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Re-playability & Longevity?

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    Re-playability & Longevity?

    Games have always been, in part, graded on their mechanisms to bring longevity and re-playability;after completion.

    To me, this has always felt a little stupid and now i'll explain why?

    I'll take film and music as other mediums to contrast against.

    When you buy an Album, the first time you listen it through, you get an overall feeling for it, you may have already found the 1 or 2 tracks thay already stand out to you.
    Once you've listened to that album for, say, the 3rd or 4th time, you'll by now know what track comes next, you're taking in the music alot more than when you first heard it, and your beginning to understand or 'get' the music.
    On your 6th or 7th spin of the CD, you can porbably sing along, you've picked up the lyrics, yor aware of the little messages or points of the music, and your pretty sure it's money well spent.
    The album is then put amongst the rest, waiting to be heard again someday.

    But thats it, no unlockable tracks, no hidden art work, no alternative mixes, no track 7 in G minor, just sleave notes and the 10 tracks already selectable at the start.

    So why go back? you know what comes next, you know the lyrics, you know the music inside & out, so whats to be gained by listening to it again?

    Same with film, you seen it once or twice, why go back? you know whats coming next? Surley any tension/suprise is lost? The point?

    For a developer to want you to go back to their game, they're to include somesort of device to lure you back in.

    Examples like, new items, abilities, levels, characters, concept art or extra options pages etc etc.

    Somehow these things will enhance the game for you to love it all over again the 2nd, 3rd and the 4th time round.

    Thing is, it's not necessary.

    You go back because you loved it the first time round, you know what happens, of course, but that scene, level, track holds a special place all of it's own, you WANT to go back and watch, listen, play all over again, experience it's beauty/genius again and again.

    Thats why some games i'll never part with, and will continue to play them to re-live those experiences.

    Extra's are nice, but it's the game you'll want to play again, and a good game, just like a good album or film, will have you coming back for more, Time and time again.

    I just wish the wasn't lost on some games & people.

    Ta for reading.

    #2
    I have had the same problems with trying to edit?

    Anyhoo, you make some very fair and interesting points, and to the most part I agree, but not entirely. I think of it slightly like DvDs. Given a choice to buy a video or Dvd I would always choose the dvds obviously due to their superior quality but mostly because of their extras. I like the option to learn more about the product and maybe even gain something else from the extras availible

    As you said, playing through a great game to re-live those fantastic moments cannot be overlooked (this very week I am awaiting Eternal Darkness to play again after completing it the 3 times.) But having extras to expand upon that lastibilty is a very welcome thing. I personally prefer the extras where they expand upon the experience...

    Take Zelda Wind Waker for instance. When u complete that you are treated to an additional save file. Here there are various differences. One of them being able to collect trophies for every character in the game. This extra doesn?t have to be experienced but helps makes the package more complete? it adds a little more to the game... Surely if u were given an option to expand upon the Lyics in a song it would be welcomed? Or an alternative tune to the music?

    All in all, i can see what you are saying and i agree to an extent. Extras shouldn't be anything more then simply 'extras' to add to the overall experience, but that doesn't mean there should not be any...

    ...Hmm...i hope you can see what i am trying to say.
    ----Member since April 2002

    http://www.redbubble.com/people/adamstone

    Comment


      #3
      It is true that the phrase "takes around 6-8 hours to complete" is a massive turn-off for many, they'll dismiss the game as not being worth a purchase even if those 6-8 hours may be the finest gameplay worth experiencing.

      Of course if the main body of the game is fatally flawed then no ammount of generous 'extras' can make up for this, plus seeing as such extras are usually unlocked after completing a certain portion/achieving a certain score then they're as good as useless if the title is so lamentable that only 1% of players will ever get far enough in to see them.

      I look upon it the same way as 'commentary' tracks on DVDs, after purchasing some of my favourite films on this medium my enjoyment of them was increased significantly in finding out what was behind the finished product, and how the pieces had all slotted together so well in the end. People do expect a lot for their money these days, hence the replay issue consistently rearing it's head, but in some ways these concerns are justified.

      Extras are not necessary, but if added shrewdly and professionally to a product then they can elevate a very good game to 'classic' status, as it has a reason to stay in your console and, as a result, the Developer has longer to bring the scope of their vision and ambition across to the player. In short, though, you can't apply nice window dressing to a pile of garbage and expect a positive response, it all comes down to the intelligence of the Developer and whether they have facets of the game, which for one reason or another are not included in the main part, that they want to show to an interested gamer.

      Personally, I'm all for them, nothing is lost if they are bad extras but a suprising ammount is gained if they do measure up.

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