Is this the new future of games?

[steptoe]

In some games the player can't walk left / right further then the screen edge with no explanation as to why they can't proceed,  even if there does not appear to be a blockage, yet people still make these types of games and get away with it?

Also, player enters a room without any hint as to what to do?

I have also noted that some game backgrounds look like they've been drawn by a chimp with boxing gloves on yet get fair reviews.

Is this the new future of games or just bad design or an 'in joke'?

cheers

[Calin Leafshade]

Can you give an example of a game you feel falls into that category?

[IndieBoy]

You mean hourgames?

[Ali]

I think he means Skyrim:

[NickyNyce]

Normally one would make it so some bushes or structures are in the way so the player can't proceed left or right, but in some cases too, it just means the character sees  no interest in going in that direction. I don't think it's really bad game design, I think it's just a bit of a short cut on the drawing aspect than anything else.

As for the hints when a player enters a room, well.... I believe a story should have played out already as to what the objective is, but in some cases, the player needs to interect with things in the room in order to push the story along.

I'm sure a bunch of people will tell you, it's not all about the graphics. If there is a good story, interface, likeable character, good puzzles, these things can propell a game without the need of super graphics.

The truth of the matter is, games come in all shapes and sizes. I don't believe any one thing can destroy a game. If the game makes up for bad graphics with a great story or great puzzles, that's fine by me. Good luck to anyone that's trying to make the perfect game, because when they do, there will be no need to play anymore games.

[steptoe]

Calin,

I was purely pointing out the fact to which I do not want to upset by naming games.

(Elandra Desmond stretched to over 6' tall! 3D chars on 2D! Unreadable or wrong coloured chosen fonts!)

I'm sure you've seen them around. if you have'nt then you need to come out of the dark room  


Ali,

Yes, that sort.



Nicky,

I agree with you up to a point. But let's say that a 'games complete' shows a game's images not very good but the idea looks good, would that tempt you to download it?

I understand the reasons if a player has produced some A1 games then that would be very influential in downloading and commenting.

I am not vindictive to others but am curious as to climbing the ladder and getting better responses.

cheers

[Anian]

You know, way back when I found AGS and forums, I just couldn't understand the whole low res games, it just stumpted me. I've since changed my opinion greatly.

There's more than few games that I still come up every once in a while that just look so bad that I can't (well won't) play them (not connected to resolution), even though the plot sounds interesting, there are people though who are better than myself and help out in those cases. And when that creator makes progress, well then all profit from it...growth is important. Better backgrounds (and design and music and writing etc.) comes from practice and experience and time and sometimes money.

AGS games don't really have a filter of AAA game productions (but let's face even they sometimes often suck) so there's great variation in quality, that's just the way it is and maybe it's better, because dedication and imagination and experimentation is not filthered either - there's not that much money involved, so risks are much easier to take and from that great things may come.
Oh yeah, there's also "you didn't pay for it, so don't whine" argument.

What I'm saying, is that there's lots of causes for the things you described, play those games and offer productive critisim and thus you'll become a part of something better that comes after it.

[Darth Mandarb]

Ummmm... why is this in the critics lounge?

[steptoe]

Mmm yes, wrong place, now realise. Sorry Darth.

[Eigen]

He did criticise something, though I'm not quite sure what.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I'm moving this to general.  The Critics Lounge is for asking for feedback or advice on something of yours, not for general feedback or complaints about random things or industry quirks, etc...

[Eggie]

Do you mean AGS games? Those things enthusiastic amateurs make all by themselves? And then release for free?

Yeah, they sometimes don't have the best graphics. It's disgusting, I know.

[Ghost]

I think this is about AGS games, so a few thoughts:

AGS games are made by hobbyists, so I think everyone downloading a game here will be aware that he can't expect the quality he expects from a commercial game. This can be anything, from writing to sound to graphics, though the graphics seem to be noticed first. AGS games tend to be solo (or small team) projects, and they are made as much for the personal entertainment of the creator as they are made for the audience.

