Sins of Game Design
- Thread starter defcon 1
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It would basically include terrible camera angles and game breaking bugs. Another thing I'm not too fond of is escort missions, but they aren't a sin (to me anyways).
It's mainly bad camera angles to me.
It's mainly bad camera angles to me.
A story should be top notch. If you have a choice system, then each possible branch/combination should work as an amazing story with differing consequences (I'm looking at you inFAMOUS, with your rail-road plot that doesn't care what I choose!).
Also, every gameplay system should be implemented to near perfection. If there's a plan to have a 5 minute vehicle section in a 12 hour game, rather than shoddily implement it, just make the damn thing a cutscene! Nobody bought Mass Effect to play as Tank Commander shepherd, like noone bought Gears of War to drive some stupid UV buggy. Spend the time polishing the main game engine, since that's what people care about.
An exception to that is ofcourse things that are supposed to feel like crappy minigames, like the Bike event in Final Fantasy 7, that shows up later on as an arcade game. Or "Hero Klungo Saves Teh Worldssssss!" in Banjo Kazooie N&B.
Following on the gameplay one, if an idea doesn't work then it should be scrapped or changed radically to make it work. FF5's job System was excellent, FF6's esper system was a touch of genius, FF8's function system...you could see how it was meant to work, but it was just...awkward really, they should have gone back on that and tweaked it a bit.
I also think that graphics should always be stylised consistently. And it should be done in a way that looks good. If a game is meant to be photorealistic but ends up looking like turd, then maybe it should have been done in a more cartoony style? Where defects can be a good thing and so on.
Also, every gameplay system should be implemented to near perfection. If there's a plan to have a 5 minute vehicle section in a 12 hour game, rather than shoddily implement it, just make the damn thing a cutscene! Nobody bought Mass Effect to play as Tank Commander shepherd, like noone bought Gears of War to drive some stupid UV buggy. Spend the time polishing the main game engine, since that's what people care about.
An exception to that is ofcourse things that are supposed to feel like crappy minigames, like the Bike event in Final Fantasy 7, that shows up later on as an arcade game. Or "Hero Klungo Saves Teh Worldssssss!" in Banjo Kazooie N&B.
Following on the gameplay one, if an idea doesn't work then it should be scrapped or changed radically to make it work. FF5's job System was excellent, FF6's esper system was a touch of genius, FF8's function system...you could see how it was meant to work, but it was just...awkward really, they should have gone back on that and tweaked it a bit.
I also think that graphics should always be stylised consistently. And it should be done in a way that looks good. If a game is meant to be photorealistic but ends up looking like turd, then maybe it should have been done in a more cartoony style? Where defects can be a good thing and so on.
I so do love a good story...
But as soon as one of the aspects that create a good story fails, it failes entirely.
So listen up, devs:
Good script with solid plots (and a carefully constructed ending),
Well written dialogs,
For the love of God: decent voice-acting,
Make sure the atmosphere can support the story (details, people!),
And last but not least: good pacing.
But as soon as one of the aspects that create a good story fails, it failes entirely.
So listen up, devs:
Good script with solid plots (and a carefully constructed ending),
Well written dialogs,
For the love of God: decent voice-acting,
Make sure the atmosphere can support the story (details, people!),
And last but not least: good pacing.
Designing movie based games.
Attempting a hardcore game for the Wii.
Dying and not recieving any extra health when you come back.
Gameplay that isn't consistent such as forced sneaking or forced fighting sections.
Attempting a hardcore game for the Wii.
Dying and not recieving any extra health when you come back.
Gameplay that isn't consistent such as forced sneaking or forced fighting sections.
1. Thou shalt not end the game on a cliffhanger when no sequel has yet been considered.
2. Thou shalt not infinitely respawn baddies.
3. Thou shalt not try to fake a skybox with flat textures.
4. Thou shalt not be on the Wii.
5. Thou shalt not trade proven design for gimmicky aestetic reasons.
6. Thou shalt have a deep, meaningful story.
7. Thou shalt not be accessible to horddes of screaming, curshing 9-year-olds.
8. Thus shalt force neither stealth or combat
...How's that?
2. Thou shalt not infinitely respawn baddies.
3. Thou shalt not try to fake a skybox with flat textures.
4. Thou shalt not be on the Wii.
5. Thou shalt not trade proven design for gimmicky aestetic reasons.
6. Thou shalt have a deep, meaningful story.
7. Thou shalt not be accessible to horddes of screaming, curshing 9-year-olds.
8. Thus shalt force neither stealth or combat
...How's that?
shit storylines definately let a game down. if it isn't interesting enough, it makes the game less fun to play because it feels like you're doing it for no reason.
repetitive gameplay is also lame because doing the same thing over and over gets old very quickly. i just finished too human, and while i like the story and the gameplay for the most part, killing the same enemies over and over starts to get old fairly quickly.
repetitive gameplay is also lame because doing the same thing over and over gets old very quickly. i just finished too human, and while i like the story and the gameplay for the most part, killing the same enemies over and over starts to get old fairly quickly.
don`t ever, ever release a game when it`s not finished yet.
(and if the managers start whining, ignore them)
Anyone ever played Gothic 3? ...a lot of tears caused by that one...
edit: typo...
(and if the managers start whining, ignore them)
Anyone ever played Gothic 3? ...a lot of tears caused by that one...
edit: typo...
Curtmiester said:
Welcome to the club. I'm no multiplayer and story/atmosphere is a crucial fact for me. In fact it can save a game with weak gameplay (that's why I often like games that aren't that successful).Fat Man Spoon said:
Also, cliffhangers and endings that only show the bad guy explode are pretty much the most unrewarding and stupid ideas in games nowadays (I'm looking at YOU, Assassin's Creed!)
