#119313 - 01/23/03 08:16 AM
Useless things in games
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Settled Boomer
Registered: 08/13/02
Posts: 303
Loc: My own little world
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Just wondered what anyone else thought.....
Currently playing Post Mortem and I noticed (so far) that there is nothing in it that's irrelevant or useless. I don't mean red herrings though (and if anyone's read Laura's wonderful review of this game you'll know there are none of those either)
I mean the really trivial things such as being able to turn the taps on in a bathroom or flush a toilet. A good example in PM is drawers: there are millions of drawers in this game and yet only the ones with something useful in them can be opened. I want to be able to open them all.
I seem to remember a game (Black Dahlia maybe?) where if a room had a light switch then you could turn it on and off. It had nothing to do with the game and didn't suddenly reveal a new clue or anything like that, it was just there.
So, am I odd (OK, odder than usual) or does anyone else like these things?
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#119315 - 01/23/03 08:44 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Settled Boomer
Registered: 08/20/02
Posts: 394
Loc: Hampshire, UK
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I like these types of things..if a draw opens you think oh it might be a clue but it really is just a useless draw...or doors that open and take you into rooms that aren't relevant at all!Its all part of the game!
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#119316 - 01/23/03 08:44 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Adept Boomer
Registered: 06/06/99
Posts: 14887
Loc: Battle Creek, Michigan
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Me, Me, Me! I love to play around with all kinds of things in a game. I want to open all the doors, drawers, boxes and be able to pick up the things inside them. Actually, it makes the game more interesting to me because you don't know if it is important or not. I want to enter all the rooms too. I was so disappointed that I couldn't check out all the staterooms in Titanic. I also enjoy contact with animals, like the sunners in Riven and the cute little burping bug in Amerzone (can't think of the name right now). ~Dee 
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#119317 - 01/23/03 11:03 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Adept Boomer
Registered: 11/01/99
Posts: 10323
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I am on the fence with stuff to check out in games. If it isn't presented as red herrings or keeps you from advancing if you don;t mess with it - Then I like it as the exploration is there but optional. Sometimes I am running hot and heavy with the plot, pushing through the game and don't want to slow down. Black Dahlia (which is one of my favorite games for other reasons) had non-essential places and things to look at - but even though opening that dresser drawer didn't advance the game - if you missed it - you didn't go onto the next chapter. But I love it where at your option you can just amble about and check things out - like in Riven and such. Laura
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#119319 - 01/23/03 12:31 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Grand wizard of high mucky muck
Adept Boomer
Registered: 01/08/02
Posts: 13453
Loc: Texas
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A really funny touch to the game "Foul Play:Mystery at Akward Manor" is that when you are searching for clues, if you hit the light switch (as you inevitably do) the game goes dark, and a droll Butler's voice says "May I get that for you madam/sir?" and turns the light back on. Or if you click on the mirror, laughing voices say "They're looking at themselves again!"
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#119322 - 01/23/03 04:12 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Addicted Boomer
Registered: 03/05/00
Posts: 1159
Loc: Arlington, WA, US
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I especially liked listening to that radio in the "40's" segment of AMBER. While fiddling around with it to get that dumbwaiter to go up and down I had great fun listening to all the old commercials and WWII bulletins. Cynch
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#119323 - 01/23/03 04:45 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Settled Boomer
Registered: 10/27/99
Posts: 453
Loc: Fremantle, Western Australia
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Great topic, and one of my hobby horses For me, being able to interact with the gameworld even in seemingly meaningless ways contributes to that feeling of 'being there'. To open drawers, look behind doors, turn lights on and off, makes the location 'real'. I also like to get the character's (or game) description of objects and paintings etc as it gives those items a physical presence and they exist for the character and the player. You can also learn quite a bit about your character based on her/his responses. Too many of the latest 3D games seem to ignore or restrict this interactivity. Oh they may have beautiful graphics but for me they are as lifeless as a stage backdrop if you can't interact with them. Often it's the little touches that make a game memorable... Gordon
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#119325 - 01/23/03 06:25 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Settled Boomer
Registered: 03/31/01
Posts: 602
Loc: Gillette, Wyoming
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I'm with the "fiddlers" on this one. I feel cheated if I cannot enter all the rooms or open all the drawers just to see what's there. BTW, Darkfall was great that way...I could go into every wonderfully creepy room in that hotel. And then I got the goggles and found more new stuff. This was a small (very small) gripe I had with Syberia. "No point in going down there." <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />
Marion
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#119327 - 01/23/03 09:59 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Addicted Boomer
Registered: 12/28/01
Posts: 2964
Loc: San Francisco
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i like playing with things, and if i'm not allowed to play, i want a good reason. it bugged me in syberia that i would click on something and kate would say "I don't need to do that yet," or "I don't need to do that again." #1 -- in some cases, i just clicked to see what the object was... i didn't even know i was telling her to do something! #2 -- how does *she* know she doesn't need to do it yet/again?! it took away from the realism for me because i felt like kate knew something i didn't... which meant i wasn't *really* controlling her after all. -emily
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#119329 - 01/24/03 07:14 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Settled Boomer
Registered: 08/13/02
Posts: 303
Loc: My own little world
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Glad to see I'm not the only one who likes fiddling with things and rooting round in other peoples drawers Kat I do have Watchmaker installed and did start it but then got Syberia & Post Mortem & was completely sidetracked so haven't gone very far on it yet. But I shall soon and look forward to snooping around that big ol house 
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There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
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#119330 - 01/25/03 03:35 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Addicted Boomer
Registered: 06/05/99
Posts: 2027
Loc: USA
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I guess I am a "fiddler" and an "explorer" as well. I like to be able to check out the things that I normally would were I in the situation portrayed in the game. I realize that means a lot of extra work for the programers, so I don't feel that I can be demanding in this regard, but it would be nice.
