Emotion in Games
- Thread starter r44b
- Start date
Hmm, this is deja vu.
I did a dissertation on realism in games for my final year. However, it wasn't deemed suitable for an I.T. degree, they wanted something more along the lines of Project Management or a big assed Database. Oh well, it sucked anyway, i still got it at home.
It's amazing looking at it, how i am infinitely more knowledgable now than i was, just 3 years later. I even checked my CV last week, which i did just a year ago and i spotted mistakes!
It's all proof that you shouldn't have to make the most important career decisions of your life at the ages 16-18, because in comparison to how you will be later in life, you're thick as $%^£ lol.
I did a dissertation on realism in games for my final year. However, it wasn't deemed suitable for an I.T. degree, they wanted something more along the lines of Project Management or a big assed Database. Oh well, it sucked anyway, i still got it at home.
It's amazing looking at it, how i am infinitely more knowledgable now than i was, just 3 years later. I even checked my CV last week, which i did just a year ago and i spotted mistakes!
It's all proof that you shouldn't have to make the most important career decisions of your life at the ages 16-18, because in comparison to how you will be later in life, you're thick as $%^£ lol.
Play CoD4 till the end - it will change your life
Spoiler:
Captain Price nevar forget ;_;
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Dec 2004
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- Horsham, UK
Planescape:Torment had me sucked right in.
Mass Effect recently was pretty good as well.
Mass Effect recently was pretty good as well.
The only game I ever put emotion into is the Pro Evolution Soccer series.
The types of emotions I experience:
Anger - When a player shoots and completely misses due to them being crap or tired, I find myself screaming at the screen or generally making some sort of shouting noise - I only ever do this in Pro Evo weirdly, no other game. I also tend to mutter expletives when the opposition score or some dumbass on my team scores an own goal.
Happiness - When I score a winning goal or when I'm playing a particularly difficult team I tend to shout with joy if I score or win the game. Decent set pieces and team play also tend to get me going - applauding a player or my team verbally is usually the case lol.
Nervousness - Usually when a game comes down to extra time or a penalty shoot out I get a little nervous, obviously wanting to win and not **** up. I also get a little anxious when I know I'm up against one of the best teams in the game.
It's strange because I never experience emotions in any other games really unless the storyline somehow connects me really well to the character - Like Gordons escape in Half Life 1, all I wanted to do is help him escape.
I did a similar piece for my college portfolio.
The types of emotions I experience:
Anger - When a player shoots and completely misses due to them being crap or tired, I find myself screaming at the screen or generally making some sort of shouting noise - I only ever do this in Pro Evo weirdly, no other game. I also tend to mutter expletives when the opposition score or some dumbass on my team scores an own goal.
Happiness - When I score a winning goal or when I'm playing a particularly difficult team I tend to shout with joy if I score or win the game. Decent set pieces and team play also tend to get me going - applauding a player or my team verbally is usually the case lol.
Nervousness - Usually when a game comes down to extra time or a penalty shoot out I get a little nervous, obviously wanting to win and not **** up. I also get a little anxious when I know I'm up against one of the best teams in the game.
It's strange because I never experience emotions in any other games really unless the storyline somehow connects me really well to the character - Like Gordons escape in Half Life 1, all I wanted to do is help him escape.
I did a similar piece for my college portfolio.
My dad (54) was really affected by half-life 2. He said it was best game he had ever played and he would wake up after having dreams about it. Although, he isn't really an FPSer, except for the Battlefield series, so playing a game with a good story for first time will do that.
For me, was probably Deus Ex and Star Wars Galaxies. Both made me feel like i was in the world, a never ending world in which anything could happen next. And that my friends, is what RPG's are about.
For me, was probably Deus Ex and Star Wars Galaxies. Both made me feel like i was in the world, a never ending world in which anything could happen next. And that my friends, is what RPG's are about.
Associate
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- 3 Apr 2007
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- 855
To list a few that have evoked emotion at some point:
HL2:EP2 : The ending of that really hit me, the idea that someone else is affected by the GMan and knows more, and now they're dead.
