I can't say I mind the lockpicking mini-game in Oblivion too much (or minded it, given I haven't played it for a few weeks after getting bored with it after a few days). In fact it was a nice change to Morrowind's "click the pick lock button" break pick, break pick, break pick, break pick, break pick, break pick, weyhey success! At least it lets me get into locks now instead of just giving up or finding the key (which was never far away anyway) or if I really want to bore myself, buying a few hundred lockpicks and clicking on the lock until my skill finally goes up enough (which is why I hate useage based levelling systems). Of course, it also means I have a collection of several hundred lockpicks. Seems every bandit in the game carries a set.
The persuasion mini-game however was just dodgy. While the lockpicking game was based on how you pick a real lock, the persuasion mini-game had no basis in reality. You just hope you get a decent wedge layout and click.
There is a problem with mini-games though and it's something that's been raised here. It has nothing to do with character skills. In a game like Thief it wasn't too bad. You were picking the lock because that was your job. In Oblivion, if you've got a skill of 7, how can you justify getting through the game's hardest lock in under 6 seconds? What's the point of skill progression and levelling up if you don't need it? In fact, the whole game was designed less around RPG characteristics and more around being an FPS game. Now there's nothing inherently wrong with that design principle, it's just that Oblivion's not a very good FPS.
Brizzowne said:
What are your thoughts on mini games? I always thought it would be cool if one could stroll into a tavern after a day of adventuring/saving the world and sit down, have a beer, and play some mini games before heading to bed to level up.
Now, having a beer I wouldn't mind. I spent a while wondering what the purpose of sitting down on stools was in Oblivion before I realised there wasn't one. But little things like being able to sit down, order a beer, have the barmaid bring it to you and set it on the table and then pick it up and drink it (and not at the insane drinking speed of Oblivion's residents mind you) would be a fun thing to do. A mini-game in that would be interesting, with the standard caveat of "if it's done well". I'm not quite sure how you could do it well though.
Heading to bed and levelling up is a stupid concept though. They really need to get rid of this idea of sleeping to level. It was dumb in Morrowind and it's dumb in Oblivion.
Brizzowne said:
Arm Wrestling - obviously based on your strength attribute. You'd start out with some wimpy opponents and work your way up the ranks until you have to arm wrestle the town's local champ. Wagers would take part of course. If you lose and are really that upset about it, get up and challenge your opponent to a duel
I'd be interested but given Bethesda's design principles, I'd be beating "the grand champion" at level 1 again. What's the point? Even then, you don't need this linear progression. If you go to a bar and play darts for example, there usually is no champion. It's just a fun thing to play. Likewise if you're on the pool table or doing anything else. I can see Bethesda implementing the whole "Become the Arm Wrestling Champion" thing as a dodgy quest in which case it's not a mini-game at all.
Brizzowne said:
Archery Competitions - In a town there could be an archery range with bottles lined up on a ledge at varying distances. Using a special bow and a set number of arrows given to you by the owner of the range, see how many bottles you can knock off the ledge (no crazy area effect arrows are allowed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ). Different prizes/money amounts are rewarded based on which bottle you hit and how many you hit.
I'd think an archery competition wouldn't be a mini-game at all. It'd be a scripted event using the standard archery implementation that exists within the game.
Brizzowne said:
Spell Competitions - Basically the same as above, but you have to use a specific ranged spell (no Fingers of the Mountain spell lol).
LOLOLOLOLOL.
Brizzowne said:
Snail Racing - Hah! jk, I already saw this mod and it was hilarious. Nice job!
I like that Bethesda are getting all their ideas from the mod makers.
Brizzowne said:
Some kind of pachinko game - You'd activate the pachinko game and your viewpoint would change to one looking down a vertical ramp and which ever cup your coin drops into, that's the prize you win...or no prize at all if you get it in the wrong cup.
In something like Grand Theft Auto (which is all about mini-games) that's fine but in what's supposed to be an RPG?
Brizzowne said:
Some kind of lore based card game...something you'd have to learn, something other than your typical High/Lo or Blackjack game.
That'd be interesting. I always wanted to actually play "Tragic" against someone in Fallout 2. By the same token though, given Bethesda don't have enough animators to work on such simple things as spears or crossbows, I'd suggest they focus instead on what their priorities should be. That is, making a decent game in the first place.
Brizzowne said:
Maybe these aren't the best ideas for mini games, but I'd love to hear what you guys come up with.
Once again, the problem is what are you creating? An RPG or a bunch of arcade games wrapped together in some other package? Mini-games aren't your core-product. If you want to make mini-games, that's what Flash was invented for. Go knock yourself out. Don't overload what's supposed to be an in-depth RPG (one would hope) with little diversions that add nothing and in fact take away from the game as a whole. Particularly when you can't even put axes in the right category.
You can already see this mentality creeping into Oblivion. Combat is essentially a mini-game. If everything you do is a mini-game, where's the character skill coming into play? Mini-games rely on PLAYER skill. Mini-games are all about a PLAYER learning the quirks of the system and deciding what to do. RPG's are supposed to be about what your character can do.
