|
JWK5
Guest
|
 |
« on: May 25, 2012, 02:22:23 AM » |
|
One of the things that feels really absent from indie games is intro sequences (though a few do include them). While these days they are generally done with FMV, there was a lot of cool little animated sequences that would play on various arcade machines when left idle for a bit, and there were quite a few on the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, etc. too. If a game's got one then generally I'll watch it. A good intro sequence gives you a taste of the adventure you are about to undertake and the thematic tone of the game and can really get the game started off with a bang (by far my favorites being from the Onimusha games, especially 3 which is just insanely awesome). I think if more indie games included intro sequences I'd be more likely to dig in (some better menu presentation wouldn't hurt either). An added " attract mode" could go a long way as well since they often give you a taste of what to expect in later levels (which can be helpful if the earlier levels aren't as action-packed, etc.) as well as giving you a rough idea of how the game plays, sounds, and looks overall. In any case, here's a few intro sequences that have really stood out to me over the years: Onimusha: Warlords
 Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny  Onimusha 3: Demon Siege  Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams  Blood Will Tell: Tezuka Osamu's Dororo  Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver  Final Fantasy 8  Popful Mail  And last, but not least, my favorite indie game intro: Eternal Daughter  I remember one of the Jumper games having a really neat intro too but I couldn't find a clip of it. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 02:30:23 AM by JWK5 »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2012, 02:29:15 AM » |
|
One of the things that feels really absent from indie games is intro sequences (though a few do include them). im glad. i hate having to sit through a cutscene before i get to play the game. worst combination: long intro cutscene + unskippable tutorial |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
JWK5
Guest
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2012, 02:31:18 AM » |
|
That is why having the option to skip them with a simple button press is nice (and practically a must... doing a second run on virtually any Metal Gear Solid game is ADD agony).
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2012, 02:41:03 AM » |
|
that said a short intro cutscene that sets the tone is ok. i guess im just sick of games dragging their intros out to ungodly lengths. i dont have the time or patience to really get into a game "with a story" these days, i'd rather just play.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Kain
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2012, 06:08:04 AM » |
|
Most indie games don't require intro sequences or attract modes. Those were conventions of arcade game development. Most indie game aren't arcade games, and there is an expectation that no one is going to just leave them idle for minutes at a time.
The purpose of the attract mode was two-fold. It's primary purpose was to "attract" attention to the game whenever it wasn't being played. A nice eye-catching animated sequence or preview of different levels from the game was a good way to entice potential players who were wandering by.
The second purpose was to avoid screen burn-in, a common affliction for arcade monitors. Attract modes were an early form of screen-saver. They insured that the game would only remain on the title screen for a limited amount of time.
Unfortunately, I don't see the point of attract modes in most indie games. It could be a fun little call-back to classic arcade titles, but aside from that they wouldn't serve any real purpose.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
C.A. Silbereisen
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2012, 06:27:22 AM » |
|
yeah if you want an impression of what a game plays like it's easy enough to just watch a gameplay video on youtube. i think attract modes even in older home games are kind of an unnecessary relic of arcade games, just like the scoring in late 80s/early 90s gams like super mario bros and wolfenstein 3d
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Kain
|
|
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2012, 08:06:41 AM » |
|
Personally, I'm very fond of the classic arcade aesthetic. I always enjoyed the old attract modes that would continuously display. (partially because I was never rich in quarters, and that was often all I got to enjoy)
I would actually love to seem more indie arcade games produced. Unfortunately, the arcade business model has not been viable for some time, and most outlets open to indie developers do not lend themselves well to arcade design principles. I've actually had quite a few ideas for producing a new, different kind of arcade. But any such enterprise would be costly to implement, and extremely risky in terms of financials. So I may never be able to make the attempt.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
moi
|
|
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2012, 08:30:05 AM » |
|
my favorite arcade attract mode is the big eyes from altered beast. It's simple and aesthetically pleasing, and gives the game some mood. And it looked badass on an arcade screen back in the time.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
subsystems subsystems subsystems
|
|
|
|
JMStark
|
|
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2012, 09:15:16 AM » |
|
While attract modes really only make absolute sense in the arcade, I have seen console attract modes put to use by N64 and Gamecube games at McDonald's and some other restaurants. The controllers were coated with a crispy glaze of snot and ketchup, and usually a button or two didn't work, but at least the games made themselves look like attractive experiences.
