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[zacaj]

somewhat related: what is you guys' opinion on title screens

lately i've been thinking title screens are bad and the game should just start, right into the action, without a title screen, at least the first time you play (blueberry garden did this, as did most atari 2600 games)

but that has the problem in that you can't adjust the game options (since usually the options are on the title menu) before you begin the game

nonetheless the idea of starting right in the game without a title screen when you double click a game's icon appeals to me, and i wish there were a way to do it feasibly

My next game, which will be the first with real 'progression', will have users, each with their own save slot.  When you first start it, youll get asked for your name, optionally a password(maybe), and there will be a checkbox that says: Start Game Immediatly.  That way, they can edit options if they want

[Sankar]

I believe PC games can usually benefit from a "setting" app, so you can define your options in a separate program than the game, and when you open the game itself, it goes straight to the game. Its just a matter of making sure that, if the game is being run for the first time, the settings app opens up before.

[leonelc29]

somewhat related: what is you guys' opinion on title screens

lately i've been thinking title screens are bad and the game should just start, right into the action, without a title screen, at least the first time you play (blueberry garden did this, as did most atari 2600 games)

but that has the problem in that you can't adjust the game options (since usually the options are on the title menu) before you begin the game

nonetheless the idea of starting right in the game without a title screen when you double click a game's icon appeals to me, and i wish there were a way to do it feasibly

titlescreen are kinda neeeded if the game are feature-full with alot of extra thing you can do outside of the game(special feature like ost player, artwork or maybe achievement). Of course you can put all these feature inside the game. For me, it really depend on the game, whether the game is single-player only, or there's a multi-player mode. Thing i like about without title screen is i don't have to click or press many button to get into the game. Like what chrono trigger snes (or maybe secret of mana) does, just the intro which i don't have to watch it, then straight to the save file selection, which is pretty neat, and also fast if you get a freaking game over or you done something wrong and have to soft-reset.

and about the option, developer can just chunk it into game, and throw away the title screen, and throw away new game and load game, which make the game for 1 user only.(probably )

I think modern video-game are kinda obsess with non-skip-able logo screen and a title screen with alot of feature(titlescreen -> load game -> chose save file -> loading... -> game  )

[tesselode]

OK, let's see if I'm right here. The general consensus is that logo screens are good if:

• They look cool
• They're short
• They're skippable

Would everyone pretty much agree with that?

[Sankar]

tesselode,
I pretty much agree with this. I only would add that they don't need to be THAT short if they are skippable.
And I would add that its pretty cool when a logo looks like it was done for the game itself. Without looking like a stock footage. I love when Movies adapt their logo screen to fit the theme of the Movie, like Universal 8-Bit logo in Scott Pilgrim

[rivon]

and a title screen with alot of feature(titlescreen -> load game -> chose save file -> loading... -> game  )

How would you wanna do it then?

[leonelc29]

How would you wanna do it then?

well...
That just a though, which really annoy me. But then atleast let the logo screen be skip-able.

Can't eat at the restaurant without order stuff, though.

[rivon]

I meant that there is no other way than - Load Game -> select save file -> loading -> play game...

[zacaj]

Ive been toying with the idea of having a non fullscreen window manager based app, like some Unity games have, that would let you select a save file, and change settings before hitting OK, which would launch directly into the game

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I meant that there is no other way than - Load Game -> select save file -> loading -> play game...

there are other ways. you could auto-load the last save file with a 'resume' option (some games do that rather than forcing you to select a save file each time you load).

[mcc]

somewhat related: what is you guys' opinion on title screens

lately i've been thinking title screens are bad and the game should just start, right into the action, without a title screen, at least the first time you play (blueberry garden did this, as did most atari 2600 games)

but that has the problem in that you can't adjust the game options (since usually the options are on the title menu) before you begin the game

nonetheless the idea of starting right in the game without a title screen when you double click a game's icon appeals to me, and i wish there were a way to do it feasibly

This is something I also keep wanting to move toward but am never quite sure how.

One way around the specific "options" problem though could be, when the game starts a little floater in the corner of the screen fades in saying "click here for options" or "F1 for options" and then it disappears if you walk four feet or something.

[Relix]

Regarding the title screen (or, the transition), I like how GTA SA (and prolly newer GTA games too?) did it, no save slots? Straight to new game. Save slot exist? Auto-load the most recent save and onto the game again. Loading other save files were done in the menu, if needed.

[s0]

i think it's a waste of time to try and "innovate" title screens but whatever floats your boat i guess.

[thewojnartist]

It's a matter of first impression. An impressive title screen draws players into the game, while a bland one pushes them away.

[rivon]

I meant that there is no other way than - Load Game -> select save file -> loading -> play game...

there are other ways. you could auto-load the last save file with a 'resume' option (some games do that rather than forcing you to select a save file each time you load).

Yeah, there could be Resume or Continue. But that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about the process of loading a game which really can't be done in any different way.

[Destral]

And I would add that its pretty cool when a logo looks like it was done for the game itself. Without looking like a stock footage. I love when Movies adapt their logo screen to fit the theme of the Movie, like Universal 8-Bit logo in Scott Pilgrim

I really like it when movies and games do this, gives them that much more personality and it's a nice touch.

[Core Xii]

I believe PC games can usually benefit from a "setting" app, so you can define your options in a separate program than the game, and when you open the game itself, it goes straight to the game.

I hate that. Why make a separate program so that you can't easily change settings from in-game? If you want to change something you have to save your game, close the game, change the settings, boot the game up again, load your save. How is there any benefit to this?

[Sankar]

I hate that. Why make a separate program so that you can't easily change settings from in-game? If you want to change something you have to save your game, close the game, change the settings, boot the game up again, load your save. How is there any benefit to this?

You can have both, actually.

You can have one app to tweak the settings before going in the game
When you boot the game, you go straight in-game, then, if you want to change something, you pause it and tweak there.

[leonelc29]

You can have both, actually.

You can have one app to tweak the settings before going in the game
When you boot the game, you go straight in-game, then, if you want to change something, you pause it and tweak there.

so why don't just put the option inside the game?

[s0]

You can have both, actually.

You can have one app to tweak the settings before going in the game
When you boot the game, you go straight in-game, then, if you want to change something, you pause it and tweak there.

so why don't just put the option inside the game?

If your hardware is too slow for the default settings, have fun sitting through a slideshow until you get the option to tweak things.