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pixelburp · 31-07-2020 1:40pm

Mechanics aside, if a game positions itself as an indulgence in a power fantasy, then it flies in the face of that if players are made to feel rubbish or deficient for not being good enough to continue. There's a delicate needle to thread with difficulty and learning curves - often nailing that boss after a half dozen failures is itself rewarding - but actively punishing feels belittling at times. There's no easy answer mind you, but something like Celeste with its myriad of methods to tweak the difficultly seems a good example of mechanical inclusiveness done right

Kingp35 · 31-07-2020 2:43pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'm on the side that bad balancing in games turns more people away than difficulty. Developers should be free to make the games they want and make them as difficult as they want. It people can't handle the game or are too narrow minded to try it then their loss. I see it as the same as people being turned off by subtitles.

Developers should accommodate as many players as they can but there comes a point when you reduce difficulty of a purely mechanics based game that you end up with something inferior or betrays the vision of the game.

I thought Doom 2016 wasnt great until I recognised it was too easy and started again on ultra violence. I might as well have been playing a different game with how much that changed how the game played.

People moaning about how they just want to experience the story are just whingers. If it was a good story based game the developer would help you through it. What these games are are pure mechanics based games and if you don't want or have the time to put into mastering the mechanics then the game isn't for you anyway. There's plenty of other games that cater to your tastes.

You come across as incredibly elitist Retro, especially the last paragraph.

I fail to see any issue with including difficulty levels. That way the 'real gamers' can play the game as it was intended without the vision of the developer being ruined and everyone else can enjoy the game how they seem fit.

It's win win for all, including the developer that will make more money by being more accessible.

The Raging Bile Duct · 31-07-2020 2:57pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

People moaning about how they just want to experience the story are just whingers. If it was a good story based game the developer would help you through it. What these games are are pure mechanics based games and if you don't want or have the time to put into mastering the mechanics then the game isn't for you anyway. There's plenty of other games that cater to your tastes.

I've carpal tunnel so even when I have the time to play these games I can't really because fast repetitive play causes cramping, numbness and pain. I'd like to experience those games sometimes but it's not really worth the payback. But I guess that's just me being a whinger.

Retr0gamer · 31-07-2020 3:29pm

A disability is very different that just be contrary. I wasn't attacking people with disabilities.

The way I see it is people don't play the likes of Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden Black for the story and if you reduce the difficulty level of those games, well you aren't experiencing them. Just play Ninja Dog mode in Ninja Gaiden Black, it's incredibly boring and dull and the same can be said for Devil May Cry 2 which turned the difficulty down and became an awful boring button masher.

I'm just saying that for every Celeste out there there's a game that relies on the challenge to actually work as an enjoyable experience.

As someone that has made games difficulty is a difficult balance and you can completely ruin a game with just minor tweaks to difficulty.

And then at the other end of it if these ultra hard games aren't for you then they aren't for you. There's nothing wrong with moving on to something else like the way I would for say Fifa. There's plenty of stuff to play that you will actually enjoy. Don't like Devil May Cry because it's too hard? There's God of War or Darksiders.

It would be great if developers could cater to people with disabilities of tailor dozens of difficulty levels to suit every player but in the real world all this takes time and money and resources and a lot of the time it isn't feasible unfortunately. And most of the time that doesn't equate to sales.

An example of a game I feel would be ruined by being easier is dark souls. Not because I'm an elitist gate keeper but because the souls games are games about exploring the mechanic of death and having fun doing strange things about a mechanic that had almost largely gone away by that point. And when you make the game so easy that the player no longer dies a lot well then you lose those death mechanics, the ones that make souls games so unique.

Arcadeheroes · 31-07-2020 3:59pm

The argument that all videogames needs to have a difficulty mode needs to be put to rest as it comes out self entitled. At the end of the day not every game is made to cater to all our needs and thankfully videogames as a medium has an amazing amount of variety to choose from , so for people who do not have the patience to get past the difficulty of certain games like Cuphead , Sekiro or Dark souls, move on to other certain games that would Benefit more to liking and preference.

J. Marston · 31-07-2020 4:39pm

Cuphead does have any easy mode though, doesn't it? When I pick a level it says "Simple" and "Regular". I haven't had to pick simple yet but won't have any hesitation if I come across something I just can't beat.

