AHC: Make Terrible Games Good!
- Thread starter Romantic Nihilist
- Start date
I'm surprised no one brought up Mass Effect 3. Or is that a Taboo subject?
Marc A
Never played it. Explain
Jurassic: The Hunted would have been vastly improved by making including some herbivore enemies and giving more diversity than just raptors over and over again (from a paleonerd standpoint) and by making the entire game less-linear; even in situations where the player was allowed to follow different paths, they were still ultimately forced to follow a single one
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis was pretty good as is, but the major fan complaint is that alot of planned material (including lots of more diverse dinosaurs) were cut because halfway through production they decided to make it a multi-platform game, and the Xbox and PS2 versions were arguably handicapped compared to the PC version because you couldn't mod it (or at least not as easily) and, ten years later, fan community mods are what have kept it going (whereas alot of other PC games had lots of material to begin with and were just made better with a dedicated fanbase and modding community, like with Age of Empires II for instance)
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis was pretty good as is, but the major fan complaint is that alot of planned material (including lots of more diverse dinosaurs) were cut because halfway through production they decided to make it a multi-platform game, and the Xbox and PS2 versions were arguably handicapped compared to the PC version because you couldn't mod it (or at least not as easily) and, ten years later, fan community mods are what have kept it going (whereas alot of other PC games had lots of material to begin with and were just made better with a dedicated fanbase and modding community, like with Age of Empires II for instance)
yourworstnightmare
Banned
Final Fantasy XI, XII, XIII etc. If you're gonna kill a franchise, it's much easier. Stop making games.
I have some suggestions for Operation Raccoon City.
1. De-zazz the characters. What I mean is rather than make them look like BDSM gas-troopers from Nazi Germany, make them a tad more serious looking and a bit more uniform, since they are a paramilitary outfit. Also, kindly change some of their call signs; they're pretty silly.
2. Rework their specialties. Make them semi-flexible in that I should be able to do whatever the heck I want (melee with the sniper, snipe with the close combat specialist), but give bonuses based on their specialties that are visible. Like the sniper's bullets do more damage, close combat specialist finds fighting easier, etc. I don't think their current abilities are that interesting.
3. Establish a feeling of dread. Resident Evil as a series should remain in the horror genre, and this game totally failed at setting it up. Heck, I'll even provide an example to how the horror aspect should've worked.
In the first level, you face G-Birkin. Start off the characters without their weapons, and have them start off scattered. This makes the player feel isolated and alone, and also puts them in a bad position. They should also rarely get ammo pick-ups throughout the game, since its the threat of something that's scarier than the thing itself. Also, make G-Birkin appear in rooms at random, make him search for them.
4. Make the game interesting and immersive. I should be able to explore (to an extent) the hell on earth that is Raccoon City. It just makes the experience all the more pleasant. A game that allows you some freedom (and consequences) just adds flavor to it.
Little things like that would improve the game.
Duke Nukem Forever
Released December 2001
In 1999 George Broussard, Co-Owner of 3D Realms, was killed in a car crash while driving the office. [1]
Scott Miller took over leading the project intending to complete the game in George's memory.
The development team preserved in spite of his absence and managed to get more work done under Miller unlike under Broussard as he would always try to incorporate new features and try to keep up with new emerging technology.
By 2000 the game was shaping up pretty well and was shown off at the E3 and was praised for the amount of interactivity in levels of the game.
In December 2001 the game was released to much fanfare.
Duke Nukem Forever in the end only took around five years to complete.
The game's plot:
Duke while relaxing in Las Vegas is contacted by General Miller of the EDF.
Duke is informed that the EDF is gearing up for a possible alien invasion from a space fleet in Earth’s orbit and that the president has also been kidnapped by unknown forces.
Shortly after spending time with a few girls, Vegas is attacked.
Duke fights his way through the smoldering city and encounters mutated civilians due to a virus that was unleashed by the aliens.
Duke reaches the outskirts of Vegas is aided by a thug named Carlos and manages to escape the city.
