a couple things that are always in the back of my mind

[Gunface]

Worshippers at the altar of gaming as we are, we always suspend our disbelief heavily for the fun of video games. But there are a few things that I always think about, despite the fact that I'll believe in lots of absurd ideas in games. I'm not challenging these ideas, just commenting on them.

The first one is jumping. It's funny to me that there is such an abundance of jumping in video games. So much so, that you might be surprised when there is no jump action in a particular game. But in life, very little jumping really happens. I don't jump too often. Sure, I don't kill aliens or hunt terrorists often either, but this jumping thing makes me laugh.

The other idea is more prevalent to older games. Why is it that when you touch an enemy, you are hurt or even killed, and the enemy leaves without a scratch. I know in some games they die as well, but it's kind of ridiculous to think that whatever tough character you're playing is so weak that a person could walk into him and he would die. Imagine if you bumped into someone on the street and were mortally wounded. Is the real challenge of the game to help a total wimp defeat some godlike being? Are the heroes just bumbling idiots? Or are they all suffering from haemophilia?

Again, this is just speculation. I think these things are amusing, but they definitely don't ruin the fun. :)

[tom]

you haven't met me on the street, i'm a (jumping) killing machine....

[Xander]

Think of it in dimensions.

Eliminate jumping and you limit yourself only to a very horizontal experience (life is a very horizontal experience, with some stairs/elevators/hills thrown in). Add jumping and you get the whole vertical dimension opening to you.

[thom_m]

you haven't met me on the street, i'm a (jumping) killing machine....

Oh, me too. Why walk, when you can jump? AND kill?

And yes all those one hit deaths on videogames intrigue me too. Take SMB, for example: why would someone trust a whole kingdom's fate to some guy who will die instantly (and in a rather espectacular way, I'd say) when touched by a mere turtle?

EDIT: Xander, I guess jumping still plays a major role on 3-D games as well. Could it be because it was already established as a vital move for games?

[CastlevaniaDude]

Worshippers at the altar of gaming as we are, we always suspend our disbelief heavily for the fun of video games. But there are a few things that I always think about, despite the fact that I'll believe in lots of absurd ideas in games. I'm not challenging these ideas, just commenting on them.

The first one is jumping. It's funny to me that there is such an abundance of jumping in video games. So much so, that you might be surprised when there is no jump action in a particular game. But in life, very little jumping really happens. I don't jump too often. Sure, I don't kill aliens or hunt terrorists often either, but this jumping thing makes me laugh.

The other idea is more prevalent to older games. Why is it that when you touch an enemy, you are hurt or even killed, and the enemy leaves without a scratch. I know in some games they die as well, but it's kind of ridiculous to think that whatever tough character you're playing is so weak that a person could walk into him and he would die. Imagine if you bumped into someone on the street and were mortally wounded. Is the real challenge of the game to help a total wimp defeat some godlike being? Are the heroes just bumbling idiots? Or are they all suffering from haemophilia?

Again, this is just speculation. I think these things are amusing, but they definitely don't ruin the fun. :)

Technical limitations probably forced the game designers to add ridiculous jumping to add another dimension to the games, like the poster above said -- otherwise, things would be very horizontal and boring.

Whatever, it makes the games fun. Imagine Contra without jumping, and if you could just run through enemies without killing them.

I'll remain in suspended disbelief for the fun factor on these two points.

It is funny to think about, though.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I dunno, I could do with some more horizontal action in my life...

Oh, wait, sorry, this is about video games. :|

[eugenek]

What bugs me is how in RPGs you're usually trying to stop the entire world from being destroyed or enslaved and yet, everyone still charges you for weapons and items and sleeping at the inn. Hope you enjoy that 30 gil when your face is on fire, pal.

[Haoie]

1 of the earliest genres was platformers. Donkey Kong, Mario, etc.

And that's spilled off to a lot of others.

[Gameguy]

There's no jumping in Burgertime, and you die because you get eaten by giant foods. I guess it's more true to life than Donkey Kong because there's no jumping.....sort of.

[c0ldb33r]

Wow, this thread got me thinking. I can't remember the last time I jumped. I mean, I walk all the time, shovel snow, but honestly don't know the last time I jumped.

[Gunface]

What bugs me is how in RPGs you're usually trying to stop the entire world from being destroyed or enslaved and yet, everyone still charges you for weapons and items and sleeping at the inn. Hope you enjoy that 30 gil when your face is on fire, pal.

Hahahahaha so true! Those unappreciative pieces of crap!

On that note, FFX's monster arena is full of monsters WAY more powerful than the last boss. What the hell is that guy doing, screwing around with these monsters? Wouldn't they be able to defeat him? That guy is just hanging out with his super powerful monsters letting the world go to shit. haha

[Gunface]

Wow, this thread got me thinking. I can't remember the last time I jumped. I mean, I walk all the time, shovel snow, but honestly don't know the last time I jumped.

