Poll: Tutorial Levels

[TPiddy]

The discussion on video game openings really made me think this one up. Do you like tutorial levels? What are some of the better tutorial levels you've seen?

In particular I was thinking of how both Saints Row 2 and Gears of War 2 had a decent tutorial level system that was worked into the story, but if you wanted to you could skip them. I think this is the best system for implementing a tutorial level.

Thoughts?

 

[Cargando]

Yes, I like them, the better ones you don't think of it like a tutorial, more like the first mission.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

I like them as long as they don't pause the game for me and force me to read through text.

I happened to love Vexx's tutorial level. That game was seriously underrated.

 

[Danpascooch]

Vault 101 in Fallout 3 was an alright toturial level.

Vault 101 was a pretty sweet tutorial, it was entertaining, and it really set up the atmosphere of contrast between the vaults and the wasteland

FUCK THE OVERSEER!

 

[TPiddy]

Vault 101 in Fallout 3 was an alright toturial level.

Vault 101 was a pretty sweet tutorial, it was entertaining, and it really set up the atmosphere of contrast between the vaults and the wasteland

FUCK THE OVERSEER!

Hahah, yeah I definitely have to agree that it was well done and set up your character, though Yahtzee's got a good point when he brings up that "Is there anything you would like to change?" screen. I am not sure why they do that considering that there are several things in the game that allow you to change your appearance and gender and such afterwards. It does take away from the realism a bit.

 

[Kasawd]

Sometimes. If they cleverly disguise it, then it's okay.

It's also fine if the come out and tell you it's a tutorial.

A badly disguised one is annoying.

 

[Random Argument Man]

FF8's tutorial is bothersome. It's useful the first time. Thank god I founded that skip button.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

I enjoy them, they teach the controls incase they didn't read the manuel (Which I actually do, for I enjoy reading the manuel).

If nothing else it can stop people from starting the game, deciding they don't need to learn, getting killed five seconds into gameplay and feeling like an idiot. I've seen it happen, it can be funny, but not if the guy tends to have a temper after major screw-ups.

Plus in some games the tutorials blend into a level quite well, making sure that a second go through will feel less like a re-teaching and more like re-doing a level

Yes, I like them, the better ones you don't think of it like a tutorial, more like the first mission.

Yeah, like those.

 

[TPiddy]

I enjoy them, they teach the controls incase they didn't read the manuel (Which I actually do, for I enjoy reading the manuel).

If nothing else it can stop people from starting the game, deciding they don't need to learn, getting killed five seconds into gameplay and feeling like an idiot. I've seen it happen, it can be funny, but not if the guy tends to have a temper after major screw-ups.

Plus in some games the tutorials blend into a level quite well, making sure that a second go through will feel less like a re-teaching and more like re-doing a level

Yeah I suppose, but I found situations like Gears and Saints Row 2 where right at the start they say you wanna go this way or that way, with one of those ways being a tutorial level is probably best-case scenario. If they can work the tutorial level into the story like that, but without basically forcing some of the game's content into the tutorial itself, then the tutorial feels like a bonus level and you don't quite feel as hand held.

 

[XJ-0461]

I liked the one in COD 4 where you had to prove yourself to the other military guys.

And there was one of the Spider-man games (either the first one based on the movie or Spider-man 3) where if you skipped the tutorial level, Bruce Campbell said something along the lines of "oh, look at Mr. Cool. He's too good to play the tutorial level." Then went over the gameplay mechanics in the missions, all the while explaining that if you played the tutorial you would know how to do this stuff. It's better than it sounds, believe me.

 

[TPiddy]

I liked the one in COD 4 where you had to prove yourself to the other military guys.

And there was one of the Spider-man games (either the first one based on the movie or Spider-man 3) where if you skipped the tutorial level, Bruce Campbell said something along the lines of "oh, look at Mr. Cool. He's too good to play the tutorial level." Then went over the gameplay mechanics in the missions, all the while explaining that if you played the tutorial you would know how to do this stuff. It's better than it sounds, believe me.

Yeah! I totally remember that! Bruce Campbell FTW .

 

[The1Krutz]

They can be helpful sometimes, but you should always have the option to skip it.

 

[Bobzer77]

I'm not sure why but my favourite tutorial level is in Thief: The Dark Project, I just like how it was done it's hard to elaborate.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

I loved the tutorial level to Uncharted 2. It put you straight in the action, and the only tutorial part of it was a small prompt that appeared at the top of the screen telling you what to do. I could play it a second time easily. Tutorials should be naturally introduced. If it feels forced, I hate it.

 

[IamQ]

I perfer my games to put me right in the action. If I'm put in a training level in the beginning, then you loose the feeling of a game with an epic start.

 

[Aunel]

I like the Crysis tutorial, it was just playing a FPS, while you killed stuff with the Nano suit.

 

[orangebandguy]

I think it's essential, you haven't seen my Dad play Half Life 2, although credit to him for reaching Black Mesa east on his own.