Game mechanics / designs that you like

[M76]

In order to counter all the negativity, let's list things that games actually got right.

• When reloading before the magazine runs out means you loose the remaining ammo in it (so few games do this, why?)
• Ability to re-watch all cut-scenes from the menu (again so few do this)
• Allowing the player to pause during cutscenes (this is so important especially when some games have 10 minute or longer cutscenes) "No I don't want to skip, I just want to pause until I take this call..."
  
• Allowing the player to fully customize the character (including but not limited to choosing a backstory)
• Allowing all viable solutions to a problem (eg not forcing you to use a specific tool to complete a specific task)
• Making the game seamless, as in not transporting you into a menu after finishing a mission / race, but leaving you in the game world

This is way harder than coming up with negatives.

 

[MavericK]

I just started playing Horizon Zero Dawn and I really like that each material you pick up tells you what the uses are...maybe not in a specific sense but like, "used in crafting" or "only selling for shards" or whatever. Super nice feature that I haven't seen in other games.

Being able to pause cutscenes is huge, I agree.

I would say just being able to manual/quicksave nowadays...too many games rely solely on checkpoints and auto-save, which is a great feature to have in addition to manual saves.

 

[Domingo]

I'm a huge fan of NG+. Too many games don't let you "use the good stuff" until you're at the end of the game. I love the concept of starting the game over with all of your stuff but with tougher enemies. Let me put that 10-barrel rocket launcher or nuclear fireball spell to use against something other than the final boss.

 

[M76]

I'm a huge fan of NG+. Too many games don't let you "use the good stuff" until you're at the end of the game. I love the concept of starting the game over with all of your stuff but with tougher enemies. Let me put that 10-barrel rocket launcher or nuclear fireball spell to use against something other than the final boss.

I never really cared for NG+ the games I do replay I always start with a clean slate. Especially rpgs. By the time I finish the campaign I get bored with that particular character / setup anyway so I like to experiment. Instead of NG+ I'd like a feature called OGN as in old game new. Where I can re-spec and create my character from scratch in the middle without loosing my progress in the campaign. I started a new game in Oblivion or Skyrim or even Mass Effect games uncountable times because I found later that I didn't like something about my character that I wanted to change. I think the new game vs finished game ratio is at least ten to one for me.

 

[MavericK]

I skipped over this apparently when I first read the post:

• When reloading before the magazine runs out means you loose the remaining ammo in it (so few games do this, why?)

I would say it's mainly an annoyance thing, but it comes into play more in tactical games like ArmA where it's about realism primarily. Very few games are like this so it doesn't always make sense to add.

One thing I would like to see in more games are dropping actual magazines/shell casings that show up in the game world. Even some older games did this (Max Payne I believe was one) so it shouldn't be a performance issue.

 

[Armenius]

Menu options that wraparound.

It irks me so much when you're in a menu that has 20 options listed sequentially and you get to the end and it just stops. So I really appreciate when wrapping menus are in a game. When I took a game design class non-wrapping menus were considered a deficiency.

 

[CptCabbit]

In order to counter all the negativity, let's list things that games actually got right.

• When reloading before the magazine runs out means you loose the remaining ammo in it (so few games do this, why?)
• Ability to re-watch all cut-scenes from the menu (again so few do this)
• Allowing the player to pause during cutscenes (this is so important especially when some games have 10 minute or longer cutscenes) "No I don't want to skip, I just want to pause until I take this call..."
  
• Allowing the player to fully customize the character (including but not limited to choosing a backstory)
• Allowing all viable solutions to a problem (eg not forcing you to use a specific tool to complete a specific task)
• Making the game seamless, as in not transporting you into a menu after finishing a mission / race, but leaving you in the game world

This is way harder than coming up with negatives.

Because you could just as easily put the opposites of what you had in the hate thread.

 

[M76]

Because you could just as easily put the opposites of what you had in the hate thread.

Game mechanics don't always have opposites. I wouldn't call the absence of a bad game mechanic mention worthy. I want to list things / design choices that make games better.

 

[Armenius]

Unpopular opinion?

RPG-like progression mechanics in all genres. I like feeling that my character is improving or getting stronger as I play through a game. I find myself not enjoying newer games as much if they don't have such a system in place, especially longer games that expect me to invest 20 or more hours into it. Having a large world with a detailed narrative is kind of pointless of by the time the climax comes around my character is the same as when they started.

