The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Developers have many tasks to complete when making a game, the biggest being game openings and endings. To me, this is the most important factor that we have in gaming. Many a people complain that we have bad openings in games, but if we really think about it is it just all in our head? I bet I have confused you with that, but let me explain.
When a game starts up, we can have many first impressions of the games. It is up to the developers if we think “cool!” or “and this cost me £40?” A game opening has to make sure that it tells us loads about the game, but at the same time not revealing the story line too much. This sounds complicated just thinking about it, so let’s feel sorry for the people that actually have to complete this task successfully.
To me, a good opening will include the following things: It must, somehow, tell you what the aim of the game is and what the quest is, to have (in a shooting game for instance) the choice of gun’s that you can equip, and last but not least introduce us to some of the games main characters.
With a lot of games, introductions to the game are not one bit important, most probably because people know what to expect with these types of games. When you play a football game or a fighting game the chances are you know what the game is going to be like before you actually play it so the introductions will not be important. See where I am going with this
Some openings give you an insight and show how the game is actually in progress - sports games' start-ups have improved immensely with exciting FIFA, NBA and Extreme Sports beginnings! With most sport games what you see in the opening of the game is often what you are going to get throughout the game, this is not the case with Role-Playing Games for example.
Also the game may be a sequel therefor it simply must remind you of what happened in it’s original game. This is really important because if you were new to the game the last thing you want is to me totally baffled from start to finish wondering what the game is all about. So, another job developers have to consider.
Sometimes however, I feel that game developers make the introductions completely rubbish - just so the game looks better! Anyone who's played Soul Calibur has to agree that the introduction is pretty unspectacular - but then the game is awesome! Even today, a two-year-old fighting game still holds its crown. So don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and don’t judge a game by it’s opening.
With technology getting better and better, we are beginning to see some changes in game openings. Today openings in games are often seen in FMV format. You are watching this mini film often with your jaw dropped to the floor but when you actually get to play the game your thoughts are often “Huh, what happened to all the good graphics?” Yes, FMV does not always represent what the actual in game graphics will be like.
I think that the one game that really had a great opening was Shenmue. We were amazed by the starting intro - the Graphics were AMAZING, the music listen-able and the acting penetration-able - OK so it lasted about 15 minutes - but the most amazing thing? The in-game graphics were the same! How I was delirious that day.
Openings are often very useful for developers because they can give you a briefing of the plot. This is also useful for the person who is playing game because he or she will come to grips with the game much more quickly. All kind of things are shown in openings’ most often we get to meet the characters and get to learn a little about them. The best example of this was in Donkey Kong 64 when you saw every character do a groovy dance and a little rap too.
We will get a strong taste for the game as well. We will quickly discover of the game is violent, friendly, sport game, football game and so on.
That’s pretty much all the producers have to do in an opening but their job isn’t quite complete. They still have to worry about the endings of a game. Although the gamer may have enjoyed playing the game and thought it was fun, if it had a really rubbish ending the game will automatically not be a “game of it’s time” quite simply because it will leave the gamer feeling that all his of her efforts to complete the game were pointless.
So the developers really have to put their thinking caps on, but first of all there is a major thing they have to consider. Do they want a sequel of a game? This question is very, very important and one they need to think carefully. If they want a sequel the developers have a very tough job on their hands. I am sure that most people will think that they should just leave the game in a big twist at the end, but is this wise? I mean, will that make you feel happy that you bought the game? Sometimes, it is best to not have a too much of a dramatic ending if you want the game to have a sequel because you may find that you need a character that has been killed at the end for instance in the sequel. However, this hasn’t been the case with Mario. Often, Mario kills Bowser right at the end of the game and yet he nearly always comes back in the game sequels. This doesn’t really bother me, but for the people of like realistic gaming, it would.
The best way to end the game is feeling as though you want to play it all over again because it was “that” good but the game that does this to me is very rare indeed. Most of the good games I play leave me thinking, “there must be sequel!” because the game was just so good. The ending must leave you wondering if they will be a sequel or not, then the gamer will be so pleased if they hear that they will be a sequel to the game.