While in the desert Duke is pursued by alien forces intent on killing him.
He is chased across the Hoover dam and manages to escape through an abandoned mine.
After a short respite in a small mining town Duke then proceeds to an EDF base.
Going through the overrun base he finally reaches EDF central command through the Minotaur network, a series of tunnels that reach all over America and connect all EDF bases.
Duke meets with General Miller who is killed when a collection of cyborgs and androids storm the base.
After Duke interrogates one of the cyborgs, it becomes apparent that Doctor Proton, an enemy Duke encountered long ago, has made a deal with the aliens.
Doctor Proton was to be granted control of Earth as long as he provided a supply of women for the aliens, though he never really intended to do so and now waits for the right moment to decimate the alien fleet with a defense network he has established in secret.
With his army of machines and cyborgs he would then rule Earth.
Duke heads to the coast, encounters more enemies and reaches the oil rig which Proton seems to be residing on. Fighting through the oil rig, Duke then gains access to an underwater base.
The underwater base has many portals leading to different times, in some of them it shows Earth’s future is in flux. Duke encounters the President and helps him reach a submersible to get to the surface.
Doctor Proton activates the defense network destroying all ships in Earth orbit.
Duke then faces off with Proton in the bases reactor and defeats him.
The base then starts self destructing forcing Duke to escape through an unstable portal.
The world is saved but Duke is presumed dead.
Half way across the galaxy a portal opens and Duke emerges on a planetoid that seems to be composed of many different alien cultures.
How Duke gets back to Earth is resolved in Prey, another 3D realms game.
[1] The point of divergence
The game ends up being released like how it was in the E3 2001 footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDlB2P1leRM
Released December 2001
In 1999 George Broussard, Co-Owner of 3D Realms, was killed in a car crash while driving the office. [1]
Scott Miller took over leading the project intending to complete the game in George's memory.
The development team preserved in spite of his absence and managed to get more work done under Miller unlike under Broussard as he would always try to incorporate new features and try to keep up with new emerging technology.
By 2000 the game was shaping up pretty well and was shown off at the E3 and was praised for the amount of interactivity in levels of the game.
In December 2001 the game was released to much fanfare.
Duke Nukem Forever in the end only took around five years to complete.
The game's plot:
Duke while relaxing in Las Vegas is contacted by General Miller of the EDF.
Duke is informed that the EDF is gearing up for a possible alien invasion from a space fleet in Earth’s orbit and that the president has also been kidnapped by unknown forces.
Shortly after spending time with a few girls, Vegas is attacked.
Duke fights his way through the smoldering city and encounters mutated civilians due to a virus that was unleashed by the aliens.
Duke reaches the outskirts of Vegas is aided by a thug named Carlos and manages to escape the city.
While in the desert Duke is pursued by alien forces intent on killing him.
He is chased across the Hoover dam and manages to escape through an abandoned mine.
After a short respite in a small mining town Duke then proceeds to an EDF base.
Going through the overrun base he finally reaches EDF central command through the Minotaur network, a series of tunnels that reach all over America and connect all EDF bases.
Duke meets with General Miller who is killed when a collection of cyborgs and androids storm the base.
After Duke interrogates one of the cyborgs, it becomes apparent that Doctor Proton, an enemy Duke encountered long ago, has made a deal with the aliens.
Doctor Proton was to be granted control of Earth as long as he provided a supply of women for the aliens, though he never really intended to do so and now waits for the right moment to decimate the alien fleet with a defense network he has established in secret.
With his army of machines and cyborgs he would then rule Earth.
Duke heads to the coast, encounters more enemies and reaches the oil rig which Proton seems to be residing on. Fighting through the oil rig, Duke then gains access to an underwater base.
The underwater base has many portals leading to different times, in some of them it shows Earth’s future is in flux. Duke encounters the President and helps him reach a submersible to get to the surface.
Doctor Proton activates the defense network destroying all ships in Earth orbit.
Duke then faces off with Proton in the bases reactor and defeats him.
