Insignificant features in old games that need to be brought back

[Linkrulezall]

I'm sure many of you have a favorite thing you could do in an old game that might not have been integral to the gameplay, but was still either really fun or really amusing. Personally, I think more shooters today need the ability to shoot the hat off your teammates when you're bored like in Return To Castle Wolfenstein/Enemy Territory.

Have you guys got any?

[Technician]

Automap.

[Avoozl]

Socketed weapons/armor like in Diablo, but there's never really been any non-Diablo related game with any.

[geekmarine]

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

[Phobus]

geekmarine said:

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

Serious Sam 3 seems to have a Christmas tree appear in the first level around December/January time, but not all year, so that's within that last few years.

[40oz]

2D platformers need to use sprites. I'm sorry, they just do. You can have as many frames of animation as you want but you can't use 3D models.

[Technician]

40oz said:

2D platformers need to use sprites. I'm sorry, they just do. You can have as many frames of animation as you want but you can't use 3D models.

Developers need to actually put time into understanding the physicals of classic platformers before even worrying about graphics. Sonic 4, New Super Mario Bros. etc. absolutely fail at emulating what makes platformers so enjoying.

[GreyGhost]

I liked the odd bit of unnecessarily destructible environment in the Amiga version of Syndicate, such as being able to set fire to potted shrubs with my cyborg's flamethrowers.

[Linkrulezall]

geekmarine said:

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions would give you special parts if it was a holiday, like a cupid on Valentine's Day or a Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day. I remember making specific save files just to keep them around and be able to use them on other days.

[Kirby]

geekmarine said:

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

Wait, it DOES?!
*fires up the Google*

The only scolling shooter I remember playing that had holiday Easter Eggs was Tyrian's Christmas mode that would activate during the same week the holiday took place.

I do vaguely remember Rise of the Triad having some (I only remember the Mexican hat on IPF for Cinco de Mayo) but I never tried finding them.

This could be a fun way to spend the weekend :D

EDIT: Hah! They're all tied to the developers' birthdays. I wonder how I never knew about this all these years!

[AirRaid]

40oz said:

2D platformers need to use sprites. I'm sorry, they just do. You can have as many frames of animation as you want but you can't use 3D models.

Technician said:

Developers need to actually put time into understanding the physicals of classic platformers before even worrying about graphics. Sonic 4, New Super Mario Bros. etc. absolutely fail at emulating what makes platformers so enjoying.

Counterpoint - Sonic Generations' classic levels. Those were brilliant.

[Blastfrog]

Technician said:

Automap.

Frankly, I'd almost call this integral. While not absolutely necessary to win a complex level, it sure does help a lot.

geekmarine said:

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

Eh, real-world time based behavior changes in games kinda bother me. I realize that you can just set your system time, but I don't want to bother doing that and I'd prefer that the game remain the same 24/7, all year.

40oz said:

2D platformers need to use sprites. I'm sorry, they just do. You can have as many frames of animation as you want but you can't use 3D models.

While I prefer sprites myself, I don't really agree that they need to use them. It's merely a stylistic choice that doesn't affect gameplay or in any significant way.

Technician said:

Developers need to actually put time into understanding the physicals of classic platformers before even worrying about graphics. Sonic 4, New Super Mario Bros. etc. absolutely fail at emulating what makes platformers so enjoying.

This, so very much. Hell, I would extend this to many other genres. For example, an increasing number of modern first-person games are using flat, momentumless player movement. As much as I love Wolfenstein 3D, that is something that needed to stay in 1992.

[Avoozl]

Sprites really take too much time and as far as I know they're usually made from snapshots of 3D models, so they're better off using 3D models in the first place.

[Memfis]

Eh, I love momentumless movement, it makes sense to me that when I stop pressing buttons I stop moving immediately. Makes stuff like Doom 2 MAP24 and various platforming challenges much more manageable. Actually, I can't play Mario at all because of the momentum, I fall fucking everywhere.

[Blastfrog]

Memfis said:

Eh, I love momentumless movement, it makes sense to me that when I stop pressing buttons I stop moving immediately. Makes stuff like Doom 2 MAP24 and various platforming challenges much more manageable. Actually, I can't play Mario at all because of the momentum, I fall fucking everywhere.

I can understand that, but wouldn't you want at least slight smoothing? Wolf 3D is actually very nice to play with a mouse or analog joystick for movement, but it feels immensely awful when playing with WASD. Something more akin to SNES or Jaguar Wolf 3D's movement I find much more acceptable.

[Pencil of Doom]

40oz said:

2D platformers need to use sprites. I'm sorry, they just do. You can have as many frames of animation as you want but you can't use 3D models.

True, i agree 100% with you.

[Clonehunter]

I remember Zoo Tycoon 1 having holiday easter eggs and items, both in game time and real world time. I believe Christmas Trees are only available during a real world Chirstmas/Decemberish time period, while in game Christmas Santa will fly over the map. Always thought the tree thing was odd though in that it was the preferred foliage for Reindeer.