So, a good game simply must have a great beginning and a brilliant ending and if it does this, all credit must go to developers for giving us this wonderful opportunity to play such a great game.
Thanks for reading.
-M16-
When a game starts up, we can have many first impressions of the games. It is up to the developers if we think “cool!” or “and this cost me £40?” A game opening has to make sure that it tells us loads about the game, but at the same time not revealing the story line too much. This sounds complicated just thinking about it, so let’s feel sorry for the people that actually have to complete this task successfully.
To me, a good opening will include the following things: It must, somehow, tell you what the aim of the game is and what the quest is, to have (in a shooting game for instance) the choice of gun’s that you can equip, and last but not least introduce us to some of the games main characters.
With a lot of games, introductions to the game are not one bit important, most probably because people know what to expect with these types of games. When you play a football game or a fighting game the chances are you know what the game is going to be like before you actually play it so the introductions will not be important. See where I am going with this
Some openings give you an insight and show how the game is actually in progress - sports games' start-ups have improved immensely with exciting FIFA, NBA and Extreme Sports beginnings! With most sport games what you see in the opening of the game is often what you are going to get throughout the game, this is not the case with Role-Playing Games for example.
Also the game may be a sequel therefor it simply must remind you of what happened in it’s original game. This is really important because if you were new to the game the last thing you want is to me totally baffled from start to finish wondering what the game is all about. So, another job developers have to consider.
Sometimes however, I feel that game developers make the introductions completely rubbish - just so the game looks better! Anyone who's played Soul Calibur has to agree that the introduction is pretty unspectacular - but then the game is awesome! Even today, a two-year-old fighting game still holds its crown. So don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and don’t judge a game by it’s opening.
With technology getting better and better, we are beginning to see some changes in game openings. Today openings in games are often seen in FMV format. You are watching this mini film often with your jaw dropped to the floor but when you actually get to play the game your thoughts are often “Huh, what happened to all the good graphics?” Yes, FMV does not always represent what the actual in game graphics will be like.
I think that the one game that really had a great opening was Shenmue. We were amazed by the starting intro - the Graphics were AMAZING, the music listen-able and the acting penetration-able - OK so it lasted about 15 minutes - but the most amazing thing? The in-game graphics were the same! How I was delirious that day.
Openings are often very useful for developers because they can give you a briefing of the plot. This is also useful for the person who is playing game because he or she will come to grips with the game much more quickly. All kind of things are shown in openings’ most often we get to meet the characters and get to learn a little about them. The best example of this was in Donkey Kong 64 when you saw every character do a groovy dance and a little rap too.
We will get a strong taste for the game as well. We will quickly discover of the game is violent, friendly, sport game, football game and so on.
That’s pretty much all the producers have to do in an opening but their job isn’t quite complete. They still have to worry about the endings of a game. Although the gamer may have enjoyed playing the game and thought it was fun, if it had a really rubbish ending the game will automatically not be a “game of it’s time” quite simply because it will leave the gamer feeling that all his of her efforts to complete the game were pointless.
So the developers really have to put their thinking caps on, but first of all there is a major thing they have to consider. Do they want a sequel of a game? This question is very, very important and one they need to think carefully. If they want a sequel the developers have a very tough job on their hands. I am sure that most people will think that they should just leave the game in a big twist at the end, but is this wise? I mean, will that make you feel happy that you bought the game? Sometimes, it is best to not have a too much of a dramatic ending if you want the game to have a sequel because you may find that you need a character that has been killed at the end for instance in the sequel. However, this hasn’t been the case with Mario. Often, Mario kills Bowser right at the end of the game and yet he nearly always comes back in the game sequels. This doesn’t really bother me, but for the people of like realistic gaming, it would.