Retr0gamer · 31-07-2020 4:47pm

J. Marston wrote: »

Cuphead does have any easy mode though, doesn't it? When I pick a level it says "Simple" and "Regular". I haven't had to pick simple yet but won't have any hesitation if I come across something I just can't beat.

Yep there's a simple mode. Gives you way more hits for each boss.

J. Marston · 31-07-2020 9:55pm

Isle 2 is a fúcking pain.

Retr0gamer · 31-07-2020 10:43pm

Wait until you'd get to the dragon boss....

Dr. Bre · 31-07-2020 11:48pm

Splinter cell being made into a Netflix series

EoinMcLovin · 01-08-2020 12:03am

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Splinter cell being made into a Netflix series

Just to clarify this news, it will be anime not live action.
https://twitter.com/NXOnNetflix/status/1288995141257068545?s=19

Netflix also working on Beyond Good and Evil film.
https://twitter.com/NXOnNetflix/status/1289309525883805696?s=19

A film adaptation of Beyond Good & Evil, the cult-classic 2003 adventure from Ubisoft, is in the works at Netflix from Detective Pikachu director Rob Letterman, a Ubisoft representative confirmed to Polygon.

“We’re excited to work with Netflix on the Beyond Good & Evil feature film and we look forward to sharing more in the future,” said Ubisoft in a statement.
The movie will be a “hybrid live-action/animated feature,” according to The Hollywood Reporter, similar to Detective Pikachu. It will be produced by Jason Altman and Margaret Boykin of Ubisoft Film & Television, the French publisher’s internal division for big- and small-screen projects. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the project is in “early development,” saying that Letterman and the producers are currently searching for a writer to adapt the video game — although it’s currently unclear how closely the film will hew to the game’s plot.

01-08-2020 12:06am

Animated Splinter Cell sounds like a better idea than live action. It's far too easy for it to end up as a generic series otherwise. Plus Michael Ironside could play the role!

ERG89 · 01-08-2020 12:38am

You just know that we'll see the Beyond Good & Evil movie before the second game comes out. Netflix are fairly throwing money at game studios for ideas now, long term I hope they are not expecting any to be their next big hit as Splinter Cell, Dragon's Dogma and BG&E are fairly dormant franchises. Plus you have Devil May Cry, Cuphead, Assassins Creed and Cyberpunk getting adaptions too. Not sure is DMC on Netflix but the guy who adapted Castlevania is involved in that so it could be.

J. Marston · 01-08-2020 12:44am

Would love if they gave Metal Gear Solid the Castlevania treatment.

EoinMcLovin · 01-08-2020 12:44am

ERG89 wrote: »

You just know that we'll see the Beyond Good & Evil movie before the second game comes out. Netflix are fairly throwing money at game studios for ideas now, long term I hope they are not expecting any to be their next big hit as Splinter Cell, Dragon's Dogma and BG&E are fairly dormant franchises. Plus you have Devil May Cry, Cuphead, Assassins Creed and Cyberpunk getting adaptions too. Not sure is DMC on Netflix but the guy who adapted Castlevania is involved in that so it could be.

Yeah Devil May Cry will be on Netflix. It will be part of the Bootleg multiverse with Castlevania

Mr Crispy · 01-08-2020 9:54am

I see that Carrion has sold nearly 200K copies in its first week. Anyone here playing it?

johnny_ultimate · 01-08-2020 12:48pm

Mr Crispy wrote: »

I see that Carrion has sold nearly 200K copies in its first week. Anyone here playing it?

Played a bit on Game Pass, and it’s grand. Moving the monster around is an absolute joy. But it’s a bad Metroidvania game once the novelty is removed (it makes sense there’s no map given you’re a ****ing blob, but it makes for uninteresting level design), and some of the ways they add challenge are irritating. But it is pleasingly playful in other ways, and as far as its central premise of ‘you are literally a monster’ goes, it works well enough.

johnny_ultimate · 01-08-2020 12:52pm

I love that it ended up being our homegrown Smyths that accidentally leaked that Halo Infinite multiplayers is free-to-play (since confirmed by MS).

Not every day you see Smyths Toys cited on Kotaku

https://kotaku.com/halo-infinite-multiplayer-might-be-free-to-play-accordi-1844569625

Vicxas · 01-08-2020 3:46pm

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I love that it ended up being our homegrown Smyths that accidentally leaked that Halo Infinite multiplayers is free-to-play (since confirmed by MS).

