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Cinematic Games Should Be Watchable (without playing)

P

Pillville

Member
Hear me out.
Take your blood pressure meds....
are you ready? .... good.

This obviously would only work with linear, story heavy games, but, I think cinematic games should have a "Watch The Rest Of The Story" option.

I have a huge list of games where I didn't like the game play, but still want to see the rest of the story.

Developers spend TONS of money and time creating these games, often more than it costs to make a movie. Yet, a majority of owners never see the entire product. According to a CNN report, only 10% of people actually finish games they start.


If this option existed, I would do it right now for:
Assassin's Creed III
Tomb Raider
Batman: Arkham Origins
Metro: Last Light
Dante's Inferno
 
A

Acccent

Member
Totally agree. Just a menu to watch all the cinematics/CGIs/scripted sections with an option to unlock them all before finishing the game.

I often end up "watching the game" on YouTube when I can't be bothered with playing it, so having the option officially implemented within the game would be perfect.

Another ideal thing would be "auto-play" where you could activate it and let it play itself, and pick up the controller whenever you want to play a part. I think Nintendo does that in some games now? 5even though paradoxically Nintendo games exist only for their gameplay)
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
Don't know why you would do that with Batman and miss out on that fun combat system. Also don't know why you would rather watch D-tier game stories instead of playing them. Why not just watch a bad movie on the Syfy channel?
 
C

Clawww

Member
Some games might as well include that option. It wouldn't necessarily take away from the game itself, either.
 
P

Pillville

Member
Mr-Joker said:
Then that would make them movies
Click to expand...


These types of games are basically movies. Except almost no one gets to see the end. I just paid $60 for the thing, let me enjoy it the way I want to. Let the artists, actors, writers be appreciated for their work.

You still have the option to see it as it unfolds while playing, nothing would change for you.
 
Glass Rebel

Glass Rebel

Member
I actually agree, options are good and Easy mode on most games is a joke anyway. Medium even. Not that I would use it because even the most cinematic games can have some cool gameplay thrown into the mix. If I stop having fun with those bits, I'd rather just put the game aside period instead of watching the rest of the often subpar story.
 
M

meltingparappa

Member
UK comedian Dara O'Briain likened videogames to reading a book, and then getting a quiz at the end of the chapter, and if you don't pass you have to go back and re-read the chapter.

For someone playing a game merely for the story, and without an option to change the difficulty halfway through, it's ludicrous that they have to redo gameplay mechanics they may not be into in order to see how it all ends.

Not everyone is a stubborn player who grew up with punitive NES death mechanics. It should absolutely be an option.
 
I

ichtyander

Member
That sounds kind of backwards, honestly. It accepts and encourages developers to make these cinematic experiences even more and make the games even worse from a gameplay perspective, instead of making the games better and feel worthwhile to finish or even adapt to the times with shorter and more compelling story bites.
 
M

Mael

Member
They did that with that Alone in the Dark game, it was shit.
If your games could be watched instead of played you've failed as a game maker.
 
X

Xav

Member
Why reward laziness?

I don't mean to sound like a jaded "hardcore gamer" but games are easier and shorter than ever to finish, if you can't finish a game in 2013 then maybe gaming isn't for you.

With that said however, developers should always be doing their best to make sure they encourage players to finish their games. PACING is an area that needs to be improved and Resident Evil 4 is a game that developers need to study.
 
R

Rivver

Banned
Why pay $60 for an hour of entertainment? Even story heavy linear games don't generally have hours of cut scenes.
 
Glass Rebel

Glass Rebel

Member
ichtyander said:
That sounds kind of backwards, honestly. It accepts and encourages developers to make these cinematic experiences even more and make the games even worse from a gameplay perspective, instead of making the games better and feel worthwhile to finish or even adapt to the times with shorter and more compelling story bites.
Click to expand...

One could argue that the current situation encourages developers to make their game awfully easy so everyone gets to see the ending.
 
S

SkeptiMism

Member
Kind of a good idea actually I'd say. I would probably never use it because I never watch any endings from youtube either, but indeed, as you said, quite a lot of people never actually finish their games.

