Gaming disconnects, instances when reality destroys suspension of disbelief

[Black Reaper]

Oh people taking multiple point blank shotgun shells to the face in Fallout: New Vegas and just not giving a fuck.

Seriously, there was a Powder Ganger who was not even wearing a shirt tanking at least 3 shots from a shotgun at minimum range. It's fine when you have the Deathclaws and that tank everything because they're natural predators that you should be scared of but random ass human enemies?

Don't even get me started on the melee brawl I had in the White Glove casino... There's a bit where two guys with batons ambush you in a room, they can own me because you can have no weapons in a casino and the one I did have was on fuck all ammo. I was running though the whole main floor with these two jokers after me and the AI of all the others in the casino went apeshit. Some were panicking, some continued with their poker games, I could even talk to some people... They don't chase you outside but if you go back in you have to surrender your weapons and they're still fucking there

Weren't you guys meant to be stealthily killing me to stop an investigation or something?

That runs in the family
*Shoots someone with an arrow in Oblivion*
Oh,it must have been the wind

*dares Skyrim mugger to kill you and take your stuff*,*holsters weapon*
Ill let you live,this time!

*Shoots someone in Megaton*,Megaton turns hostile
Fawkes starts killing stuff,despite being a pacifist

In Tales of Graces,you run into a town that is really,really fucking poor,the whole party fells sorry for them,so what is the first thing you do?
Go loot their houses of course!

 

[MysticSlayer]

In RPGs, you are often limited to the number of squadmates you can have in your party at one time. This is made worse when you consider that they sometimes are traveling with you and available in cutscenes, acting as if they were involved in the fighting, yet they are nowhere to be found in the gameplay.

Normally, I'm okay with this kind of thing in RPG's. But yeah, I can agree in terms of reality, it doesn't make much sense.

Chrono Trigger at least tried to make an excuse for why you can't have more than three people at a time, the gates will send people who are each from different time lines back to the End of Time if there is more than three people.

Of course, that whole thing kinda falls apart in this spoof of the game.


"What are you trying to do? Break the mechanics of the RPG?"

Of course, at the end of the day, that kind of thing doesn't ruin those kinds of games for me. I guess I'm just used to how stuff works in RPG's.

I'm not really trying to say that it ruins the RPGs, but more that it can occasionally cause a momentary loss of immersion in the game's story and world. It was one of the primary complaints I had about Xenoblade Chronicles, as that game is constantly bringing out the issue whenever there's a boss, but if my avatar is any indication, I am still a huge fan of the game.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

Deliberately breaking the fourth wall, though I'm not sure if this 'counts' in regards to the topic since it's deliberate on the Dev's part. Specifically thinking of Dragon Age II here, which shoehorns in a lot of pop culture references.

How about with games like Metal Gear Solid, where they keep referencing using the action button to do something and other fourth wall breaking things, except they aren't there for comedy value, but as tutorials (I admit they do have some that break the fourth wall just for the sake of comedy, but still)?

 

[neonsword13-ops]

In Far Cry 3, I began to believe Jason was made of titanium silly putty, because despite have broken his thumb 30 times now, he's still able to put it back together like nothing happened. Also, every time I crashed a car, the healing animation was to spit out a bullet in his arm, so basically, he eats bullets like sunflower seeds.

>Falls 6 feet
>Dislocates hand
Videogame logic.

I've been having a few immersion breaking moments in The Last of Us, mainly when Ellie walks out of cover in front of an enemy while stealthing and they can't see her.

And when you're sneaking around Clickers and you decide to whisper/quietly chat to Ellie or Tess. I know it's scripted conversation, but still, Clickers are supposed to have enhanced hearing and can hear anything near them, even the slightest whisper.

That stuff just bugs me. Still a great game, though.

 

[Wyvern65]

Deliberately breaking the fourth wall, though I'm not sure if this 'counts' in regards to the topic since it's deliberate on the Dev's part. Specifically thinking of Dragon Age II here, which shoehorns in a lot of pop culture references.

How about with games like Metal Gear Solid, where they keep referencing using the action button to do something and other fourth wall breaking things, except they aren't there for comedy value, but as tutorials (I admit they do have some that break the fourth wall just for the sake of comedy, but still)?

