Internal Consistency In Video Games

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Internal Consistency In Video Games

<p>Gamasutra put their analytical skills to use while they <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33189/Analysis_A_Wizard_Did_It__Internal_Consistency_In_Video_Games.php" target="_blank">editorialize about the internal consistency</a> in videogames.</p>
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<p>BioWare is one developer that has been all over the map when it comes to internal consistency. Take, for example, the Mass Effect franchise. There were massive changes to the gameplay systems from the first game to the second, which included the introduction of limited ammo and the removal of 'Omni-gel' among other things. These changes are all explained away as part of the overall narrative.

The Codex, Mass Effect's version of an encyclopedia or story bible, explains that the weapons originally used incredibly small slivers of mass and fired them so quickly that, in effect, they could never run out of ammo. Imagine each atom as a projective and then sticking a small hunk of metal into a weapon to act as the source of atoms and you get the idea from there.

Essentially, this eliminated the need for ammo of any kind. Instead, the gun would slowly overheat and require you to pause to let it cool before you could fire again.

Apparently, this was chalked up to a bad design decision or was simply considered not as cohesive once other changes were implemented during the interim between the two games. Limited ammo returned but in a fashion that, when explained, makes perfect sense.

You see, the Geth had been using removable heat sinks to get around that pesky need to cool the guns. The player isn't gathering ammo in the game but new heat sinks that were designed to mimic the Geth's technology. This provides a nice solid explanation in the lore while also allowing for the gameplay illusion of scarcity.</p>
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<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/101750-internal-consistency-in-video-games.html">Gamebanshee</a></p>

 

[BlaineMono]

Bioware game design has always been inspired.

By

 

[Undead Phoenix]

You know, I'm starting to hate the term 'franchise' a lot more than is healthy.


As for the article - it's pointless reading it. All it does is state the obvious.

 

[Brother None]

You see, the Geth had been using removable heat sinks to get around that pesky need to cool the guns. The player isn't gathering ammo in the game but new heat sinks that were designed to mimic the Geth's technology. This provides a nice solid explanation in the lore while also allowing for the gameplay illusion of scarcity.

Solid. I mean it's not like there's any obvious holes in this. Such as: why would we need alien tech to provide this really basic and obvious idea of heat sinks, which are already in use in present day tech. How did they convert every gun in the universe to use heat sinks in 2 years time? How come every gun uses the same model heat sink? How come there are heat sinks strewn about everywhere if they've only been around since recent day?

See. Nice, solid explanation.

 

[MicoSelva]

How did they convert every gun in the universe to use heat sinks in 2 years time?

Including guns on planets not visited for ten years, like the one with Jacob's father.

Make perfect sense. Yes. Really.

And it's the same thing with mechs.

 

[Brother None]

Including guns on planets not visited for ten years, like the one with Jacob's father.

Well that's easy. They're bureaucrats. They would just ignore the sight of the crashed ship and insane people and get on with their job of upgrading guns before leaving again. File a report on the crashed ship? Please, just more paperwork. It's not my job anyway. Someone will get to it eventually.

The science may change, but Bureaucrats are Eternal.

 

[KalosKagathos]

How did they convert every gun in the universe to use heat sinks in 2 years time?

Crazy logistics aside, why would everyone decide to switch in the first place? Surely, some people would appreciate the convenience of the built-in IDKFA the old guns offered and choose to stick with them.

 

[laclongquan]

What if you replace all heatsinks in such inconsistency settings. Make for one whole damn planet/map with no HS whatsoever.

Will it be memorable? Will it raise conciousness that this muthafuka of a game is hard and gritty?

 

[Tolknaz]

For some reason videogame developers just love retconning seemingly just for the sake of it. Can't they find out what mechanics work and what don't during their internal demo phases anymore?

 

[Gord]

So I can choose between a delay when reloading a heatsink or a delay during cooldown of my weapon?
Even if reloading is faster, what happens once I don't have a spare one? Do I have to wait again for cooldown?
Can I reuse heatsinks?

Yeah, makes perfect sense to completely ditch the old tech within only 2 years.

Seriously, don't even try to explain some stupid thing like this, only makes your head hurt.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

You know, I'm starting to hate the term 'franchise' a lot more than is healthy.

Hating the abuse of the term 'franchise' is always healthy.

 

[Begriffenfeldt]

A wizard did it.

 

[turn_based_fanboy]

If we ever made a list of most rediculus dumbing down I'd put my bet on this change being in top 3.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Even though he goes about making his point in a rather incosistent manner, the point is good.

Games need only be consistent within themselves.

Obviously Mass Effect fails at this simple task, so no points for naming that as an example.

There's another thing about this article that is overlooked, and that's the final words:

Soren Johnson recently argued that games need to 'stop making sense' in order to truly evolve. This works well enough if you consider one single path of evolution to be the only one in play. However, if you consider video games and the narrative opportunities they present to run parallel to that of other mediums, making more sense than they have in the past is instrumental to achieving progress.

Absurdity is often only truly absurd out of context. The fact that Johnson points out that it's ridiculous that plants would be fighting zombies at all, but that it somehow works within the game, only further underlines my point.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't he contradicting himself in those words?