Oh, in BLACK DAHLIA, the light switch in Jim Pearson's office which could be turned on and off does have a bit of connection with the game, since you can more easily see that there is something in the ceiling light fixture when the light is on.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. -- Aristotle
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#119331 - 01/25/03 06:00 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Junior Boomer
Registered: 01/07/03
Posts: 6
Loc: London, England
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Shenmue 1 and 2 (SEGA - Dreamcast) Although an adventure on a console, it had the most interactivity I've ever seen in any game type. I suppose that's also why it was once of the most expensive (if not thee most expensive!) games to produce - i.e millions and millions of dollars. You could buy stuff in shops, open draws, doors, have endless conversations with almost every character, explore and zoom in on areas and objects in incredible detail, and non of it need necessarily impact on the plot one iota. For immersing yourself in pure atmosphere they were hard to beat, loved and hated in equal measure. For some the most boring game ever (heathens!!!) For me, although not up there with the best adventure games for plot and character, definitely worth doing for an incredible virtual adventure world. Must....stop.....going to peoples houses opening their doors...and going through their....draws.....after....long....gameplaying....sessions!!!
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#119332 - 01/25/03 10:41 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Addicted Boomer
Registered: 11/09/00
Posts: 1793
Loc: The Middle of the Sonoran Dese...
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I guess I am a "fiddler" and an "explorer" as well. I like to be able to check out the things that I normally would were I in the situation portrayed in the game. I realize that means a lot of extra work for the programers, so I don't feel that I can be demanding in this regard, but it would be nice. This brings to mind The Cabin in Overseer. Not only did you get to search through everything, if you left even one thing disturbed.......you died. While this was a little frustrating while I was doing it, it still felt more realistic. What else would you expect if you broke into a place where the villian in taking a shower and you started rummaging around. The same scene would have been disappointing if everything was locked but the ones that were hiding the goodies. I want to fiddle with everything! Hugs, Cheryl
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Life is not measured by the breaths you take, it is measured by the moments that take your breath away.
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#119334 - 01/25/03 11:15 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Adept Boomer
Registered: 11/01/99
Posts: 10323
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Oooh I loved Shenmue! I was so upset that Shenmue 2 has been "bought up" by Microsoft as an XBox exclusive. We have been tormented by the idea of adding yet another console to the household inventory. Have to wait a bit ... sigh Great game mention for immersive walking around freedom Magikkk. I also loved the real time factor with the seasonal changes, day to night, weather and other such stuff. Outcast to me was very similar in how you could go everywhere in the game. Laura
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#119335 - 01/25/03 01:54 PM
Re: Useless things in games
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Junior Boomer
Registered: 01/07/03
Posts: 6
Loc: London, England
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I was lucky Laura to be able to play the dreamcast European version last year - denied to you guys by Microsoft's buying of the game! There was no dubbing so this time unlike in Shenmue 1 it was all Japanese with English subtitles, and far from being a negative it really added to the atmosphere, in fact it was more immersive because I almost started to believe I could understand Japanese! Some Japanese words I do understand of course...like......Sony.....er and ...Toshiba....... oh yeah and.....Sushi
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#119336 - 01/27/03 01:16 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Addicted Boomer
Registered: 06/05/99
Posts: 2027
Loc: USA
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Shenmue 1 and 2 (SEGA - Dreamcast) ???
I can't recall ever hearing about these games. Are they point & click, non-action Adventure games? Where could I buy them?
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. -- Aristotle
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#119337 - 01/27/03 04:22 AM
Re: Useless things in games
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Junior Boomer
Registered: 01/07/03
Posts: 6
Loc: London, England
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Shenmue 1 and 2 are adventure games but full roaming 3D ones. They do contain some action elements but nothing difficult. If you're strictly a point and click lover - and who could blame you! - then maybe they wouldn't be your cup of tea. I recommend them though, but you do need the SEGA dreamcast machine to play them. Shenmue 2 only came out in Europe for Dreamcast, but was an XBox game for North America. Shenmue 1 was only ever on the Sega machine. They're all available on ebay if you don't find them in your local video game store. Hope that helps. - David.
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