Willits: id's Old Style Just Doesn't Work Anymore
id Software says that its old run-n-gun formula in corridors just doesn’t work any more.
Those of us who spent countless hours trolling the corridors of DOOM and Quake titles for the next key or victim to "gib" (AI or human) no doubt look back on those days with fond memories. Gameplay was simple and the graphics were simple, allowing players to actually play rather than endure numerous cutscenes, lengthy dialogue and hide-n-fire gun fights that slow down the game's progression. Shooters have seemingly matured from fast-paced games to story-driven simulators.
That said, don't expect another game from id Software that uses the fast-paced, old-school run-n-gun formula that made the company king of the shooters in the first place-- it just doesn't work anymore, or so the developer claims. The audience wants something more it seems: more story, more visuals, more experience, and more multiplayer options than mere Deathmatch and Capture the Flag.
"We did not want to have Nazis in corridors, demons in corridors, aliens in corridors," said id Software creative director Tim Willits in an interview with PC Gamer. "We didn’t want to have a short single player game, make an id style deathmatch, then just put a name on it and say ‘everyone should buy this.' People expect more."
To his defense, RAGE is definitely a departure from id's previous titles. Wolfenstein may have unleashed the American soldier into Nazi-filled corridors (zombies came later), but the DOOM and Quake series both featured soldiers battling aliens in space. We're not complaining of course, but RAGE offers a fresh new avenue for the developer even though the mutant-filled apocalyptic setting outstayed its welcome even in the 1980s.
But fear not: RAGE will have some elements of id's popular run-n-gun gameplay from days of long ago. "In the different areas, you have a different mindset," Willits explained. "In town, you’re in a mindset where there’s no combat, you can buy your stuff, you can find missions. In the wasteland, you’re in a buggy, a bit of vehicle combat. And then, when you get to a facade (RAGE’s dungeon-esque shooter sections), it’s like classic id first person. It makes it more than running around shooting dudes."
RAGE is slated to arrive on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC on September 13, 2011. Still, if gamers send in enough requests, id might actually deliver another short, single player game with an id style deathmatch. Call it Quake 5. Please.
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Double posting
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This is a debatable argument. I don't disagree that the majority of big developers are putting more emphasis on story etc, but looking at the indie side, we see a completely different image - Look at Minecraft or Magicka. There's little or no story, and visuals aren't that great compared to modern games. Yet they offer unforgettable experiences to gamers. Surely a run-and-gun formula works, it's just that developers have not yet found the final ingredient that makes a normal run-and-gun game to an awesome RnG game.
"Gameplay was simple and the graphics were simple, allowing players to actually play rather than endure numerous cutscenes, lengthy dialogue and hide-n-fire gun fights that slow down the game's progression. Shooters have seemingly matured from fast-paced games to story-driven simulators."
Now I have to disagree those old game were... dumb! I've never been able to pass after level 8 in Doom or Quake? Why? Because I was totally bored, because nothing happened in these games - no story, no epic scenes, nothing that would actually tie me to the character and force me to play until the end.
I've played through MassEffect 2 and unlike most of the people I've found it's gameplay to suck badly but I've played the whole game and I liked it because there was a reason to wish me stay and see what's coming next.
Now if you really want to have some meaningless but fast paced action just go and chase flies with bare hands! I guarantee you much more fun and action than Doom or any of it's clones!
This is a debatable argument. I don't disagree that the majority of big developers are putting more emphasis on story etc, but looking at the indie side, we see a completely different image - Look at Minecraft or Magicka. There's little or no story, and visuals aren't that great compared to modern games. Yet they offer unforgettable experiences to gamers. Surely a run-and-gun formula works, it's just that developers have not yet found the final ingredient that makes a normal run-and-gun game to an awesome RnG game.
That's debatable too... most big publishers put some crappy story just to justify their high budgets and they always recycle the same old formula bad vs. good and good kicks the asses of the bad guys.
Now add some orcs and some zombies and you've got the 10000000000001 game with zombies and orcs.