All the features here are mainly looks and don''t have much effect on gameplay. Try putting yourself in the player''s shoes and think "do these features make me want to play longer or will i just stop noticing them after the first few hours of play". Features like you''re describing certainly add to the immersiveness of the gameplay but likely it is more of a "wow" factor that would wear off after the player is accustomed to the game.
Little features that are fairly simple to implement (IMHO) and did improve the longevity of the game are unlockable gameplay modes, secret levels, and MODifiable features. I could rant on and on. For instance Worms Armegeddon had me addicted trying to complete all the missions just so I could find out what the next feature I could unlock is. The only reason i stopped playing as frequently is that it doesn''t like running on Win XP which is what my primary machine is running on .
Anyway, to finish, features like the ones you mentioned add to the WOW factor of the game and are excellent ways of grabbing a players attention, esp if they don''t degrade performance. But these usually lose their lustre. Try adding longevity by keeping the player interested, use the old stick and the carrot. If they want to keep going they will but if they get bored yer done.


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