[geekmarine]

I gotta have momentum in my movement, otherwise I don't really feel like I'm controlling a character in the game - no momentum = the feeling that the character has no mass, no real presence in the world.

[Linkrulezall]

Sodaholic said:

I can understand that, but wouldn't you want at least slight smoothing? Wolf 3D is actually very nice to play with a mouse or analog joystick for movement, but it feels immensely awful when playing with WASD. Something more akin to SNES or Jaguar Wolf 3D's movement I find much more acceptable.

^This. Just this.
Of course, that can also go horribly awry, E.G. Bloodwings Pumpkinhead's Revenge

[dew]

geekmarine said:

I gotta have momentum in my movement, otherwise I don't really feel like I'm controlling a character in the game - no momentum = the feeling that the character has no mass, no real presence in the world.

Why would this be a problem for a cartoony 2D platformer? I don't need to be immersed in the "believable "world of Abuse. It uses zero momentum and it's still better than any platformer with it, because you shoot hordes of aliens with the goddamn mouselook. It feels more like a game and less like an adventure, perhaps, but it also makes me push the boundaries harder, try crazier tricks and strats, because I'm perfectly and comfortably in control of the character.

I'm not saying dump momentum though, it's just not a prerequisite for... well, anything. When I compare my two beloved scroller shmups, Raptor has serious momentum while Tyrian has next to none. Impact on gameplay or fun? The games are doing the same shit in different ways and both succeed with full marks.

[clamgor]

The "lives" and "continues" system.

[Megamur]

I not only want momentum in games, I'd like to see balance factored in, as well. Sprint into a wall at high speed and you'll probably end up flat on your back from the impact. Jump onto a staircase and you'll likely tumble to the bottom. Run into a small box and you might trip over it. It'd make players really have to be wary of their surroundings (and would also result in many hilarious multiplayer deaths).

I also kind of wish the wavering gun sights from the N64 Goldeneye would return. Even if you stood perfectly still, the reticle would still bob and sway slightly, realistically emulating how Bond's breathing and minute muscle twitches were affecting his aim. Sure, it could be annoying, but it was a small touch that helped connect you more completely with the game world.

[geekmarine]

dew said:

Why would this be a problem for a cartoony 2D platformer? I don't need to be immersed in the "believable "world of Abuse. It uses zero momentum and it's still better than any platformer with it, because you shoot hordes of aliens with the goddamn mouselook. It feels more like a game and less like an adventure, perhaps, but it also makes me push the boundaries harder, try crazier tricks and strats, because I'm perfectly and comfortably in control of the character.

I'm not saying dump momentum though, it's just not a prerequisite for... well, anything. When I compare my two beloved scroller shmups, Raptor has serious momentum while Tyrian has next to none. Impact on gameplay or fun? The games are doing the same shit in different ways and both succeed with full marks.

It's a matter of how I perceive the game - my expectation for how the character handles and anticipation for how my movement will affect where I'm gonna end up. I dunno, it's kinda hard to explain. Like, if I'm playing Mario and I'm going full speed, I anticipate a little delay if I want to stop or change directions. Obviously, if you take out momentum, I could adjust, but I guess there's just part of me that always expects a little momentum to be present, and so being able to instantly stop or switch directions is just a tad jarring. I dunno, there's just something about that little slide, and the extra sense of speed it adds.

[Chow Yun Thin]

Megamur said:

I also kind of wish the wavering gun sights from the N64 Goldeneye would return. Even if you stood perfectly still, the reticle would still bob and sway slightly, realistically emulating how Bond's breathing and minute muscle twitches were affecting his aim. Sure, it could be annoying, but it was a small touch that helped connect you more completely with the game world.

AFAIK the COD series have that and breath control as a balancing factor for their sniper rifles. Then again, it's a moot point considering aim assist and quickscoping on the consoles.

[Phobus]

Crasger said:

The "lives" and "continues" system.

Oh hell no, that is a relic of the past that should stay there.

[cybdmn]

geekmarine said:

I always liked how Raptor: Call of the Shadows had different Easter Eggs depending on the date. I thought tying the Easter Eggs to certain dates was kind of clever and fun. Haven't seen a feature like that implemented since Animal Crossing.

Rise of the Triad had this too.


And Iron Grip: Warlord.

[Darch]

If this thread was made in 94, I would say: Wolf 3d walking enemies. I don't know why it was removed in Doom, I think it could be used to create very interesting gimmicks. Especially if they could trigger line actions and buttons the same way they opened doors.

[printz]

Don't those still exist? It's pretty normal to have scripted enemies. I think only Doom and clones lacked them.

EDIT: missed the part you said 1994. Damn you Doom.

[Captain Red]

Crasger said:

The "lives" and "continues" system.

No.

[clamgor]

Colorful palletes.

I've noticed lots and lots of games these days are starting to get more and more monochromatic just to make it look "edgy", "dark", and "gritty".

Well fuck that, I say there should be a fucking rainbow of colors in every room like in Doom or Wolf3D.

Well, at least a lot of other devs still believe in adding aesthetically pleasing color and texture diversity in their games