They Don't Make Em Like They Used To

As planned, my 24 hour gaming marathon for charity was the perfect opportunity to start Icewind Dale. This game is enormous, and I really didn't put much of a dent in it even after 24 hours. Ah...they don't make 'em like they used to.

People say that all the time, but it's absolutely true. You will never come across a game nowadays that's going to easily take 100+ hours. It just doesn't happen. The only recent game that even comes close is Skyrim. I spent 70 some hours playing that, but that game's the exception rather than the rule. 30 hours is pretty standard fare nowadays or if you're playing a shooter, 10 hours since they just want the ability to check that "Single-Player Campaign" feature box. (I know, I know. FPS enthusiasts are in it for the multiplayer. Moving right along...)

Second thing, your party are utter wusses to start out with. If you Leroy Jenkins into danger, someone's dying. Guaranteed. Your 6 measly hit points are no match for...anything. After I lost a party member to a wolf who found its way into a house and later participated in death by goblins, I then remembered why I developed the habit saving my game compulsively, and also, why I used to come at mobs with more trepidation. Games used to be hard, teaching by letting the user fall on their face. People learn quickly that way, like a kid learning that touching hot things fucking hurts.

The era of the tutorial crept in while I was unawares. Starting a game where you're going to get your ass handed to you right away might cause users to give up on the game. The first experience of the game will be a nice stroll where you learn some UI stuff, some controls stuff, and no matter how inept you are, you're probably going to survive because you're practically invincible in Tutorial Land. Give the user that boost of self-confidence to keep soldiering onward because you're good enough, you're smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like you. The change to this methodology has been gradual, so I didn't really notice, but fuck that noise. I'd like to compare this to the weak practice of giving out trophies to kids merely for participating in sports. You didn't earn that, and it cheapens the reward for those who did earn it. There's got to be a bit of a challenge or the progression won't feel like an accomplishment. We're not talking "Demon Souls" caliber or that awful first section in "Driver" type of challenge but at least give me a taste of things to come.

Respect your audience enough to let them discover some things on their own and feel secure in the fact that if they encounter some trials and tribulations that they're not going to rage quit within the first 20 minutes. Quit holding my hand. I promise I won't go play in the street.