The base then starts self destructing forcing Duke to escape through an unstable portal.
The world is saved but Duke is presumed dead.
Half way across the galaxy a portal opens and Duke emerges on a planetoid that seems to be composed of many different alien cultures.
How Duke gets back to Earth is resolved in Prey, another 3D realms game.
[1] The point of divergence
The game ends up being released like how it was in the E3 2001 footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDlB2P1leRM
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Banjo Threeie is released instead which keeps to the original format rather than being some car game.
Banjo Threeie is released instead which keeps to the original format rather than being some car game.
I'm surprised no one brought up Mass Effect 3. Or is that a Taboo subject?
Marc A
Probably because it wasn't actually a terrible game, just a terrible ending. As many fans noted, it was a pretty good game until the last 20 mins.
However.....I would like to bring up Dragon Age II:
-Make it more open ended instead of being restricted to Kirkwall and have your choices matter more instead of going along linear paths.
I don't play games often, I'm more of a simulator guy. However the two worst offenders I've spent time with "Modern Warfare 2 and 3.
1. Since the name of the series is 'Modern Warfare' shouldn't it be set in places such 'Iraq' or 'Afghanistan' (Yes I know the first episode of MW2 is in Kabul but... it really is rather forgettable) or maybe even the DRC if you really wanted to be creative? As opposed to the West Coast of the USA?
2. Lose 'TEH EVOL RUSSIANSSSS' plot point, well okay maybe have them on the wrong side of NATO but shove it far into the background, no BS knock off of Red Dawn, on another point show NATO as a genuine international force. And I don't mean a tank with a stupid German Accent.
3. Rather than having Drones and Gunships as fancy side notes to the mean mission, Oh Yeah, missions should be missions and not extended 'GET TO DA CHAPPA!!!!' scenes. Anyway have actual drone/ gunship missions, in fact why not have a mission were a drone is sent to assassinate a suspected lieutenant in his own house! Killing a Bad guy when he's being evil with a bunch of other bad guy is one thing, killing a man you only suspect of wrong doing, whilst he discussing dinner with his wife and his kids are playing in the Garden... Thats an entirely different fish.
4. Have the characters act like they have brains, in fact have the rest of the world behave like that as well.
1. Since the name of the series is 'Modern Warfare' shouldn't it be set in places such 'Iraq' or 'Afghanistan' (Yes I know the first episode of MW2 is in Kabul but... it really is rather forgettable) or maybe even the DRC if you really wanted to be creative? As opposed to the West Coast of the USA?
2. Lose 'TEH EVOL RUSSIANSSSS' plot point, well okay maybe have them on the wrong side of NATO but shove it far into the background, no BS knock off of Red Dawn, on another point show NATO as a genuine international force. And I don't mean a tank with a stupid German Accent.
3. Rather than having Drones and Gunships as fancy side notes to the mean mission, Oh Yeah, missions should be missions and not extended 'GET TO DA CHAPPA!!!!' scenes. Anyway have actual drone/ gunship missions, in fact why not have a mission were a drone is sent to assassinate a suspected lieutenant in his own house! Killing a Bad guy when he's being evil with a bunch of other bad guy is one thing, killing a man you only suspect of wrong doing, whilst he discussing dinner with his wife and his kids are playing in the Garden... Thats an entirely different fish.
4. Have the characters act like they have brains, in fact have the rest of the world behave like that as well.
Speaking of simulators, here's one:
IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover - release when at least mostly ready, provide it with a halfway decent single-player campaign. After a number of major patches the game at least is now playable fps-wise on a decent computer, looks great, and the flight/damage models are excellent. As a game, however, it still completely sucks. Completely non-immersive, and a bore after 5 minutes. The original decades-old Il-2 (suitably patched) looks almost a good and flys rings around it as a way to kill sev eral hours a night.
Did you make the impossible, that at least the game would have been decent to good, it a shame that director...
This can apply to many games (even if they are decent):
NO over-hyped promotion. No fucking exceptions.
NO over-hyped promotion. No fucking exceptions.