I watched totalbiscuit's old "Have Single Player FPS gone Backwards?" video and thought a lot about environmental design, and the role of narrative and filmic elements getting to the point where they drag games down. Particulary action. I'm no ludofundamentalist but I can appreciate where that side of the argument comes from, as the complaint is merely the flow of the experience is being sacrificed for TMI.
I've even thought about japanese titles and tried to pinpoint, what is the inherent difference between the most treasured of these and successful western narrative titles, that despite their lackings, or corny character moments they can still successfully carry the setting and plot to some degree (NOT TALKING ABOUT OSCARWORTHY voice acting, EMMY LEVEL character DEPTH etc, and attempts to marry the game with meta self examination, as is common in post modern social critique)
I'm talking about just meeting the basics of setting, character plot. In FF10 once you get past the bad voice acting through objectives, you come to learn enough about Seymour's murderous succession, Yuna's uncertainty to go on the pilgrimage, Rikku keeping the secret of the summoner's destined demise, Wakka's religious adherence, Auron's being unsent, the root of sin, Tidus being a mere dream, and the root of the conflict between the spirit and the strangled coverings of organized religious interpretation. Though these ARE in cutscenes. They are paced with more patient turn based conflict, and align with the flow of the game.
All of that stuff is paced properly.
Even with Resident Evil and other JRPGs. I see what they do. Its in the way they assign objectives, reveal secrets, and or foreshadow and prompt sidequests to lead into important expositional events only as much as necessary to match the scope of the game.
Kojima is an anomaly honestly. I think he threw in as many plot twists, shock events etc to compensate for the movie taking over the game, but I'll admit I am a sucker for good intrigue and for all the copycats it brought in, the experiment worked on me, and the MGS folks did throw in some interesting battles and Easter eggs.
These things don't exist side by side with game play as means of merely hollywoodesque expression.
The pure showcase has underwhelmed certain AAA hollywoodized titles, where in other AAA western or eastern titles they are focused on pacing out the hero's evolutionary journey, and variety of sights and challenges. Bombast is used tactfully, not just commercially.
The cutscene should originally be means to foreshadow and or prompt your actions, or if a classic fps, the environment purely tells the tale.
GabeN mentioned this in essence at the DICE conference in 2013 with JJ Abrams, mentioning that they can lead the player in the direction they want them to go with cues, while not having to impede their movement or break up the flow or the pacing of the experience.
The setpieces in valve titles are hints to tackling an obstacle or the event's unraveling are the formation of a game obstacle. Story marrying itself to gameplay.
Through clever level design in FPS or balancing quests and tasks in JRPGs the sense of briskness I think can be preserved, so that you feel things are at the very least always happening at a reasonable rate. Not too much and not too little.
They are at least happening to people, places, or items you have some material if not personal investment in. The experience doesn't have to die down, because the artist du jour or cigar puffing tweed jacket personality (i kid) behind the game must parade out their internal darling like an obsessive stage mother, and stop the entire production.
Even in film, books etc stopping the flow of the experience for exposition is also a problem. Every element no matter how its used, to tantalize, challenge, provoke, inquire, or prompt should serve the whole.
We see action stories ruined by deus ex machina, when strength is merely showcased, and exposition exists as filler or backdrop, with not context, struggle or logic as to how obstacles were overcome, instead of all these elements working in unison.
If I look at classic maze fps, the level design, opposition, weapon and resource distribution were all working in unison to create a simple testy wholesome experience. This art of delivery seems to be what is getting lost while people are speaking about lofty, esoteric concepts of reflecting modern societal experiences, politics and aspirations.
While ret-conning good plot development for abrupt changes. Having self absorbed or sparse narrative delivery. Twists that seek to insult the participant more than shock and engage them etc.
I like the quote in the video where total biscuit said in classic FPS. They didn't pretend to be more than they were. I think this should be looked at not just some high minded critical missile to launch against unfocused AAA bombast, but rather a constructive gamer-driven notion that asks games to find their focus. Their sweet spot.
