Warren Spector: Games Focus Too Much on Combat and Graphics

[Greg Tito]

Warren Spector: Games Focus Too Much on Combat and Graphics

Famed designer of Deus Ex and Epic Mickey wants more games to rely on non-combat mechanics instead of showing the prettiest picture.

Warren Spector has been around the block. Starting out in the gaming industry as Editor in Chief of Steve Jackson Games in Austin, Texas, he joined the videogame industry at Origin Systems followed by his tenure at Looking Glass Studios where he worked on Ultima Underworld and System Shock. Spector has always had strong opinions of what makes games good, concentrating on heightening player agency in most if not all of his games. He laid out some of his ideas of "Next-Gen Storytelling" in a four part series [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/70852-Next-Gen-Storytelling-Part-One-What-Makes-a-Story] here at The Escapist in 2007 but Spector continues to wish to change the gaming industry into something greater than it is.

"I'm disappointed by the fact that we still focus solely on combat mechanics and rendering techniques, at the expense of other things we could be devoting energy and effort to," Spector said in an interview with Develop Magazine [http://www.develop-online.net/features/1080/FAQ-Warren-Spector]. "We could be focusing on non-combat AI and making conversation as compelling as fighting for a change. Wouldn't that be great? We could be focusing on making storytelling truly interactive. We just focus on prettier pictures and flashier graphics attached to more impressive combat scenarios, and honestly, that just bores me."

Spector is not all gloom and doom; he is really thankful that he works in the industry. "I am constantly surrounded by people who are more intelligent than me. I really do learn something new every day," he said. "It's just incredible to imagine what we get to learn. The other great thing is that every day when I get into the office I see something nobody else has ever seen."

It's hard to argue with Spector's complaints about the industry. I think it would be really compelling if a game made conversation just as fun and engaging as all of the combat that's in so many titles today.

The graphics comment seems a little dated, however. With the prevalence of HD TVs and high-powered GPUs on most consoles and PCs, realistic graphics really only serve to increase immersion in the game's story. That said, if your game isn't fun, it really doesn't matter how great it looks.

Source: Develop [http://www.develop-online.net/features/1080/FAQ-Warren-Spector]

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[Onyx Oblivion]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's still nice to have a good story in games. But I don't think that storytelling should become the focus on the future of this medium.

We really should focus on the core mechanics of the thrills of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Story should take a backseat to gameplay.

 

[Irridium]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's nice to have a good story in games. But we really should focus on the core mechanics of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Or perhaps focus on telling stories through running, jumping, fighting, and exploring.

Games can tell stories in a way no other medium can, its just very few ever actually take advantage of it.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

I'm full-on agreeing.
*goes to design exploration game*

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's nice to have a good story in games. But we really should focus on the core mechanics of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Or perhaps focus on telling stories through running, jumping, fighting, and exploring.

Games can tell stories in a way no other medium can, its just very few ever actually take advantage of it.

That rarely works out well. A game focused purely on narrative can work, but the end result is feeling like a movie (Heavy Rain) or a choose-your-own-adventure book (Bioware).

I've yet to see a story in a game that another medium couldn't deliver.

Now, if you excuse me, I have to dig up some old CYOA books from my childhood.

 

[psychic psycho]

I can't help but think about 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. It accomplishes a lot of what Spector is saying. Being on the DS, 999 obviously had modest graphics. It didn't have any combat. Basically, you read text, pick dialog options, and solve the occasional point-and-click puzzle. However, the storytelling was AMAZING. It's something that can ONLY be told through videogames. I'll go as far as saying it's only possible on the DS.

999 is truly a masterful game that everyone should try.

EDIT:

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's nice to have a good story in games. But we really should focus on the core mechanics of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Or perhaps focus on telling stories through running, jumping, fighting, and exploring.

Games can tell stories in a way no other medium can, its just very few ever actually take advantage of it.

That rarely works out well. A game focused purely on narrative can work, but the end result is feeling like a movie (Heavy Rain) or a choose-your-own-adventure book (Bioware).

I've yet to see a story in a game that another medium couldn't deliver.

Now, if you excuse me, I have to dig up some old CYOA books from my childhood.

Ah, I just posted a few seconds after you. If you want to see a story that only a video game can tell I suggest 999.

