Old game mechanics that you miss

[Balkan]

Never found that topic , so here it is . What are the mechanics from old games that you missed and think that they sould be back ?
For me its health meters . Regenerating health sucks because it makes you sit on your ass and whine till the blood falls of the screen . Its not even realistic , the main reason it Call of duty 2 was so the game could be more belivable .
The other thing that I really hate it the facts that you can no longer save when you want to in modern games .Its either checkpoint system or at set points from time to time . it gets really awful in games like silent hill downpour , where developers can`t really put them on the right place and even if they do , the games bugs out and doesnt save , despite the saving icon

 

[SajuukKhar]

I miss being able to carry more then two guns.

Now the 10 gun limit old games had its flaws, but really 2 guns is far too few, gives us at least 4.

Dead space managed 4, quite well, why cant CoD?

 

[Karoshi]

The other thing that I really hate it the facts that you can no longer save when you want to in modern games.

Bingo. I blame consoles, since obviously consoles are to blame for everything gone wrong in the gaming industry. Also, consoles eat children!

Apart from that, quick-time events are kind of silly. I don't hate them, but still got not clue, why anybody would consider them a good idea.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

Turn based Final Fantasies.

Look, just...JUST BRING IT BACK:'(

 

[Balkan]

I miss being able to carry more then two guns.

Now the 10 gun limit old games had its flaws, but really 2 guns is far too few, gives us at least 4.

Dead space managed 4, quite well, why cant CoD?

Because its really realistic . Also COD has stupid mother fucking guns . When you carry an AK a, M16 , MP5 and FAMAS its doesnt matter because in cod all the weapons do the same damage and all the enemies have equal amount of health .

 

[TehCookie]

Exploring within a story. Modern games seem to be divided between transparent narrative sandboxes and linear corridors, but I want something like the old Final Fantasies back. Also where magic compasses don't exist and you have to remember or talk to NPCs to know where to go.
Also turn based combat, everyone hates on it for not being interactive enough but then the games require all my attention. If it's turn based combat I can multitask. I also want more color and world variety. What happened to colors and unique fantasy worlds?

Spoiler: I hate this in modern games.

 

[King of Asgaard]

Turn based Final Fantasies.

Look, just...JUST BRING IT BACK:'(

Yup, this.
The moment Final Fantasy's combat became real time (or a movie in the case of XIII) the series was poorer for it. Turn based had more opportunities for strategy.
Also, shooting mechanics like in Quake or Doom. I played both recently, and they're still amazing.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I miss being able to carry more then two guns.

Now the 10 gun limit old games had its flaws, but really 2 guns is far too few, gives us at least 4.

Dead space managed 4, quite well, why cant CoD?

Same here, stupid realism. Ok sure a couple of games have it like Serious Sam but I would like to see more games bringing back that feature!

 

[FalloutJack]

Turn based Final Fantasies.

Look, just...JUST BRING IT BACK:'(

This was one of the reasons I enjoyed FFX. I could relax and do as I pleased, no pressure. Time to think and act or even get a drink and eat lunch while I play. No harm, no foul. The reason this hasn't stuck is very likely that Square didn't see enough positive response to it. To whit, I don't mind ATB. That system is cool too, but let's just face it...I love Persona games too, and guess what system THEY use.

OT: It's hard to say, so lets go with BETTER PROGRAMMING. Your opponents or, in fact, your NPC pals are governed by certain rules of the system - whatever it is - that they must follow. However, there is only so much they can allow for because true AI just doesn't exist. That is why your palsies screw up so often. But the worst part is when The Computer Is A Cheating Bastard, when opponents governed by the same programming are given the programming handwave of doom to have what they're doing succeed in even the glitchiest manner despite the fact that it could never have possibly happened. That is, the opponent could not physically hit you with its attack, but all the math and calculations - forgetting things like terrain, cover, stealth, etc. - say "You got hit!". Include this for movement and other actions. The computer forces the opponent to succeed because of programming and thus makes your enemy THE COMPUTER, not the guys on the screen.

