Developer Chat at Quake Con 2010

Remember those million dollar questions of “what really are the developers planning?” Then shortly after contemplating certain ways they could do their next game, or games? Well I was lucky enough to sit in on a developer chat about the future of immersive building in the gaming world. We all at one time or another tried figuring out why we like games, and what will really attract other players to it. Whether it is a single player game, co-op or even a MMO.

The main topic though through this sit in was the story and RPG’s. So let’s think back to the Elder Scrolls and even better, the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons. When you think about a game, you want to either be sucked into that world, or hope it has really great game mechanics to attach you to it. With that said, Bethesda Softworks decided to really dive straight into the heart of their games, the player. If the player is not satisfied with multiple options , a graffiti style game and maybe some optional lore reading here and there it will not tug at the emotion of the player.

The emotions of a player are their top priority to really immerse you into something that is extremely in depth. They are wanting these characters and stories to really come to life, to really make you choose the outcome or fate of what is about to happen next. This is something that Bethesda excels in by far.

The developers on the stage asked a very important question that really decided the fate of where their games will go, or have been going for that matter. They had asked us what style of game we preferred. Reading, Graffiti or in the ear. Now although those names sounded strange, they described it well to the crowd. Most of the people in that room raised their hands for the graffiti on the wall, or in other words, cut scenes! The visual aspects of the game seems as though to them, that this is the best way to tell a story. All of the developers agreed in that same similar region. Although, I agreed with the graffiti style of storytelling, I still think they should keep both reading and in the ear type of audio as well. This is a great option that really adds depth to great stories like Fall Out 3 , or Oblivion for that matter.

The next thing they moved into that involved immersion with the story was the mechanic. Of course they touched the horse mechanics in Red Dead Redemption, and actually spoke on it for a good 10 minutes giving their opinions on the mechanic. Which also they all seemed to agree on simultaneously is, that by far one of the best immersion type of game mechanics out there. I too, would have to agree with them. Not only does the care for this horse feel real, but so does the loss of it. Especially if you go through those twenty missions with it, and then your horse dies. Although these are key emotions, other emotions such as anger start to really shred at you. An example, like a simple post-it note left in that vault from Fall Out 3, talking about how this particular family was to be kept out from the vault and are denied access , just because the vault holders wanted them to die. It is almost enough to make you pick up a gun and want to go slaughter things to know something so inhumane happened. Then again, that was the immersion talking.

The biggest thing though out of all this immersion talk was you, as the character. Still yet to be determined , and rather unclear, but good to know the options they seem to be going for. One is to know absolutely nothing about your character, and that you are the one to build your story. Then there are other developers who would disagree with this and say that they want to know their characters back round, and they wish to play as someone else in this story. So really, there will always be an ongoing debate about which gamers prefer more. Last but not least is the pacing. How fast should a game go? Some people prefer quick and fast short storied games. While others, like myself prefer a lush world, that is thriving and growing every day. With hundreds upon hundreds of hours for game play. Then you end up reaching the gamers who strictly play for competition. Games like counter-strike, Blood line champions and the Hero’s of Newearth. These gamers don’t care for lore or story, they just want to see their opponents face brutally smashed in. So really Bethesda has been trying to reach all of these different types of gamers to provide something for everybody.

In the end, one day we will all find our perfect concept of a game and become it’s number one fan, for that following. Well, I am off to continue my own personal immersion story, in life. Smunchy out.

Games: Quake Con 2010