Quick time events. Ugh.

[Sean Hollyman]

So I was playing [PROTOTYPE 2], and let's just say that during an important battle, I was really getting into it, and then... boom. Quick time event. How amazing.
..And I don't see how anyone can possibly like them.

So there you are in the action, fighting, and probably winning, and then, boom... it says you have to press a certain button... then another button.. then ooh another one.. it gets really underwhelming at times, and I think it distracts from the action and intensity of the fight, where you know that all you have to do is press the button that pops up on the screen.

Thoughts?

 

[Kahunaburger]

Ugh, indeed. They're universally terrible, and a huge symptom of the "games should be cinematic" school of thought.

 

[WoW Killer]

I don't mind certain elements of context sensitivity, and they can allow a play to control more complex actions with fewer buttons. But the whole "press X to not die" thing has always been lazy design. It's a complete immersion breaker.

 

[linwolf]

Quick time event have been successfully implemented into enough games that it's clear that they do work and can add to a game. So any game where they don't work isn't the fault of quick time event but the developers failing to implement them.

 

[Seishisha]

Press X to continue typing sent......

Yah QTE's im personaly not that bothered by them in games so long as two rules are met, first rule: the qte always triggers on certain actions like hijacking a vehicle in just cause 2, second rule: the qte doesnt just appear once or twice per game, if your going to use them atleast make them consistant, not in one tenth of all the cutscenes, an example of this would be warhammer 40k space marine, the entire game is played by running round and shooting stuff and its totatly freaking sweet, except the final boss which is a boring qte where you mash like two buttons constantly to win.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well I'm normally a pacifist but the managers who allow QTE to be put in a game should be shot without exception.
It is the sum of all bad game design in a single feature.

 

[the abyss gazes also]

Heavy Rain was an interesting game with QTEs because, after the initial surprise of "Hey, a game built on QTEs," it never broke the flow. Uncharted on the other hand, you are climbing along and all the sudden the ledge breaks and you need to "Press X not to die." And because I'm not precognitive, I die.

That is bullshit. If they come at you as an immersion breaking surprise then that is when they become annoying.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Quick time event have been successfully implemented into enough games that it's clear that they do work and can add to a game. So any game where they don't work isn't the fault of quick time event but the developers failing to implement them.

What games are QTEs successfully implemented in, in your opinion? I honestly can't think of a game where I was glad a QTE was there. Maybe that one famous one in MGS 3?

 

[Jazoni89]

Quick time event have been successfully implemented into enough games that it's clear that they do work and can add to a game. So any game where they don't work isn't the fault of quick time event but the developers failing to implement them.

What games are QTEs successfully implemented in, in your opinion? I honestly can't think of a game where I was glad a QTE was there. Maybe that one famous one in MGS 3?

Shenmue had a great QTE system, and those two games practically created it.

They even had consequences if you screwed them up too much. For example not catching up to the boy who stole your stuff, and having to ask around to find the hideout instead of being lead there if the QTE's were successful.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Quick time event have been successfully implemented into enough games that it's clear that they do work and can add to a game. So any game where they don't work isn't the fault of quick time event but the developers failing to implement them.

What games are QTEs successfully implemented in, in your opinion? I honestly can't think of a game where I was glad a QTE was there. Maybe that one famous one in MGS 3?

Shenmue had a great QTE system, and those two games practically created it.

They even had consequences if you screwed them up too much. For example not catching up to the boy who stole your stuff, and having to ask around to find the hideout instead of being lead there if the QTE's were successful.

Shenmue was basically just QTEs, walking, and dialogue right? Maybe the best implementation is all QTEs or no QTEs.

EDIT: or, in light of the occasional fight sequences in Shenmue, heavy use of QTE (as in more than RE4) or no QTE makes more sense.

 

[srm79]

Quick time events arn't bad. Their implementations are.

you need to follow 3 rules with them:

1: Apply QTE in a pattern that fits with your game.
Major offenders:
Risen 2
The Witcher 2
QTE's require a certain reactionary state of mind. If half your game is a slow burner and then you go BAM REACT then you force people into a hyper reactionary state when it isn't needed. It is stressful to keep this state of mind for longer periods of time. You need a "ready....go!" to pump you up and a "end" when its done.

2: Only apply QTE to allow the player to do something the controls do not permit.
Whole point is to allow for some reactionary control. If your control already allows for this then it is pointless.