And thinking of it, I might actually use it for some games with choices, for example Mass Effect. I just can't touch the game after beating it the first time, but it'd be cool to see how it branches and especially all the endings. I can't bother to watch youtube to see it, but I'd probably watch them from the game.
 
I

Interceptor

Banned
I played Heavy Rain on Youtube. Fun little game. I don´t agree with OP on the topic though. If you want to watch something, buy a DVD. Games are about playing. They can implement it as a reward once you finish them but you should earn it first.
 
A

Astery

Member
I don't agree, but I can see it work as some micro transaction unlock function for those who don't want to play the game.

Now I'm just giving publishers ideas.
 
B

BruiserBear

Banned
Derrick01 said:
Don't know why you would do that with Batman and miss out on that fun combat system. Also don't know why you would rather watch D-tier game stories instead of playing them. Why not just watch a bad movie on the Syfy channel?
Click to expand...

This is a valid point. If you don't want to play videogames, you should probably just stop playing videogames.
 
P

Pillville

Member
Xav said:
if you can't finish a game in 2013 then maybe gaming isn't for you.
Click to expand...

So games aren't for 90% of the people who bought them?

Rivver said:
Why pay $60 for an hour of entertainment? Even story heavy linear games don't generally have hours of cut scenes.
Click to expand...

Nothing stops you from playing game later (or the MP if included), even if you've seen the story.


andymcc said:
why not just watch way better written and acted films then
Click to expand...

Have you been to the movies lately?



Also, this isn't about just popping in the disk and watching the story. It's about getting half way through the game, getting sick of the game play and just wanting to know how it ends.
 
J

Jimnymebob

Member
Pillville said:
These types of games are basically movies. Except almost no one gets to see the end. I just paid $60 for the thing, let me enjoy it the way I want to. Let the artists, actors, writers be appreciated for their work.

You still have the option to see it as it unfolds while playing, nothing would change for you.
Click to expand...

What about people who worked on the actual, you know, gameplay of the game?

And trust me, you'd rather play Tomb Raider than watch Tomb Raider's cutscenes.
 
J

Jack cw

Member
Every MGS game basically. At least MGS3 had a theater mode but the best way to enjoy the MGS storyline is through youtube.
 
E

Earthpainting

Member
I didn't think I'd find myself agreeing with this, but it looks like I do. I've had several instances of a game where I just hit a skill-ceiling or stopped having fun playing. Since I still was invested in the game, after having sunk hours into it already, I looked up the rest of the cutscenes on Youtube. The problem with the Youtube stuff is that it's often much harder than it should be to have a nice selection of footage without having some doofus talking over it constantly. If a story-driven game could give me an option like this, it'd be pretty cool.
 
I

injurai

Banned
I enjoy games of all cuts. When I want a linear, scripted or cinematic game I still want to play a... you know... a GAME!

I feel like every opinion on here takes these hard stances on cinematic gaming. Bittergaf gunna b loudest...
 
M

meltingparappa

Member
BruiserBear said:
This is a valid point. If you don't want to play videogames, you should probably just stop playing videogames.
Click to expand...
If I tell an aunt that dabbles in facebook and iphone games that The Last of Us is an incredible game with an immersive story reminiscent of her favorite Cormac McCarthy book, then hand her a controller with 92358302589 buttons and expect her to make it through shooting and stealth sections on even the easiest setting, I'd just be wasting both our time.

She has no macho "I need to earn this!" impulse. She would just never, ever be able to experience that story, and proclaim that videogames are not and never will be for her.
 
R

RealMeat

Banned
Not sure about turning off all interaction, but if games like The Walking Dead and Beyond: Two Souls let me turn off the QTEs and just make choices I'd be more interested in them.
 
I

ichtyander

Member
Glass Rebel said:
One could argue that the current situation encourages developers to make their game awfully easy so everyone gets to see the ending.
Click to expand...

You have a point, but I'd say it's more so that everyone gets to progress through the game easily, have quick and easy fun, not necessarily see the ending, but I guess it can boil down to the same thing. The problem is, it's not really working from the completion side of things since such a low number of players actually complete these games. But then again, it's obviously working from the commercial side since these games are very successful most of the time.