This is why I starting thinking about it. I thought, "I don't jump a whole lot." I might jump down off of something sometimes, but I'm more likely to take the stairs. I avoid jumping. But in a video game that doesn't allow you to jump usually makes me say "What the hell? Why can't this guy jump?" :D

Also, you know how sometimes you jump in a video game to move faster? The jump may be a little faster than running or maybe you're just bored of running everywhere. Imagine if people did that in real life. Like if everyone on their way to work in the morning was jumping everywhere. In their dress clothes of course. I would be into that.

[tom]

maybe you gotta be a member of Van Halen to really appreciate to 'Jump'

Actually, the very first platformer, Space Panic, there was no jumping, but digging.

[shopkins]

And yes all those one hit deaths on videogames intrigue me too. Take SMB, for example: why would someone trust a whole kingdom's fate to some guy who will die instantly (and in a rather espectacular way, I'd say) when touched by a mere turtle?


Those turtles are infected with salmonella.

Gunface's image of everyone jumping everywhere because it allows you to go slightly faster is priceless. That would be awesome if it was true. I always do that in Morrowind.

Most RPGs are completely illogical because no one helps you ever. Even after you've proven yourself the chosen one who can defeat the big evil they never open up the armories for you or send the army to clear those goblins out of the forest or give you anything for free. Wouldn't it be a bitch if the planet was destroyed because some guy refused to make you a deal on the silver sword? Not even an end of the world discount?

And even with impending doom you still have to travel all over the world and collect the four artifacts of power or whatever by yourself. With all the resources of the kingdom at their disposal everyone is still content to let four kids with weird hairstyles handle it on their own.

[scooterb23]

I never understood why in many games...there would be underwater levels, but in other levels if you touched water...you died.

And why does Mario swim upright?

[FrakAttack]

The other idea is more prevalent to older games. Why is it that when you touch an enemy, you are hurt or even killed, and the enemy leaves without a scratch.

And now, in modern games, it's just the opposite. You're the God of the Battlefield, absorbing arsenal-loads of bullets and bomb blasts as your enemies fall before you in ragdoll droves.

I always wonder about the Power-up Fairies who leave goodies in crates or just lying around everywhere. Are they affiliated with Santa?

[Hardcore]

We should reprogram up some of the classics to test these theories. Such as Donkey Kong, where we know while barrels would hurt, probably wouldn't kill Mario unless they knocked him off the girders. Balance on the girders would be an issue though.

Or an RPG like Final Fantasy. People would have to know that your party is the one set out to save the world. Extra quests in each town would have to be performed in order to show the people that you are indeed that hero.

Better yet, howsabout a space shooter where you have to deal not only with the enemies, but the inherent dangers of action in a total vacuum! There aren't any sounds in space. No gigantic explosions either.

[Blitzwing256]

about the one hit kills, I just always assumed animation-wise espeicaly in the early games, it wasn't viable to show the turtle biting you, or the gangsta stabbing you in the balls, you just kinda have to use your imagination to what is really happening, that goomba is proably poisoned...the alien in contra will suck your face....etc etc.

or maybe mario vance and duke togo trully are complete pussies....

[Daltone]

To steal a bit from OMM - how often do you see THAT MANY crates in real life, outside of a dock yard?

[The Shawn]

And how many time's have you smashed a crate open looking for a bazooka?

Kriss Kross make ya Jump Jump

[Daltone]

Kriss Kross make ya Jump Jump

All the time - I just never seem to find one! Keep getting med-kits.

[Gunface]

Most everyone in RPG's is totally ok with a stranger just walking into their house and going through their stuff. And they will start telling you personal things even if you don't know them at all.

On some level though, I would like it if I could just walk up to a stranger in a town I've never been to and hear about the town history, local hauntings, where treasure is hidden or what monsters to look out for.

I also love the fact that you could be near death and a turkey dinner would restore you completely. :)

[c0ldb33r]

I also love the fact that you could be near death and a turkey dinner would restore you completely. :)
I always found that funny. If I was near death I don't think I'd really be in the mood to eat a turkey dinner.

[Iron Draggon]

the act of jumping in games wouldn't be so unrealistic if it wasn't for the fact that in most games you can jump 2 - 3 times your own height, or more, and you can often change your direction in the middle of your jump... what's up with that? this has been going on long before the invention of those super high jumping boots, which don't even look remotely like some kind of shoes... so how is it possible that most game characters are capable of super jumps? is there far less gravity in the virtual world than there is in the real world? even if that's the case, that still doesn't explain how one can change their jumping direction in midair, without the assistance of any noticeable booster rockets... nor does it explain why so many game jumps are nearly impossible!

[rbudrick]

At least in real life ninjas really are everywhere and you get meat for killing them. They got that part right, anyway. Sucks that the people you kill don't just disappear, though.

-Rob