 2 where, again, they were established gameplay elements useable at any time.

I think another big complaint, though, and I can't remember who originally said it, "Top of the line graphics and physics engines, and whats the best we can do? Simon fekkin' says."

 

[Cortheya]

you know i never noticed that!

 

[Valiance]

Am I the only one who seems to notice that the ever beloved Guitar Hero/Rock Band series are nothing but quick-time events set to music? The goal is to press the button the screen prompts you to press at the right time in order to keep the music going. How is this different from the widely hated Force Unleashed QTEs telling me to press a button at the right time in order to keep the mini-movie going? The only difference is that in Guitar Hero there is no other gameplay than QTEs, and that Guitar Hero gives one the feeling of being a "Guitar Hero." Being somebody who knows how to strike a chord or two irl, I would be very interested to hear the appeal of the rhythm genre. Any thoughts?

EDIT- rhythm was spelled wrong

You're absolutely correct.
And DDR is just really sped up Simon Says.

In all seriousness, I agree to a point, but QTE is usually, well unpredictable to a point, trying to work off reflex. A song has rhythm, allowing one to predict the next movement. A large factor of games like Guitar Hero is memorization and practice to physically implement with perfection. Most QTEs I see aren't very difficult to pull off.

The amount of physical muscle training (I'm talking about you, raining blood) involved can actually take, you know, practice.

Sure the game is a simplistic piece of shit, but hell, I enjoy it. I usually dislike the use of QTEs but they don't usually ruin a game for me.

Long story short, yeah, it's just Simon Says except actually difficult depending on how you play it, but everything is basically that...it just depends on what is considered difficult.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

I've never really had that problem. If God Of War wants me to press triangle within a 1 second time period, I think I have a good enough understanding of the Dualshock to do that. My problem with QTEs is that they're often unneccesary and annoying.

Do you find Guitar Hero unnecessary and annoying then? Because I do not.

According to your logic, though, I wonder what game ISN'T technically a QTE. You push buttons on a controller at certain key moments to make your game avatar react to current in-game situations - sounds like a QTE to me!

So I guess every platformer is technically a QTE, every FPS is a QTE, and every RTS is a really heavy, complicated QTE, with lots of events demanding lots of simultaneous quick button presses.

No. I don't think I'm going to agree to that.

The difference is that in a platformer or fps, the player typically has full control over the character in a virtual environment, rather than just pressing predescribed button presses handed out by the game. I know Guitar Hero is a little more structured than the usual QTE, but the similarities are obvious. I don't mind if you like Guitar Hero, I just don't see the appeal, and felt like sharing my opinion on it, and listening to the opinions of others. That way we can all get a better appreciation for the game.

EDIT- Fixed a grammar issue

 

[TheBluesader]

The difference is that in a platformer or fps, the player typically has full control over the character in a virtual environment, rather than just pressing predescribed button presses handed out by the game. I know Guitar Hero is a little more structured than the usual QTE, but the similarities are obvious. I don't mind if you like Guitar Hero, I just don't see the appeal, and felt like sharing my opinion on it, and listening to the opinions of others. That way we can all get a better appreciation for the game.

No problem, dude. Just being a Dr. Professor with the logic, here. But I still think a QTE is a really specific thing, and Guitar Hero isn't that thing. But I see how you could say that about it, and lots of other things I wouldn't call QTE.

BTW, I mostly play AudioSurf on PC now anyway. Get to use my own mp3s. Much, much better.

 

[searanox]

Well, I mean, just about every game is a quick time event. Gotta press left to dodge those rockets, gotta press the button to shoot before they shoot you, gotta jump in time, gotta get to the end of the level.

Yeah, silly.

 

[Archereus]

Honestly i agree with you, this sort of thing would work. It would give veteran players a new challenge. Many of the people who have been playing GH and RB since day 1 really don't find no challenge until some thing like Raining Blood or Through the Fire and the Flame comes along. It would mean that playing it would not be repetitive since i know first hand and most others that player the same song over and over to perfect it does get annoying. it would bring some thing new, but maybe not as a whole game, maybe just as a mode of play or some thing or the sort.

 

[KDR_11k]

The difference is that there is rythm and logic to the buttons you hit, you see them scrolling in so you can prepare, etc. A regular QTE is when you watch a cutscene and suddently get told to hit a button. Plus regular QTEs know only success or failure, rythm games have different degrees of precision and often allow for several mistakes before giving you the bad outcome.

Well, I mean, just about every game is a quick time event. Gotta press left to dodge those rockets, gotta press the button to shoot before they shoot you, gotta jump in time, gotta get to the end of the level.

Yeah, silly.

No, QTEs have no reasoning involved. When you have a rocket approaching you you have to decide what to do (can depend on the situation, sometimes just sidestepping won't work), when you attack you have to make decisions on where to aim, what to shoot first, etc (and usually you have different means of shooting things and such). A QTE has zero thinking involved beyond "where's that button?", either you hit the button and advance on cutscene path A or you don't and advance on path B (which is usually a fancy game over message or the enemy regaining health or something else that you don't want). Few if any QTEs even make you decide between hitting the button and not doing so because the only way to win is to do it, there's no "given my situation, should I hit the button?"

 

[Beefcakes]

I always though QTE's were unexpected, and few and far between, hence the 'quick time' events
In these games though, its more a basic simulation of playing a guitar
So then I guess playing guitar/bass/*instrument* are just complex quick time events?
Hmm, interesting thought though