I guess that an attract mode would be a useful attribute for an indie game that was made to be put on public display.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JWK5
Guest
|
|
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2012, 12:02:34 PM » |
|
Most indie games don't require intro sequences or attract modes. Those were conventions of arcade game development. Most indie game aren't arcade games, and there is an expectation that no one is going to just leave them idle for minutes at a time. The point of the discussion isn't whether indie games require intro sequences or attract modes just whether it would add to the experience. Indie games don't require most things, you can easily get away with no title screen, no user options/settings, etc. Hell, "artgames" get away with no gameplay (*ba-dum-dum-tshhh*). Anyways, one of the best modern uses of attract modes is at the beginning of fighting games where you get to see demonstrations of combos, "recordings" of skilled play, etc. Speed runs would pretty interesting to see as an attract mode. Again, it is not something that is necessary it is just something that, at least for me, adds to the experience. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
brettchalupa
Guest
|
|
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2012, 01:09:29 PM » |
|
Nice find, this is awesome. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Xion
|
|
« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2012, 02:09:17 PM » |
|
I love attract modes. And skippable intros. The less necessary they are the better, because games with story and shit you expect some kind of introduction to the setting and stuff, but just random meaningless point harvest games with some unimportant backstory that flashes if you wait on the menu screen for too long are The Best, and I won't understand anyone who disagrees.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Kain
|
|
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2012, 03:02:23 PM » |
|
The point of the discussion isn't whether indie games require intro sequences or attract modes just whether it would add to the experience. I was speaking more to the practicality of attract modes. In this day and age, no one just leaves games running at the title screen. When you are finished playing, you quit, no matter what device you're playing on. If you go to the trouble of adding something like an attract mode as an extra feature, 95%+ of users are never even going to realize it's there, just because of how games are played today. This doesn't apply to introductions, since those usually run the first time the game is played. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
JWK5
Guest
|
|
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2012, 04:01:43 PM » |
|
95% of players don't care for them, or you personally don't? Also, a lot of modern games still make use of them. For example: EchoChrome
 Rayman 3 HD
 Katamari Forever
 SkullGirls
 Sonic Generations
 Resonance of Fate
 |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Kain
|
|
« Reply #18 on: May 25, 2012, 04:09:01 PM » |
|
95% of players don't care for them, or you personally don't? Also, a lot of modern games still make use of them. For example: I never said they didn't care for them. I said that they never SEE them. Players these days never linger on title screens, they don't leave their games running until an attract mode has a chance to start. Modern gamers don't wait around for attract modes, whether they like them or not. Attract modes are most suitable to games placed in a public setting, and never really switched off. That's where they make the most sense, and where the greatest number of people are most likely to see them. For PC, console, and mobile games, attract modes aren't practical, and the majority of gamers will never even know they are there. That places an extra and unnecessary development burden on their creators. And with as time and budget-constrained as most indie developers are, it is understandable if most of them don't bother with an attract mode. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
moi
|
|
« Reply #19 on: May 25, 2012, 04:19:03 PM » |
|
I prefer a short animated sequence, even if it's very generic and unconsequential (a ninja cutting some bamboo or some other shit) rather than a long page of text with a boring backstory of cliches.
that's why altered beast is so immersive. "RAISE FROM YOUR GRAVE", wut wat?, no other explanation is required, raise up and kick some mythological ass.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
subsystems subsystems subsystems
|
|
|
|
Player