Not every day you see Smyths Toys cited on Kotaku

https://kotaku.com/halo-infinite-multiplayer-might-be-free-to-play-accordi-1844569625

That could harm Smyths going forward. MS don't take kindly to leaked information especially if Smyths signed an NDA around it.

CatInABox · 01-08-2020 4:14pm

Vicxas wrote: »

That could harm Smyths going forward. MS don't take kindly to leaked information especially if Smyths signed an NDA around it.

MS are one of the worst at leaking stuff like this, including for third parties, so I doubt that they'll care too much. No doubt that they'll send a nasty letter or two, underlining that they shouldn't do it again, but I'd very much doubt that there'd be any kind of retribution.

CastorTroy · 01-08-2020 4:43pm

Yeah, I'm not saying they look at us as a huge market, but don't think this is the year to fall out with a major games/console retail chain.

Varik · 01-08-2020 5:17pm

CastorTroy wrote: »

Yeah, I'm not saying they look at us as a huge market, but don't think this is the year to fall out with a major games/console retail chain.

Smyths aren't just in Ireland, they're one of the biggest in the UK and Germany now.

Ridley · 02-08-2020 12:32am

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Played a bit on Game Pass, and it’s grand. Moving the monster around is an absolute joy. But it’s a bad Metroidvania game once the novelty is removed (it makes sense there’s no map given you’re a ****ing blob, but it makes for uninteresting level design), and some of the ways they add challenge are irritating. But it is pleasingly playful in other ways, and as far as its central premise of ‘you are literally a monster’ goes, it works well enough.

Played and finished it across three sessions yestertoday. No need for a map eye em oh unless you're backtracking and that, for the most part, only really happens if you're going out of your way for the collectibles which wouldn't have been on any good game map anyway. Got three in the main playthrough and used a guide to mop up the rest before doing the final part of the game but I got along fine without the bonuseseses they have.

I'd liken the game more to the hub sections of Abe's Oddysee/Exoddus where you're doing a loop and the trick is figuring out how to get there. Carrion lives somewhere between Metroidvania and puzzle-platformer, what trial and error there is works towards its adaptable organism refusing to be contained.

Tad silly when it's setting up nuclear devices though.

I'd welcome a sequel (Carrions?) to get more of the Aliens/Thing vibe.

Two pages of voice actor credits is too many for a game without dialogue, mind.

Retr0gamer · 04-08-2020 9:20am

So Frog Fractions game of the decade edition landed on steam.

There's also a beanie hat DLC but apparently starting the game with the beanie hat actually begins what could be described as frog fractions 3.... and a whole lot more.

Grumpypants · 04-08-2020 9:51am

Ridley wrote: »

Two pages of voice actor credits is too many for a game without dialogue, mind.

Sound director: Okay just read your lines.

Voice Actor: ....................................

Sound Director: Nailed it.

:pac:

Retr0gamer · 05-08-2020 3:41pm

Phantasy Star Online 2 finally hit steam today.

Only took 8 years.

I really don't see how Sega thought the game wouldn't be a success in the West what with there being a massive nostalgic fan base for it, it also being supposedly excellent and games directly inspired by it like Monster Hunter taking off massively in the West.

Well it's here now I suppose and free to play.

05-08-2020 4:16pm

Out for the Xbox and PS4 too I believe.

Xenji · 05-08-2020 4:27pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Out for the Xbox and PS4 too I believe.

It is a timed exclusive for the Xbox, it will be coming to the Switch and PS4 at a later date.

Retr0gamer · 05-08-2020 4:28pm

The best game of 2013 is getting re-released on Switch finally on 30th October.

That's Pikmin 3 and not Last of Us. Sorry but it's been proven mathematically that I'm correct in this and can therefore not be argued against.

Levity aside it's an utterly charming and brilliant game that hopefully gets the audience it was criminally denied on the WiiU.

HairySalmon · 05-08-2020 5:38pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The best game of 2013 is getting re-released on Switch finally on 30th October.

That's Pikmin 3 and not Last of Us. Sorry but it's been proven mathematically that I'm correct in this and can therefore not be argued against.

Levity aside it's an utterly charming and brilliant game that hopefully gets the audience it was criminally denied on the WiiU.

For a presumed €60 and no meaningful future discounts for a 2013 game, a resounding no from me.

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