How would you improve a game?

[The Harkinator]

We all do it, all of us who play games think about how it could be improved. How would you improve your favourite games?

Would you improve the AI? Change the colours a bit? Add a new gameplay feature? What would you do to make your favourite games even better? It'll be interesting to find out what you think.

 

[Legion]

Mass Effect 2 shouldn't have dumbed down the levelling up system, and the level design could have been improved to make the whole cover-shooter aspect more believable as there were far too many convenient crates and things lying around.

Most places didn't look "real" as you couldn't really imagine them as places outside of the context you were in. It's hard to clarify what I mean but I shall try:

On Tali's loyalty mission you are on a ship, this ship has desks and counters and other things that you can fight from cover behind. This makes sense and the places look realistic.

Then you get Garrus' loyalty mission where you are in a factory, and there are these huge random crates just placed in convenient locations perfect for flanking and covering fire and so on. It didn't look like a factory that you happened to be fighting in, it looked staged for the battle.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

Mass Effect 2 shouldn't have dumbed down the levelling up system, and the level design could have been improved to make the whole cover-shooter aspect more believable as there were far too many convenient crates and things lying around.

Most places didn't look "real" as you couldn't really imagine them as places outside of the context you were in. It's hard to clarify what I mean but I shall try:

On Tali's loyalty mission you are on a ship, this ship has desks and counters and pillars that you can fight from cover behind. This makes sense and the places look realistic.

Then you get Garrus' loyalty mission where you are in a factory, and there are these huge random crates just places in convenient locations perfect for flanking and covering fire and so on. It didn't look like a factory that you happened to be fighting in, it looked staged for the battle.

Heh, there were points in ME2 where I just started cracking up because of how ridiculous the level design was.

I didn't mind the dumbed down leveling system, though I think it would have been better had they replaced it with one similar to The Witcher's

 

[OniaPL]

I am one of those bastards who want realism from games that deserve it. Like from Fallout: New Vegas. Wasteland is a rather depressing place when dynamite is worth shit, and even frag grenades aren't powerful (I needed 3 to kill a raider. Nice going, explosives!). Even if you shoot someone in the head from a point blank range, he will just hold his head like he has a headache.

 

[Bloodastral]

Dragon Age 2 - Should have been an open world instead of a bunch of instances.

 

[Legion]

I am one of those bastards who want realism from games that deserve it. Like from Fallout: New Vegas. Wasteland is a rather depressing place when dynamite is worth shit, and even frag grenades aren't powerful (I needed 3 to kill a raider. Nice going, explosives!). Even if you shoot someone in the head from a point blank range, he will just hold his head like he has a headache.

Admittedly the explosives talent in FNV did feel worthless in comparison to Fallout 3. Even when I had it levelled up I still ended up crippling myself more often than not.

 

[Xaositect]

I was more annoyed with how it seemed to lack depth, like not being able to explore planets Star Trek style and the removal of some fo the RPG elements.

Combine the combat and character development of ME2 with the RPG elements and depth of ME1 and ME3 would be the perfect game. providing you can slap an awesome smiley or a trollface on the hull of the Normandy =P

For the most part, I agree, minus the "character development". Contrary to popular belief, the characters dont develop well at all in ME2. They are just in two static states of "before and after" when it comes to their loyalty mission. Nothing is ever tested or tied into the main plot. If their personalities and your actions towards them factored in some tangible way outside of their "little character bubbles" I would agree, but so far Id have to say that, even though his "loyalty mission" was the same cookie cutter crap that plagued most ME1 side missions, Wrex in terms of character development blows the living shit out of anything in ME2. What you do to him MATTERS at a crucial point in the main story. Thats the kind of character development ME3 needs, not ME2s. ME2 just gave characters an interchangeable death scene if you didnt have their loyalty or select them right. Thats it. I think character development sucked in ME2.

 

[Catchy Slogan]

Mass Effect 2 shouldn't have dumbed down the levelling up system, and the level design could have been improved to make the whole cover-shooter aspect more believable as there were far too many convenient crates and things lying around.

Most places didn't look "real" as you couldn't really imagine them as places outside of the context you were in. It's hard to clarify what I mean but I shall try:

On Tali's loyalty mission you are on a ship, this ship has desks and counters and other things that you can fight from cover behind. This makes sense and the places look realistic.

Then you get Garrus' loyalty mission where you are in a factory, and there are these huge random crates just placed in convenient locations perfect for flanking and covering fire and so on. It didn't look like a factory that you happened to be fighting in, it looked staged for the battle.

Speaking of Tali's loyalty mission, I brought Legion with me, and it barely did anything. wtf?

 

[Zantos]

Mass Effect 2 shouldn't have dumbed down the levelling up system, and the level design could have been improved to make the whole cover-shooter aspect more believable as there were far too many convenient crates and things lying around.

Most places didn't look "real" as you couldn't really imagine them as places outside of the context you were in. It's hard to clarify what I mean but I shall try:

On Tali's loyalty mission you are on a ship, this ship has desks and counters and other things that you can fight from cover behind. This makes sense and the places look realistic.

Then you get Garrus' loyalty mission where you are in a factory, and there are these huge random crates just placed in convenient locations perfect for flanking and covering fire and so on. It didn't look like a factory that you happened to be fighting in, it looked staged for the battle.

Speaking of Tali's loyalty mission, I brought Legion with me, and it barely did anything. wtf?

I always take him onto the citadel just for the "Geth do not infiltrate" "Geth do not intentionally infiltrate" dialogue.

