What Game Environment Engaged You The Most?

[racketboy]

After playing NiGHTS into Dreams again a good deal as of late, I couldn't help be mesmerized all over again by its incredible levels. Its so impressive how dream-like many of the stages are and how much both the environments and the music get stuck in my brain. In fact, sometimes I actually have dreams that are inspired by the game.

Does anybody else have any other games that have had a strong impact on them due to the environments?

[sv650touring]

Actually, when I read the Subject, I thought "Does mean like the way NiGHTS's environment engaged me?"

No kidding. I smiled when I saw the full post.

[durkada]

I like alot of games for their environments. Racing games, first person shooters are both particularly disastrous, as I'll pay more attention to the pretty buildings than the road or rail guns aimed at me. I like many of the subtle touches in the Oddworld series and Lucasarts adventures...

But the ones that were most influential are the more abstract environments -- the less visceral the environment, the more my imagination was worked. Here, the Infocom adventures reigned supreme -- nothing but text, baby.

But even so, I was really quite enthralled by Ultima II when it came out. It came with a huge map, and the entire game was in simple single colored sprites -- but you traveled to different planets, passed through time-doors and delved into dungeons. Great fodder for a kid's fantasies.

The last game to really grab me was Disciples II -- utterly gorgeous. Although, the 360's Prey is pretty cool.

[Stereo]

I am playing ICO at the moment. The backgrounds might not be beautiful, but they really enhance the atmosphere of it.

[alexkidd]

Probably Flashback when it first came out for Genesis when I was about in seventh grade. Man I really felt like I was in that story. Also Snatcher, Although I didn't play it until right after the Sega CD's demise.

Metroid on NES gave me a real creapy feeling of being in actual danger when I was a kid too, it was so organic for a game at that time when all the environements seemed very artificial.

After playing NiGHTS into Dreams again a good deal as of late, I couldn't help be mesmerized all over again by its incredible levels. Its so impressive how dream-like many of the stages are and how much both the environments and the music get stuck in my brain. In fact, sometimes I actually have dreams that are inspired by the game.

Does anybody else have any other games that have had a strong impact on them due to the environments?

[neohx_7]

I agree that some FPS games have spectacular environments like Quake IV and Prey, but they tend to be too similiar. I think Half-Life 2 had the most memorable and engaging environments for me in a fps. FFXII has overwhelming environments and the free roaming and exploration of carefully crafted caverns, dungeons, cities, and vast landscapes make me ecstatic. Its so much nicer to explore when its not an MMO with a bunch of stupid looking characters running in circles and blabbering bullshit. I would have to put the Metroid series, Castlevania, Mana, Resident Evil, and Zelda games as particularly memorable environments. Theres plenty of specific memories that come to me...

Who forgets Lost woods in Ocarina of Time. Brinstar and the Wrecked Ship in Super Metroid. Techno organic horrors of Metroid II and Abadox. The trek to Dracula's throne room in Symphony of the Night. Incredible animation and lush environments of Metal Slug. How about that entire freaky ship in Metroid fusion. The Kingdom of Zeal in Chrono Trigger. Boosters Palace in Super Mario RPG. The magical Cleyra and Alexandria in FFIX. Yoshi's Island (enough said). The abstract beauty of Flashback, The brambles in Donkey Kong Country 2. The Chozo Ruins in Metroid Prime. The unparalleled realization of the Star Wars feel in Dark Forces. The hand drawn genius of Earthworm Jim. The superb interactive environments of Prince of Persia 2 (The original one for Mac). Hyrule in Wind Waker. The grungy steampunk towns in FFVI. The excruciating detailed in Vagrant Story. The futuristic wastelands of Extreme G2. The clean cut urban punk stylings of Jet Grind Radio. The islands of Riven...

I could type all day. How am I supposed to answer what single game environment engaged me the most?

[neohx_7]

uhh did I kill this topic. Now I feel silly...

[Zork]

While some may not agree I've found that Myst's enviroments were always really awesome. They always had a very otherworldly yet somewhat scientific and intellectual feel to them. Of course Cyan's attention to detail helped. I can't forget Silent Hill either, just looking at some stuff will cause an uncomfortable feeling to creep inside of you.

[lordofduct]

A couple of my artsy friends and I have been working on a video game for some time. I'm more of the planner and I code a descent amount.... most of the actual technical game making stuff is solved by them as that is their majors in school. I do this as I've got ideas up the wazoo of a game I want to see come together.

Environments are one of my main schticks when it comes to developing the game. Something that drags you in visually and audibly. The artist I chose was specifically for this reason alone... his art is overly engrossing. I am constantly telling my friends to check out certain titles for the things I'm looking for (who play only newer games... they didn't game much back in the early 8, 16 and early 32 bit eras).

For instance I tell them to look at Panzer dragoon for the uniqueness of the worlds they make and make sure everyone and everything in the game fits in that world... down to the language.

Or as mentioned before Silent Hill 1 and make it apparent to look at the camera angles and use of restrictions to enhance the atmosphere (using fog to cover up draw distance). My friends are used to the having more power then you need to model your characters. I want to instill the ideaology of older games which I adore. The application of restrictions and working in those confines to make the most of what you have... so that way when we gain more space (by utilizing normal mapping or something) we push it for what it's got... but doesn't look like it's being used just because we can.

Nights is another game that peeks my interest... I haven't brought it up with my friends as it isn't a game anywhere near what they like. But I will as I love the active background characters... not only MOBs running around, but non-interactive creatures just running a muck all about the place... it's like its own little world. We have plans for that in our game as well... interesting wildlife running about the place in the background that have no real effect on game play just for the aesthetic atmosphere to gear up engagement.

well that and it has something to do with a little extra gameplay feature we want to add for replayability... but that is only ambitions. We paint a big picture and then cut off what we can't handle... there IS only 3 of use right now.

[NeoRage]

Morrowind has been the most life stealing game I've ever played! The game almost felt like it was coding itself after a while, With all the variety in the landscape and all of the hidden places I actually felt like I belonged in the game ....Kinda sad, But they did their job making the game something magical! Oblivion on the other hand is a different story