CoD4 : The ending is really dramatic
Max Payne 1 & to a lesser extent 2
Fallout 3
HL2:EP2 : The ending of that really hit me, the idea that someone else is affected by the GMan and knows more, and now they're dead.
CoD4 : The ending is really dramatic
Max Payne 1 & to a lesser extent 2
Fallout 3
Call of Duty 4 is, and will be for a long to come, the best example of a game making me feel emotional. It was considerably shorter than a lot of games I've played, but I liked that because all of it was of such high quality. The pace of it was perfect, the characterisation was perfect, the gameplay was perfect, the game was just perfect. There was not one thing that I can think of that would have made it more enjoyable to play through.
So in answer to your questions, the things that made this such a good game for me were:
I've heard people say that they'd have preferred it to have been longer, but I'm glad that it wasn't. I think that it was so emotional, so snappy and perfectly balanced... I would have felt so into the characters and involved if the game if it had dragged on. It's like a longer, but not so good game with all of the filler taken out. Pure gaming perfection.
So in answer to your questions, the things that made this such a good game for me were:
- Great storyline
- Great characters
- Consistently, and well paced
- The gameplay, obviously, has to be fun
- The ending is also very important
I've heard people say that they'd have preferred it to have been longer, but I'm glad that it wasn't. I think that it was so emotional, so snappy and perfectly balanced... I would have felt so into the characters and involved if the game if it had dragged on. It's like a longer, but not so good game with all of the filler taken out. Pure gaming perfection.
Call of Duty 4 is, and will be for a long to come, the best example of a game making me feel emotional. It was considerably shorter than a lot of games I've played, but I liked that because all of it was of such high quality. The pace of it was perfect, the characterisation was perfect, the gameplay was perfect, the game was just perfect. There was not one thing that I can think of that would have made it more enjoyable to play through.
So in answer to your questions, the things that made this such a good game for me were:
- Great storyline
- Great characters
- Consistently, and well paced
- The gameplay, obviously, has to be fun
- The ending is also very important
I've heard people say that they'd have preferred it to have been longer, but I'm glad that it wasn't. I think that it was so emotional, so snappy and perfectly balanced... I would have felt so into the characters and involved if the game if it had dragged on. It's like a longer, but not so good game with all of the filler taken out. Pure gaming perfection.
Have to agree with that. Also the length of it in my eyes made it feel like a film. Brilliant game. Well worth the money.
Been playing games for 15 years, here's the very few scenes that moved me:
1.) When Alyx Vance's father dies in the end of HL2 EP2 and she cradles him and cries. I felt truly gutted for hours afterwards.
2.) The first time I got on a gryphon in WoW. It was amazing and I knew then I'll get involved in this game. If only I knew at the time how involved
.
3.) HL2 again, driving with the buggy along Highway 17, staring at and hearing the ocean in the distance. I was in love. I just didn't, and still don't know with what. There was something so big and majestic about the whole scene. A sense of loneliness and wonder, rolled into one.
4.) One of the COD's, I just cannot recall which one
. D-Day. By God, what a level.
5.) Lastly, but not least. FEAR. I know I know, silly little shooter game. However, it's also the first game I played that truly scared me. I couldn't play for more than 30min at a time. Things got too tense and I couldn't handle it for prolonged periods of times.
My 2p.
1.) When Alyx Vance's father dies in the end of HL2 EP2 and she cradles him and cries. I felt truly gutted for hours afterwards.
2.) The first time I got on a gryphon in WoW. It was amazing and I knew then I'll get involved in this game. If only I knew at the time how involved
.3.) HL2 again, driving with the buggy along Highway 17, staring at and hearing the ocean in the distance. I was in love. I just didn't, and still don't know with what. There was something so big and majestic about the whole scene. A sense of loneliness and wonder, rolled into one.
4.) One of the COD's, I just cannot recall which one
. D-Day. By God, what a level.5.) Lastly, but not least. FEAR. I know I know, silly little shooter game. However, it's also the first game I played that truly scared me. I couldn't play for more than 30min at a time. Things got too tense and I couldn't handle it for prolonged periods of times.