While a good and consistent narrative and/or setting does help to make a better game, it's not really needed, and especially not to run parallel to other mediums. Do you think a sitcom would ever have made it to pilot if the plot was about an Italian plumber's journey across a fantasy land rules by turtles, while attempting to save a princess from the land's tyrannical ruler? Who would like to play a game about 6 single white friends living together in downtown New York City?

Whatever, that wasn't really my point. My real point was that games never really made much sense to begin with, and that games have actually de-evolved into a state where sense is required of them. If you're making a realistic shooter (Modern Warfare, Call of Duty and their countless clones) there's no room for any fantasy elements. But if you're just making a shooter, then 9 times out of 10 you can get away with whatever the hell you think of. There are games from the 1980s that make surrealism look outright normal. Some of them are landmark titles in the history of gaming. Not that the author minds, as he has no clue about the history of video games.

 

[Gord]

There are games from the 1980s that make surrealism look outright normal. Some of them are landmark titles in the history of gaming. Not that the author minds, as he has no clue about the history of video games.

Ah, such fond memories: DigDug, Bubble Bobble, or most famous example, PacMan...

Actually, I think that the majority of early computer games didn't make much sense.

 

[Archibald]

Actually, I think that the majority of early computer games didn't make much sense.

And they were good, maybe there is a fucking pattern?

 

[Gord]

And they were good, maybe there is a fucking pattern?

Maybe, but they were pretty surreal and had rather simple but fun gameplay.
Still nowadays classic arcade games aren't exactly doing very well.

Unfortunately just because a game doesn't make sense, it's not guaranteed to be good.

Otherwise there would be much more good games around.

 

[Brother None]

For some reason videogame developers just love retconning seemingly just for the sake of it. Can't they find out what mechanics work and what don't during their internal demo phases anymore?

Nah. Not when you're on short dev cycles like EA Edmonton. That said, it is an improved mechanic, I'd say (not sure how it's "dumbed down" other than everything in ME2 is dumbed down in general)... the explanation, meh. But that happens, these things are changed and then the explanation is just a lazy brush aside. It's not great, but unless you carefully plan out your franchise from day one (as perhaps you should, especially when it's planned as a trilogy), it's going to happen.

It's seeing it used as an example of well-executed retconning that made me pause and go "huh?" Otherwise I wouldn't have cared. So good job, journo

 

[DraQ]

I see no mention of Legacy of Kain series which is chock full of outright consistency porn despite drastic changes in mechanics and general plot direction.



Also, I the article doesn't curbstomp oblivious for its heinous transgressions against internal logic, consistency and lore.

Further

 

[Elzair]

Old games certainly were more out there. It is rather weird that one of the most consistent series during those times was probably the Ultima series.

 

[Archibald]

I see no mention of Legacy of Kain series which is chock full of outright consistency porn despite drastic changes in mechanics and general plot direction.

That shit is too complex for those monkeys.

Unfortunately just because a game doesn't make sense, it's not guaranteed to be good.

Of course not, i was trying to be sarcastic with the pattern thing.

 

[Sceptic]

Old games certainly were more out there. It is rather weird that one of the most consistent series during those times was probably the Ultima series.

Only if you painfully excise 1-3 (and, while later games occasionally tried to retcon things from 1 and 3 to make them fit, they knew not to even try with 2), at which point the 4-7 flow is actually surprisingly good. M&M series is also quite good with consistency by those times' standards (except for some major geographical fuckups between main series and Heroes, such as Bracada alternating between snowy mountains and desert and Krewlod being mysteriously absent from MM7 map; but that was much later on). Series generally didn't bother much with consistency (or plot) back then though.

 

[Jaesun]

Old games certainly were more out there. It is rather weird that one of the most consistent series during those times was probably the Ultima series.

Only if you painfully excise 1-3 (and, while later games occasionally tried to retcon things from 1 and 3 to make them fit, they knew not to even try with 2), at which point the 4-7 flow is actually surprisingly good. M&M series is also quite good with consistency by those times' standards (except for some major geographical fuckups between main series and Heroes, such as Bracada alternating between snowy mountains and desert and Krewlod being mysteriously absent from MM7 map; but that was much later on). Series generally didn't bother much with consistency (or plot) back then though.

Yeah, I was going to have to say my transsexual ewok jester begs to differ.

 

[King Crispy]

Like anyone reads the Codex anyway! FFS!

(Translation from Volournian: I find it supremely ironic that the in-game explanations of the dumbing down of the game's mechanics are too complex to be read and understood by those responsible for the dumbing down of the game in the first place.)

 

[Phelot]

Nice points, Unkillable Cat.


Personally, I think it's nice if a game can explain it's mechanics in game if it's done well, but I don't find it to be necessary.

I'll use Marathon as my most faithful example. IIRC the assault rifles wild spray and inaccuracy is explained in a rather witty manner by saying that the bureaucratic hell of the current solar governing body essentially had the rifle in production while the stop production order was making it's rounds. The Marathon launches with the crap guns and it's too late to get better ones.

It was explained much better in the manual, but you get the idea. Was it necessary that they explain this? Not really, but it's nice and only adds to the lore and appeal of the game.