GameBanshee Forums

For a little while, I've been thinking. Games like ME1, ME2, DA:O, Fallout 3, etc all have side quests/missions. These side missions all have one thing in common; they are short.

Instead of making 25 - 30 short side quests, why not make 5 to 10 long ones, using ME2's Overlord DLC as an example? a few side missions of that size would be far more satisfying that the quick "go to a location an kill everything there" type game designers tend to make. A few, longer missions couldn't be harder than the large number of smaller ones.

Maybe someone needs to remind the game industry that quantity does not equal quality...

You mean like BGII, PS:T & FO2?

GawainBS wrote:You mean like BGII, PS:T & FO2?

Can't argue with that...:laugh:

I think the problem is two-fold:

1. The current standard of games entails pretty graphics, which are work-intensive, and voice-overs, which are also work-intensive. Working hours = money. So, despite ever-increasing budgets, developers are forced to spend more resources on less actual content.
2. Games are focussing more and more on casual/younger/non-gamers, so they have to keep the time/effort investment required, to a minimum.

The end-result is that you get flashy, pretty, nice-sounding, short bits of game that almost everybody can enjoy.

On a sidenote: for me, personally, (full) voice-over is a step backwards.

While I understand what you're saying in principle, I have to question the first point. Fewer, but longer, side missions can't require any more time to develop than a large number of short ones.

However, I completely concede point #2. This whole "causal" gamer thing is ruining gaming in general, and cRPG's specifically. Though I can understand the desire to appeal to a wider audience, there has to be a better way than "dumbing it down".

I don't necessarily agree about your interpretation of point 1: making a long sidequest probably entails more work, since several short ones allow more "copy-pasting".

Well, since I don't know much, if anything, about the inside working of the games industry (maybe you know more), I will stand by my opinion, at the same time respect yours