 

[WarriorX]

Readable in game displays, monitors, and screens. I hate how some games make the text on the various screens or monitors in a game unreadable. I understand that years ago it was a resolution issue but nowadays it not. Some games do, some just show gibberish and its annoying. I want to read the stuff on the screens, makes the game world feel more authentic and immersive. Playing DOOM and this game got it right, I think every display has some readable text from what I can remember.

 

[Flogger23m]

- If a shooter, first person. Third person is only good for games that heavily rely on story sequences or lots of hand to hand combat. You can always switch to third person when the talking starts like the recent Deus Ex (RIP) games.
- Unique maps/levels. Seems to be a thing quickly fading in favor of set piece map design.
- Replayable cut scenes.
- If the BGM is good, a music player in the main menu. Seems rare these days.
- A proper save system!
- Games that have a good story mission to side mission ratio. To me, that is 2/3s main story 1/3 side stuff.

One thing I would like to see in more games are dropping actual magazines/shell casings that show up in the game world. Even some older games did this (Max Payne I believe was one) so it shouldn't be a performance issue.

Small detail but it is cool in military type games. Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfare 1/2 had lots of these little details that were cool to see. Magazines held the correct amount of bullets in them, so when dropped you'd see if they were empty, had a single round left in it, or had a few left. Same with belt fed weapons. If the belt was short it would be pulled off and tossed separately on the ground from the hard box. And you could also fire the weapon mid reload and get an appropriate third reload animation set. A lot of cool details in the games, and probably the last AAA game that had a dedicated PC and console version. Not really important from a gameplay perspective but it was nice too see developers add in those small details simply because they could. Seemed like they actually cared about the subject material!

 

[termite]

A good story in an RPG.

If it is an RPG, even if it is an action RPG, then having an actual Save system and not this idiotic check point system.

A good item/inventory management system.

In RPG's especially open world ones, having areas, NPC's, or events that serve no other purpose then to give the illusion of a living world.

Well written and voice acted companions/antagonists and NPC.

On screen actions, so like previously mentioned, good accurate reloads, or if healing, there is an action, not just some instant magically health replenishment.

I like immersion in a lot of games, and is why I gravitate to RPG's, so anything that is baked into the game to give that additional layer of "you are there" to the game.

Cut scenes that are seamless, no pre rendered scenes, even better if you can still interact with stuff while the cut scene is rolling.

 

[Youn]

Playing DOOM and this game got it right, I think every display has some readable text from what I can remember.

Yea they did that in Doom 3 as well. Basically, higher detail where it's appropriate is always good.

I like game designs that change things up consistently or at least in the middle or towards the end. Like what most metroidvania games do, allowing some rewarding reason to back-track through areas you haven't visited in a long time. Super Mario World also did this in a cool way, not being too obscure or trial-and-error about it.

 

[Youn]

A good story in an RPG.

I think what works best for me in this case is not knowing how long the game is, because nowadays I go into RPGs knowing "I must be near the end" and I start to expect certain story elements to take place, which they do... I like not knowing how long these games are, perhaps with no "time played" feature, and with surprising plot twists. For example, in FFVI when Kefka destroys the world, it really seemed like the end of the game, I was like "wow, cool game"... then it continues as an almost different game... pretty cool and unexpected. If I had known the game was X amount of hours or a general sense of what the plot is (like, if I watched a trailer beforehand) it might've spoiled the experience a lot.

So with story, for me, it's all about the mystery of not knowing what's around each corner, not knowing if the main character will die or not (you expect them to live, but I love when games kill them off)... also, sad ending are cool too... we all know the heros win and those stories can be pretty boring

 

[T4rd]

Minimal or dynamic HUD. Horizon Zero dawn is a recent game I've played with this and I loved it since it only showed you relevant info on screen for the actions you're doing, so nothing is in the way of enjoying one of the countless vistas the game has to offer as you're running around. I also really like holographic type menus for inventories if the game's setting allows for it, like in Dead Space for example; which has one of the coolest non-HUD systems of any game as well (health on your suit, ammo on the weapon itself, etc.).

 

[Flogger23m]

A good story in an RPG.

If it is an RPG, even if it is an action RPG, then having an actual Save system and not this idiotic check point system.

A good item/inventory management system.

I'm much more of an action RPG fan so these are things I'd like to see. I like the RPGs that rely more on player choice (or at least an illusion of it) and a detailed story rather than ones which are more based around flipping through dozens of menu screens. It seems like that entire sub genre of RPG is dying, but I'm not sure it was very big to begin with.

I would say it's mainly an annoyance thing, but it comes into play more in tactical games like ArmA where it's about realism primarily. Very few games are like this so it doesn't always make sense to add.

