I’ve noticed the same thing with Valve games particularly (esp. after playing through with the developer commentary): they just seem so perfectly designed to guide the player that it becomes a bit boring. I want a few moments of running around in frustration before realizing “Aha! That’s what you want me to do! How non-obvious.” (A bit more like the old text-based adventures, King’s Quest series, etc., in other words.)
Yes! I start interpreting things I see in game as communication from the developers, rather than a universe to figure out. Which is fine in game, but I worry it’s training me for magical thinking.
King’s Quest style games solve some of this problem, probably because there’s more ‘noise’; Pointless things you can do, more places to wander.
Grand Theft Auto is even more open ended. Though I haven’t played the recent incarnations much.
I’ve noticed the same thing with Valve games particularly (esp. after playing through with the developer commentary): they just seem so perfectly designed to guide the player that it becomes a bit boring. I want a few moments of running around in frustration before realizing “Aha! That’s what you want me to do! How non-obvious.” (A bit more like the old text-based adventures, King’s Quest series, etc., in other words.)
Yes! I start interpreting things I see in game as communication from the developers, rather than a universe to figure out. Which is fine in game, but I worry it’s training me for magical thinking.
King’s Quest style games solve some of this problem, probably because there’s more ‘noise’; Pointless things you can do, more places to wander.
Grand Theft Auto is even more open ended. Though I haven’t played the recent incarnations much.