The world is saved, you won the game, now what?

[Ando85]

I notice a lot of games, often free roam titles like Red Dead Redemption and Kingdoms of Amalur, that after you finish the main story you can save afterward and be placed back into the world to do whatever you want.

Problem with this for me is. Once the story has made its conclusion and the credits roll I'm satisfied with the game and ready to move on to the next. For this reason I try to get as much as I can done before I finish the main storyline. Although some games don't let you do that until after you have beaten the game.

Do you experience a similar phenomenon?

 

[Dandark]

I still enjoyed Prototype even after I finished it. It has something that I love in games called +new game mode. You start a new game with previous data, that is all your powers are unlocked and such. Ratchet and Clank did this perfectly by boosting the enemies to make them more difficult then offering special weapons that can only be unlocked in + mode.

Sadly in Ratchet and Clank 3, they buffed the enemies in + mode but not the galactic rangers, so your allies were completely useless. It didn't matter though, as long as you bought the Rhino. Oh the Rhino, you were so awesome.

 

[spectrenihlus]

Make money and go exploring.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I found that playing Lair of the Shadow Broker after beating the Collector Base was more satisfying. Liara makes a lot of mentions about how you beat the collectors, and the whole package plays more like an addendum piece meant to be done later than a mission during the game.

 

[TorqueConverter]

I notice a lot of games, often free roam titles like Red Dead Redemption and Kingdoms of Amalur, that after you finish the main story you can save afterward and be placed back into the world to do whatever you want.

Problem with this for me is. Once the story has made its conclusion and the credits roll I'm satisfied with the game and ready to move on to the next. For this reason I try to get as much as I can done before I finish the main storyline. Although some games don't let you do that until after you have beaten the game.

Do you experience a similar phenomenon?

I don't know if I'd call it a phenomenon.

The ability to continue playing the game after the main, linear, story line part is finished is nice. Would you rather the game progress entirely in a linear fashion without "free roam" by feeding you one story telling set piece of a map at a time until the final boss fight, where the game then kicks you back to the main menu? You've beaten the game, now what? Throw it in the trash and never think about it again?

I'm not sure what you are asking? Are you saying you want more sandbox games? Are you saying you do not want sandbox games and the option to continue playing a game after the linear story driven part has completed is perplexing?

OK, what about games like Fallout 3? 90% of the game is when you bugger off from the story and go explore the world and have fun. Chances are you can beat it very quickly, but you probably have missed out on 90% of the game.

You do or do not like this?

I'm sorry but I'm struggling to wrap my head around your reasoning. Not that there is anything wrong with you, but I have the feeling we are worlds apart in terms of preferences in video games.

 

[Therumancer]

I notice a lot of games, often free roam titles like Red Dead Redemption and Kingdoms of Amalur, that after you finish the main story you can save afterward and be placed back into the world to do whatever you want.

Problem with this for me is. Once the story has made its conclusion and the credits roll I'm satisfied with the game and ready to move on to the next. For this reason I try to get as much as I can done before I finish the main storyline. Although some games don't let you do that until after you have beaten the game.

Do you experience a similar phenomenon?

It depends on the game and how much content it has. To be honest I've noticed that even if they provide the option to play after the credits roll, most games don't seem to encourage it (though there are exceptions), I suspect largely because the gaming industry doesn't want gamers to be content for years afterwards with their purchuses, they want people to finish games and move on to the next so they can sell them and make more money. As time goes on less and less effort is spent on long-term appeal. Bethesda seems to be the major exception to this with their open world games like the Fallout 3, and Elder Scrolls though there are others.

 

[Gerishnakov]

I found that playing Lair of the Shadow Broker after beating the Collector Base was more satisfying. Liara makes a lot of mentions about how you beat the collectors, and the whole package plays more like an addendum piece meant to be done later than a mission during the game.

Arrival also makes a lot more sense if done after the ending.

I know some people believe Arrival was the 'proper' ending to Mass Effect 2, but I just think it was a perfect example of 'game-extending' DLC.

 

[Goofguy]

I found that playing Lair of the Shadow Broker after beating the Collector Base was more satisfying. Liara makes a lot of mentions about how you beat the collectors, and the whole package plays more like an addendum piece meant to be done later than a mission during the game.

Agreed. I only played through the LotSB DLC once and that was after my 'perfect' ME2 playthrough. It only made sense to do it after the Collector Base. I watched a few videos on YouTube of playthroughs before the base and it just didn't seem as appropriate to me.

And I like the way RDR did it. You were continuing the story of Jack Marston who was picking up where his father left off. Sure, it was the same character but with a different voice and appearance but I was fine with it.

 

[K84]

I liked it in RDR, it felt like you were given the chance to tie up loose ends for what your father started, and keep the world safe in his name.
Wandered from town to town and explored the world my father helped to make better.
To continue his legacy, like a Marston.

And in other games, i just go mess around or level up or whatever....

 

[Ando85]

I'm not sure what you are asking? Are you saying you want more sandbox games? Are you saying you do not want sandbox games and the option to continue playing a game after the linear story driven part has completed is perplexing?

OK, what about games like Fallout 3? 90% of the game is when you bugger off from the story and go explore the world and have fun. Chances are you can beat it very quickly, but you probably have missed out on 90% of the game.

You do or do not like this?

I'm not suggesting they take out the option. I just personally think it is more satisfying to finish a game by beating its main storyline as the finale. Skyrim is a good example. I didn't rush through the story at all. I did all the guilds, sidequests, and other stuff I wanted to do. Then I went through the main story. I guess it seems anticlimactic to have the games ending not at the end.

