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One thing I HATE about games now is that graphics are actually getting really good.
Why does this annoy me? Well, it means that rather than using a brilliantly crafted cut scene in full FMV glory, developers simply use in game graphics to depict important parts of the game... which just defies the point...
Many games nowadays use the insentive of advancing the plot as a reason for completing a level. You want to see what comes next in the game, so you complete the level to do it. In the past, on consoles like the PSX, developers used lucious FMV sequences to depict superb facial expressions and emotions in characters. They could use these to have some of the most cinematic scenes I have ever seen- Code: Veronica's intro is as spectacular as any hollywood blockbuster.
By using mere in game graphics, not only can you portray the emotions characters feel, but the actual amount of things characters can do is limitted. This inherantly removes one of gaming's greatest rewards.
Oh, and that's not the only thing that annoys me. After all, Zelda OOT had great cut scenes, even though they were all in game graphics. But so many developers simply aren't creative with their cut scenes. When Link completes the triforce and opens the gate to the future: one of the most awesome scenes in any games. Compare this to the second rate, lame cut scenes involving voices so inaudible that they games has no option to turn off sub-titles.
Oh, and that's another thing I want to rant on about. Voices in cut scenes are SO BAD. So bad that games always have subtitles. From the mumbling in House of the Dead, to the slurs of Devil May Cry (although that's mostly ok), you just focus your attention on the text... not the substandard graphical cut scenes. Perhaps that's the reason for the poor sound?
Anyway, here ends my rant... feel free to expres yourself too!
Sonic
Why does this annoy me? Well, it means that rather than using a brilliantly crafted cut scene in full FMV glory, developers simply use in game graphics to depict important parts of the game... which just defies the point...
Many games nowadays use the insentive of advancing the plot as a reason for completing a level. You want to see what comes next in the game, so you complete the level to do it. In the past, on consoles like the PSX, developers used lucious FMV sequences to depict superb facial expressions and emotions in characters. They could use these to have some of the most cinematic scenes I have ever seen- Code: Veronica's intro is as spectacular as any hollywood blockbuster.
By using mere in game graphics, not only can you portray the emotions characters feel, but the actual amount of things characters can do is limitted. This inherantly removes one of gaming's greatest rewards.
Oh, and that's not the only thing that annoys me. After all, Zelda OOT had great cut scenes, even though they were all in game graphics. But so many developers simply aren't creative with their cut scenes. When Link completes the triforce and opens the gate to the future: one of the most awesome scenes in any games. Compare this to the second rate, lame cut scenes involving voices so inaudible that they games has no option to turn off sub-titles.
Oh, and that's another thing I want to rant on about. Voices in cut scenes are SO BAD. So bad that games always have subtitles. From the mumbling in House of the Dead, to the slurs of Devil May Cry (although that's mostly ok), you just focus your attention on the text... not the substandard graphical cut scenes. Perhaps that's the reason for the poor sound?
Anyway, here ends my rant... feel free to expres yourself too!
Sonic
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Edgy wrote:
> ===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Well, one of the huge critisms of MGS2 is that
> most of the first hour is
> watching cutscenes!
Sonic
I had a laugh at
> the Thumb Bandits version of some of the cutscenes.
And some of Iain Lees phrases crack me up.
> ===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Well, one of the huge critisms of MGS2 is that
> most of the first hour is
> watching cutscenes!
Sonic
I had a laugh at
> the Thumb Bandits version of some of the cutscenes.
And some of Iain Lees phrases crack me up.
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Well, one of the huge critisms of MGS2 is that most of the first hour is
> watching cutscenes!
Sonic
While all the time you are thinking.
'I JUST WANNA PLAY THE GAME'
> Well, one of the huge critisms of MGS2 is that most of the first hour is
> watching cutscenes!
Sonic
While all the time you are thinking.
'I JUST WANNA PLAY THE GAME'
er-no wrote:
While all the
> time you are thinking.
'I JUST WANNA PLAY THE GAME'
Cheers for reminding me!
Sonic
While all the
> time you are thinking.
'I JUST WANNA PLAY THE GAME'
Cheers for reminding me!
