What should developers NOT continue doing after this gen?

[BoringSupreez]

Get Rid Of These:

Increased Focus on Online Games: I like single player, not multiplayer. Games this gen focus far too heavily on multiplayer.

Always-On DRM: If the internet hiccups, the game ends. That sucks. Also means you can't even start the game if your machine isn't hooked up to the internet.

Short Single Player Games: Nothing smarts more than paying $60 for a new game, popping it in, and being finished a mere 8 hours later.

"Social" Interaction: I don't need Facebook on my Xbox.

Mii's, Avatars, etc.: These are just plain stupid. And I hate seeing my dumb old Mii popping up in my favorite Wii games. I want a character created by the developers, not my own!

Motion Sensing Controllers: I don't like the motion sensing stuff Nintendo and Sony have fallen in love with. Motion sensing is only rarely used in a way that couldn't be done equally as good or even better with analog sticks and buttons.

Lack of Great PC Exclusives: Most good exclusive PC games are Indie stuff. I miss the days when PC used to get multiple big exclusives like Starcraft 2 every year. Now, we only get like 1 or 2 per year. PC is still a great gaming platform, I don't see why most non-MMO game developers don't spend more time on it.

[The Last Horseman]

Oh, there's a thread for this!

- Sticky/cover systems in shooters. *yawns*
- DLC

On cover systems, I'm okay with them in only one case: ala Gears of War, where the whole game is built around it. They did it right. With DLC, I'm okay with it as long as it is not story imperative or is something that absolutely must be played, etc.

[BoringSupreez]

Oh, there's a thread for this!

- Sticky/cover systems in shooters. *yawns*
- DLC

On cover systems, I'm okay with them in only one case: ala Gears of War, where the whole game is built around it. They did it right.

I think Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter did it quite well too.

[jfrost]

Short Single Player Games: Nothing smarts more than paying $60 for a new game, popping it in, and being finished a mere 8 hours later

I think 8 hours is more than enough for most games. In fact, after 8 hours, most games are just overstaying their welcome.

[Nanten]

On cover systems, I'm okay with them in only one case: ala Gears of War, where the whole game is built around it. They did it right.

I think Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter did it quite well too.

I'd add the Brothers in Arms games to the list. In a tactical shooter like that, where you have to give orders and move from cover to cover like a real military unit would, it's basically necessary.

[Gamerforlife]

If I could create my own fantasy reality, all of these things would change:

1. Abolish DLC, the digital space should exist solely for the purpose of pushing independent, artistic and low budget games, not nickel and diming people for content that should have been included in a major retail game in the first place

2. More realistic gameplay and more thoughtful design to compliment that. I wish to see health bars completely abolished from video games unless there is an explainable reason for them to exist. For example, I would design a game where the main character meets instant death when an enemy successful lands a lethal attack on them. However, at some point in the game perhaps you would find some kind of armor or bullet proof vest or something similar. NOW you get to have a health bar because now it actually makes sense for you to have one. I'm sick of the MASSIVE suspension of disbelief that video games require of players. No other entertainment medium is as ridiculously unrealistic as video games and it's about damn time for video games to f***ing grow up!

I'd also like to see health items in general go the way of the dodo as they are just crutches for lazy developers. If players had no way to survive lethal attacks save acquiring some kind of protective attire, it would force developers to design games with much more thought and care instead of just throwing lots of enemies and bullets at players and then tossing a health item their way, which is what a lot of games do. I want games with more methodical, strategic gameplay isntead of the random chaos that characterizes most action oriented games

3. Abolish achievements/trophies, the industry has made suck a joke of them that I see no reason to keep this nonsense around. Plus, abolishing the traditional achievement/trophy system would allow developers more freedom to create their own achievements without having to make them adhere to some annoying guidelines put in place by Sony and Microsoft. Good examples of games that have done that are Valkyria Chronicles and even going as far back as Final Fantasy 12 on the PS 2.

4. Three game rule for franchises. You get TWO sequels, then you make a new IP. Frankly, most franchises have nothing left to show us after two sequels

5. Built in mouse/keyboard support for all consoles and console shooters so this whole PC versus console argument over shooters could just come to an end

6. Abolish copy locks on saves. It my f***ing game data! I should be able to do whatever I want with it you corporate assholes!