Also came across this video of the new Insurgency. It gives you the option of saving the magazine or dropping it for a slightly quicker reload time:



Though I would like to see more games use a magazine system, even if you didn't drop them. Take Far Cry as an example. Instead of a pool of 90-150 rounds you can have a few mags, and when you start reloading partway you will eventually be stuck with a few part filled mags. It would give more incentive to switch to your other weapons because in most of those games you seldom run out of ammo.

And since more and more games are adding RPG type mechanics, they may as well add magazines into a shooter. Rather than finding some very random upgrade or random parts to build random things, I'd rather have to buy a few mags for each weapon type. You can even buy and mix different types, say 1-2 drums and a standard mags for the follow up reloads. The problem is when developers do this they go far over board. That online STALKER like thing is an example, where you have dozens of stocks for just one weapon type which is absurd. Sometimes finding that sensible balance seems so out of grasp for developers...

 

[Domingo]

I know many people feel the exact opposite, but I actually like when games don't give you choices all of the time. I don't want to have to replay the game 3-4 times just because my decisions took me down an arbitrary lesser path.

I'd rather have something with a very specific plot that proceeds regardless of how I approach the game. I want optional full access to everything in a single playthrough in most instances. Very rarely have I played a game that had lots of choices where any of them are as well done as a game that took that out of your hands. I don't mind very general good/evil scenarios, but I hate when random decisions spider into hundreds of lesser endings that remove access to other potential sub-plots.

 

[termite]

I know many people feel the exact opposite, but I actually like when games don't give you choices all of the time. I don't want to have to replay the game 3-4 times just because my decisions took me down an arbitrary lesser path.

I'd rather have something with a very specific plot that proceeds regardless of how I approach the game. I want optional full access to everything in a single playthrough in most instances. Very rarely have I played a game that had lots of choices where any of them are as well done as a game that took that out of your hands. I don't mind very general good/evil scenarios, but I hate when random decisions spider into hundreds of lesser endings that remove access to other potential sub-plots.

I like both, but I also accept any choices I make and let them play out, I rarely will replay several hours of game play to correct a choice.

However I love a good linear story.

 

[Flogger23m]

I know many people feel the exact opposite, but I actually like when games don't give you choices all of the time. I don't want to have to replay the game 3-4 times just because my decisions took me down an arbitrary lesser path.

I can get behind this assuming the story is good. And the gamplay is of course good, but gives you some options. The recent Dues Ex games are an example. Enough variety and play styles so the game is not CoD linear, strong diolgue even if the end is kind of weak or essentially irrelevant to your play style like in Human Revolution. Crysis is another example, although I wouldn't say the story was excellent but good enough to carry the solid gameplay.

Even some decent open world games have set story missions which ended up telling a fairly good story, such as Sleeping Dogs.

 

[Comixbooks]

Trion did with Rift
Larian did with Divinity Orignal Sin 2
Origins UO
Mythics DAOC
Sony's EQ 2
Gearbox's Borderlands

stuff that is bigger than life yet it's not a boring stalemate

 

[Greg Watson]

I love the fact that PUBG was so specific on the gun mechanics / bullet velocity / etc... to try to match real life.

 

[PCMusicGuy]

Test Drive Unlimited is still one of the only car/racing games where they took the time to model all cars with the correct transmission and made you start the car. Furthermore, if you were driving a car with a 6 speed, there was a clutch enable option so that if you didn't use it to shift the car would stall/die out and you'd have to press the ignition button again.

 

[M76]

Test Drive Unlimited is still one of the only car/racing games where they took the time to model all cars with the correct transmission and made you start the car. Furthermore, if you were driving a car with a 6 speed, there was a clutch enable option so that if you didn't use it to shift the car would stall/die out and you'd have to press the ignition button again.

It's not the only one. Maybe the only arcade racer, but a lot of sims had that. I could list at least a dozen games. That had a manual clutch option and the car would stall if you didn't use it.

 

[Armenius]

Test Drive Unlimited is still one of the only car/racing games where they took the time to model all cars with the correct transmission and made you start the car. Furthermore, if you were driving a car with a 6 speed, there was a clutch enable option so that if you didn't use it to shift the car would stall/die out and you'd have to press the ignition button again.

Enthusia Professional Racing is the only one that did automatic transmissions correctly, though, stall speed and everything. Plenty have done manual transmissions correctly, but none have yet tried to model automatics authentically as much as Enthusia did and it makes me sad. I really wish games like Forza would add a realistic transmission option along with realistic driving aids. In other words: cars that only come with an automatic must be modified to get a manual, and the automatic should behave realistically based on the car.



