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Ten Maxims Every FPS Should Follow

Posted by Zonk on from the do-it-right-the-first-time dept.

The Game Career Guide site has up a story that tries to lay down some rules for a good First Person Shooter. The article advocates in favour of player choices, fast action, and rich environments; keep the boring cutscenes and make sure the players are getting a great bang for their buck. From the article: "Don't allow the player to play the game half-heartedly, which is a dangerous stumbling block at any point of the game. Example: Half-Life 2. While the introduction presenting the environment of City 17 was much more effective than the tram sequence of Black Mesa from the game's predecessor, the sheer length of time between point insertion and getting the crowbar would never have worked in any other game."

2 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Nearly all right by megalomaniacs4u · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Not bad, I agree with the list but they missed some pet peeves:
    • Thou shall not steal my carefully collected, especially the one decent gun I like and use.
      Examples: Red Faction, Quake 4, and too many others
    • Thou shall not have pointless out of character stealth levels in an out & out action game.
      Examples: RTCW, MoH:AA
    • Thou shall not use dumb jumping puzzles to slow the player down
      Examples: HL2, Jedi Knight - Jedi Outcast, Prey*

    * = Although the gravity & portal puzzles made a welcome change, they were used as a substitute for jumping puzzles.

  2. no by tartley · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I couldn't disagree more. The industry is suffering a crippling dearth of innovation and risk-taking, and suggesting that everything has to match up to some prescribed formula as described could not be more damaging for the industry. How about instead of adding more restrictions, we remove the crippling existing ones that make every darn game the same? How about a FPS with no fecking guns in it, just once?