Your Favourite Type Of Stealth

[Cabisco]

My personal philosophy on stealth should be that it's not vital, but it should be so fun to do it that you want to.

You should want to be a stealthy ninja, not feel forced as you would otherwise die.

 

[pha kin su pah]

Option 2, i like how you can choose to either go guns blazing or use stealth and in different ways.

I only like option 1 in the case of hitman/mgs, where there are alot of different options as to how you can proceed, where as some games simply lay out the path for you, and your force to learn the guard patrols routines.

 

[The Madman]

I think the problem would be that it would either copy it too much, or not enough at all. Either way, causing a problem.

I don't care at this point, I just want more Thief, even if it's not actually Thief. I've played the hell outta Thief 1, 2 and 3. I've beaten T2X multiple times. And recently I've been enjoying fiddling with the Dark Mod. But it just ain't enough!

Why must all developers copy the games I consider boring and ignore the ones I genuinely want them to copy? It's not fair.

And yes, I know about the Thief mods as do most Thief fans I would imagine. It's... it's all we've got left now after all!

*sob*

Wow, you're entire post was written directly from my thoughts. STOP READING MY BRAIN!

Only when it stops being so entertaining.

And yeah, I agree. While some genres have continued to 'evolve' over time or branched into various different sub-genre, stealth has more or less become completely stagnant. As a whole the mechanics being used are still the exact same as those used by Thief almost ten years ago now, and, bluntly put, Thief is still the game that did em best. Stealth that is, I'm not really sure what you'd call Assassins Creed. I believe the developers called it 'reactive stealth' or somesuch? Neat, but not what I want, and what I want are more games that use the Thief style concept of stealth. You know; being stealthy. Hiding. Dark Shadows. That sorta stuff. And so far Thief seems to have been the only series to pull it off properly.

 

[Theron Julius]

I only like stealth when you really can get into it, or if it's optional. Splinter cell had such good stealth elements. You could actively manipulate the environment which made it feel much for intuitive.

I hate it, however, when normally exciting games throw stealth in your face. I don't want to go through the tedious process of squirming around enemy sight lines if I'm being forced to. It goes from fast paced action to slow tedious stealth. LAME!

 

[almostgold]

Definitly 1 and 3. Let me explain:
In number 2, this means that in very situation the developers tried to make it approachable through to many different styles. Take Oblivion, for examples. By tring to make mechanics that work for both combat and stealth, it ultimately weakened the stealth experience.
Very obviously type 1 doesnt habe this problem, and number 3 gets its fun from doing what the game didnt intend you to, just like jumping over invisible barriers.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

The kind that allows me to slit throats with impunity.

so numba 1

 

[Incompl te]

Why must all developers copy the games I consider boring and ignore the ones I genuinely want them to copy? It's not fair.

I think it might be that nowadays, the Thief series won't appeal to the new audiences. As it's an old series, developers may be hasty to try to ressurect it, as making a Guitar Hero/Halo/Fitness clone is a safer option, which can bring in better profit in regards to what people want nowadays.

And yeah, I agree. While some genres have continued to 'evolve' over time or branched into various different sub-genre, stealth has more or less become completely stagnant. As a whole the mechanics being used are still the exact same as those used by Thief almost ten years ago now, and, bluntly put, Thief is still the game that did em best. Stealth that is, I'm not really sure what you'd call Assassins Creed. I believe the developers called it 'reactive stealth' or somesuch? Neat, but not what I want, and what I want are more games that use the Thief style concept of stealth. You know; being stealthy. Hiding. Dark Shadows. That sorta stuff. And so far Thief seems to have been the only series to pull it off properly.

I wouldn't call Assassin's Creed traditional stealth by any means. It tried something new, and it didn't really work out (But is still popular as all hell for reasons unknown to me) with the reactive stealth or whatever the hell it was.

It really is depressing to see that traditional stealth ala Thief and the off-spawns (near on all being Thief mods/fangames) is getting more and more stale and simply put; easy. A theory I have is that developers are trying to extend their reaches (to the stars above!) to a broader audience, so that anyone can play their game. On paper, this sounds genius, but in reality, it just dumbs everything down and makes those who are used to/want the immense challenge and patience to get through games that require you to hide, wait, and figure out the best possible method's experience null.

I fear this may also happen to other genres of gaming as well. Everything being dumbed down until games just consist of quicktime events and pressing x to not die.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I enjoyed the Chronicles of Riddick and Batman:Arkham Asylum's stealth gameplay, but the one I really liked was in Left 4 Dead when you play as the infected. There is no greater feeling then being paitent on the roof of a tall building as the Hunter and waiting for the survivors to become confused and seperated before pouncing on one. I don't know why I get a smile out of it, I suppose it's just because I realized I outsmarted someone and played my role properly.