I'm not really sure how many of these players would watch the game to the end, even if given the option. And it certainly wouldn't benefit the sales, since they all bought the game anyway.

I do feel with you OP, I've played quite a few games lately that felt they had a very forced storyline as well as tiresome gameplay mechanics but I would rarely want to watch these stories to the end since they're not very good anyway. I mean, I would like to watch the storyline of AC:Revelations since I quit halfway though, which I'll probably do on YouTube or at least read the synopsis if I decide to play Black Flag, but I'm not sure I would like to have the option to do that in the game. I'd rather they not make an AC:R or an AC:III and make better games.
 
R

Ricky_R

Member
Pillville said:
Hear me out.
Take your blood pressure meds....
are you ready? .... good.

This obviously would only work with linear, story heavy games, but, I think cinematic games should have a "Watch The Rest Of The Story" option.

I have a huge list of games where I didn't like the game play, but still want to see the rest of the story.

Developers spend TONS of money and time creating these games, often more than it costs to make a movie. Yet, a majority of owners never see the entire product. According to a CNN report, only 10% of people actually finish games they start.

If this option existed, I would do it right now for:
Assassin's Creed III
Tomb Raider
Batman: Arkham Origins
Metro: Last Light
Dante's Inferno
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be a bad idea. Most games let you watch all cut-scenes though, but I think you're able to do so after you finish said games.

Also, Youtube.

EDIT: Are you talking about cut-scenes or watching the actual full game run automatically.
 
M

Mael

Member
meltingparappa said:
If I tell an aunt that dabbles in facebook and iphone games that The Last of Us is an incredible game with an immersive story reminiscent of her favorite Cormac McCarthy book, then hand her a controller with 92358302589 buttons and expect her to make it through shooting and stealth sections on even the easiest setting, I'd just be wasting both our time.

She has no macho "I need to earn this!" impulse. She would just never, ever be able to experience that story, and proclaim that videogames are not and never will be for her.
Click to expand...

and?
maybe video games aren't for her after all.
Heck gamers loudly proclaimed they didn't want to have "casuals" sullying their hobby or some crap like that already.
 
T

Tunavi

Banned
It would be cool for games to have an autopilot function, where the AI kicks in and controls your main character at your discretion
 
J

jim-jam bongs

Member
This sounds like an excuse for developers to further neglect the task of making gameplay which is good enough to carry the game through to the end.
 
H

HueyFreeman

Banned
It just sends the wrong message to devs. This medium has the capacity to become the de facto entertainment standard in the next 20 years, but it's not gonna get there by continuing to poorly imitate the film industry.
 
B

BruiserBear

Banned
meltingparappa said:
If I tell an aunt that dabbles in facebook and iphone games that The Last of Us is an incredible game with an immersive story reminiscent of her favorite Cormac McCarthy book, then hand her a controller with 92358302589 buttons and expect her to make it through shooting and stealth sections on even the easiest setting, I'd just be wasting both our time.

She has no macho "I need to earn this!" impulse. She would just never, ever be able to experience that story, and proclaim that videogames are not and never will be for her.
Click to expand...

in which case she'd probably be right.
 
Moff

Moff

Member
we have almost reached that point in many games in some of their zones.
if you only have to press forward for sometimes even a minute, I dont see that much a difference to a movie.

oh yeah, and I hate these non-games, its definitely not for me. but I am sure we'll see this more often
 
M

meltingparappa

Member
Mael said:
and?
maybe video games aren't for her after all.
Heck gamers loudly proclaimed they didn't want to have "casuals" sullying their hobby or some crap like that already.
Click to expand...
But having a "see the story" feature doesn't even changing the content.

That's like saying "movies in general aren't for your aunt" because she wants a fast forward button for her blu ray player remote.

Some hardcore game snobs in this thread.
 
Dr. Buni

Dr. Buni

Member
Cinematic games shouldn't even exist.
Tunavi said:
It would be cool for games to have an autopilot function, where the AI kicks in and controls your main character at your discretion
Click to expand...
No, it wouldn't. If you don't want to play the game, then don't.
 
R

Recall

Member
Hey guys lets charge $60 for a movie with as little interaction as possible.

Whoever wants that, good for you but I'll stick to my games, thanks.
 
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