Gaming Cliches

[child of Thor]

exactly - when i see those on a box, especialy these days, i have to sigh a little bit. They tell me the type of cliche fun that i've got to look forward to in that particular game.
As games 'dumb down' we will see more cliche, rather than less - simpler games require a recognised continuity for players, so i'm sure exploding barrels et all are here to stay.

[duke o' york]

Now exploding gun barrels would be a lot more fun. There is a chance of breaking your sword or whatever in most RPG games these days, but I don't see shooting games forcing you to have a rest because you have overheated your gun.

[GeneralTacticus]

Halo does that for Covenant weapons (plasma pistols and rifles, and the Fuel Rod Gun), but not for human weapons.

Incidentally, if no-one's mentioned it already, another couple of items for the list:

- 'Plasma' weapons that fire big globs of glowing stuff.
- Fusion reactors which can somehow be induced to explode.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by GeneralTacticus
- Fusion reactors which can somehow be induced to explode.

......whilst you escape along a most fortuitous escape route.

[Qilue]

Frontier Elite II and Frontier First Encounters used a very accurate Newtonian flight model and had very realistic star system dimensions. With a little practice you could even do gravity slingshots.

The maximum speed is 0.5C but I don't imagine time dilation was coded in either.

[dunk]

- Fusion reactors which can somehow be induced to explode.

By ceaselessly shooting them with small bullets.

[DrSpike]

It's cool the way they manufacture them with nice energy bars attached.

[Minodrin]

Ah rats. But when you read a fantasy novel, who can forget all the memorable scenes of young adventurers. I still remeber the Lord of the Rings 1 came as a movie, we saw Frodo attacking a squirrel with his sword (and losing, he starts at level 1 when the film begins). That's why he came on the cart with Gandalf, healing spells.

Also, why do FPS heroes eat bullets easily but they have the acrobatical ability of a chicken. "Oh my, this box is 50cm. high. I cannot climb this. I shall need to kill those 20 people and run 1 km to get the jetpack so I can fly over it."

[Pythagoras]

How about important bosses that you fight only to have the game allow them to make a last minute escape to preserve the plot. (ie your first fight w/ Malak in KOTOR)

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by DrSpike
......whilst you escape along a most fortuitous escape route.

That was one of the coolest parts, though, even with the requisite suspension of disbelief.

[Barinthus]

I remember one of early Terran missions in Starcraft in which you have to defend your base from Zergs for 30 minutes until that human rebel group rescue you. After beating the game I came back and played that one again. I was able to exterminate Zergs (I think there were one or two overlords left) by the time the 'rescuers' showed up. I'm like 'We're fine down here, leave us alone!'

There's one similar mission later on in which you have to defend yourself and a Zerg base (even if they're attacking you) from Protoss. I managed to finish that one with only one causlity and it's because that soldier got infected with a parasite so I had him do a sucide run against the Protoss. No matter how many heavy weapons, troops I had at the end, Zergs always overwhelmed Terrans. It's pretty awesome to watch although!

[Sandman]

I was just thinking about this thread, actually. Well done for resurrecting it.

Pyramids: The Great Pyramid of Cheops has about half a dozen rooms. In games, it's slightly different. When I come to a pyramid in a game, I immediately think "Yay! Trap-filled maze ahead!" Complete with 'Egyptian-style' enemies (mummies, scarabs, scorpions, etc) and a sand-related colour scheme.

Ludicrous Barriers to Exploration: As well as Minodrin's 50cm high impassable boxes, there's loads more. Ultra-dense shrubbery that's more impervious than plate armor. Unclimbable short stone walls. Generic 'blocks'. Gentle slopes that are slippery as ice rinks. Knee-high cliffs. Knee-deep water. 'Road under construction' signs.

Elemental Magic/Weapons: I'm sure that this was a good idea when it first appeared, aeons ago. A pity it's in almost every game with magic, and plenty of games without it. Fire works against water, water works against... sigh... fire, etc. And each element typically has its own oh-so-generic 'themed' level. As well as the standard four elements, there's usually additional elements - like 'nature' or 'death'. Well done to the games designers for being so daring.

Two-weapon fighting: Never mind that few, if any cultures, have seriously employed two-weapon fighting. As far as games are concerned, holding a weapon in each hand is by far the most efficient combat style around. After all, a fighter that holds two weapons can hit twice as often, right? Plus, dual wielding is sew kewl.

[child of Thor]

Originally posted by Qilue
Frontier Elite II and Frontier First Encounters used a very accurate Newtonian flight model and had very realistic star system dimensions. With a little practice you could even do gravity slingshots.

The maximum speed is 0.5C but I don't imagine time dilation was coded in either.

Great games just for that still its an anti-cliche i would have thought?
How about Space flight games, where you have an up and down and when you turn down your engines you stop moving. Your engines and guns make noises in an external mode and you can hear the explosions of you missiles when they hit an enemy ship.

[dunk]

Originally posted by DrSpike
It's cool the way they manufacture them with nice energy bars attached.

Well, of course. And some even start flashing colors when near destruction. I thought all things did that.

[dunk]

Originally posted by Sandman
Ultra-dense shrubbery that's more impervious than plate armor.

It's protected by nature magic.

Originally posted by Sandman
Unclimbable short stone walls. Generic 'blocks'.

Hey i might trip over those.

Originally posted by Sandman Gentle slopes that are slippery as ice rinks.

It's not the slopes, it's the shoes. They're constantly oiled every step you take.

Originally posted by Sandman Knee-high cliffs.

Ooh, those could be pointy.

Originally posted by Sandman Knee-deep water.

It's very very cold.

Originally posted by Sandman 'Road under construction' signs.

Hey, there could be any number of things down there. Orange barrels, angry teamsters. Anything.