The best way to end the game is feeling as though you want to play it all over again because it was “that” good but the game that does this to me is very rare indeed. Most of the good games I play leave me thinking, “there must be sequel!” because the game was just so good. The ending must leave you wondering if they will be a sequel or not, then the gamer will be so pleased if they hear that they will be a sequel to the game.
So, a good game simply must have a great beginning and a brilliant ending and if it does this, all credit must go to developers for giving us this wonderful opportunity to play such a great game.
Thanks for reading.
-M16-
Page:
RastaBillySkank wrote:
> Cannon Fodder on the Gameboy :-D
That was class!
> Cannon Fodder on the Gameboy :-D
That was class!
Cannon Fodder on the Gameboy :-D
Slaveunit wrote:
> Surely the most important part of a game is the gameplay?
This has been debated many times before, and the fact is there isn’t a right or wrong answer, and I think that all issues are spread out evenly and to make a good game you will need a bit of everything chucked in. I have just given you my views on game openings and endings, I am not trying to say that they are the most important thing in gaming, just something developers have to get right if they wish to make the game successful.
> Surely the most important part of a game is the gameplay?
This has been debated many times before, and the fact is there isn’t a right or wrong answer, and I think that all issues are spread out evenly and to make a good game you will need a bit of everything chucked in. I have just given you my views on game openings and endings, I am not trying to say that they are the most important thing in gaming, just something developers have to get right if they wish to make the game successful.
Super Gohan wrote:
> I must admit, in a football game. when you win a tournament or
> league, a good ending would make it all worth while. Good endings
> with the team posing for photos and holding the cup and things like
> that are now starting to become quite common in football games.
> Similar things could be done for other sports games as well.
I am really out of touch from football games as the last one I owned was Fifa 98. I agree with you that it would be better to get to hold the cup or whatever. The one thing that made me feel really happy when I scored is that you could press the triangle button to hear various noises etc.
It would be really great if you won the league to get to hold up the cup and even do a lap of honour.
If I remember rightly the opening bit to Fifa 98 was when the camera swooped in and out of supporters, through the turnstiles and onto the pitch. I actually thought it was all right.
> I must admit, in a football game. when you win a tournament or
> league, a good ending would make it all worth while. Good endings
> with the team posing for photos and holding the cup and things like
> that are now starting to become quite common in football games.
> Similar things could be done for other sports games as well.
I am really out of touch from football games as the last one I owned was Fifa 98. I agree with you that it would be better to get to hold the cup or whatever. The one thing that made me feel really happy when I scored is that you could press the triangle button to hear various noises etc.
It would be really great if you won the league to get to hold up the cup and even do a lap of honour.
If I remember rightly the opening bit to Fifa 98 was when the camera swooped in and out of supporters, through the turnstiles and onto the pitch. I actually thought it was all right.
Shenmue did have a fantastic opening and it was made better by the fact that it was actual in-game graphics and not FMV.
Another game with a superb beginning though, is Shadowman. This too had graphics that were equal to the in-game ones and it was a brilliant opening. It told you about the storyline and the music went so well with it (Moonlight Sonata I think it was). However, this was sort of cancelled out by the appalling ending. Mike LeRoi just runs for a bit.......and a bit more. I mean it was good the way they sort of did the ending before the final battle with Legion but it just left you with nothing once you had killed him. There should have been a short ending that told you something else rather than just the guy running for a while.
An example of a damn good ending is Banjo Kazzoie. Not only did it have a middle ending where you (disappointingly) thought you had completed it but were then told to go back up and finish the job. This was great because you felt so good when you realized that you actually hadn't completed it. But there was also the hilarious "I am the Jinjonator" line and Gruntilda shaking her knees. That was so funny. The best thing about the ending in this game though, was that it showed you screenshots and movies of secrets that you could find in the sequel. However, it didn't just show you them after completing the minimum that was required. It made you work for them as you needed every jigsaw piece in the game. It was a great reward for completing the game and it made you want to go back to those levels and find a way to open the secrets. I spent so long on the three levels after I had completed the game trying to find ways of getting that ice key, opening the locked door and raising the island. Then, of course, you could run around after completing it and look at the boulder where Gruntilda was trapped. You can do this in so few games now. Zelda for example, it would be good if you could run around during the huge party that takes place during the credits. The only downside of the running around after completion is that you can't refight the boss. However, I personally think that it is better to be able to do this. It just seems to add a bit. That's my view anyway.
