Attention To Detail, Obsession With Detail (The Jimquisition)

I love all the nuance and detail Rockstar fit into Red Dead Redemption 2. You attack these details as if their an objectively bad thing. These details give the game character (which is something most games with this kind of budget lack nowadays) and create unique gameplay scenarios. In a market where most AAA games are only concerned with fast, shallow action that encourages player "engagement" RDR2 shows that game development doesn't always have to go in that direction to make something fun and successful. This seems more like a Nitpick Theater sort of issue.

Jonathan Martin

I quite like the guitar playing in QD's Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy. It's a small incidental detail that makes the people feel more real, even if the actual mechanics are just pushing the control sticks at prompts in time to the music. ...It's also strictly optional, and not necessary to progress in the game. It doesn't get in the player's way. It doesn't jump out and say, "pay attention to me, I am living proof of my auteur creator's mastery of the craft, proof that you are in a living world and a piece of art!" And it strikes me that that's a lot of what *makes* a good, "living" world- all the details that one player can play through and overlook and another can lavish their time and attention upon. Because that's what the real world is like.

Kraken

You know "lip service" should not be something negative. I mean whos wouldnt like one? :)

erni

That "lip service" note was incredible, Jim. <3

Rachel Sandler

I don’t mind weapon degradation now that I know where to get one. But starting out it sucked hard core, since I’d go through three weapons per battle. It was poorly balanced and made the introduction to the game really unnecessarily frustrating. One really durable respawning but wimpy branch would have been nice to step out of the cave with. The rain... I understand it, but the campfire literally doesn’t work in the rain so I have been stuck on a cliff for hours - I should be able to skip to the end of the rain some how.

Crissa Kentavr

Why aren’t more survival meters just a higher ‘difficulty’ level?

Crissa Kentavr

This video made me imagine what Metal Gear Solid V would be if Konami did not had a fallout with Hideo Kojima and just let him actually finish the game. Kojima is a guy that loves detail but I would imagine he would be obsessed with it if given more time. Already the current game has some details and design decisions that impair the game more than help like the timers for crafting weapons, taking out enemy defense measures, or collecting animals. I would imagine some things would be worse (and some things better like a non-fragmented story) if that reality would occur instead of the one we have.

noxamillion

I was starting to get worried that I was the only person who wrinkled my nose when I found out about all the survival meters and 'realistic' gameplay. This is quite a big issue for me, I really don't want to play cowboy management simulator. Games can be immersive without all the 'realistic' elements. I actually have real life to do real life things. Really not what I was expecting, and to be honest I think I may avoid this. I can see this busy work really irritating me.

I gotta admit, before I wasn't really interested but you kinda sold me on RDR2.

Your Resident Homestuck Guy, Gumba Masta

I agree with your point and concede that the slipping in the rain in Botw is a perfect example. I don't think weapon degradation is in Breath of the Wild due to misguidedly chasing realism. It's a design decision that isn't your cup of tea and I get why, but it was likely made due to how relatively easy it would otherwise be to get an overpowered weapon early on, and then never use anything else. Managing to get powerful weapons on a regular basis however, generally only happens towards then end of the game.

abhassl

I keep thinking about WoW--arguably the most successful MMORPG of all time--and its cartoony graphics. Blizzard understood that a consistent, scalable approach was more important than a super-realistic one!

Ed