Things like a "non-visible" barrier that blocks the player can be annoying, but then again, if the game is otherwise witty, funny, and entertaining, it's just one element that can be considered "not well solved". In Doom you were unable to step over a waist-high fence. Did that make the game any less fun? Fallout 3 has this massive mountain range I can never cross, does this ruin the game?
I'd also like to add that the overall quality of AGS games seems to has soared in the past few years. Original music is no longer a luxury, it's almost becoming a standard. People often take care to supply at least the core animations instead of slapping a still-view for their main character into the game. And so on.

Naturally, you still get games that do not meet expectations for several reasons. That MUST happen; when you have a database where everyone can enter a game that meets a few guidelines, you are bound to find extremes. Some games will not only be on par with a "big name"-game, they may even be better. And some won't: maybe it's a first game (that's bound to have some flaws). Or it is an experiment gone horribly wrong, or a joke game.

The future of games is BRIGHT, steptoe, because people keep discovering new things to do and the community tends to pick up stuff quickly. When I registered here you were a hero when you took the time to add an idle animation to your main character. And look at the CGA thread today!

[Atelier]

It is the future just as much as it is the past and the present.

[Khris]

Here's the reason why steptoe started this thread:



I gave your game a go although I already knew beforehand that I wouldn't feature actual flying controls (as in Space Taxi) due to your questions in the Tech forum.
In other words, this is a game about controlling a guy with a jetpack and all I have to do is click the walk cursor at the top of the items he's supposed to collect, no matter if there are tons of obstacles in between. Sure, I still have to time it right in order to avoid the moving enemies/hazards, but that gets boring very quickly.

Why didn't you even try to put in actual jetpack controls?

And I guess that's the reason why nobody commented until it got pushed to the second page. Tiny flaws or bugs in an otherwise great game usually generate a fair amount of responses pretty quickly. But the flaw in this game is so obvious, so glaring, that people who tried it probably didn't bother pointing it out.

[ThreeOhFour]

In some games the player can't walk left / right further then the screen edge with no explanation as to why they can't proceed,  even if there does not appear to be a blockage, yet people still make these types of games and get away with it?

I will defend my right to get away with this by saying that I feel it is as believable as expecting someone to do something you tell them to just because you clicked on a hotspot.

If a giant cursor started floating around my place and clicking on stuff, I certainly wouldn't obey it.

[tzachs]

If I try to take what Khris said, and put it in other words, I guess my answer to the original question is:
Stuff that you think are obvious, are not so obvious to other people.

Every man has his blind spots, and the only workaround here is testing. By giving people to test your game (and if possible, sit by them as they play), you can easily see stuff that you didn't think of.

[Dualnames]

And to add to what tzachs said, there's nothing better than getting feedback, and especially feedback that tell you, you're doing things wrong, and realize that fact. And then proceed to a solution.

Provided the feedback doesn't clash with something you wanted exactly that way. Still the feedback is valid.

[steptoe]

Hi,

cheers guys.

Khris:

Jetpack sam was supposed a bit old fashioned.

Jetpack controls for an updated version would of course be paramount. Maybe I should have chosen that option, still. I purposely kept it quite short because of reasons you mentioned.

I have learnt stuff from doing it so something positive has come out of it.

I did not post this thread because of 0 responses but because of some games I have played.

I take everything that's been said in good jest and will employ updated ideas and means for my next feature length.

Thanks guys

[InCreator]

* Adventure game studio
* Future of games
* Graphics
* Room edges
* "Getting away" with anything

None of those keywords work together here. Are you a random words thread generating robot, steptoe?

AGS games are adventure games.
Adventure games are history of games, not future (although they could rise again).
Graphics are less important in adventure games than in most other genres.
Room edge text sounds like "sandbox vs. corridor shooter". In an adventure game, who gives a damn?
People who make free games as a hobby can "get away" with every damn thing they want.
As a freeloader (technically) and not paying customer, also not important voice of the market since there is none, you have no obligations to demand anything.