Die Platforming, Die!

[chicnstu]

Lots of love for the DS, but what about the PSP? Did everybody forget about the newest Ghouls 'n Ghosts?

Yeah, Ghouls 'N Ghosts, but not much else.

[Xizer]

While we're on the subject of genres that need to die, how about RPGs? Especially the turn based ones with random battles.

This isn't the 90s anymore. Technology isn't so primitive that you can't show enemies moving around on the screen. Travelling through fields and caves and having to fight a boring, monotonous turn based battle every few steps is not entertaining. It's annoying.

Developers need to think up a new way to level up in RPGs badly. Fighting a billion rats isn't the way to go and it never should've been in the first place.

Quite frankly the only RPGs I've ever found to be enjoyable was Super Mario RPG, the Paper Mario series, and Elder Scrolls. Those all broke out of the standard, boring random battle design.

The only other time I can stand RPGs is when I use a GameShark/Game Genie/Action Replay/CodeBreaker code to take out the random battles.

Note to developers: It's pretty sad when the people playing your game have to manipulate it with cheat devices before it becomes entertaining, not boring and monotonous.

SUMMARY: random battles

[Cryomancer]

On the subject of new 2D platformers, I've been away from the video gaming scene for awhile now (I take several month long breaks from gaming ... and this forum periodically) and I was wondering - has anyone played Drill Dozer (GBA)? That game looked like it was going to be a really solid platformer.

Solid is probably the proper word. It seems vaugely short, but it's a handheld game so maybe I shouldn't have played it for hours at a time to begin with. I'ts pretty good though, yeah. And hard in places. And the item hunting is optional too.

[pragmatic insanester]

some genres wouldn't work in 2d, though. clock tower (snes/ps1) is probably the only survival horror tower that works in that format. games like silent hill and resident evil demand 3d graphics and camera angles to function properly.

as for rpgs. the only reason i used to play rpgs is for the story, since they seemed to be the only genre that cared at the time about character development. now with our metal gears and such, we can still have action-oriented gameplay without sacrificing good writing.

[Soviet Conscript]

While we're on the subject of genres that need to die, how about RPGs? Especially the turn based ones with random battles.

This isn't the 90s anymore. Technology isn't so primitive that you can't show enemies moving around on the screen. Travelling through fields and caves and having to fight a boring, monotonous turn based battle every few steps is not entertaining. It's annoying.

Developers need to think up a new way to level up in RPGs badly. Fighting a billion rats isn't the way to go and it never should've been in the first place.

Quite frankly the only RPGs I've ever found to be enjoyable was Super Mario RPG, the Paper Mario series, and Elder Scrolls. Those all broke out of the standard, boring random battle design.

The only other time I can stand RPGs is when I use a GameShark/Game Genie/Action Replay/CodeBreaker code to take out the random battles.

Note to developers: It's pretty sad when the people playing your game have to manipulate it with cheat devices before it becomes entertaining, not boring and monotonous.

SUMMARY: random battles

*sigh* well probibly cause a good deal of people (like myself) like those kind of games. i dunno maybe were old fashioned or just plain crazy but turn based random encounter rpg's are my favorite. its not a "inferior" method, only a diffent one. like art styles, or cooking styles some people like some and dislike others. i like action rpg's as well as tactical rpgs i also think oblivion is a breath of fresh air but then afterward i like to go back inside and breath in some turn based goodness. hey, i'll be the first to admit things need to change in rpg's or at least diversify for example

1) the teenage lead hero, i'm 25 now as are alot of gamers give us a lead we can better relate to.
2) the "evil" empire though so far i'm slightly pleased with ff XII in this respect even though there is an empire that is portrayed as "evil" at least it doesn't seem all black and white.....so far.

thats just 2 things...don't want to get way off track

again maybe i'm completly nuts but i like the "grind" in leveling up. take DQ1 for example the constant leveling is a pain in the ass but at least when you beat the game you can get a sence of satisfaction that you beat something that obnoxiously tedious. take that away and don't have much. maybe its just the nostalgia i dunno......turn based/random encounters forever!

[boatofcar]

I've never been a big fan of the 3d platformer on the whole, but I think a well-executed 2d platformer in the same vein of Symphony of the Night would be a breath of fresh air to the industry.

[diskoboy]

If there is one place platforming elements don't belong, it's an FPS. That's my biggest pet peeve in the whole world.

When I hit a platforming segment in a FPS, I wanna break things.

[PDorr3]

I enjoy platformers, I enjoy finding items and such, I mean theres nothing more satisfying than finding stars in super mario 64. I also enjoy 2d platformers, however the 3d platformers are starting to grow on me, as long as the camera is managable (gives an evil eye to the new sonic the hedgehog)

[PDorr3]

I enjoy platformers, I enjoy finding items and such, I mean theres nothing more satisfying than finding stars in super mario 64. I also enjoy 2d platformers, however the 3d platformers are starting to grow on me, as long as the camera is managable (gives an evil eye to the new sonic the hedgehog)

[Emuaust]

The New Sonic? are you talking about the 360 version?
Dude where the hell you been Sonic Camera was fcked when they
went to Sonic Adventure 7 years ago, not really new

[Snapple]

I think there have been great 3D games. There's nothing inherent about moving in three dimensions that makes it automatically inferior to 2D games. It can be good or bad, just like anything else.

