Angelo85
Arcane
So according to Gregz excellent "Most Hated Gameplay Element" Thread the most hated gameplay element for Codexians is defined as *drumroll* "false choices where it seems like you can choose one thing, but railroads you regardless".
Based on this result I thought the topic of false choices might warrant it's own thread. If so many of us are having problems with this approach to game design let's talk about it!
What's your take on this issue? Is it really as big of a deal as the Codex wants you to believe? Are there alternatives? Let the world know! There's so many Developers lurking here, let them know what you think and help change the way games are made! Future generations of gamers will thank you for ushering in the age of incline. Right here, right now! Let's do it!!! *snorts some more cocaine*
Now with that out of the way here's my take on it. While thinking about this issue for a bit I had the following thought: perhaps false choices are merely a symptom of a deeper frustration and underlying problem with modern game design.
What I mean by that is there's only a finite amount of content available in an RPG.
Casual RPG players seem to almost have come to expect to see all - or at the very least most - content a game has to offer within a single playthrough. "Gated content" in any form is viewed as bad design because players feel like they are missing out on content they are entitled to experience because they "payed money for a full game, not half a game" as I have read recently on the Steam forums :D
In my view false choices offer an alluring compromise to Developers, perhaps even desirable. Especially since it is my impression that most players (read: not most codexers necessarily, but at the very least the majority of filthy casuals) are content with finishing RPGs once and only once. They may restart a couple times with different class/skill combinations but after they are happy with their build/composition the rest of the game is experienced only once.
If a Developer was to "hide" too much content from players behind real choices, nowadays players might actually get upset and additionally the Developers' higher ups/investors might deem real choices instead of false choices - no matter how big or small they might be - wasted development time and therefore wasted money. This results in the design philosophy of games like Age of Decadence for instance having almost become inappropriate or old-fashioned in the modern development landscape. At least in the eyes of the AAA big money companies. This can also have a long term negative impact on the perception of players exposed to these kind of games. Other approaches can be perceived as wrong or unexpected. Obviously this is dangerous to the diversity of any genre.
So in short the alternative to false choices in the form of real choices but consequently less content per single playthrough = bad from the perspective of a majority of casuals, investors and project leads alike.
So how about then instead of getting rid of real choices, simply get rid of the illusion of choice altogether? No more frustration right?
Well...
How do you actually notice false choices? If they are halfway decently presented average joe doesn't notice them. They are noticed by the ones savescumming, metagaming or replaying. In other words: only a problem for the minority hardcore players.
If you were to remove false choices suddenly everyone without exception is confronted with the harsh reality of having no real choice at all. Not even a pretend one. Is that really the more desirable approach? Where before only a select few players feel the frustration of not actually having a choice, now everyone would feel like it because now it has become a reality for everyone instead of the select few.
This really doesn't help anyone IMHO. It would merely make the hardcore nerds feel less shitty about themselves while dragging everyone else down the drain into misery land with them. Welcome to the Codex, newfag!
TL;DR: False choices in RPGs might actually be a necessary evil we will have to come to terms with.
I don't have all the answers, I was merely raising a question. Stop pestering me, man. Officer, am I free to go?
Based on this result I thought the topic of false choices might warrant it's own thread. If so many of us are having problems with this approach to game design let's talk about it!
What's your take on this issue? Is it really as big of a deal as the Codex wants you to believe? Are there alternatives? Let the world know! There's so many Developers lurking here, let them know what you think and help change the way games are made! Future generations of gamers will thank you for ushering in the age of incline. Right here, right now! Let's do it!!! *snorts some more cocaine*
Now with that out of the way here's my take on it. While thinking about this issue for a bit I had the following thought: perhaps false choices are merely a symptom of a deeper frustration and underlying problem with modern game design.
What I mean by that is there's only a finite amount of content available in an RPG.
Casual RPG players seem to almost have come to expect to see all - or at the very least most - content a game has to offer within a single playthrough. "Gated content" in any form is viewed as bad design because players feel like they are missing out on content they are entitled to experience because they "payed money for a full game, not half a game" as I have read recently on the Steam forums :D
In my view false choices offer an alluring compromise to Developers, perhaps even desirable. Especially since it is my impression that most players (read: not most codexers necessarily, but at the very least the majority of filthy casuals) are content with finishing RPGs once and only once. They may restart a couple times with different class/skill combinations but after they are happy with their build/composition the rest of the game is experienced only once.
If a Developer was to "hide" too much content from players behind real choices, nowadays players might actually get upset and additionally the Developers' higher ups/investors might deem real choices instead of false choices - no matter how big or small they might be - wasted development time and therefore wasted money. This results in the design philosophy of games like Age of Decadence for instance having almost become inappropriate or old-fashioned in the modern development landscape. At least in the eyes of the AAA big money companies. This can also have a long term negative impact on the perception of players exposed to these kind of games. Other approaches can be perceived as wrong or unexpected. Obviously this is dangerous to the diversity of any genre.
So in short the alternative to false choices in the form of real choices but consequently less content per single playthrough = bad from the perspective of a majority of casuals, investors and project leads alike.
So how about then instead of getting rid of real choices, simply get rid of the illusion of choice altogether? No more frustration right?
Well...
How do you actually notice false choices? If they are halfway decently presented average joe doesn't notice them. They are noticed by the ones savescumming, metagaming or replaying. In other words: only a problem for the minority hardcore players.
If you were to remove false choices suddenly everyone without exception is confronted with the harsh reality of having no real choice at all. Not even a pretend one. Is that really the more desirable approach? Where before only a select few players feel the frustration of not actually having a choice, now everyone would feel like it because now it has become a reality for everyone instead of the select few.
This really doesn't help anyone IMHO. It would merely make the hardcore nerds feel less shitty about themselves while dragging everyone else down the drain into misery land with them. Welcome to the Codex, newfag!
TL;DR: False choices in RPGs might actually be a necessary evil we will have to come to terms with.
I don't have all the answers, I was merely raising a question. Stop pestering me, man. Officer, am I free to go?