Another game with a superb beginning though, is Shadowman. This too had graphics that were equal to the in-game ones and it was a brilliant opening. It told you about the storyline and the music went so well with it (Moonlight Sonata I think it was). However, this was sort of cancelled out by the appalling ending. Mike LeRoi just runs for a bit.......and a bit more. I mean it was good the way they sort of did the ending before the final battle with Legion but it just left you with nothing once you had killed him. There should have been a short ending that told you something else rather than just the guy running for a while.
An example of a damn good ending is Banjo Kazzoie. Not only did it have a middle ending where you (disappointingly) thought you had completed it but were then told to go back up and finish the job. This was great because you felt so good when you realized that you actually hadn't completed it. But there was also the hilarious "I am the Jinjonator" line and Gruntilda shaking her knees. That was so funny. The best thing about the ending in this game though, was that it showed you screenshots and movies of secrets that you could find in the sequel. However, it didn't just show you them after completing the minimum that was required. It made you work for them as you needed every jigsaw piece in the game. It was a great reward for completing the game and it made you want to go back to those levels and find a way to open the secrets. I spent so long on the three levels after I had completed the game trying to find ways of getting that ice key, opening the locked door and raising the island. Then, of course, you could run around after completing it and look at the boulder where Gruntilda was trapped. You can do this in so few games now. Zelda for example, it would be good if you could run around during the huge party that takes place during the credits. The only downside of the running around after completion is that you can't refight the boss. However, I personally think that it is better to be able to do this. It just seems to add a bit. That's my view anyway.
I must admit, in a football game. when you win a tournament or league, a good ending would make it all worth while. Good endings with the team posing for photos and holding the cup and things like that are now starting to become quite common in football games. Similar things could be done for other sports games as well.
Even sports games need nice intros, you need something to set the mood, and even though there's no storyline as such, it's nice to have an ending too.
TOCA for the PSX was a good example of this, some spectacular FMV sequences showing cars crashing all over the place, and a decent ending where your car did a lap of honour whilst the credits rolled, and a new code was opened up for another car or circuit.
The opening for TOCA acted as a mood setter, the same for Gran Turismo, they both acted to get you hyped up for the game itself.
Whilst unnecessary, when you are paying £40 for a new game, you kinda expect these freebies nowadays. Even though they are not strictly necessary, they do help to justify the cost of the game.
Best opening sequence ever: Skies of Arcadia (DC) (so far)
Best ending sequence ever: Suikoden (PSX) (so far)
Most annoying sequence ever: Shenmue (DC) (too long)
Worst sequence ever: FIFA '98 opening (PSX) (boring)
Most gory sequence ever: Fear Effect (PSX) where one of the characters blows the brain out of a helicopter pilot and it splatters on the windscreen.
Funniest opening sequence: Deathtrap Dungeon (PSX) (a pig with dynamite strapped to its back guarantees chuckles).
Best use of FMV in a game: Diablo II (PC) (helped to drive the storyline of an otherwise bland hack 'em up.)
Best use of CGI in a game: Metal Gear Solid (PSX) (never to be beaten?)
TOCA for the PSX was a good example of this, some spectacular FMV sequences showing cars crashing all over the place, and a decent ending where your car did a lap of honour whilst the credits rolled, and a new code was opened up for another car or circuit.
The opening for TOCA acted as a mood setter, the same for Gran Turismo, they both acted to get you hyped up for the game itself.
Whilst unnecessary, when you are paying £40 for a new game, you kinda expect these freebies nowadays. Even though they are not strictly necessary, they do help to justify the cost of the game.
