Nintendo Patents Difficulty Solution For Casual Gamers-UPDATED

[The 1 2 P]

Now here's an interesting article on how Nintendo plans to level the playing field for casual gamers: http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/ne...on-autopilot-/

Essencially this would be like a youtube cheat video except it would be right there in the game. I could have really used something like this when I played Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Edit: Update is on the last page in my lastest comment.

[Overbite]

Why dont they have a mode where the game plays itself, that will help casual gamers a lot more.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Apparently, you've never played, or see someone walk away from a game that was crippled by brutal difficulty. Get it through your skull man. If you've been playing games for years, this. is. not. for. you.

Explain strategy guides and walkthroughs then... it's pretty much the same thing. I don't know a single long time gamer that hasn't used them or doesn't own them.

[DrKwack]

They should just take all their extra time and make better games

[SegaAges]

Well, there are difficult games and there are easy games. If you start playing a game that is too difficult for you, well then, I think you should find another game. Why do I not care? I have busted my ass over the years to hone in on my skills and to have somebody pwning my high score because the game played itself is simply weak sauce with extra cheese. The youtube video type deal is awesome. I am all for that, but when the game starts playing itself because you can't, well, it is too bad it is not out for 360. I would get a game, put it on the hardest difficulty, and rack in the acheivement points without even touching the controller.

Videos to help: awesome idea
Game playing itself: No, stick to wii music if you can't handle guitar hero. That is why the game is out there

This gives me an opportunity to post an awesome quote from the driving instructor dude as he is yelling at the asain girl in gone in 60 seconds:

Aw, c'mon. It's no big deal.
You can't drive. You can't.
Time to acknowledge it and move on. I
can't swim. I know I can't. So you
know what I do? I stay the fuck outta
the pool ...

and besides, if they want a game that does that, there is already one out there:

[Chainclaw]

This is what the older brother in every family ends up doing for his siblings. I used to have to solve tough sections in games all the time.

[walrusmonger]

Autopilot= stupid. You want to watch events unfold-> pop a dvd in instead of a game... oh wait, you can't do that on the Wii.

A sliding difficulty bar is one thing, but to have the game play itself is another. The pop up hints are *very* cool for puzzle orient games like silent hill, but they should be strictly limited or worked into the game somehow. If you want help, buy the strat guide.

Nintendo is smart in trying to get the entire casual market in their hands, the only problem is that the games that would require this type of help are the minority on the Wii.

[Kitsune Sniper]

... Is this even legal?

[The 1 2 P]

... Is this even legal?

Are you serious? Tell me you are kidding. Why would it be illegal?

[kupomogli]

The gameplay shown on-screen would likely come from a developer of the game.

I'll probably see an application for a resume coming in the mail someday.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Are you serious? Tell me you are kidding. Why would it be illegal?

I didn't mean illegal, just... beyond the scopes of patents.

There's lots of games that do this already, mostly during training modes. So I'm not sure how this got approved.

[geneshifter]

I didn't mean illegal, just... beyond the scopes of patents.

There's lots of games that do this already, mostly during training modes. So I'm not sure how this got approved.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. I remember a few years ago when a christian group started a company to take out all cussing and nudity/violence from movies. They were busted and found infringing on copyrights if I remember correctly.

[JSoup]

Why dont they have a mode where the game plays itself, that will help casual gamers a lot more.

In other words, you want them to make another Sonic Rush?

[scooterb23]

So many games are just glorified interactive movies...I don't really see a problem with them making it easier for folks who get stuck to at least see the ending of the story.

[The 1 2 P]

I didn't mean illegal, just... beyond the scopes of patents.

There's lots of games that do this already, mostly during training modes. So I'm not sure how this got approved.

I see what you are saying. I'm guessing that they patented it in case it cetches on. That way Sony and Microsoft wouldn't be able to implore the exact same technique in a smiliar way.....atleast in theory.

[slip81]

pretty soon best buy will be selling new geek squad packages where they go in, set up the console and then beat the first few levels to get you started.

[Push Upstairs]

So....people pay $20-30 to have the game play itself?

Maybe time should be spent by developers balancing gameplay instead of coding sections of a game with "autopilot" functions.

[Rob2600]

I remember Atari 2600 games featured many different modes of difficulty, including children's modes.

[Gameguy]

Why bother even buying the game? Just watch a play through on youtube, there's already plenty up there for just about any game. That should be good enough for someone just wanting to see what happens.

Though it would be funny if a game was so bad, it couldn't even play through a part on it's own.

[Melf]

They didn't play the game for you though.