Find what feedback loop or foundation of play they are exceptionally good at, and lead with THAT, and have every other visual or mechanic device they wish to use support THAT.
I've even thought about japanese titles and tried to pinpoint, what is the inherent difference between the most treasured of these and successful western narrative titles, that despite their lackings, or corny character moments they can still successfully carry the setting and plot to some degree (NOT TALKING ABOUT OSCARWORTHY voice acting, EMMY LEVEL character DEPTH etc, and attempts to marry the game with meta self examination, as is common in post modern social critique)
I'm talking about just meeting the basics of setting, character plot. In FF10 once you get past the bad voice acting through objectives, you come to learn enough about Seymour's murderous succession, Yuna's uncertainty to go on the pilgrimage, Rikku keeping the secret of the summoner's destined demise, Wakka's religious adherence, Auron's being unsent, the root of sin, Tidus being a mere dream, and the root of the conflict between the spirit and the strangled coverings of organized religious interpretation. Though these ARE in cutscenes. They are paced with more patient turn based conflict, and align with the flow of the game.
All of that stuff is paced properly.
Even with Resident Evil and other JRPGs. I see what they do. Its in the way they assign objectives, reveal secrets, and or foreshadow and prompt sidequests to lead into important expositional events only as much as necessary to match the scope of the game.
Kojima is an anomaly honestly. I think he threw in as many plot twists, shock events etc to compensate for the movie taking over the game, but I'll admit I am a sucker for good intrigue and for all the copycats it brought in, the experiment worked on me, and the MGS folks did throw in some interesting battles and Easter eggs.
These things don't exist side by side with game play as means of merely hollywoodesque expression.
The pure showcase has underwhelmed certain AAA hollywoodized titles, where in other AAA western or eastern titles they are focused on pacing out the hero's evolutionary journey, and variety of sights and challenges. Bombast is used tactfully, not just commercially.
The cutscene should originally be means to foreshadow and or prompt your actions, or if a classic fps, the environment purely tells the tale.
GabeN mentioned this in essence at the DICE conference in 2013 with JJ Abrams, mentioning that they can lead the player in the direction they want them to go with cues, while not having to impede their movement or break up the flow or the pacing of the experience.
The setpieces in valve titles are hints to tackling an obstacle or the event's unraveling are the formation of a game obstacle. Story marrying itself to gameplay.
Through clever level design in FPS or balancing quests and tasks in JRPGs the sense of briskness I think can be preserved, so that you feel things are at the very least always happening at a reasonable rate. Not too much and not too little.
They are at least happening to people, places, or items you have some material if not personal investment in. The experience doesn't have to die down, because the artist du jour or cigar puffing tweed jacket personality (i kid) behind the game must parade out their internal darling like an obsessive stage mother, and stop the entire production.
Even in film, books etc stopping the flow of the experience for exposition is also a problem. Every element no matter how its used, to tantalize, challenge, provoke, inquire, or prompt should serve the whole.
We see action stories ruined by deus ex machina, when strength is merely showcased, and exposition exists as filler or backdrop, with not context, struggle or logic as to how obstacles were overcome, instead of all these elements working in unison.
If I look at classic maze fps, the level design, opposition, weapon and resource distribution were all working in unison to create a simple testy wholesome experience. This art of delivery seems to be what is getting lost while people are speaking about lofty, esoteric concepts of reflecting modern societal experiences, politics and aspirations.
While ret-conning good plot development for abrupt changes. Having self absorbed or sparse narrative delivery. Twists that seek to insult the participant more than shock and engage them etc.
I like the quote in the video where total biscuit said in classic FPS. They didn't pretend to be more than they were. I think this should be looked at not just some high minded critical missile to launch against unfocused AAA bombast, but rather a constructive gamer-driven notion that asks games to find their focus. Their sweet spot.
Find what feedback loop or foundation of play they are exceptionally good at, and lead with THAT, and have every other visual or mechanic device they wish to use support THAT.