3: Punish the player accordingly.
1 QTE death is cheap. Again Risen 2 makes perfect examples in that traps needs to be dodged by QTE or it is an instant death. GoW allowed you to fuck up a QTE and would punish you, but not completely.

If a developer can follow this, then he can make good use of QTE

If you know anyone who has a copy, have a go at Formula One: Championship Edition with interactive pit stops turned on. One of the best implementations of QTE in any game so far and a shining example of your 3 points above:

1: Once you drive into the pit lane, you will have a few seconds to psych yourself up before arriving in the pit box. There is absolutely no reason not to be prepared when the QTE starts.

2: The actual QTE involves pressing shoulder/pad buttons to make each part or the pit crew do their jobs. A pitstop generally follows a fixed pattern and the trick comes with anticipating and reacting to the prompts perfectly.

3: If you fumble a button press, a mechanic will fumble a wheel gun or the fuel hose might jet stuck. Timing and reactions are everything in a Formula 1 pitstop in real life, and the F1:CE QTE system adds this brilliantly.

Captcha: double time

I swear captcha grows more sentient every day...

 

[Limecake]

I honestly don't mind QTE's unless they are in cinematics. usually if I'm watching the cinematic the last thing on my mind is that I should press a button (especially if I don't want to skip the cutscene) but otherwise QTE's during gameplay don't bother me (I'm pushing buttons anyway right?)

 

[Iwata]

Usually I don't mind QTE's, but there are three instances where it does get annoying, and I'll illustrate with examples:

1- The RE4 QTE. You're watching a cinematic when SUDDENLYPRESSXNOTTODIETOOLATEYOU'REDEADHAHAHA. That is extremelly annoying and makes me paranoid throghout the cinematics, focusing more on unexpected QTE's than the story.

2- The Force Unleashed QTE. I get it. You need QTE's to get your character to do something so awesome that would be outside the scope of normal gameplay. Too bad I can't see the awesome things my character is doing because I'm too focussed on the button prompts.

3- The Space Marine QTE. So the final boss, the great threat to the galaxy that will spill humanity's blood across the stars, finally stands before you. You just mowed down his bodyguards and are expecting a boss fight like the one against the Ork Warlord, but x10 more epic... but no. The "boss fight" is nothing but a QTE. The definition of anti-climatic.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I like QTEs when they're appropriate to the theme. An example I often bring up is Marvel Ultimate Alliance, where some boss fights have them. Specifically, you have to use QTEs to avoid being swatted like a bug by Galactus or the king of the frost giants. Huge enemies that you simply could not take down conventionally. It makes sense to have them there.

Another game I really enjoyed that was loaded with them was Jurassic Park. Strangely, it got really bad reviews because of the QTEs, but I'm not sure what people expected. You're on an island full of dinosaurs who want to eat you. You're not going to outmuscle them, you're not going to run through shooting them all. If you want to survive, it takes fast thinking and quick reflexes. For which QTEs are perfect. That's what they're designed for.

 

[Smertnik]

Heavy Rain was an interesting game with QTEs because, after the initial surprise of "Hey, a game built on QTEs," it never broke the flow.

Yeah, QTEs are very well implemented in Heavy Rain. Just as in Fahrenheit, actually. They are consistent, fair and fun to execute while giving the player leeway for a certain failure rate.

It really just depends on the game and the way of implementation. There's nothing inherently wrong about the QTE mechanic, it's just that far more often than not it gets used in a wrong way.
I'm especially annoyed by random cutscene QTEs. Just let me watch your stupid cutscenes, damnit! I don't want to stare intensely on the screen in expectation of a half a second long prompt all the time which I'll probably miss anyway because my reaction time is too long.

 

[hazabaza1]

I think that if they're a core part of gameplay then it's all fine. What does suck is getting an hour or two into a game and then HAHA FUCK YOU DO THE BOSS AGAIN YOU ****
Also, if it randomises the button you have to press every time... yeah, fuck that.

 

[Palademon]

You try making a unique context sensitive move in a game to change the pace or emphasise the moment.

Either you don't tell people and they complain.
or
You throw a tutorial at them in the middle of action in the game. (Press this button during this time does something different because of reasons)
or
You make it simple and everyone complains about it.

It's bad in games where you otherwise sit back during all cutscenes, or any other such case where it isn't expected or enough time isn't given. Otherwise they're perfectly fine. I actually like it when they make a game more cinematic.

 

[lacktheknack]

If they're not tacked on, they can be just grand.

See Prince of Persia 2008, Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy.