Voice your opinion about the most infuriating flaws in game design (and examples of) that you can think of, and also things you'd like you see developers pick up on/improve on, in the future.
Thanks
MedievalD
The worst flaws in game design!
AI that plays to annoy, not to win. They chose actions that are a detriment to you regardless if they are also a detriment to them, causing games to become long tedious and frustrating.
Not taking into the account the game engine. Many online games require a higher level of reaction time than the network allows. I understand the internet can be finicky at times, but don't design encounters that require split second accurate timing if your network/game engine can't handle it. Its not the networks fault, its the designers fault.
AI that doesn't follow the same basic rules as the player. ie. having unlimited resources, instant reaction times (particularly bad in many fighting games), perfect aiming or sight, unlimited ammo, ect... If the tables aren't even, then to win instead of playing the game you end up exploiting some weird AI weakness/pattern. It may work, but at that point the game has broken down.
But my number 1 pet peeve... Unbalanced gameplay in multiplayer games. Something is broken, 1/2 the players are abusing it causing games/matches to dissolve into a game of 'who can cheese/abuse/exploit the other 1st'. And yet the designers insist nothing is wrong, and that players complaining are just baddies/nubs/want to be OP.
Not taking into the account the game engine. Many online games require a higher level of reaction time than the network allows. I understand the internet can be finicky at times, but don't design encounters that require split second accurate timing if your network/game engine can't handle it. Its not the networks fault, its the designers fault.
AI that doesn't follow the same basic rules as the player. ie. having unlimited resources, instant reaction times (particularly bad in many fighting games), perfect aiming or sight, unlimited ammo, ect... If the tables aren't even, then to win instead of playing the game you end up exploiting some weird AI weakness/pattern. It may work, but at that point the game has broken down.
But my number 1 pet peeve... Unbalanced gameplay in multiplayer games. Something is broken, 1/2 the players are abusing it causing games/matches to dissolve into a game of 'who can cheese/abuse/exploit the other 1st'. And yet the designers insist nothing is wrong, and that players complaining are just baddies/nubs/want to be OP.
Artificially prolonging the game by deliberately slowing down game mechanics and/or player progress. [Insert favorite MMORPG here]. This is why I stopped playing that entire genre.
Unskippable cutscenes. That probably goes without saying though.
Make it possible to assign hotkeys to particular weapons in an FPS, not just a single key to cycle though them one by one.
Make it possible to assign hotkeys to particular weapons in an FPS, not just a single key to cycle though them one by one.
Quote:Original post by Storyyeller
Unskippable cutscenes. That probably goes without saying though.
Don't forget skippable cut scenes that you can't go back and watch after the fact.
I'd say not being able to assign all your keys/buttons how you want is annoying. I know playing a game that doesn't have 'space bar' as jump takes me so long to adjust too.
More then just assign a single action to a single key though, the input managers for games really need more work. I should be able to assign combo's of keys e.g. Ctrl-G could open my gun selections while Alt-Q opens possible character emotes/sayings.
More then just assign a single action to a single key though, the input managers for games really need more work. I should be able to assign combo's of keys e.g. Ctrl-G could open my gun selections while Alt-Q opens possible character emotes/sayings.
Designing the entire game around a feature and forgetting the game.
A few years ago, there was a Battle Bots-type game that allowed you to construct some pretty elaborate robots to match against opponents. The setup was great, building up excitement as the player cleverly devised an instrument of destruction. Then you get into the match and it's over in a few seconds. Total letdown!
A few years ago, there was a Battle Bots-type game that allowed you to construct some pretty elaborate robots to match against opponents. The setup was great, building up excitement as the player cleverly devised an instrument of destruction. Then you get into the match and it's over in a few seconds. Total letdown!
Linearity and hand-holding, one often follows the other. God forbid the player become confused for even a moment in our multi-zillion dollar game.
The other side of the coin from linearity as well: in an adventure game, suddenly opening a bunch of mostly unrelated scenes that are meant to be played in a specific sequence, especially if it takes a long time to travel from one to another. Another related problem in adventure-type games is when you have a perfectly suitable item in inventory, but it isn't the correct solution and you don't find out why. And of course anyplace you are expected to exhaustively search for items or through text. Then there's finding out halfway through a game that you needed an item from much earlier, but there is no save from that time.
The all-time worst, though, I'd say, is when a bug in a program (or saving just before imminent death) screws up your only saved game.
The all-time worst, though, I'd say, is when a bug in a program (or saving just before imminent death) screws up your only saved game.
You should always be able to go back to a previous save rather then the most recent one. There should be the ability to autosave where appropriate.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