My 2p.
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Aug 2006
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- 5,207
Thief: The dark project was probably the first game that gave me a real taste of immersion in a game. Those dark alleys in the streets, the footsteps of guards walking, the zombie groans and weird trickster levels. I never played anything quite as scary and unique like it before, and still to this day it is pretty impressive. The only other game I can think of that triggered that similar effect with my emotions was probably Deus Ex - that game has awesome stamped all over it.
For me it has to be the first metal gear. My first 'emotional atachment' to a game ever.
WARNING MGS1 SPOILERS ABOUND
Although not the best written game (lots of waffle) I felt a real connection to the characters. I could connect with snake because we were btoh confused about the plot (in a good way) but still wanted to get on with it and get the job done. I was angry when it was revealed at the end that I had been doubled crossed by so many people. The people I had grew to trust throughout. This in turn made me like otacon a lot more, because he genuinely wanted to help.
I pitied snake's life style. It was all he knew and he kept being dragged into it. He did what he had to because he was the only one who could but he didnt want this life. I wanted him to have the happy ending.
At first I couldnt stand meryl, she was pretty annoyin. Then she gets shot by wolf, I was ***** the **** off until campbell came on codec and begged me to save her, cause she was his niece.
Psycho Mantis was a brilliant character. At first I hated him, mainly cause he was a pain in the arse to beat. But the cutscene afterwards, when he reveals why he did what he did. I saw him as a tragedy, he didnt deserve this. I got this with a lot of the bosses. Wolf and Mantis were the main.
I actually kind of forgave Naomi for her epic betrayl.
This was all emphasised of course by the excellent voice acting and production values of the game. The music was brilliant, the voice actors were spot on and the development really let me get to know the characters.
No swearing
Gilly
WARNING MGS1 SPOILERS ABOUND
Although not the best written game (lots of waffle) I felt a real connection to the characters. I could connect with snake because we were btoh confused about the plot (in a good way) but still wanted to get on with it and get the job done. I was angry when it was revealed at the end that I had been doubled crossed by so many people. The people I had grew to trust throughout. This in turn made me like otacon a lot more, because he genuinely wanted to help.
I pitied snake's life style. It was all he knew and he kept being dragged into it. He did what he had to because he was the only one who could but he didnt want this life. I wanted him to have the happy ending.
At first I couldnt stand meryl, she was pretty annoyin. Then she gets shot by wolf, I was ***** the **** off until campbell came on codec and begged me to save her, cause she was his niece.
Psycho Mantis was a brilliant character. At first I hated him, mainly cause he was a pain in the arse to beat. But the cutscene afterwards, when he reveals why he did what he did. I saw him as a tragedy, he didnt deserve this. I got this with a lot of the bosses. Wolf and Mantis were the main.
I actually kind of forgave Naomi for her epic betrayl.
This was all emphasised of course by the excellent voice acting and production values of the game. The music was brilliant, the voice actors were spot on and the development really let me get to know the characters.
No swearing
Gilly
Lost Odyssey on the xbox 360. It was a fairly average game, but had these interludes that were really well done, just text on the screen which would form and then melt, or blow away, or unravel, with some really appropriate background music. They would tell of things the 1000 year old immortal central character remembered, and without exception they made you really feel for him, made you realise that being 1000 years old was more of a curse than anything else, watching an unending stream of people you love growing old and dying before your eyes.
Its about the only game I've played that's ever managed to get beyond the usual shock horror emotions that most games manage, to a kind of horrified pity.
Its about the only game I've played that's ever managed to get beyond the usual shock horror emotions that most games manage, to a kind of horrified pity.
Thank you for the responses so far.
A few questions id like to ask based on some of the responses (for anyone to reply to):
1:
Do you think that the player's impact upon the world is vital in drawing them into the experience?
for example there are a lot of games that simply offer you a story line and a character and you play through the game in a linear fashion from beginning to end.
But take Left 4 Dead as an example. The game is smart and it changes how the game flows based on the players actions within the world.
