Lock on system Fundamentally flawed

[FreeStephen_2]

Having completed Metroid Fusion and currently finishing off Metroid Prime it seems to me that games that implement lock on systems remove the skill that 2d games require.

The same is true of Link to the Past and Wind Waker, the lock on system means I don't have to worry about aiming. The bosses in MEtroid Fusion where brilliant while the same one in MEtroid Prime where all hot air. Personnally I found this disappointing.

Can anyone think of a game that used the lock on system and required any level of skill ?

[Tom Salter]

Panzer Dragoon, Rez, Starfox 64?

[mr_sockochris]

I thought that the Metroid Prime bosses were some of the best ive seen in years....

[FreeStephen_2]

Well I only played Rez of the ones your mentioned and to be honest there wasn't much skill required in hitting anything, it certainly was no Ikaruga.

The Metroid Prime bosses where nothing compared to the bosses in Metroid Fusion. If you liked Prime , Fusion blows it away in terms of gaming skill.

[Commander Marklar]

It's quite easy to forget that a lot of the movement Samus makes is based around the currently locked on object; take that away you're left with a mess, one that would be fundamentally worse than the lock-on system.

Try it and see; don't press the lock-on button at all and you'll realise what it could've been like without the feature...

[Leynos]

The trouble is that developers face a dilemma here. You can't do true 3D control on one stick, so you're left with a choice of either using a lock-on or implementing a two stick control. And of course, two stick control limits the amount of time you can spend using the face buttons, which makes it undesirable for 3rd person action titles.

I think, with Metroid Prime, interaction with the environment is considered more important than forcing the player to master circle strafing, so they chose the option that allows them greater emphasis on the face buttons. (I still haven't played MP yet tho. Gimme time. Still waiting on my GCN SCART lead.)

It seems to be very difficult to do a true 3D 3rd person action game. The only title I can think of that really does the platform shoot 'em up genre correctly in 3D is Gunvalkyrie, and look at how often that gets slated for its control scheme. Someone will come up with something that works and is liked by everyone eventually, but until then, we'll just have to live with the compromises.

Tomonobu Itagaki spoke about making Ninja Gaiden a true 3D game. In his Edge interview, he voiced my own concern that most 3D action titles are really just 2D or 2.5D with 3D graphics. I'll be interested to see what Team Ninja comes up with, but I won't be holding my breath.

Later.

PS, I never understand when people say Rez requires no skill. If it requires no skill, then why do I find it so difficult to get a 100% shot down rate, or beat my previous high scores? (Answer: I'm ****e at it, which implies that it requires skill which I don't have.)

[Tom Salter]

yeah, I agree. Rez is easy to complete, but very hard to master. Much like getting the perfect scores to get the medals on Starfox 64 which required an absolute mastery of the lock-on system.

I think you should go back to them games FreeStephen, and play them properly. Only then will you notice that it's not flawed.

The same is true of Link to the Past and Wind Waker, the lock on system means I don't have to worry about aiming.

And there was a lock on system in link to the past? No wonder I found it tricky

[replicant]

freestephen_2

You were banned, you are back. Why do you know have 2 free accounts on the forums? Do you think we will be blinded by your Inspector Clouseau disguises?

Not only that but you have just posted crap, not unusual granted, however this times its about one of my all time favourite games - Rez. Either you post a critical analysis, and comparison of it and Ikaruga, another favourite, or its bye bye.

[Firsty]

free_stephen in **** post shocker!!!!!!!!

[BdeB]

Doesn't a lock-on system in a 3d game result in effectively becoming a 2d game?

[corpsicle]

Sure a lock-on system kinda dents the whole idea of a 3d game, but i personally found the bosses in Prime alot harder than in Fusion. =P

[Burai]

Doesn't a lock-on system in a 3d game result in effectively becoming a 2d game?

No.

[davejm]

The Metroid Prime lock-on feature debate has been done to death already. To make it worse, any shred of a point you may have had went out the window by mentioning Zelda in the same way. Oh dear.

[Ady]

Locking on doesn't guarantee a direct hit in 3D Zelda games. Its necessary to keep the player from haplessly fumbling about the screen and to account for any sudden or unpredictable camera behaviour.

[Ady]

TROLL

You were banned, you are back. Why do you know have 2 free accounts on the forums? Do you think we will be blinded by your Inspector Clouseau disguises?

Not only that but you have just posted crap, not unusual granted, however this times its about one of my all time favourite games - Rez. Either you post a critical analysis, and comparison of it and Ikaruga, another favourite, or its bye bye.

Ban his bitch ass anyway. Ever since Edge, everyone knows this guy is nothing but an infantile prankster (and a one trick pony).