The one series that I think was really ruined by platforming was Starfox. Not only did I not enjoy the all-platforming Starfox, but when they teased us by giving us a current-gen Starfox game with flying inserted back in it, then later we discover that the majority of the game is still plaforming. Very lame.

[eightbitonline]

i notice in games like Ninja Gaiden (xbox) that its not a hard boss or difficult array of enemies that keep me stuck for hours at a time - NO - its a fucking multi-angled jump with a timer ticking down! it seems that game developers are too uncreative to make a fun but understably hard battle or though provoking puzzle! no, in order to pump up the rental fees and your power bills, they stick in inane and pointless platforming elements!

I don't entirely disagree with your sentiment, but this part makes me laugh out loud. did you ever play ninja gaiden (1, 2, or 3) for the NES? Despite being a platformer it has the exact same problem: the challenge lies in timing your jumps/strikes because of the platfrom positioning combined with enemy placement. Save for the final bosses the boss battles are rather pedestrian. Ninja Gaiden has always had that problem, long before it went 3D.

To hear anyone saying they want no-frills FPS action with no adventure-game elements is really weird, considering I thought the genre went stale more than a decade ago.

I think it's not so much a matter of what elements of what genre are added, but how well they're integrated. It sounds like your original complaint is that platforming elements are most annoying when they're poorly integrated, and inserted awkwardly with the otherwise balls-to-the-wall action. i think Metroid Prime is a (pardon the pun) prime example of a terrific integration of everything that's good about a lot of different genres (FPS and platforming most heavily included) if you've played Metroid Prime or Echoes you'll see that platforming in FPS games can be done, and done well.

[jcalder8]

I don't mind 3D platforming as long as its called for. Tomb Raider for example needs this because she is going through ruins and some of the stairs should have collapsed by now. But if it is just added to make the game last longer or if it isn't implemented well I can't stand it.

[FantasiaWHT]

While we're on the subject of genres that need to die, how about FPS? Especially the ones where you have to shoot at enemies.

This isn't the 90s anymore. Technology isn't so primitive that you can't show enemies dieing without having to shoot them. Travelling through warehouses and caves and having to shoot boring, monotonous guys with guns every few steps is not entertaining. It's annoying.

Developers need to think up a new way to kill enemies in FPSs badly. Shooting a billion soldiers isn't the way to go and it never should've been in the first place.

Quite frankly the only FPS's I've ever found to be enjoyable was Deus ex, where you could avoid having to shoot enemies a lot of the time.

The only other time I can stand FPSs is when I use a GameShark/Game Genie/Action Replay/CodeBreaker code to make myself invincible so I can run through without shooting most of the enemies.

Note to developers: It's pretty sad when the people playing your game have to manipulate it with cheat devices before it becomes entertaining, not boring and monotonous.

[FantasiaWHT]

Ahhh why make a point when Penny Arcade can make it better

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/09/05

[WiseSalesman]

Well, chalk FantasiaWHT up as "missed the point entirely".

[swlovinist]

I am older and outdated. The games I like are getting harder to find. I prefer 2D games becasue that is what I grew up with. I enjoy new games as well, but playing some of the old franshises in 3D(castlevania and sonic) does not feel right. I speak with my wallet when something good comes out. I normally dont buy a new game, but I could not resist the new DS castlevania, it is that good. As for the sonic games coming out...I am also speaking with my wallet and not buying them. I think that there is a market for 2D games, and some franchises work better in that format. As for 3D platform games, I would gladly buy another Maximo, Super Mario, or even Death Jr if the game is fun. When it comes down to it, if the game is fun, then that is all that matters. Some of us such as myself...like to go down memory lane in 2D because that is what we grew up with. There is something to be said about positive childhood memories...they cannot be replaced or duplicated.

[RegSNES]

Some of my fav platformers have been in 3D: Super Mario 64, Ape Escape.

As for all tthe collecting, I blae Banjo-Kazooie. I did enjoy the bear and bird's first adventure but when I played Donkey Kong 64 where it was "collect all this crap times 10" I had more than enough. Why should anyone have to collect 50 different freaking things as 5 seperate characters just to pass a world? Screw that garbage.

I love me some 2D games but unfortunatly, the hardcore crowd is in the minority and the casual gamer is in the majority. Developers tend to make more 3D games because these are more likely to get the attention of the casual player.

That being said, 2D > 3D. I applaud developers that are still keeping two demensions alive.

[Xizer]

Donkey Kong 64 still ranks up there as one of the best platformers of all time.

It was massive! There were so many places to explore, and things to do. The collecting wasn't tedious either, it simply gave you a reason to actually scope out the levels. It had 50+ hours of gameplay; very impressive.

Psychonauts is another great 3D platformer. Conker's Bad Fur Day is also very memorable. I think 3D platformers are just as good as their 2D counterparts, if not better.

[dbiersdorf]

The platformer genre is the greatest genre of them all. It's a shame that we've seen a huge decline over the years, but so long as we have games like Mario, and the upcoming Banjo-Threeie it will never die.