Do you think if more games used similar mechanics to change the experience, that it would create a much deeper feeling for you as the player, specifically in an RPG setting?
2:
First off, great response, that's exactly the info i was looking for
I'm interested in your comments about the length of the game. I played CoD2 way back and remember that although i liked the single player game, that it did start feeling a bit repetitive after a while and i really didn't feel myself getting too drawn into the story.
If you can, do you think you could detail a little more of how the monotony of the FPS element was broken up? Was it that the story unfolded in front of your eyes during the game, or the scene set before the battle or both? and how much importance would you attach to them respectively?
I haven't played CoD4 beyond the demo so i hope that makes sense (ill have to go and pick up a copy of it asap
)
3:
A final Question id like to ask, is do you feel that single player games draw you into a story/environment/situation more than or better than multiplayer games?
A few questions id like to ask based on some of the responses (for anyone to reply to):
1:
V3g3tto said:
Do you think that the player's impact upon the world is vital in drawing them into the experience?
for example there are a lot of games that simply offer you a story line and a character and you play through the game in a linear fashion from beginning to end.
But take Left 4 Dead as an example. The game is smart and it changes how the game flows based on the players actions within the world.
Do you think if more games used similar mechanics to change the experience, that it would create a much deeper feeling for you as the player, specifically in an RPG setting?
2:
naffa said:
First off, great response, that's exactly the info i was looking for
I'm interested in your comments about the length of the game. I played CoD2 way back and remember that although i liked the single player game, that it did start feeling a bit repetitive after a while and i really didn't feel myself getting too drawn into the story.
If you can, do you think you could detail a little more of how the monotony of the FPS element was broken up? Was it that the story unfolded in front of your eyes during the game, or the scene set before the battle or both? and how much importance would you attach to them respectively?
I haven't played CoD4 beyond the demo so i hope that makes sense (ill have to go and pick up a copy of it asap
)3:
A final Question id like to ask, is do you feel that single player games draw you into a story/environment/situation more than or better than multiplayer games?
answer to 3:
Definently. You can go at your own pace in a single player game. Take the story in and work out whats goin on. In multiplayer you feel pressured to just hurry up and the get it done so you can reap the rewards at the end or w/e.
Definently. You can go at your own pace in a single player game. Take the story in and work out whats goin on. In multiplayer you feel pressured to just hurry up and the get it done so you can reap the rewards at the end or w/e.
The most recent one for me has been Gears of War2. The first is broken pile of croc story wise, but in the sequal there are three specific points which were really well done, each one involving the death of a character, the last being particularly heart wrenching.
1. The players impact on a game's world is neither here nor there, if it's done well it's good. I have been enjoying linear games so much more recently but i'm probably just to lazy currently to play a long game were i can affect the world, i do try and fire up mass effect from time to time, but i always enjoy in that and kotors how i can change the characters around me.
2. Can't help here, i'm in the odd minority who can't play/enjoy cod4 single player for toffee.
3. No, WOW currently has been the most engrosing game i've played (bar sonic the hedgehog2) but that was only due to the people i was playing with. Otherwise a single player game is probably more consistent at engrossing players in their worlds for the reasons sarutobi stated. The directors commentary on HL2 eps1+2 show this very well, where all the developers talk about what they did how and where withing the game, specificly pointing out the cinematic points and how they draw a player towards them.
1. The players impact on a game's world is neither here nor there, if it's done well it's good. I have been enjoying linear games so much more recently but i'm probably just to lazy currently to play a long game were i can affect the world, i do try and fire up mass effect from time to time, but i always enjoy in that and kotors how i can change the characters around me.
2. Can't help here, i'm in the odd minority who can't play/enjoy cod4 single player for toffee.
3. No, WOW currently has been the most engrosing game i've played (bar sonic the hedgehog2) but that was only due to the people i was playing with. Otherwise a single player game is probably more consistent at engrossing players in their worlds for the reasons sarutobi stated. The directors commentary on HL2 eps1+2 show this very well, where all the developers talk about what they did how and where withing the game, specificly pointing out the cinematic points and how they draw a player towards them.