Best opening sequence ever: Skies of Arcadia (DC) (so far)
Best ending sequence ever: Suikoden (PSX) (so far)
Most annoying sequence ever: Shenmue (DC) (too long)
Worst sequence ever: FIFA '98 opening (PSX) (boring)
Most gory sequence ever: Fear Effect (PSX) where one of the characters blows the brain out of a helicopter pilot and it splatters on the windscreen.
Funniest opening sequence: Deathtrap Dungeon (PSX) (a pig with dynamite strapped to its back guarantees chuckles).
Best use of FMV in a game: Diablo II (PC) (helped to drive the storyline of an otherwise bland hack 'em up.)
Best use of CGI in a game: Metal Gear Solid (PSX) (never to be beaten?)
To be honest, I do like a good beginning and an ending, but I do place as much emphasis on them.
With regards to Soul Calibur, if there was actually a storyline, with FMV sequences here and there as well as for the beginning and the ends, it may have made for a better game, but I think the main reason that Namco didn't have this feature was so that everybody would be more interested in the fighting and nothing else.
Some games may need a good beginning and an end. Resident Evil would be a good example. The opening sequence tells you a little bit about what has happened, the storyline unfolds throughout the game, and then you normally get a spectacular ending(s), like Resi Evil 2, which to me, still has the best ending I have ever seen.
A good game with a storyline could be looked at in the same way as a book. In order to have a good book, there needs to be a good: beginning, middle and an end. This could be exactly the same as in a game. If it is plot driven, it will need a good beginning to get you into the game, a good middle, which could include the gameplay as well as the plot unfolding, and a good ending, maybe leaving it open for a sequel or just have a spectacular ending to finish the game.
What made some games good, was to have more than one ending, like the Resident Evil games did. This was normally because there was more than one character, but then, each character had two or more endings. Resident Evil 2 was brilliant in this department. In order to see the whole ending, you would need to complete each part of the characters story. There would be an ending to each part, as well as a brilliant ending to end the games, which tells you there will be a sequel (or half prequel, half sequel in Resi Evil 3, or something like that).
Endings can be important because they can be seen as a reward for all of the hard work that you have put into actually completing the game. I was really chuffed with myself when I finally saw the final ending for Resident Evil 2, and the fact that it was brilliant made it even better.
Games are not all about the ending or the beginning, but they certainly can help if you want to enjoy the game even more.
With regards to Soul Calibur, if there was actually a storyline, with FMV sequences here and there as well as for the beginning and the ends, it may have made for a better game, but I think the main reason that Namco didn't have this feature was so that everybody would be more interested in the fighting and nothing else.
Some games may need a good beginning and an end. Resident Evil would be a good example. The opening sequence tells you a little bit about what has happened, the storyline unfolds throughout the game, and then you normally get a spectacular ending(s), like Resi Evil 2, which to me, still has the best ending I have ever seen.
A good game with a storyline could be looked at in the same way as a book. In order to have a good book, there needs to be a good: beginning, middle and an end. This could be exactly the same as in a game. If it is plot driven, it will need a good beginning to get you into the game, a good middle, which could include the gameplay as well as the plot unfolding, and a good ending, maybe leaving it open for a sequel or just have a spectacular ending to finish the game.
What made some games good, was to have more than one ending, like the Resident Evil games did. This was normally because there was more than one character, but then, each character had two or more endings. Resident Evil 2 was brilliant in this department. In order to see the whole ending, you would need to complete each part of the characters story. There would be an ending to each part, as well as a brilliant ending to end the games, which tells you there will be a sequel (or half prequel, half sequel in Resi Evil 3, or something like that).
Endings can be important because they can be seen as a reward for all of the hard work that you have put into actually completing the game. I was really chuffed with myself when I finally saw the final ending for Resident Evil 2, and the fact that it was brilliant made it even better.
Games are not all about the ending or the beginning, but they certainly can help if you want to enjoy the game even more.
Page: