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| System Name | MUFFIN_MACHINE |
|---|---|
| Processor | i7 920 |
| Motherboard | E760 Classified |
| Cooling | cooler master gemini II |
| Memory | 6gb ddr3 crucial ballistix |
| Video Card(s) | TFIII 6950 |
| Storage | 500gb wd, samsung spinpoint t series 500gb, 2 tb samsung somthing or other |
| Display(s) | syncmaster 940bw 19" |
| Case | Corsair Carbide Series 500R |
| Audio Device(s) | X-fi extrememusic |
| Power Supply | Corsair HX 850W |
| Software | windows 7 64bit |
| Benchmark Scores | i can drink a pint in 5 seconds flat. |
i found this small list of things modern games need and i found these to be true
Modern Saving
We are no longer limited by the space constraints of yore. Every game should have a quicksave (a save that can be done at any point, quits the game right after the save is complete and deletes itself when loaded). Every game should also have a sensible saving system. Losing progress when you feel like it’s unwarranted is one of the most frustrating player experiences.
So what is meant by a “sensible saving system”? Let me use Mass Effect as an example of a nonsensical saving system. Mass Effect uses a hybrid autosave/player save system. The player can save whenever they are not in combat but the game will automatically save at certain checkpoints. Time after time I’ve heard players say things like, “I lost twenty minutes of progress because I assumed it would save when I went into that building”. Unfortunately the game does not let the player save during combat, and does not necessarily autosave for them before major encounters.
Since there was an autosave players tended to rely on it, unfortunately it wasn’t always reliable. If you are going to include some form of check pointing or autosave system it’s got to be good enough that the player never has to save for themselves. This does not preclude a hybrid system: it just means that player saves should feel like a feature not a necessity.
Moreover, highly functional autosave systems should become the norm. Saving is a chore the player should not have to perform unless they want to. Autosave systems should retain the last few autosaves so that the player can roll back if they want to so that the player never has to worry about getting stuck. Strict autosave systems also have the added benefit of allowing the designers greater control over how badly the player is punished for failure...
But, no matter what saving system you employ the player should never feel as though they were cheated out of progress.
Knowing what the f’k I’m doing
A player should be able to put down a game for a period of months at a time and still be able to hop right back in. Anything else is self-defeating and counter-productive.
We’ve made huge strides in this area over the last several years. MMOs began to refine the “journaling system” or quest log as a necessity but console titles have recently picked up where they left off. Here’s a place where I can thoroughly praise Mass Effect. I encourage you to look at its journal system.
Is there more that can be done? Of course. We can do everything from including video recaps in our journals to creating logical naming conventions for player saves. I still see too many games where all the saves simply label themselves by the hours played instead of where the player was or what they were doing.
What specifically should be done will be very game specific but the player should always have access to the information that will tell them just what they are doing and why. This is one of the hardest things to achieve on this list, but it is also one of the most important.
Stay tuned next time for the final five. It will include in game manuals, meaningful loading screens and more...!
the other ones can be found at this link
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9875&Itemid=59
so what else do you guys think is lacking in many games these days?
note: please dont say graphics
Modern Saving
We are no longer limited by the space constraints of yore. Every game should have a quicksave (a save that can be done at any point, quits the game right after the save is complete and deletes itself when loaded). Every game should also have a sensible saving system. Losing progress when you feel like it’s unwarranted is one of the most frustrating player experiences.
So what is meant by a “sensible saving system”? Let me use Mass Effect as an example of a nonsensical saving system. Mass Effect uses a hybrid autosave/player save system. The player can save whenever they are not in combat but the game will automatically save at certain checkpoints. Time after time I’ve heard players say things like, “I lost twenty minutes of progress because I assumed it would save when I went into that building”. Unfortunately the game does not let the player save during combat, and does not necessarily autosave for them before major encounters.
Since there was an autosave players tended to rely on it, unfortunately it wasn’t always reliable. If you are going to include some form of check pointing or autosave system it’s got to be good enough that the player never has to save for themselves. This does not preclude a hybrid system: it just means that player saves should feel like a feature not a necessity.
Moreover, highly functional autosave systems should become the norm. Saving is a chore the player should not have to perform unless they want to. Autosave systems should retain the last few autosaves so that the player can roll back if they want to so that the player never has to worry about getting stuck. Strict autosave systems also have the added benefit of allowing the designers greater control over how badly the player is punished for failure...
But, no matter what saving system you employ the player should never feel as though they were cheated out of progress.
Knowing what the f’k I’m doing
A player should be able to put down a game for a period of months at a time and still be able to hop right back in. Anything else is self-defeating and counter-productive.
We’ve made huge strides in this area over the last several years. MMOs began to refine the “journaling system” or quest log as a necessity but console titles have recently picked up where they left off. Here’s a place where I can thoroughly praise Mass Effect. I encourage you to look at its journal system.
Is there more that can be done? Of course. We can do everything from including video recaps in our journals to creating logical naming conventions for player saves. I still see too many games where all the saves simply label themselves by the hours played instead of where the player was or what they were doing.
What specifically should be done will be very game specific but the player should always have access to the information that will tell them just what they are doing and why. This is one of the hardest things to achieve on this list, but it is also one of the most important.
Stay tuned next time for the final five. It will include in game manuals, meaningful loading screens and more...!
the other ones can be found at this link
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9875&Itemid=59
so what else do you guys think is lacking in many games these days?
note: please dont say graphics
)