 

[Lugbzurg]

I miss smashing random crates stacked everywhere and snagging little goodies from them. Ratchet & Clank seems to be the only series that's still doing this.

I miss things like tutorials and vulgar content being optional.

I miss game completion relying on skill and not wallet size.

I miss first-person shooter maps being near-labyrinths (WITHOUT cutscenes, either).

I miss proper "Game Over" sequences.

I miss extra lives.

Oh, yeah, and supersized weapon slots. I know this was mentioned before, but come on! TWO!? Seriously!? That's not even realistic! Realistically, you could carry eight different weapons on you, more or less!

 

[Oly J]

Turn based Final Fantasies.

Look, just...JUST BRING IT BACK:'(

here here, I'm playing FFIX as I type this....in battle, with no pressure to rush my actions

 

[Dango]

It's not really a mechanic, but instruction manuals. Now what am I supposed to read?

 

[Mike the Bard]

A sense of humor.

some games still do have one, but they're overshadowed by games that think it's "mature" of them to be serious every, single, second.

 

[Eddie the head]

I miss smashing random crates stacked everywhere and snagging little goodies from them. Ratchet & Clank seems to be the only series that's still doing this.

It's good that you notice that because it's apparently a very complex system.

The developer talk about it in I think this episode.


If it's not that one it's the next one.

 

[Nieroshai]

Turn based Final Fantasies.

Look, just...JUST BRING IT BACK:'(

Yup, this.
The moment Final Fantasy's combat became real time (or a movie in the case of XIII) the series was poorer for it. Turn based had more opportunities for strategy.
Also, shooting mechanics like in Quake or Doom. I played both recently, and they're still amazing.

In truth, Final Fantasy hasn't had genuine turn-based combat since FF3. FF4 started the ATB system to give characters speed-based gaps between attacks, but they had no "turns." Your speed could be increased or lowered through equipment, potions, and spells. Granted, there were three gears for each character, but the speed of each gear was determined by base stats.

EDIT: FFX brought back turn-based play. I forgot about that. Then it was never heard from again.

 

[gigastar]

Secondary fire modes. Its an increasingly rare trait and one that i miss sorely.

And of course the gun limit. Only 2 games last year (Resistance 3 and Serious Sam 3) that i know of managed to exceed 4 guns.

It's not really a mechanic, but instruction manuals. Now what am I supposed to read?

A book, perhaps? They can do more than being doorstoppers and decorations that make you look cultured.

 

[crazyrabbits]

For me its health meters . Regenerating health sucks because it makes you sit on your ass and whine till the blood falls of the screen . Its not even realistic , the main reason it Call of duty 2 was so the game could be more belivable.

Actually, Halo was the first major game to show off regenerating health. It had been done before, IIRC, but this was the first game that showed off a bunch of unique elements that subsequently gelled together and became the template for most modern FPS games.

As far as unique mechanics go:

I miss the breather level - you know, the one or two stages where the only goal is either to explore or complete an objective without hordes of enemies waylaying you at every opportunity. Games like Thief II had entire levels where you could just loot everything without having to worry about guards.

"Easter egg" rooms - like the classic Space Marine room in Duke Nukem 3D, etc. Seems the only unintended secrets you find these days are debug rooms that were never meant to be found anyway.

Unobtrusive tutorials - the walljump tutorial in Super Metroid, for instance. No dialogue, no prompt and no instruction of what you're supposed to do other than watching native animals doing the move in a narrow tunnel. Nowadays, the developers hold your hand and assume you're too stupid to learn something unless they explicitly tell you what to do.

 

[Dango]

It's not really a mechanic, but instruction manuals. Now what am I supposed to read?

A book, perhaps? They can do more than being doorstoppers and decorations that make you look cultured.

Pfff, don't be ridiculous, books are for shooting and throwing in fires.