Are video games too complicated these days?

Robert1986

Robert1986

Robert1986

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I was thinking about how simple games were back in the arcade days, you press start and go. Now though, you need a good damn strategy guide to understand most games. Take MGS4 for example, it takes up to an hour or two just to understand how to play it, thats a long time. Maybe Cliffy B is right, game controllers have too many buttons now.

Maybe I just don't have the patience for most games these days.

What are your thoughts?
 
Arent you a little old for video games?

Give up now while you still have happy memories, dont spoil them!

Theres no shame, we will all get old sooner or later.

I love old skool games, but we have to make them complicated and more thought out or else there would be very little originality.
 
Psymonkee said:
nope no such thing as too complicated :)

Just needs to be developed better to teach you how the game is played :)
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agreed - I mean look at warcraft and all its macros - nobody struggles to play that. just a lot of games these days arent well thought out. Heck I've seen games have inverted controller as default just to be different :confused: I mean games companies really go against the whole "if its not broke dont fix it"
 
Robert1986 said:
I was thinking about how simple games were back in the arcade days, you press start and go. Now though, you need a good damn strategy guide to understand most games. Take MGS4 for example, it takes up to an hour or two just to understand how to play it, thats a long time. Maybe Cliffy B is right, game controllers have too many buttons now.

Maybe I just don't have the patience for most games these days.

What are your thoughts?
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don't think there anymore complicated now than they were back when i was using ST, Amiga and PC for my gaming. in fact i can't remember the last time i used an instruction book.

as for MGS4, perhaps it would not take the hour or more if the movies were shorter ;)
 
Games like Smash Bros Brawl, PGR3 and Unreal Tournament 3 all show that simple games are still very popular and are still released in large numbers.
 
One of the focuses in this gen seems to be in making games more accessible. Take Gears of War for example. A button > *

Can you give us more examples of these complicated games? Apart from RPGs, MGS4 is the only one I can think of right now...
 
All that's needed is six buttons on the face of the pad like the good old days, why did they break that?!?!? I want my C and Z buttons back!

But a bit more on topic, it's just the range of what can be done has increased dramaticly, each button has multiple functions. For example in halo3 same button for reloading, activating things, boarding and also stealing vehicles. People want more imersive games and being able to do everything within a game world needs better controls which arn't always going to be obvious without a quick tutorial at all times.
 
theo said:
All that's needed is six buttons on the face of the pad like the good old days, why did they break that?!?!? I want my C and Z buttons back!

But a bit more on topic, it's just the range of what can be done has increased dramaticly, each button has multiple functions. For example in halo3 same button for reloading, activating things, boarding and also stealing vehicles. People want more imersive games and being able to do everything within a game world needs better controls which arn't always going to be obvious without a quick tutorial at all times.
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Context sensitive controls wind me up, I always seem to pick up a weapon instead of reload in fps games >_<

I agree with 6 face buttons. I'd like to remove the anologue stick buttons too as holding down left stick to crouch is just ridiculous and wrecks my thumbs.
 
Kreeeee said:
Context sensitive controls wind me up, I always seem to pick up a weapon instead of reload in fps games >_<

I agree with 6 face buttons. I'd like to remove the anologue stick buttons too as holding down left stick to crouch is just ridiculous and wrecks my thumbs.
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well some games rectified that by having click once to crouch and again to stand up.

what I really hate is when games use the damn d-pad for buttons. ITS CALLED A D-PAD FOR DIRECTION! Not to show the damn map -_-
 
Most games have press/hold crouch options but crouch jumping is important in a lot of games. I suppose I'm mostly complaining about halo controls if I'm honest :p

The dpad is useful for rarely used controls like infra red/power ups in CoD4.
 
Nope they're not too complicated. Complicated is good. It's more challenging and usually means there's a higher requirement and potential for skill. Although I do still like going back and playing much simpler games like Super Mario, Megaman...etc from older days.
 
I just hope Nintendo don't change everything to be casual based, I mean we already have Microsoft trying it with the terrible avatar system. :o
 
So long as controls aren't broken I definately think complicated games need to stay.

I hate context sensitive controls, it can feel too much like the game is taking over.

I think there's a lot to be said about how a game presents it's tutorial/controls, if it's engaging and fun enough I think people can learn complex stuff without even realising it.
 
Margaret said:
I just hope Nintendo don't change everything to be casual based, I mean we already have Microsoft trying it with the terrible avatar system. :o
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But you have the choice. I like having the 360/PS3 for CoD4, Final Fantasy and PGR4 style games and having the Wii to entertain drunken flatmates.

KittensCake said:
Nope they're not too complicated. Complicated is good. It's more challenging and usually means there's a higher requirement and potential for skill. Although I do still like going back and playing much simpler games like Super Mario, Megaman...etc from older days.
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Sorry to use the same example game again but StarCraft and Quake 3 are probably the simplest games in their genre yet they have by far the highest skill ceiling for RTS and FPS games so I disagree with your point.
 
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