7. No more multi-platform releases. Games would be much better if developers could focus on getting the most out of one console and didn't have to hold back to take into consideration limitations of various platforms. This would also make owning a particular console actually MEAN something again if they all had exclusives

8. Shorter games with lower budgets. I'm tired of paying exhorbitantly priced games just to justify games being way too long and having far bigger budgets than they really need. Take a look at some of the great games on PSN and Xbox Live to see how you made a great game on the cheap and without it lasting long enough to wear out its welcome. 90% of the games on the market are much longer than they need to be and are padded out with stupid, pointless crap like boring side missions, collectibles, etc.

9. Bug/glitch test your games developers! Christ, practically everything that comes out these days is buggy or glitchy

10. Multi-player or single player. Make a choice, I'm tired of games trying to serve two masters. If I play a single player game I expect that 110 percent of the effort and resources went into giving me the best single player experience possible and not wasted on some stupid, multi-player mode

11. No more stupid company logo screens before the title screen. You can tell me everything I need to know about the makers of your game on the box and in the end credits

12. Anyone who makes games with unskippable cutscenes should be banished to the ninth circle of hell after being eviscerated and brutally killed

That's all I've got for now

[yomomma1]

^ I disagree with 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 11. For number 3, you said that it was the system that microsoft and sony put in place that was the problem. But in number 8 you said that collectable items and other filler should go. Multiplatform games are good for the developer, and the consumer. If a company wants to make an exclusive, they can but unless they are being offered money by the console maker, or believe they will see better success as an exclusive they won't, it doesn't make good business sense to limit the amount of potential consumers. 5. If games weren't multiplat why would it matter which is better? Each game would be made to take advantage of that specific platform, and that platform's controller. 10. Games can have good multiplayer and singleplayer. But just because some games do not do both well does not mean that every game should be one or the other. 11. I like company logos, if you don't, press start or x, or a, or escape. I think your fantasy reality would be more: If every game company was the same, this is what I would want. But they aren't, and many factors influence how well they execute different parts of the game.

Here is what I would want instead of no multiplat games: Make the necessary game changes, while keeping it the same game or mostly the same game to take advantage of that particular platform. This would mean that versions of games would be slightly different for each platforms (Think harry potter chamber of secrets)

[MrPopo]

No other entertainment medium is as ridiculously unrealistic as video games and it's about damn time for video games to f***ing grow up!

You've clearly never watched an action movie.

[Xeogred]

I'd also like to see health items in general go the way of the dodo as they are just crutches for lazy developers. If players had no way to survive lethal attacks save acquiring some kind of protective attire, it would force developers to design games with much more thought and care instead of just throwing lots of enemies and bullets at players and then tossing a health item their way, which is what a lot of games do. I want games with more methodical, strategic gameplay isntead of the random chaos that characterizes most action oriented games

Honestly dude, health items have deteriorated over this current gen in favor of SHIELDS AND RECHARGING HEALTH. Seriously I don't think you can argue against that point. Damn, do I miss health packs. Games like Half-Life 2 can still pull it off really well, giving you just the right amount when needed if you're doing fine. If not, that's your fault then, unlike most modern games where it's just like ... okay, I'll just sit here and wait for my shield to recharge. Which kind of goes hand in hand with how bored I am of sticky/cover systems. I'll agree with others above that SOME games do it alright, but seriously... it's way too widespread now. Modern warfare, recharging health, and sticky/cover systems. DIE!

Also it's been said that a lot of games seem to be favoring checkpoint systems instead of quicksaving anywhere you want. Bleh, I do not like that either.

[Flake]

it's about damn time for video games to f***ing grow up!

That'd be enough to make me stop gaming altogether. If games 'grew up' and got 'realistic' I'd find nothing interesting about them. Reality is outside my door and as a (semi) responsible adult I spend plenty of time dealing with it.

On my time I want to wave a magic sword while exploring an alien planet in a quest to thwart a mad scientist's robots who stole my bananas.