The game came out a little after Gran Turismo 4 and I enjoyed the driving model in this game a lot more than it or Forza Motorsport after it.

 

[horrorshow]

* NG+
* being able to skip any cutscenes / dev video intros
* wrap-around menu options
* a reset to defaults option for each set of menus
* proper item comparison windows for ARPGs
* games that let you set the refresh rate
* dynamic resolution scaling at designated fps (Titanfall 2 did this SO WELL)
* fov, mouse smoothing options etc
* gamma/mouse setting with an actual number attached instead of the ole "mystery bar"
* default kb/mouse controls that aren't retarded (fortnite is guilty of this)
* not having to reboot a game when changing video settings
* a proper built in game benchmark of some kind
* video settings that actually describe the impact of said settings and whether it is GPU or CPU dependant

This turned into more of a gripe session about crummy option menus.... Muh bad.

 

[M76]

Enthusia Professional Racing is the only one that did automatic transmissions correctly, though, stall speed and everything. Plenty have done manual transmissions correctly, but none have yet tried to model automatics authentically as much as Enthusia did and it makes me sad. I really wish games like Forza would add a realistic transmission option along with realistic driving aids. In other words: cars that only come with an automatic must be modified to get a manual, and the automatic should behave realistically based on the car.

The game came out a little after Gran Turismo 4 and I enjoyed the driving model in this game a lot more than it or Forza Motorsport after it.

BeamNg does automatics correctly, robotized manuals like DSG too. It even does CVT.

 

[twonunpackmule]

I enjoy the Metroidvania design of games. Pretty much my favorite genre.

 

[memnoch998]

I enjoy the Metroidvania design of games. Pretty much my favorite genre.

The problem is, it's REALLY hard to stand up against Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night.. Have any suggestions that aren't too system taxing? Getting a bit burned out on PoE (4k hours. :/)

* NG+
* being able to skip any cutscenes / dev video intros
* proper item comparison windows for ARPGs
* dynamic resolution scaling at designated fps (Titanfall 2 did this SO WELL)
* not having to reboot a game when changing video settings

Path of Exile does have these features.

* a proper built in game benchmark of some kind

Now not alot of newer games do this, but amongst the slur of things I was very surprised about liking, the new Tomb Raider games had this, and it was beautiful.

 

[twonunpackmule]

The problem is, it's REALLY hard to stand up against Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night.. Have any suggestions that aren't too system taxing? Getting a bit burned out on PoE (4k hours. :/)

Well, I'm a bigger fan of Circle of the Moon over SOTN. Not that I think SOTN is bad or anything. I love it too. It's just I think Circle of the Moon is better. The only issue is it's limitation of the GBA at the time. Which, was mainly the dim/dark colors of the game against the non-backlight at the time. However, emulate or buy it on e-shop and it's solid now. Even if Dracula is a bitch to fight.


I'd probably like SOTN more if the CD origin aspects of the game were more clearly removed from it. Even the Xbox/PSN ports tend to be hitched by it's old design.

Anyway, current classics are Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, Guacamelee, Ori and the Blind Forest, Outland (not amazing but solid), and Dead Cells.

I'm playing Chasm. It's solid too. Not amazing. There's some problems with the direction of the quest from time to time. I don't mind exploring, but I also am too old to be wasting two hours searching for direction on what to do next. The way around that is the community pages. So, if stuck, go look at the community pages. Even with a random map design, the game is still hard locked to a set progression.

 

[XvMMvX]

The problem is, it's REALLY hard to stand up against Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night.. Have any suggestions that aren't too system taxing? Getting a bit burned out on PoE (4k hours. :/)



Path of Exile does have these features.

* a proper built in game benchmark of some kind

Now not alot of newer games do this, but amongst the slur of things I was very surprised about liking, the new Tomb Raider games had this, and it was beautiful.

PoE does a lot of things right... except for not having a respect system. It is stupid that if you screw your build up at lvl 10 and don't realize it until lvl 40 then you have to start over. It is hard enough to get the gear you need in these games much less have forced restarts placed upon you. Oh and it you have to "read and study" a guide to not waste your time playing a game then it is done wrong.

Meanwhile blizzard rakes in millions from them casual nabs who just like to play video games.

 

[memnoch998]

Well, I'm a bigger fan of Circle of the Moon over SOTN. Not that I think SOTN is bad or anything. I love it too. It's just I think Circle of the Moon is better. The only issue is it's limitation of the GBA at the time. Which, was mainly the dim/dark colors of the game against the non-backlight at the time. However, emulate or buy it on e-shop and it's solid now. Even if Dracula is a bitch to fight.


