Topic: y cant metroid crawl?

[idolminds]

So the question is: Is this the result of years modern game design or is this why we have "modern game design" to begin with? DISCUSS

[Cobra951]

Jesus.  Just find the morph ball already.  Dimbulbs.

About the only excuse I can think of is that modern games are often so buggy that the immediate assumption in such a situation is that something's wrong with the game.  In the SNES era, I knew being stuck was my fault.

Spoon feeding is not the same thing as modern design either.

[sirean_syan]

I dunno. On those last pictures the dudes just got the morphball and presumably got the little tip about turning into the ball.

I'd like to blame games for telling people exactly what to do all the time, but I'd also guess people got stuck super early way back with the original Metroid and it's contemporaries. It's probably more of a matter of people being unable to think about trying a new direction when one doesn't work out. No wonder there are so many locked doors in newer games.

[Xessive]

That's what testing is for. When you note recurring incidence of testers getting stumped in the same spot, despite varying skill levels, you know the problem is in the layout/structure. That's when you have to identify if it's just too challenging a puzzle, an instructional oversight, or a technical bug.

EDIT:
But yes, I do agree, some games just do too much hand-holding.

One recent game I felt did it right was Guacamelee. It teaches you the basics early on then let's you off on your to experiment by combining abilities and using your skill to maneuvre around levels. Hints pop up when you've been around an area far too long, and even then they're relatively general hints like "press SELECT to find your objective" it doesn't drag you around by the nose.

[sirean_syan]

I shudder to think what an overly tested Super Metroid would be. Sometimes a game just needs to let you work shit out yourself and Super Metroid is a near perfect example of a game that lets you do that.

[Cobra951]

I remember being stuck for days in Zelda 3.  I'd even think about my predicament whenever I didn't have my mind occupied by other things (like work).  I think I was on the toilet when it hit me--it has to be related to a landscape change between the normal world and the dark world.  Sure enough!  I felt like I discovered the atom when I finally got through.  No one would have that kind of patience today.  The internet makes it practically impossible.

Contrast that with Metroid and the morph ball.  Come on.  I can't even begin to feel sympathy here.  Just try out what you just got, see what happens!  "Oh, lookie, I turn into this little ball that fits everywhere!"