Hmm . . dunno. Tutorials are meant to break immersion, and are usually grouped together near the start of the game at least so you can learn the controls. Still, if it made you realize you were playing a game and broke your immersion, why not?

Oh, and unskippable tutorials too! Especially on the third or fourth run-through.

 

[Souplex]

Any time someone gets killed in one hit in a cutscene when they're portrayed in much hardier in game.

Spoiler: A spoiler-y example from Borderlands 2

Handsome Jack kills Roland in a single shot.

Any time in half Life 2 where someone treats Gordon Freeman as a functional human being when he's shown in game as a pair of disembodied hands.

 

[RicoADF]

Cutscenes where they are obviously walking into a trap and you can do nothing but sit there thinking "you complete moron

Better yet, you have just slaughtered an army of enemies, eaten enough bullets to die of lead poisoning and still walking like nothing has happened, only for a cutscene to make you look like a weak everyman that can die from 1 bullet. Gah I hate the inconsistency and crap of those cutscenes.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

When I'm trying to hijack a car in a sandbox game to get away from the cops, and my character just nonchalantly walks around to the front door, as slowly as possible, calmly opens the door, and gets in. It's even worse when the pathfinding fails, and my character is left stuttering against the car. You're being chased by the police, show a little urgency!

 

[Saltyk]

So maybe not an immersion breaker, but this is a thing that I have wondered more than a few times.

Okay, so I am the Legendary Hero of Time/Light/Destiny/Deus Ex Machina. It's up to me to save the world from Evil. Gotcha. So why do shopkeepers not only charge me, but charge me full price? You would think that the King would be able to give me some good weapons and armor, if nothing else. After all, if I fail, they will die or become slaves or something. Shouldn't they be trying to give me the best that they can?

 

[IllumInaTIma]

In Persona 4 there comes the moment when your uncle finds out about your secret inside TV activities and decides to put you away. You have an option to either lie, tell him the truth, or keep silent. In any case, uncle doesn't believe. BUT. Why isn't there an option to just put your hand into TV and prove everything to him!? That would've made things so much easier! But no, to the jail you go. I know that's a nitpick, but every single time I can't help but rage at that moment.

 

[Fenra]

In RPG's when player character knock out means game over, I have a whole team who can be knocked out over and over, throw a million revive items at them but I fall over and oh no, its all over! its not like they could return the favor and toss me a revive!

 

[cridia]

I had a severe disconnect to the game world of Deus Ex Human Revolution when I decided to push the limits and eradicate the entire police station. Then after walking outside, the first cop I talked to didn't know of anything. Even just making the cops outside hostile would have sufficed, but unfortunately, nothing happened. So that kinda felt disappointing.

Furthermore, in most (J)RPGs, when you have to fight a character that will join you afterwards, but for some reason (s)he has powered down greatly. This also re-inforces the idea that enemies and allies are judged by different ways (ie. if the enemy had your stats, you would have been dead or vice versa) which also tends to break my immersion. Same goes for bosses that are made out to be invincible (Star Ocean 3; when the dragon-like enemies appear capable of destroying entire spaceships with ease) but when you start encountering them as enemies, they are a farcry from the power they previously exhibited (those same dragons turning up as enemies being able to easily beaten by no more than 3 kids).

A third one would be where the universe shows a disconnect between that world and what would generally be considered "logical." An example would be FFXIII and the first boss you encounter; some kind of scorpion like mech with sawblades for hands and armed with a giant cannon. If they have guns and cannons (quite advanced ones too!) in that world, why would they even consider going for sawblades? And why the scorpion design? It just seems like some inventor thought "because it is cool" and that just doesn't fly with me. Same goes for games like Star Ocean, where people are living in advanced circumstances but then resort to using a sword instead of the obviously superior firearms the world has.