 

[The Harkinator]

I am one of those bastards who want realism from games that deserve it. Like from Fallout: New Vegas. Wasteland is a rather depressing place when dynamite is worth shit, and even frag grenades aren't powerful (I needed 3 to kill a raider. Nice going, explosives!). Even if you shoot someone in the head from a point blank range, he will just hold his head like he has a headache.

Yeah thats a problem. BLAM! Ow my massive amounts of pain! My brain got pulverized! Now I'm fine again.

 

[The Harkinator]

I was more annoyed with how it seemed to lack depth, like not being able to explore planets Star Trek style and the removal of some fo the RPG elements.

Combine the combat and character development of ME2 with the RPG elements and depth of ME1 and ME3 would be the perfect game. providing you can slap an awesome smiley or a trollface on the hull of the Normandy =P

For the most part, I agree, minus the "character development". Contrary to popular belief, the characters dont develop well at all in ME2. They are just in two static states of "before and after" when it comes to their loyalty mission. Nothing is ever tested or tied into the main plot. If their personalities and your actions towards them factored in some tangible way outside of their "little character bubbles" I would agree, but so far Id have to say that, even though his "loyalty mission" was the same cookie cutter crap that plagued most ME1 side missions, Wrex in terms of character development blows the living shit out of anything in ME2. What you do to him MATTERS at a crucial point in the main story. Thats the kind of character development ME3 needs, not ME2s. ME2 just gave characters an interchangeable death scene if you didnt have their loyalty or select them right. Thats it. I think character development sucked in ME2.

It did fall below the mark. I wish BioWare conversations were more than just you with companions chipping in every 3 hours or so. It should be more of a group discussion with proper elements of characterisation. Also, remember Mirandas insecurities about being made 'Perfect' rather than becoming so through personal achievement? When NPCs who have experienced success in the past meet you Miranda could feel a bit jealous. She does this when she talks to Shepherd but it would be nice to see it out in the world too.

 

[DNA]

Take any game, add naked chicks, BAM, Instant improvement. Call me simple, but there are some games that the sexual tension is so thick it is just begging for nudity, and game-devs seldom deliver because of the Political Correctness aspect. I'm not asking for hardcore pornography but a little bit of breast time wont kill you.

 

[Dwarfman]

We all do it, all of us who play games think about how it could be improved. How would you improve your favourite games?

Would you improve the AI? Change the colours a bit? Add a new gameplay feature? What would you do to make your favourite games even better? It'll be interesting to find out what you think.

Shotguns. How else does one improve a game.

 

[Dwarfman]

We all do it, all of us who play games think about how it could be improved. How would you improve your favourite games?

Would you improve the AI? Change the colours a bit? Add a new gameplay feature? What would you do to make your favourite games even better? It'll be interesting to find out what you think.

Shotguns. How else does one improve a game.

Take any game, add naked chicks, BAM, Instant improvement. Call me simple, but there are some games that the sexual tension is so thick it is just begging for nudity, and game-devs seldom deliver because of the Political Correctness aspect. I'm not asking for hardcore pornography but a little bit of breast time wont kill you.

Okay this too. And shotguns.

 

[Timmibal]

Take any game, add naked chicks, BAM, Instant improvement. Call me simple, but there are some games that the sexual tension is so thick it is just begging for nudity, and game-devs seldom deliver because of the Political Correctness aspect. I'm not asking for hardcore pornography but a little bit of breast time wont kill you.

I'm just seeing the horrible things that collision mesh + DOA jiggle physics will result in.

I think ME1 did a pretty good job of leaving it at alien side-boob.

 

[The Harkinator]

For those that play games that feature cities.

The best way to make a city feel small is to divide it up.

Dragon Age 2 - Should have been an open world instead of a bunch of instances.

In Dragon Age the big city is just a collection of arenas full of things you are not allowed to interact with or will stay there and make no attempt to look like anything other than scenery.

In Oblivion the towns were more like villages but that was ok, things happenned in them and the player had to go around it all at some time. However, in the Imperial City there are 10 districts (Palace, the six spokes of the wheel, Prison, Arcane University and Waterfront) and most are not even used. Personally, I used the market district the most and only went to the arena, waterfront and universtiy to do quests or get money. Thats 60% of the city that I rarely use, thats 60% of the city that doesnt need to be there.

In a game I would like to see there could be an RPG set exclusively in a city. Make it have seamless transition or something like that. Make the NPCs highly characterised and make it stunningly good.

Its not an RPG but Assasins Creed knows how to make a big city. Granted it doesn't have legions of people to talk to but the citys are huge.

 

[SilverUchiha]

StarFox Assault - Should have had co-op story campaign.

Smash Bros Brawl - Should have been more like the Brawl-Minus Mod... and also allow for official modding and maybe DLC. Lots of improvement could be made here. Also, where the hell is my "Race to the Finish" or "Board the Platforms"?

Left 4 Dead 2 - Survivor AI could have been improved for campaigns (or at least the harder ones, like expert). Charger could have been debugged more. Smoker should be able to move after ensnaring a victim so it could try to take cover if available.

Pokemon Generation 4 games - Better online community, ie something other than Friend Codes. (Note, I know that Generation 5 is fixing that... but I feel that's too little too late.)

Any Zelda Game - Make Link be able to jump! Seriously.

 

[psivamp]

We all do it, all of us who play games think about how it could be improved. How would you improve your favourite games?

Would you improve the AI? Change the colours a bit? Add a new gameplay feature? What would you do to make your favourite games even better? It'll be interesting to find out what you think.

Shotguns. How else does one improve a game.

The Shotgun, AA-12. Have you watched Future Weapons, that thing is scary. You can put a thirty-round drum clip on it -- filled with grenades.