Todd Howard, Skyrim Dev, thinks COD is 'hardcore'.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Okay so this is what Todd Howard had to say about COD according to a gamasutra interview [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35678/Interview_Todd_Howard_On_The_Scope_Vision_Of_Skyrim.php]

You look at Call of Duty, the most popular game in the world, and that's actually pretty hardcore. At the end of the day, it's a hardcore game, has RPG elements in multiplayer, making classes, picking perks. I think the audiences are there, and we tend to make our game more for ourselves and other people who play a lot of games.

Now my personal view aside. Is that really a wise thing to say considering the current climate of worries about streamlining and accessibility that is developing around Skyrim. Whether or not COD is what he says it is I think most 'hardcore' RPG fans would take issue with that judging from what I have seen on these, and other forums regarding COD and it's playerbase.

What do you think of this statement? Is it somthing that worries you? Do you agree with him?

Personally I will be buying the game but this made me raise my eyebrows a little.

 

[TimeLord]

To be fair, you don't see people's mothers going off to play CoD so it's not really a casual gamer thing.

Oh wait! My mom plays CoD online! (seriously)
Please tell me I proved him wrong!

 

[AlternatePFG]

It depends on how you define "hardcore".

Still, while there is nothing wrong with expanding your audience, at the expense of the quality of the game is a bad idea. I still have some faith in Bethesda when it comes to this stuff, more than I do in BioWare at any rate. I dunno, I'm still going to get Skyrim, even if somehow ends up being an absolute failure of a game.

This is rather unsettling coming from a major developer of the game though.

 

[IBlackKiteI]

I think it's hardcore compared to most online shooters, but aside from that it would seem this guy has no idea what he's talking about.

 

[Tartarga]

...Who the hell is Todd Howard?

OT: I don't know if making classes and choosing perks can be considered rpg elements. I haven't played any of the recent Cod games but I would imagine that creating classes in it is just choosing which guns you want to use, but i'm probably way off. I don't know, maybe he's right.

 

[Mechanix]

It is pretty hardcore honestly. It turns regular people, some of them not even gamers, into competitive freaks trying to be the absolute best.

 

[Strain42]

I had no idea who Todd Howard is, thanks for clearing that up.

Now that I do know who he is, I don't see why his opinion on games means anything to me (I admit though, sometimes it is neat to hear people in the business discuss their thoughts on stuff outside their own games)

 

[Stall]

Todd Howard is also a fucking idiot. Coincidence? I'll let you decide.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I also had no idea who Howard was.

And now that I do, I can safely assert that I don't care.

 

[maturin]

CoD has RPG elements. Wow, this explains so much.

 

[Levethian]

The overall tone of the interview doesn't worry me.

CoD is certainly not casual...

 

[Uncle_Brainhorn]

...Who the hell is Todd Howard?

OT: I don't know if making classes and choosing perks can be considered rpg elements. I haven't played any of the recent Cod games but I would imagine that creating classes in it is just choosing which guns you want to use, but i'm probably way off. I don't know, maybe he's right.

You earn experience and level up, gain new weapons and skills, etc. Voila. RPG elements.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I updated the title to make it a little less confusing.

 

[Phlakes]

...Okay? So do I? I don't see why this is anything special...

 

[gostlyfantom]

damnit todd! i love your games... but to call COD hardcore! this negates Daggerfall!

 

[Cobalt180]

I'd somewhat against COD for personal reasons, but I'll say that because I have never played a COD game, I don't know all the intrinsic parts and details. I'd say that as far as RPG's are, COD probably does not offer a really in-depth system or experience. RPG's allow players to play as they wish to, in a world that is directly or indirectly affected by their choices. Rather, that has become the norm, and makes sense. COD doesn't have much Role-Playing elements at first glance. You can choose your weapons, and create a class that suits your way to play? It's roleplay, allowing you to create 'you' in the game, but comparing the shallow level of player accommodation to straight up role-playing isn't very good. Especially something of Skyrim level. COD lets you play a shooter campaign that has (as far as I know) one definitive ending, where your actions don't really do much to affect the world you live in (which is sad considering the supposed realism that the game states to have), you just go from place to place shooting things to fulfill objectives that are the only context for going out and shooting things, versus a game where if you're running low on cash, and a bandit jumps out at you, you can ill it, save his thigns, sell them, and continue on your way to an objective that YOU set for yourself.

I have to disagree with his statement only because comparing what is commonly classified as a 'Shooter' game to an 'RPG' game, and considereing some other worrying steps (such as marrying NPC's a la Fable 3 fame) are making Skyrim seem a little amorphous. I certainly hope his personal opinion will taint the larger frame and standards that we as a community hold for Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls series as a whole.

 

[AlternatePFG]

-snip-

He wasn't saying it was an RPG, he said it had RPG elements. Which is true, there are many games that aren't RPG's that do. Leveling up with different perks and equipment are RPG elements, as basic as they are.