There are a few others, but for now, the last thing that keeps bothering me is cutscenes in which the character(s) you control do impossible stuff (that, most likely, cannot be done in the game either). Not even just because I cannot do those actions, but mostly because from that point onwards, I simply cannot take the character seriously anymore. I can only view it as a case of bad writing, because someone thought that spectacle was somehow immersive. It is the main reason why I stopped being able to take FFXIIversusXV seriously from the moment the noctis trailer emerged where he is overpowering soldiers with his "magic swords" or whatever those things is.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

In RPG's when player character knock out means game over, I have a whole team who can be knocked out over and over, throw a million revive items at them but I fall over and oh no, its all over! its not like they could return the favor and toss me a revive!

Oh I HATE that. That annoyed the fuck out of me in Persona 3. I could revive my allies a million times, but the moment I fall it's game over. What? Why couldn't I just momentarily take control of one of the other party members and throw a revive at the PC if I have one?

 

[Marik2]

How about almost EVERY RPG in existence where if you talk to the same person more than once, they treat you as the first time they have ever talked to you, and re say the same thing over and over again... of course its unreasonable to expect something different EVERYTIME, but its just an example

lol that annoys me a lot and that happens to me because I think they would give me new info after completing some quests

 

[Black Reaper]

Any time someone gets killed in one hit in a cutscene when they're portrayed in much hardier in game.

Spoiler: A spoiler-y example from Borderlands 2

Handsome Jack kills Roland in a single shot.

Any time in half Life 2 where someone treats Gordon Freeman as a functional human being when he's shown in game as a pair of disembodied hands.

And in that Borderlands example,you are an unstoppable badass,the only thing a lot of bullets do to you is give you lead poisoning,and you have as much guns as you have fingers,and you stand there picking your nose while that happens
And once they kill

Spoiler

Roland

why can't he just respawn?

Spoiler

he did it in the first game!

and,why does Handsome Jack allow you to use the new-u stations,he could just disable them,and win in about 30 minutes

Spoiler: Another new-u thing

And,why doesn't he just respawn when you kill him?,he owns the new-u stations after all

 

[FoolKiller]

The lazy level design in later levels of the original Splinter Cell. They just stopped making some visually grabbable ledges grabbable because... I dunno. It pissed me off because it was the levels with the dogs.

 

[Anthony Wells]

Any time someone gets killed in one hit in a cutscene when they're portrayed in much hardier in game.

Spoiler: A spoiler-y example from Borderlands 2

Handsome Jack kills Roland in a single shot.

Any time in half Life 2 where someone treats Gordon Freeman as a functional human being when he's shown in game as a pair of disembodied hands.

And in that Borderlands example,you are an unstoppable badass,the only thing a lot of bullets do to you is give you lead poisoning,and you have as much guns as you have fingers,and you stand there picking your nose while that happens
And once they kill

Spoiler

Roland

why can't he just respawn?

Spoiler

he did it in the first game!

and,why does Handsome Jack allow you to use the new-u stations,he could just disable them,and win in about 30 minutes

Spoiler: Another new-u thing

And,why doesn't he just respawn when you kill him?,he owns the new-u stations after all

I'm not gonna deny the plotholes.... But you can technically chalk some of them up to the disconnect between story and gameplay. However... that particular one.... the one about them just standing there while it happens....that still pisses me and my friend off to no end.


OT. well theres the aforementioned borderlands 2 thing that makes no sense... but i got one of my own the beginning of dragon age origins...the city elf origin...im supposedly covered in blood from all the killing i have done.. "hurr durr...dum elf i will each you" later confronting the guy near the end ":i will pay you... you refuse hurr durr dum elf imma kill you now.." i mean.....really.....just...really? Did they honestly think they were gonna manage to hurt me? and heck they even admit they would probably lose if they fought...but they still act all high mighty and tough.

 

[Iwata]

Having to look at the controller to do anything.

WiiU, you're especially guilty of this.

 

[uzo]

Gordon Freeman.

He falls off ledges, is smacked around by giant alien thingies, smacked in the face with a crowbar, shot, blown up, whizzes about in various vehicles, and travels through interdimensional rifty things.

And his glasses don't fall off.

Srsly ... I can't tie my shoelaces without my fucking glasses falling off. Hence contact lenses. I keep thinking there should be a mod where - if you lose them by taking a certain strength hit or falling a particular distance - shit goes blurry and you have to be careful not to step on them.