Level Design woes

T

ThatOneTroll

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Mar 26, 2011
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5
<rant>
For starters. yes this is a rant...

TL:DR Version: ZOMGWTFBBQ!!!

I'm starting to get annoyed with games today, besides people not being banned for being annoying and griefing other players at all times, but it really bugs me that all modern first person shooters follow the same rail shooting level design thought process. Illustrated in this image I found, first I thought it was funny, now I find it disturbing.

halolz-dot-com-fpsmapdesign-1993-2010-doom.gif


It is starting to worry me as well that FPS's aren't the only games that are suffering from this. I just finished Dragon Age 2 and I noticed that areas were suffering from the clone brush. They would take a few maps and then to change them they would modify where the player would start and what areas can be accessed by either allowing certain doors to only be opened or removing certain doors. I find it hard to believe that multiple buildings in this world they made for us all look the same or were made by the same craftsman. Additional complaint about Dragon Age 2: Cliffhanger ending....

I feel as though the industry just doesn't care anymore on giving us and expansive world to play in and just want a haunted house sort of feeling where you go through a hallway and have things happen along the way. It seems only MMOs and Sandbox games give players options to just play in the world, but are there any recommendations that contradict my rant? I really want a reason to actually pursue still playing games as I grew up with them and I still want something that doesn't make me feel like I'm playing the same game as Space Marine, gun wielding individual who kills everyone who remotely appears on the screen.



</rant>
 
Not to ignore your rant, but I think it's funny that I immediately recognized that map 18 years after it was released. I miss viewable maps being a common feature. Oh Knee Deep in the Dead.
 
I'm pretty sure two words are to blame: 'cinematic experience'. These days it seems fashionable to make games into interactive movies, even if the 'interactive' part doesn't go beyond quick-time events and hacking down gobs of enemies. The idea being that if one doesn't strictly guide the 'player', it is not possible to tell a story.

My game studio hasn't produced an FPS or similar game yet, but when we do, you can bet we'll go for the 'create your own story' model over the 'hold the player's hand' model. It's just heaps more fun and adds to the replayability factor, as well as cutting down on the number of cutscenes to be added. Win-win :)
 
Really fuckin' tired of watching cutscenes and playing same ole', same ole' in game after game.
 
drako said:
Not to ignore your rant, but I think it's funny that I immediately recognized that map 18 years after it was released. I miss viewable maps being a common feature. Oh Knee Deep in the Dead.
Click to expand...

Haha nice. Was trying to figure it out myself.
 
Elledan said:
My game studio hasn't produced an FPS or similar game yet, but when we do, you can bet we'll go for the 'create your own story' model over the 'hold the player's hand' model. It's just heaps more fun and adds to the replayability factor, as well as cutting down on the number of cutscenes to be added. Win-win :)
Click to expand...

When you do make sure you have that cannon from the A-10!!! :D
 
DeathPrincess said:
When you do make sure you have that cannon from the A-10!!! :D
Click to expand...

Just promise you will stop sticking your fingers in the barrels :p

Somehow I think that carrying the A-10's Gatling gun around on one's shoulder would be slightly ridiculous... ;) Would be one heck of a BFG, though :D
 
I actually prefer a more linear/rails FPS with lots of cutscenes. Elledan hit the nail on the head with "cinematic experience". I like my games to be somewhere in the middle between a game and a movie. If I'm in the mood for just gameplay, I'll go with multiplayer. I'm also not one to replay singleplayer campaigns, so that might have something to do with my tastes.
 
What I'm pissed off about is the fact that CODBO singleplayer is still 59.99 for me to play on Steam.

I'm going to play the game for 6-10 hours max, experience these modern innovations in single player level designs and they still want to wring full price out of me.

What the fuck?
 
Quick! Call the WAAAAAAHMBULANCE! We need to beat this dead horse some more.:rolleyes:
 
drako said:
Not to ignore your rant, but I think it's funny that I immediately recognized that map 18 years after it was released. I miss viewable maps being a common feature. Oh Knee Deep in the Dead.
Click to expand...

lol +1. I don't know if that is awesome or sad. I looked at that map, and all of a sudden my brain was overcome with a synth guitar riff.
 
'm pretty sure two words are to blame: 'cinematic experience'.
Click to expand...

LOL, yep you can add some other ones as well. "breath taking graphics" "realism" "simulation" "never seen before visuals"

Graphics killed gameplay, oh well.
 
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