whatever happened to secrets in games

[eastyy]

i had always enjoyed unlocking stuff.....like recently got marvel vs capcom 2 on live...and found everything was unlocked ,,,was a bit disapointed as i remember in the dc version unlocking stuff was just a great way of me gradually trying new characters

first person shooters.....was recently playing doom...and there is hidden rooms and even secret levels dont remember that in many recent shooters to

[speedlolita]

We have trophys and gamerpoints now.

[Largo]

I think dara obrien on gameswipe put the argument pretty well; its a balance between secrets/unlocks and people wanting the full content they paid for immediately (ala rock band songs in his argument), i can see how people feel on both sides really

[PeteJ]

People don't like it when things are locked from the start, note how the Guitar Hero\Rock Band games now come with everything unlocked.

I think games do have secrets still but they are better integrated into the game. Orbs in Crackdown for example.

[wakka]

I used to love finding the secret areas in games like Wolfenstein 3D and Commander Keen and getting a ****load of points for all the stuff you could collect in there. That was such a long time ago though...you don't really get that kind of thing any more.

[C']

We have trophys and gamerpoints now.

First response got it in my opinion.

That. And DLC.

[Flabio]

The more classic idea of a game secret, hidden levels, easter eggs etc... was mostly killed off by the one two punch of GameFaqs and Hot Coffee.

The former because the guys who do the faqs are so damned fast that a secret tends to only actually be secret for a couple of days before the whole net knows it so there's little incentive to add them, and the latter because sneaking something into a game without telling the boss can get your game pulled from the shops and your ass extremely fired.

[sadat]

These days unlocking is part of the game. Take driving games -- nowadays it's impossible to play one for the sake of the driving, with one hidden car / track as the cherry on the cake once you've played the game to death. I know that's a bit TOO old skool for some, but there's something solid about a game which is finished from the start, with a play mechanic that doesn't rely on small incremental unlocks to keep you playing and provide a sense of progression.

[Brad]

I remember the days when the 'secret' was that you couldn't finish the game at all because it was broken and couldn't be patched. Changing topic I don't suppose anyone's got Matthew Smith's phone number have they? Cheers.

[k0pp0]

Sega Rally has quite a nice unlock process.. New tracks/cars/livery as you go along, and achievements as well..

[hudson]

Yeah I miss secrets. Remember flying under a checkpoint in Super Mario World? Hopefully, we'll see some more stuff like that in New Super Mario Bros Wii.

Did anyone ever play Addams Family? Now that had too many secrets

[abigsmurf]

I remember the days when the 'secret' was that you couldn't finish the game at all because it was broken and couldn't be patched. Changing topic I don't suppose anyone's got Matthew Smith's phone number have they? Cheers.

My parents used to live next door to him. He appeared on that thumb candy documentary and they both went "we know he" followed by "he looks a bit... ragged".

Back on topic, DLC has killed bonus content. Why include it in the game when you can split it and charge an extra $10? Even Nippon Ichi who produced insane amounts of bonus content for their titles are now getting in on the act.

[rmoxon]

The secrets in games like doom were a bit pointless, it would come up saying you found a secret like it was an amazing thing and youd acidently collect that silly berserk power up that you never even wanted.

Secrets that unlock things in games are great though, this new trend of everything being unlocked in games is tragic, it completely eliminates any real feeling of progression or replay value.

Ive been enjoying DJ hero recently, but have been finiding it hard to appariciate as much as I perhapse should, simpley becuase all the games features can be unlocked by playing it on the easiest difficulty. You could argue that Achievments/Trophies are still there if you wnat a challenge, but its often stupidly hard to get a full set so again whats the point in even bothering?

[speedlolita]

I like personal challenges, getting good at a game is enough motivation for me to play it. Achievements/trophies fail to motivate me at all.

[MikeRox]

People don't like it when things are locked from the start, note how the Guitar Hero\Rock Band games now come with everything unlocked.

I don't like it either way a few years ago there was the opposite problem games offering a track and 2 cars at the start and the whole thing having to be unlocked after that.

I don't recall Rock Band offering the full game from the off though, I think you have to unlock to songs via the World Tour Mode before you can play them in any other mode (same was the case for Guitar Hero up until this last one I think where they decided it was a party game first and so everything in mplayer was availible from the off).

I don't see that as a problem with music games though. I've paid for 80 tracks, why shouldn't I have them from the off if I want? I want to play Everlong on Rock Band 2, but I havn't unlocked it in world tour yet so can't but the next few sets I've got to do don't interest me in the slightest so I cba to do them.