 

[Incompl te]

I enjoyed the Chronicles of Riddick and Batman:Arkham Asylum's stealth gameplay, but the one I really liked was in Left 4 Dead when you play as the infected. There is no greater feeling then being paitent on the roof of a tall building as the Hunter and waiting for the survivors to become confused and seperated before pouncing on one. I don't know why I get a smile out of it, I suppose it's just because I realized I outsmarted someone and played my role properly.

This is the reason why Hunter is my favourite infected to play as. Also the reason why I only play versus. The stealth involved to play successfully is something not many people know how to accomplish properly.

 

[Sleekgiant]

Fallout 3 stealth, because you don't have to sneak anywhere, but you can

 

[UnusualStranger]

When I want to sneak around, I want to have the ability to make up for it if I screw up. Splinter Cell, for example, sucked for me, and I love stealth. It sucked because if anyone even THOUGHT you were around, FAIL! I like to sneak around, but I like to keep going even if it doesn't work out.

So, the 2nd one, I think.

 

[Weaver]

The only game I liked stealth in was the Splinter Cell games... specifically chaos theory. The second game was FAR too punishing when you slipped up and it just got annoying.

 

[SeanthePsycho]

Number 1 stealth definitely in lieu of the Splinter Cell games. I always find myself going back to them when I want to sneak around and be all spy like. The game offers plenty of ways to take cover and not been seen and rates you on how sneaky you were and penalizes you for knocking out guards and being detected. To me, that works cause the best spy is one that you don't even know is in the room.

 

[JWW]

A game should usually not have stealth or just go all out with it. If they want to give the player the "option", the system better be damn well devealoped, or else its just a useless skill.

 

[LogicNProportion]

I'll make my own answer:

Chaotic Stealth

Where your opponent has no idea what's going on around him, while explosions occur and his allies are taken out one by one. All while you watch from the shadows.

 

[Parshooter]

2 or 3 are good unless they do it where for on section of the game you must go through a fortress and not get caught with the normal controls like LoZ:OoT. The only reason why I've yet to beat is that stupid fortress.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I like one where the stealth mechanics aren't crowbarred in for a couple of levels. I think the Splinter Cell series is a perfect example of how it should be done. The games encourage you to be stealthy and your movement is fluid enough to not feel you're wrestling with the controls. However at the end of the day if you need to get shit done fast you can whip out the rifle and fire away.
The Metal Gear series feels the opposite to me; shoot the hell out of people, but be stealthy about it.
I loved the Thief series because it rewards patience and planning.

 

[Toaster Hunter]

Mostly number three. I rarely use stealth, only hide until someone walks by and then I empty the magazine into their head.

Stealth in general has its uses but I would rather just shoot/stab anyone looking at me. No sensory organs= they don't see me.

 

[Plurralbles]

2. I love the choice of snapping necks or just nuking the stronghold.

I want it to have consequences for later missions depending on what you choose too. As in, yu choose stealth and all of a sudden they frce you to not be stealthy because they tighten their security.

 

[The Heik]

Thinking about stealth games and games with stealth aspects; I came upon a thought of what kind of stealth in a game works best. I narrowed the types of stealth down to three broad categories:

1. The Stealth orientated game:
The game where the main gameplay element is stealth (Assassin's Creed, Thief etc.) often accompanied by maps which cater to stealth and give bonuses to the player in regards to stealth.

2. The game with possible stealth gameplay:
Games (I believe mostly RPG's and FPS'es) where combat or gameplay can be executed in different ways, but one possible method that is acknowledged is stealth. Games like Fallout and Dragon Age, that allow you to be a stealth character and work out a way to utilise this, as a majority of maps are biased to work against you. I prefer this kind over the first example, as it forces the player to manipulate the game in ways that developers may not have initially noticed or intended.

3. Games not made with stealth elements:
This category is a tricky one to define. I see it as games where there is no defined stealth game mode and no abilities or aspects that seem to reflect this; although a player can act sneakily to achieve goals in a challenging yet more rewarding way. An example I thought of was in Saints Row, where I would often sniper enemies from afar, or sneak up on them without their notice. I've even found myself doing it in games like Spyro the Dragon in certain areas.

Your opinions on this subject?

I would prefer #2, mainly because a stealth capability in a fairly straightforward game opens a whole new facet to every mission and environment in the game. Knowing that you can go through a mission making a massacre of the enemy dudes, then go through it again without a single one of them even noticing your shadow makes the stealth feel even more awesome, rather than par for the course.

Although I do like a full stealth game every now and then, especially AC2 (man you really feel like a true assassin in that game)