I actually more often have problem with non-mute protagonists hurting the immersion. Like in Dragon Age when I am in a really hard battle and my character cries "is it just me, or do you actually think you have a chance". I kinda like silent protagonists because you can at least pretend that they have an interesting personality, while many talking characters either come out as bland or dipshits the moment they open their mouths.A Curious Fellow said:
The Little Touches in Assassin's Creed
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
I also think Fallout 3 was good at the little things and one of the reasons I like New Vegas more is that it does the little things even better.
I loved reading the emails in the H & H factory between two staff members complaining about the new HR policies while they arranged meetings with each other to carry out a affair (and what items to bring too).
I loved reading the emails in the H & H factory between two staff members complaining about the new HR policies while they arranged meetings with each other to carry out a affair (and what items to bring too).
I LOVE the background stuff in Mass Effect, like the Krogan on Tuchanka talking about visiting his son in the female camps, or the two Asari on Ilium snidely backbiting the "pureblood" standing only a few feet away from them. And don't even get me started on the Lair of the Shadowbroker surveillance vids and e-mails. I wish Yahtzee had mentioned these, they were masterfully done.
Yahtzee, this was a great article, but I have to admit I'm kinda disappointed. For the first time since Team Fortress 2, you found a game's multiplayer appealing and I was hoping for an article where you would explain what makes for a good multiplayer experience. Any chance you'd share your thoughts on that in an upcoming Extra Punctuation?
Like how the vids reveal who Liara's father is? Good stuff there. Totally knew the Shadow Broker would have that information long before the DLC came out.Optimystic said:
Yatzhee summed up why me and two of my friends what Treyarch to simply make a Nazi Zombie GAME. The three map packs for World at War have SO much information hidden in them . Field manuals, hidden radios, notes, name tags, blood smears...there are so many tiny little secrets that people miss. But if you take the time to look for them, you realize just how much story Treyarch has put behind this so-called mini-game. Still trying to find stuff in the new Theater one.
See I have to disagree with you on the Fallout 3 bit. There actually is a TON of backstory and little tidbits within the world. For example, there is one medical makeshift camp that has a log of a doctor explaining everything that's happening up until the bombs drop and dying from radiation poisoning.
There's a segment where you find a food packaging plant that has zombified Chinese soldiers in it. Why? Because the plant was actually meant to be a place to gather demographic information for the Chinese government. It's ridiculous, but it makes killing those zombie soldiers seem to have a purpose.
There's also another point in the Dunwich building where you follow the story of a man who winds up in the building after being attacked by Raiders and slowly turns into a Ghoul.
Fallout 3 is filled with small details that flesh out the world. To me, that's what makes the game so much more engaging.
There's a segment where you find a food packaging plant that has zombified Chinese soldiers in it. Why? Because the plant was actually meant to be a place to gather demographic information for the Chinese government. It's ridiculous, but it makes killing those zombie soldiers seem to have a purpose.
There's also another point in the Dunwich building where you follow the story of a man who winds up in the building after being attacked by Raiders and slowly turns into a Ghoul.
Fallout 3 is filled with small details that flesh out the world. To me, that's what makes the game so much more engaging.
Furthermore, you can unlock Altair's outfit for Snake in MGS4. It's not easy though.True Nero said:
Still love the seemingly random dialogue exchange between the survivors in L4D2 
I've heard a lot of them but every so often i still hear something that comes across as new! (probably because i haven't heard them say it forever)
I've heard a lot of them but every so often i still hear something that comes across as new! (probably because i haven't heard them say it forever)
Yeah, I found this a little odd as well. There's the mention of how in AC:B an essentially mute character (that obviously does have a pre determined story and personality) who doesn't interact with the world or others in any meaningful way hurts the immersion aspect of the game.. and then HL2 is trotted out as a good example of how to immerse a player via small details, without mentioning how it has that exact same flaw.A Curious Fellow said:
Don't know much about Fallout 3, but one game I definitely know has tons of little details and funny quirks is Vampire Masquerade: Bloodlines. I played the game at least 4 times by now and I discover something new with each playthrough. Even if it has so many bugs I could open an insect themed restaurant. But that's what patches are for.
Half-Life 2 is essentially a documentary, except the camera crew is armed to the teeth and doesn't take kindly to the locals in between getting interviews from some important people...StriderShinryu said:
Yahtzee's right, it's hard to buy into the modern day Assassin v. Templar conspiracy in Assassin's Creed when we hardly see any of it. But "The Truth" segments in AC:Brotherhood did more to give it weight than anything Lucy, Desmond or even Vidic have said. Most noteworthy is one phone log where
Now that's a little touch that shows just how pervasive and powerful this conspiracy really is.
A man calls his cable company to complain about his TV flashing all of his and his son's personal and medical data on the screen--probably negligence on the part of some Abstergo tech, for all we know. Within 2 minutes, the Templars have sent someone to his house to kill him and his son.
Now that's a little touch that shows just how pervasive and powerful this conspiracy really is.
Good article that, and something I really appreciate and enjoy. Although I agree with some people's comments here about seeing things mattering more than reading them. Fallout 3 and AC:B are providing, in my mind at least, something slightly different. Fallout 3 provides back story for characters you don't meet (The skeletons on the bed for instance) which provides detail for the WORLD. AC:B provides background for the characters. I'm not saying that either game doesn't provide the other type but I'd say that, for me at least, Fallout 3's details were world based and AC:B's were character based.
One of the little touches I liked was when I was climbing the Colleseum, I stumbled across a couple of guys who were just flicking each other off. You know that thing where you place your hand under your chin and flick the fingers forward - the 'fuck your mother' of the vast array of non-verbal Italian insults. They just stood there, flicking each other off, over and over again. I liked to believe they were practising, rehearsing the insult for later and wanting to make sure they got it JUST right. I'd like to see an entire game about these two guys.