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[Holey Moley]

Holey Moley Website System Administrator Offline

look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology

Holey Moley says,

Just post anything you think is both wrong and counter-intuitive with contemporary game design.

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I was personally offended by this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnxVOUSzX4A

EDITED: fixed the link; since Extra Credits moved from Penny Arcade, it'd gone dead.

This is emblematic of everything that is wrong with games to me, level design wise.


First. This is fine, if your goal is to make a clockwork game that is thoroughly contrived, like Legend of Zelda. But if your goal is to facilitate an engrossing and compelling experience, no, no, just no.

I love King's Field because it doesn't follow this pattern. The example used in the video is if you climb up a cliff, and don't find a reward waiting for you, then your game just cheated you of something, and you should scorn it.

No. That's just training the player to look in the weirdest places for no reason. And creating a very artificial atmosphere. If you want to climb a mountain, do it for the fun of climbing a mountain.

If the game gives you no reason to climb the mountain, then don't. Why would someone climb a mountain just to perch a treasure for you to find on its summit, and then climb back down?

In King's Field. You may trip over a piece of equipment that will prove  indispensable for the entire game. Or you may struggle for hours against impossible odds, for absolutely nothing.

This is how it should be.

If you don't like that, then go make a Zelda clone, your game will always be relegated to that tightly nit pseudo-puzzle are you serious? shoebox

Formerly "Holy Diver" ("Holy") [Holy will be back as soon as I'm back to full form]

[Holey Moley]

Holey Moley Website System Administrator Offline

look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology

Holey Moley says,

Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H97gCCJFXA) is another entry in this series. How to make a game to babysit children: or, how NOT to make games that elevate this paltry medium!

Same program (Extra Credits) and same subject more or less, 3 years later.

Formerly "Holy Diver" ("Holy") [Holy will be back as soon as I'm back to full form]