I couldn't find any topics that talked about cut scenes, so I guess I'll post one!
How does everyone feel about cut scenes in an MMORPG? Do you think they add immersion to the game? Or do you think that take away from it?
I personally hate cut scenes in an MMORPG. I don't think they belong here. Even WoW's use of cut scenes were a little too much for me. I would rather read the chat or get some kind of dialogue popup. I don't need to have all these voice overs... I think they're cheesy, to be honest.
What do you guys think? Any thoughts?
For those of us that heavily utilize VOIP -No, or very little use of cut scenes. I play on vent with friends and trying to listen to the cutscene's sound prevents us from interacting with each other. In SWTOR the disruption was so great that we would all be in different channels with a tag (cutscene) next to our name so people wouldn't go into that channel. Even if we are all grouped together some like to watch it some do not and its tough to listen when others are talking. Cut scenes are great for single player games and if used sparingly in MMos to make a point.
Marilee said:
I'm not fond of cut scenes. It's why I can't enjoy single player rpgs. I like my story told through adventure, not through constant cut scenes.
^^^^ exactly how I feel. In single player games of a different genre such as "Deadpool" or "The Last of Us" I very much enjoyed the story the many cut scenes told. In games such as EQ, VG and Pantheon I have no need for such things.
Perplexing89 said:
I couldn't find any topics that talked about cut scenes, so I guess I'll post one!
How does everyone feel about cut scenes in an MMORPG? Do you think they add immersion to the game? Or do you think that take away from it?
I personally hate cut scenes in an MMORPG. I don't think they belong here. Even WoW's use of cut scenes were a little too much for me. I would rather read the chat or get some kind of dialogue popup. I don't need to have all these voice overs... I think they're cheesy, to be honest.
What do you guys think? Any thoughts?
When I beta tested SWTOR that was one of the things that I put forward...far too many cut-scenes...breaks immersion, frustrating if you can't get out of them (at first you had to wait the whole dreary repetition in order to kill the mob if you failed the first time.)
Cut-scenes at a minimum..pretty please. Cut-scenes put you in the role of audience instead of allowing you to participate...I'm a doer, not a watcher. Cutscene at the start of a new expac...I'm okay with that, but not sprinkled all the way through. Please take that into consideration, and also, from what I hear, cut-scenes are quite expensive to produce, so perhaps you might take that into consideration, budget-wise. :)
Cana
Generally, I prefer MMOs with no forced central story line which forces players down a specific path, so in turn I generally prefer not to have cut scenes. I'm not against them at they're core (I even think they can be cool and useful at times when done correctly) I just don't want Pantheon to be the type of game that needs cut scenes so in my eyes there's no place/need for them. I want the stories of the world, of my companions, of myself to evolve through daring adventure and meaningful social interaction, not a forced story arch.
My problem with cut scenes is when they have one of two properties.
1. The cut scene quality or PoV is radically different than what I experience in game.
2. NPCs which I can normally have almost no interaction with suddenly spring to life in the cut scene, then fall back to their near dormant behaviour when you are returned to the game.
Amsai said:
Hmm maybe its my JRPG influence but I love CS ^.^ That being said i dont want it to be to the point its annoying either. But some cutscenes for a main story line (preferably text based) would be nice.
I think they're great in JRPGs too. Cut scenes can be a powerful tool for single player games and single player story arcs in certain MMOs. The mental map I have created of Pantheon, however, possess neither of these attributes. Of course, the construct I have created for the game may in fact be completely different than it will turn out to be (and likely is).
Can you envision a scenario in which cut scenes could be placed in EQ or Vanguard? I have a hard time with that, so right or wrong, I have a hard envisioning them in Pantheon.
Completely for cutscenes and always find it weird when people say things like they prefer to play the story or that the game is not a movie. They aren't exclusive, you can include both types of story telling at the same time (ffxi did) and both have their strengths and weaknesses. Removing either one would be detrimental to your ability to tell a great story. Even the souls series, which prides itself on telling a story through actions, characters and through the world itself has made use of cutscenes to enhance. I am not saying it would be a bad game without cutscenes but it would definitely limit the capacity for telling stories.
I am not a fan of cut scenes either. They can be useful at times but for example in Witcher 3, there were so many times a cut scene would be going on and i would almost be yelling at the screen let me control the character. It wouldn't let me so I had no control over what happened. I don't like that.
I've got no fundamental issue with cut-scenes. I think they are probably more useful in a more linear, single player game. I can see how they could be used though to enhance certain parts of an MMO.
But that doesn't get around the fact that they are expensive to make. I would much rather spend money on components of an MMO that are truly fundamental to making the game great. Sure, if money was falling from the sky, I might give cutscenes some thought. But, at least at present, it would make no sense to plan to have them in Pantheon -- weighing their cost against how much they truly add to an MMO just doesn't work.
Aradune said:
I've got no fundamental issue with cut-scenes. I think they are probably more useful in a more linear, single player game. I can see how they could be used though to enhance certain parts of an MMO.
But that doesn't get around the fact that they are expensive to make. I would much rather spend money on components of an MMO that are truly fundamental to making the game great. Sure, if money was falling from the sky, I might give cutscenes some thought. But, at least at present, it would make no sense to plan to have them in Pantheon -- weighing their cost against how much they truly add to an MMO just doesn't work.
This is a completely reasonable approach and the obvious stance to take. For as much as I loved the story missions and how much they meant to me and my overall enjoyment of FFXI, it is not a core mmo feature and it wouldn't make sense for that to overwrite more important functions.
Aradune said:
I've got no fundamental issue with cut-scenes. I think they are probably more useful in a more linear, single player game. I can see how they could be used though to enhance certain parts of an MMO.
But that doesn't get around the fact that they are expensive to make. I would much rather spend money on components of an MMO that are truly fundamental to making the game great. Sure, if money was falling from the sky, I might give cutscenes some thought. But, at least at present, it would make no sense to plan to have them in Pantheon -- weighing their cost against how much they truly add to an MMO just doesn't work.
This. Beyond not having a clear place for cut scenes in Pantheon (that we know of) the opportunity cost is too high.