 

[felixader]

Shut Up Spector. Take a look at what you promissed for Epic Mickey and whyt you actually delivered then reconsider talking and mentioning obvious things as wise chants.

 

[Casual Shinji]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's still nice to have a good story in games. But I don't think that storytelling should become the focus on the future of this medium.

We really should focus on the core mechanics of the thrills of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Story should take a backseat to gameplay.

Story doesn't need to take a back seat if it's well integrated with the gameplay.

But what I think he's really getting at is that games should focus on more diverse gameplay mechanics rather than just combat mechanics.
But since combat is the easiest way for a developer to let the player interact with a gameworld, it usually becomes about 70% of the gameplay.

And we need more games like Okami in the world: Games that have only a handful of gameplay mechanics, but integrate them in the most diverse ways.

 

[josemlopes]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's still nice to have a good story in games. But I don't think that storytelling should become the focus on the future of this medium.

We really should focus on the core mechanics of the thrills of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Story should take a backseat to gameplay.

The other mediums can tell a story but this one can tell an interective story. I understand his point and lately I have been having that kind of need in games, something to make the game world more realistic and meaningfull.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

And we need more games like Okami in the world: Games that have only a handful of gameplay mechanics, but itegrate them in the most diverse ways.

I'll drink to that!

Wait...I don't drink...

I'll agree with that!

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I can't help but think about 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. It accomplishes a lot of what Spector is saying. Being on the DS, 999 obviously had modest graphics. It didn't have any combat. Basically, you read text, pick dialog options, and solve the occasional point-and-click puzzle. However, the storytelling was AMAZING. It's something that can ONLY be told through videogames. I'll go as far as saying it's only possible on the DS.

I've been meaning to pick it up for awhile.

 

[Tim Latshaw]

I'm all for adding more dynamic storytelling while engaging in action, but games like Epic Mickey prove we have a long way to go in that.

 

[DojiStar]

I don't disagree with Spector, exactly, but I thought his long interviewer several years ago emphasized the power of having a robust game engine allowing players to create their own narrative, not author-imposed storytelling. We have far too much of the later in games already. A better conversation engine would be awesome, though, if we can do it without solving general AI.

Also, you can rip on games with guys with a gun in a trenchcoat all you want, Spector, but you are a pathetic and shameless sellout with your lame ripoff of Okami based on one of the most tired and over-marketed intellectual "properties" (only because DIS keeps lobbying for extended IP protection and making a travesty of the original purpose of copyright law) in the world. Way to treat the gamers who got you where you are.

 

[WingedFortress]

Spector, your gonna become a household joke if your not careful. For alot of gamers, COMBAT(Or - GAMEPLAY) is the whole reason we're buying a game, and graphics, well like was said above, it only adds to immersion.

And I resent this guy for bitching about how CONVERSATION could be so well done. No shit it can be. Do you even pay attention to what Bioware tries to do. Until you've made something better than Dragon Age, Or Mass Effect, Shut the fuck up .

 

[psychic psycho]

I've been meaning to pick it up for awhile.

Awesome, put that on the top of your to do list. You definitely don't want to put it off too long and realize that it's no longer in stock.

 

[eelel]

But storytelling is something that other mediums can do...It's still nice to have a good story in games. But I don't think that storytelling should become the focus on the future of this medium.

We really should focus on the core mechanics of the thrills of running, jumping, fighting, and exploring. Things that other mediums can't deliver.

Story should take a backseat to gameplay.

I am sad to hear this. If we ever want to be accepted by the main stream than we need to move away from explotions and sammy FPS games and actualy have story

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

And epic Micky focus to much on combat and bad designs....

 

[Sixcess]

I think Mr. Spector is coming down with a bad case of Peter Molyneux Syndrome.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Spector, your gonna become a household joke if your not careful. For alot of gamers, COMBAT(Or - GAMEPLAY) is the whole reason we're buying a game, and graphics, well like was said above, it only adds to immersion.

But does gameplay always have to be combat? Spector is grumbling about that sort of tunnel-vision, that designers are sticking too much to "blow 'em up" games with ever-more ludicrous gibs.* There is more to gameplay than weapons and armour.

-- Steve

*That being said, I'm having a blast in Fallout: New Vegas and the VATS slo-mo is a lot of fun in it. Then again, there always has been a lot more to the Fallout series' gameplay than just the fighting.

 

[mad825]

Gee, this guy has smarts >.>