I'd probably like SOTN more if the CD origin aspects of the game were more clearly removed from it. Even the Xbox/PSN ports tend to be hitched by it's old design.

Anyway, current classics are Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, Guacamelee, Ori and the Blind Forest, Outland (not amazing but solid), and Dead Cells.

I'm playing Chasm. It's solid too. Not amazing. There's some problems with the direction of the quest from time to time. I don't mind exploring, but I also am too old to be wasting two hours searching for direction on what to do next. The way around that is the community pages. So, if stuck, go look at the community pages. Even with a random map design, the game is still hard locked to a set progression.

Thanks! Gonna check into a few of these. Hollow Knight seems down my alley. Already own Guacamelee. It has issues with my controller.

 

[horrorshow]

PoE does a lot of things right... except for not having a respect system. It is stupid that if you screw your build up at lvl 10 and don't realize it until lvl 40 then you have to start over. It is hard enough to get the gear you need in these games much less have forced restarts placed upon you. Oh and it you have to "read and study" a guide to not waste your time playing a game then it is done wrong.

.... I just started my first marauder (lvl 18) and started act 2 last night.... (didn't consult any guides, just "putted around")

Is it too late to save my toon?

- I've dumped most of my points in the strength & sword/axe "trees"

*apologizes ahead of time for the threadjack

 

[SvenBent]

- Havng built in benchmarks that works with bot a standard and a self recorded demo.
As a system tinker I really miss this beeing a standard in games.

 

[horrorshow]

Every AAA game should have a built-in benchmark that asks what resolution you want & at either 30 or 60fps.

Then it runs and comes up with actual setting recommendations.

- It was save us all a lot of googling and general fiddling

(I know GFE kinda does this, but pretty terribly)

 

[Armenius]

Every AAA game should have a built-in benchmark that asks what resolution you want & at either 30 or 60fps.

Then it runs and comes up with actual setting recommendations.

- It was save us all a lot of googling and general fiddling

(I know GFE kinda does this, but pretty terribly)

That, and along with the estimated performance impact for each setting. There is a game out there that does this, but I forgot which one.

 

[lcpiper]

I know many people feel the exact opposite, but I actually like when games don't give you choices all of the time. I don't want to have to replay the game 3-4 times just because my decisions took me down an arbitrary lesser path.

I'd rather have something with a very specific plot that proceeds regardless of how I approach the game. I want optional full access to everything in a single playthrough in most instances. Very rarely have I played a game that had lots of choices where any of them are as well done as a game that took that out of your hands. I don't mind very general good/evil scenarios, but I hate when random decisions spider into hundreds of lesser endings that remove access to other potential sub-plots.

I think that's a problem game designers face. If I want to create an experience for you where you will be faced with a series of events in order to present this crafted event that I want to have you see and feel, I can't really offer you any choices that will take you away from that. I suppose I could craft several super experiences, that would be great, and a lot of work, time, money. Or I can take away choice leading up to this event, that way you don't feel like your choices have no effect on the outcome. Or I suppose I can just leave out these really awesome experiences for a blander experience overall, but where choices do matter and save the really nice stuff for a few end-game surprises.

.

 

[M76]

I'd rather have something with a very specific plot that proceeds regardless of how I approach the game.

So what would be the difference between a movie and a game then? Why even make it interactive if your actions are meaningless? And only serve to nudge the story forward on a completely pre-determined chain of events. I usually end up hating games that work that way, where every choice is made for me, out of my hands. That only works for me if all the arbitrary choices made by the story are completely in alignment with my own moral compass. And that rarely happens. And when many bad choices are made I usually end up hating the game, for example Max Payne 3.

I know many people feel the exact opposite, but I actually like when games don't give you choices all of the time. I don't want to have to replay the game 3-4 times just because my decisions took me down an arbitrary lesser path.

I'm perfectly fine with making choices, in fact I Want to make choices. And even if a choice leads to a "lesser" path I know it was my choice. And not spoon fed to me. But the ultimate experience is when you're not making arbitrary choices, just do your thing and that yields certain results. Like for example in DeusEx where you can choose to save Paul, the game doesn't tell you what to do, you choose your actions completely on your own yet it has consequences. Every other game would've made that fight unwinnable and be done with it, but not deusex, where you can actually do the unexpected and the game recognizes it. That's what I call player choice, not selecting A or B or C from a silver plate.

And ultimately you're not forced to replay a game 3-4 times, you can load a save right after you made a choice and try again. Just as you try again when you fail or get killed in games.