Sonic
I prefer cut-scenes to use the in-game graphics: it creates a uniformity which makes the gameplay and the plot move along seemlessly.
When the cut-scenes are done in polished FMV, the gap between the cut-scenes and the in-game graphics is too wide - especially on the PSX.
Having said that, I can fully understand why on the Playstation they used FMV to tell the story, because if they'd used the in-game graphics for the cut-scenes it would have (in most cases) looked really ropey.
The cut-scenes using the in-game graphics in Tomb Raider for example were bloody aweful.
When the cut-scenes are done in polished FMV, the gap between the cut-scenes and the in-game graphics is too wide - especially on the PSX.
Having said that, I can fully understand why on the Playstation they used FMV to tell the story, because if they'd used the in-game graphics for the cut-scenes it would have (in most cases) looked really ropey.
The cut-scenes using the in-game graphics in Tomb Raider for example were bloody aweful.
I personally have no qualms with cutscenes, pre-rendered or otherwise. Actually, I prefer it if they use the game's rendering engine. Here's why:
What's the purpose of cutscenes? To advance the story, mostly, and partly to draw you into it, especially if the game is story-driven such as Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid 2. However, if the cutscene uses blatently different models for the characters and surroundings, it doesn't work as well. When using the game's system, it's seamless because there are no seams.
OK, some cutscenes are a little long and MGS2 is a bit guilty of this, but you don't have to watch them. If you don't like cutscenes, don't watch them. I like to though because it's all part of the experience. If you skipped over Sniper or Aeris's famous deaths then you're missing some of the best bits of the respective games. It's your choice, watch them or not, your loss.
What's the purpose of cutscenes? To advance the story, mostly, and partly to draw you into it, especially if the game is story-driven such as Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid 2. However, if the cutscene uses blatently different models for the characters and surroundings, it doesn't work as well. When using the game's system, it's seamless because there are no seams.
OK, some cutscenes are a little long and MGS2 is a bit guilty of this, but you don't have to watch them. If you don't like cutscenes, don't watch them. I like to though because it's all part of the experience. If you skipped over Sniper or Aeris's famous deaths then you're missing some of the best bits of the respective games. It's your choice, watch them or not, your loss.
Well, I see your point about continuity, but I'll stick to my guns.
You see, cutscenes do not just advance the story- they act as rewards for completing levels, and give you satisfaction.
For anyone who's played Code: Veronica, you'll know that the FMV cut scenes work a treat, and really make you want to get to the next one. This is mixed with in game cut scenes, that advance the story... but these pale in comparrison to islands blowing up, Mission impossibe style gun fights, and hugh mutants in the FMV sequences.
Sonic
You see, cutscenes do not just advance the story- they act as rewards for completing levels, and give you satisfaction.
For anyone who's played Code: Veronica, you'll know that the FMV cut scenes work a treat, and really make you want to get to the next one. This is mixed with in game cut scenes, that advance the story... but these pale in comparrison to islands blowing up, Mission impossibe style gun fights, and hugh mutants in the FMV sequences.
Sonic
Hrm, I've never seen it that way. Sure, there are ending "rewards" in Dropship, but I'll stick to MY guns and say it's much better to see what you actually destroyed become desert dust, than some pre-rendered model that is by its nature different.
ARGGHHH.
Normally, I'd take this oppertunity to pop one of Grix's "Why I hate FMV" threads.
But I suspect they're not around any more....
But I suspect they're not around any more....
Turbonutter wrote:
> Hrm, I've never seen it that way. Sure, there are ending "rewards" in
> Dropship, but I'll stick to MY guns and say it's much better to see what you
> actually destroyed become desert dust, than some pre-rendered model that is by
> its nature different.
Ahhh... but the detail you get in the FMV sequence of an island blowing up is FAR FAR more impressive than with ingame graphics.
Sonic
> Hrm, I've never seen it that way. Sure, there are ending "rewards" in
> Dropship, but I'll stick to MY guns and say it's much better to see what you
> actually destroyed become desert dust, than some pre-rendered model that is by
> its nature different.
Ahhh... but the detail you get in the FMV sequence of an island blowing up is FAR FAR more impressive than with ingame graphics.
Sonic
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