Sanbox vs Cover Based

[HeavenSmile]

Simple discussion debate, what game mechanic do you believe will become the be-all-end-all source of games for the future?

The sandbox engine from GTA3 or the cover system, roughly created by Space Invaders and Rolling Thunder?

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

"Linear, with the occasional branching path with items at the end" seems to the popular model.

 

[ronald1840]

Probably a mix of both as linear shooters are tending to become more open to exploration (Mass Effect, Bioshock Infinite). I highly doubt we'll ever see a FPS with the sandbox free-for-all space such as Just Cause 2 and still be able to drive a narrative with good pacing.

 

[manythings]

Sandbox is ok but I've never really gotten why everyone else is so addicted to them. GTA3 was amazing, Vice city was great but had issues, San Andreas floated some good ideas but again issues and from what I've played of GTA4 there is just too god damn much.

Linear is not a bad thing. Stories are linear by nature, they have to be since you are following a defined path from beginning to end. If I can get a story in my sandbox awesome so long as neither forces me to put up with shit the other doesn't.

 

[HeavenSmile]

I hope Sandbox. Cover systems are stupid. I liked it when they were used in a game like killswitch but now so many are cover based i got bored quickly of the same formula of Being shot at hide wait for shooting to stop then shoot back.

I agree, though the sandbox genre seems kind of washed out and repetitive; the cover system just gets boring. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Get hit. Hide behind a box, wall, etc. Heatlh regenerates and repeat. Afterwhile, sure my muscle memory is on key to allow myself to run through the level with no real issues. It's just, personally, not satisfying.

 

[gigastar]

Dude, your thread titles broken.

OT: I prefer sandbox to cover. Though cover becomes significantly harder if theres no health regeneration on hand.

 

[Kakujin]

I honestly think both are kind of dull, so I would heavily prefer some other thing.

 

[subtlefuge]

You're making a lot of new threads in a very short span.

Also, the two are not mutually exclusive.

 

[StBishop]

I hope Sandbox. Cover systems are stupid. I liked it when they were used in a game like killswitch but now so many are cover based i got bored quickly of the same formula of Being shot at hide wait for shooting to stop then shoot back.

I agree, though the sandbox genre seems kind of washed out and repetitive; the cover system just gets boring. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Get hit. Hide behind a box, wall, etc. Heatlh regenerates and repeat. Afterwhile, sure my muscle memory is on key to allow myself to run through the level with no real issues. It's just, personally, not satisfying.

What about cover based, but not in a "Realism-one-shot-almost-dead" and regenerating health way.

What if we had cover based combat, with no regenerating health, or at least not regenerating in combat, that used more corners than chest high walls?

Also, generally there's not meant to be VS threads.

 

[HeavenSmile]

I hope Sandbox. Cover systems are stupid. I liked it when they were used in a game like killswitch but now so many are cover based i got bored quickly of the same formula of Being shot at hide wait for shooting to stop then shoot back.

I agree, though the sandbox genre seems kind of washed out and repetitive; the cover system just gets boring. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Get hit. Hide behind a box, wall, etc. Heatlh regenerates and repeat. Afterwhile, sure my muscle memory is on key to allow myself to run through the level with no real issues. It's just, personally, not satisfying.

What about cover based, but not in a "Realism-one-shot-almost-dead" and regenerating health way.

What if we had cover based combat, with no regenerating health, or at least not regenerating in combat, that used more corners than chest high walls?

Also, generally there's not meant to be VS threads.

I believe what you just describe for the cover based system would be a wonderful idea for a game.

 

[Archwright]

3rd person Sandbox games littered with chest-high walls backed by a strong cover system. The RockSugar of the modern video game.

I hope that no game mechanic starts to trump all. Nothing would drive me away from games quicker.

 

[luckshotpro]

it seems to be cover-based, but i definitely prefer sandbox, cover-based games seem to be similar in design to each-other, and consequently feel interchangeable, sandbox games do enough unique things to keep the idea interesting.

 

[DanielBrown]

Hopefully sandbox. I'm so tired of cover-based shooters.
It make sense to take cover while being shot at, but the chest high walls are unecessary. We can hide behind other stuff too, you know!

 

[HeavenSmile]

You're making a lot of new threads in a very short span.

Also, the two are not mutually exclusive.

Just random thoughts that could the discernment of other gamers.

 

[StBishop]

Snip-etty doo-da, snip-etty day! My-oh-my what a wonderful day.

I believe what you just describe for the cover based system would be a wonderful idea for a game.

I pretty much just looked at how I played a bit at the start of mass effect 1 and thought... this is awesome, if only it had a more intuitive cover system for corners.

That's pretty much it. Corridor shooters would be much more awesome. You could even add a little bit of option to the game to make it feel less linear (two doors into the same room from different sides rather than one).

I'm not a huge fan of Sandbox any more, I had all the sandbox fun I think a person can have by playing GTA: San Andreas pretty much everyday for about 3 years.

 

[dsmops2003]

Sandbox with randomly generated worlds where you dig for things is the future.

 

[loc978]

...I prefer the old school... non-linear levels, but not sandbox game-sized. Maps that encourage exploration. Basically, my feelings on the matter can be summed up as follows:

Spoiler

The future, though... that's pretty bleak, from my perspective.

 

[StBishop]

...I prefer the old school... non-linear levels, but not sandbox game-sized. Maps that encourage exploration. Basically, my feelings on the matter can be summed up as follows:

Spoiler

I hate to be the guy to drag this in here, but; change the caption to "Dragon Age: Origins Map Design" & "Dragon Age 2 Map Design" and it still works.

They really should have held it up for like 9 more months and worked on both quality and quantity of maps.

Oh well, maybe they'll learn for DA3?