Map Design [2010 edition] - Developers

[img]http://imgur.com/lzaJR.jpg[/img] how bad are games these days. I remember you'd actually have to find the lever to press to open the door, these days they give you a marker to its exact location. all those fucking cutscenes where I just have to watch and can't interact. i just feel like i'm doing work now, not actually playing the game. discuss dumbing down games in here, and your strategies to appeal to the console market.

I see someone has been browsing the LMAO Pics thread.

i haven't, someone posted it on reddit

[QUOTE=Cruma;25946982]I see someone has been browsing the LMAO Pics thread.[/QUOTE] but it's true

I remember playing Legend Of Zelda Ocarina of time and the dungeons were fucking complicated, and there was almost no cut scenes really, and if there were, it was really shot like a few seconds.

I've gotten bored of new PC games and have been playing the Gamecube lately and even buying more games for it. N64/PS1 to GC/PS2 are a golden era of gaming.

[QUOTE=Firegod522;25947076]I remember playing Legend Of Zelda Ocarina of time and the dungeons were fucking complicated, and there was almost no cut scenes really, and if there were, it was really shot like a few seconds.[/QUOTE] water temple was challenging to say the least

Ugh... Water temple gave me so much trouble, also being 10 made it hard. :smith:

[QUOTE=Eyefunk;25947477]Ugh... Water temple gave me so much trouble, also being 10 made it hard. :smith:[/QUOTE] It's strange beating games that absolutely slaughtered your younger self.

[QUOTE=JLea;25947462]water temple was challenging to say the least[/QUOTE] Fucking nostalgia. shadow link. This thread is now about LOZ.

[QUOTE=Firegod522;25947076]I remember playing Legend Of Zelda Ocarina of time and the dungeons were fucking complicated, and there was almost no cut scenes really, and if there were, it was really shot like a few seconds.[/QUOTE] Honestly, I find those more annoying than long cutscenes. They interrupt the flow and leave me feeling ajar for a second without control over my character/camera before it's suddenly returned to me. Also think back: Play old classics like Harvest Moon, Windwaker, Animal Crossing, etc. You remember them being fun, taking care of your crops, sailing across the open ocean, pulling weeds... Then you go back and play it and you feel that sailing the ocean isn't as fun anymore, that watering your crops is time intensive and repetitive, and that pulling the weeds just plain sucks. Time changes your memory of how these games played. Even with games you played and played well, you'll go back and get stuck on a level which isn't any fun. Just a bit of devil's advocate. [editline]8th November 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Medevilae;25947719]There is a great series of FPS games called Half-Life, I think they're just what you're looking for.[/QUOTE] [img]http://i54.tinypic.com/1jpaoz.png[/img]

I got next years edition! [URL=http://img43.imageshack.us/i/cutscene.png/][IMG]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6245/cutscene.png[/IMG][/URL]

"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a quick-time event as every level--forever"

As far as more complicated levels go, many developers don't do it because they realize players usually just stick to one route after they have tried them all. Visual standards constrain most companies too, you need a vast amount of art assets to make a sophisticated world. One of the last linear games I enjoyed was Metro 2033, but only by a slight margin because I think about how much better the game could have been if it was open-world. If you are going to make a linear game, make damn sure everything is solid. I wonder how Half-Life 2 could have been made open world? Perhaps the story parts could be locked out of until you play the main story up until that part. There could be a side missions in which you help the rebels or discover some secrete of the combine. I just think an open-world HL2 game would be useful in building the lore.

The half life 2 universe would have a hard time holding up a free roam game, since its based around Gordan Freeman and his direct adventures based on gman's "orders".

[QUOTE=JLea;25947969]"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a quick-time event as every level--forever"[/QUOTE] you mean Heavy Rain? even though i liked that game

Heavy Rain was a brilliant experiment but I don't think every game will become like it any time soon :v: But really, every FPS or even TPS game these days comes down to: Run Cover Shoot Run Cover Shoot Cutscene Repeat 10x Awesome sequence that mixes it up a bit Back to step one

Metal Gear Solid 4 is a perfect example of a game with more cutscene than gameplay...still a good game though :v:

the first one is from doom, am i correct? and now i think im not.

L4d(2?) kinda changed up this, with the fact that depending on how well you were doing, you would be put in a different area to finish the level near the end. Not to mention having multiple paths to go through.

[QUOTE=Dashiel;25951862]Heavy Rain was a brilliant experiment but I don't think every game will become like it any time soon :v: But really, every FPS or even TPS game these days comes down to: Run Cover Shoot Run Cover Shoot Cutscene Repeat 10x Awesome sequence that mixes it up a bit Back to step one[/QUOTE] you forgot invincible AI companion that is ineffective in combat and generally serves as nothing but a voice

I want my N64 back, though I still got a PS1 lieing around here with crash bandicoot. :3: good times.

I have both :v: If you want just use an emulator, they are pretty fun to play old games on your pc from way back then.

I don't really know what the cause for this is. It could just be that game designers are trying to cater to the players who are impatient and incapable of figuring out puzzles. So they try to keep their games short, linear and to the point. But even so, not all games nowadays are like this. There's still enough games out there that have you explore for a certain item ( key, lever, explosives, tool, etc. ) or have you go out of your way of the main path and eventually re-enter it.

Ahh the old days. I remember playing chrash bandicoot and spyro. It was awesome! anyways, I have always liked open (or semi-open) maps more than closed. Thats why I do not really like cod or css, but prefer battlefield. I think it is a shame that the maps have come to this.

[QUOTE=Firegod522;25952390]L4d(2?) kinda changed up this, with the fact that depending on how well you were doing, you would be put in a different area to finish the level near the end. Not to mention having multiple paths to go through.[/QUOTE] It's only really done on two maps and it's such a minor detour it's hardly worth it.

[QUOTE=Staneh;25953310]I want my N64 back, though I still got a PS1 lieing around here with crash bandicoot. :3: good times.[/QUOTE] The N64 is my all-time favorite, sadly I never owned one, only played it at a friends house and emulate it, even owning a California Speed cartridge planning on getting the system, then never did. The PS, however, [IMG_thumb]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab23/BJK51alt/100_2338.jpg[/IMG_thumb]

[QUOTE=WebOfTrust;25953587]The N64 is my all-time favorite, sadly I never owned one, only played it at a friends house and emulate it, even owning a California Speed cartridge planning on getting the system, then never did. The PS, however, [IMG_thumb]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab23/BJK51alt/100_2338.jpg[/IMG_thumb][/QUOTE] Is dat sum Vigilante 8? Awesome.

Call of Duty. Hear shots, appear on Radar. Want a tip from a loading screen? "Press SPACE to Jump".

I'm not a huge fan of modern video games anyway. And I sure as hell never make maps linear. It's retarded and I feel like I would be doing a bad job if I did make my maps linear.