 

[GiantRaven]

I'd like to see a game set after the 'main story' which explores how the protagonist struggles to return to a normal life.

 

[KriticalKiwi]

After achieving %100 synch in Assassins Creed Revelations, I found myself still wanting to mess about in the sandbox, kill guards, do challenges, etc, but found that not only was there nothing left to do, there was approximately a third of the normal amount of guards wandering round and almost no Templars at all.

Going out of my way to find difficult battles to use all of my finely honed abilities became my new quest, one I failed in, and I eventually discovered there was nothing left to do in Constantinople but wander around and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

I mention this because I suddenly realised this does seem rather similar to the idea mentioned above by GiantRaven, although I don't think the developers programmed this intentionally. I too would like to see a game make the protagonist return to normal life, instead of constantly bringing them back into action like Die Hard.

 

[Whitbane]

Dead Space and it's New Game+ feature which unlocked new suits was rightfully entertaining the first and second time through.

I do get the feeling that after the main story is completed, though, there's not much point doing anything else. Maybe because everything feels less urgent because the conflict has been solved, but I'm not sure.

Sandbox games like Fallout are fun to dick around in because you can make stockpiles of mines or explore that random shack you skipped the first time past it.

 

[Riddle78]

In a Bethesda title? Explore. Kill things. Do those sidequests I missed. Some games have a new game+,which I take advantage of. Otherwise,play multiplayer if it has one (Freelancer,for example. I play the Discovery mod),or just shelf it.

 

[DoPo]

I'm not sure what you are asking? Are you saying you want more sandbox games? Are you saying you do not want sandbox games and the option to continue playing a game after the linear story driven part has completed is perplexing?

OK, what about games like Fallout 3? 90% of the game is when you bugger off from the story and go explore the world and have fun. Chances are you can beat it very quickly, but you probably have missed out on 90% of the game.

You do or do not like this?

I'm not suggesting they take out the option. I just personally think it is more satisfying to finish a game by beating its main storyline as the finale. Skyrim is a good example. I didn't rush through the story at all. I did all the guilds, sidequests, and other stuff I wanted to do. Then I went through the main story. I guess it seems anticlimactic to have the games ending not at the end.

You know you can quit playing, right? And the ES franchise might be the worst to call out for allowing you to play after the end. The entire game revolves around "you can go around doing whatever you want" - I would be quite annoyed if it took that away from me. In Morrowind, after I finished the main quest for the first time, I went on for several days just getting all the most valuable artefacts I could find and carefully arranging them on shelves in my house. I could also appreciate what impact I did on the world. There was lots and lots to do after the end of the story. Not even counting the expansions. In fact, the story is yours to make, in many regards.

Other games, yes, they somewhat misuse the feature - you can keep playing but there is nothing to actually do. Fable, for example. You can finish the game and go out in the world and...nothing really. Some passing comments about killing the final boss and no quests or anything to entertain you. Or at least nothing to entertain me - other people like playing after the end.

But all in all, the option to play afterwards is purely there for those who want it. If somebody blitzes through the game, they might be disappointed if they couldn't catch up on the secondary missions. And secondly, the world doesn't end with the story (erm, most of the time) - when the story finishes, the protagonist is still alive (again, most of the time) and it is weird if that was it. Some may want to walk around their new saved (or doomed) world and savour the fruit of their long work. If you don't want to play that, it's fine, but simply presenting the player with the option is not inherently bad.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

I'd like to see a game set after the 'main story' which explores how the protagonist struggles to return to a normal life.

Thats quite an excellant idea, you must send it to as many devs as possible!!!!!!11!!1!!1!

OT: I usually dick around after I complete a game that lets me but it all kinda drifts apart after the main story when there arent any clear goals other than "do what ever the fuck you want".

Captcha: untied laces

*looks down at feet*

Damn i'm not even wearing shoes..... DAMN YOU CAPTCHA!!!!

 

[Ando85]

Since a lot of people disagree with me I'll present a few of the post-game things I really enjoyed and think more games should do the same.

I notice several games instead of dumping you off after the last boss is killed, it brings you back to the last point of no return as if the game hasn't been finished. Therefore there is still a world to save and a looming threat while you are doing the post game or optional things the game has to offer.

Dragon Quest 8 was remarkable in this regard. After finishing the game there is tons of sidequests to do. I think I played more than 40 hours after I beat the game. But, what was really awesome and made the whole thing worthwhile was that you could change the ending entirely to a much happier and complete conclusion.

 

[redisforever]

I'm still playing Red Dead Redemption, trying to get 100%, but that's a rare game for me to do that in. I did it with the Godfather Game too, but that was just me getting into fights with the police. Red Dead Redemption makes sense, as

Spoiler

you play as Jack Marston after the story ends, you get a special mission just for Jack, and then it's back to living in the world, which I love.

 

[Daniel_Rosamilia]

I will admit, I haven't seen many games as of late (bar RPGs and sandboxes) that do the whole 'keep playing after story finishes' thing, but Bastion did it pretty well. Starting from the very beginning, with all the guns, melee weapons, levels and all that, and 4 possible endings depending on your choices, it more than pulled me right back in. Also, Logan Westbrook (or Mr Chocolate-Profiterole-Lungs according to our resident snarky Brit) does wonders as The Narrator/Rucks.
Captcha: hobson's choice. Hmm, recalling Half-Life 1's ending there, are we Captcha?