Most hated game design "features".

[7-Zark-7]

Okay, to explain the origin of this thread. For curiousity,I decided to d/l Police Quest 1 from BTTR & give it a try on WinUAE. (Being a fan of the old Point'n'click's). Now I wasn't expecting any leisuresuit larry, or Indy/DOTT type antics, but I couldn't believe the nitpicking "simulation" aspect of this game.
Collect your gear, get your mission assigment etc., & go off on patrol...oh wait, first you must be aware of real-life police protocols of doing an official safety inspection of your car, & putting on your seatbelt etc. There are several more,but I think you'll get the point.

Now there are those who say the success of the Police Quest Games for Sierra would prove that it was a great semi-simulated adventure. Personally, IMHO this was a classic example of design overkill.

Does anyone else remember any old Amiga or other retro-systems,(or indeed more recent), games which had "features" that in your view spoilt an otherwise pontentially good game/design idea?
Example 2: Dodgy arcade sequences in games like Operation Stealth.

[Amiga1992]

Example number 3: INERTIA in PRoject X.

Inertia is THE WORST feature ever conceived for shmups. It just fucks up teh game!

What is inertia?

[Drake1009]

Well 7-Zark-7 remember that the protocol to follow in PQ was partially game feature but actually more there as a sort of copy protection part integrated into the game.

[CodyJarrett]

Originally posted by Burseg
What is inertia?

It's a physics term. In Project X, it's when the sprite doesn't come to a complete stop immediately, but rather decelerates to a halt.

[Galahad/FLT]

Arcade sections were an absolute chore, if the cracker had removed them from the game, I'd have been quite happy... no sense of accomplishment when I did them, just glad they were out of the way.

[Galahad/FLT]

You have MEGA weapons and you get killed..... the designer then thinks its funny that you should replay the exact same part of the game WITHOUT the mega weapons?!?!?!???! If you couldn't defeat the enemy with loads of weapons, what the hell logic is there that thinks you could do it with a single shot laser?!?!?

[7-Zark-7]

Originally posted by Drake1009
Well 7-Zark-7 remember that the protocol to follow in PQ was partially game feature but actually more there as a sort of copy protection part integrated into the game.

Yes & no Drake. Yes, the manual-based protection is there, however I've also read of the fact the games designers were proud of real police praising its realism teaching young recruits! And an ex-policeman was used in consultation on the "realism" in proceedures.

But my point is, to the detriment of the gameplay? I mean, would you enjoy a totally realistic RPG, ie:eat every few hours, & gotta find a toilet for a bursting bladder? Or a realistic Sim City-1 building taking 12months pending government red-tape for a building application?!

I'm talking about the small unecessary things that stopped games that had potential being really good. Who could forget that whole "speed-ups" syndrome in shootemups? Well spotted Akira!

[Amiga1992]

Ahh, SPEEDUPS! Galahad brings up a very valid point but I hate more the lack of ship speed than the lack of weapons. This is MOST annoying in the Gradius series.

[Overdoc]

What I hate most in shoot'em ups is like Galahad & Akira mentioned: the loss of weapons and speedups !

What I hate most in jump'n runs where you have to kill something is when enemies appear again after you have killed them. One of the most annoying ones of this type are Barbarian II ( Palace version ) and Risky Woods. Both could have been good games, but are unplayable crap instead

[BippyM]

I really, Really hated pixel perfect jumping in platform games, come-on does your character really need to be 2-3 pixels over the edge to make a jump, and if you fail ... DEATH

I got one for you, but you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong. I recently got an Amiga CD32 after my parents sold all the family Amiga stuff about 6 years ago , but before that we had gone through an A500, up to a CD32 and then an SX-1, which basically let us play A1200 games on the CD32. Anyway my collection is growing and soon I should have an A600 as well .
One of the most annoying things I have found so far applies to both Zool 2 and possibly Oscar, it is probably true for Zool and other platformers too. There is no save or password function meaning every time you die or have to stop, the next time you have to start from scratch ! I think Oscar is poop anyway but Zool 2 is almost spoilt for me cos I can't just pick it up and do a few levels when I feel like it.

[Overdoc]

Yes, yes, I completetly agree !
This missing savegame or password feature is also a pain in Mr. Nutz and Ruff'n Tumble, Rick Dangerous as well as Fire & Ice:

It takes several HOURS to finish these games, and I am too lazy to even try because I wouldn't feel very good after playing 3 hours just trying to complete one of these games and then probably loose all lives at one point and you know all the effort was for the A.. !

[Dastardly]

Leaps of faith in platformers. Its bad level design IMO.
The anorak level of simulation in a lot of flight sims. Interceptor was the perfect balance of arcade and sim, never been bettered I dont think.

[Shatterhand]

Me, in the other hand, rarely use passwords, I only use them when they are really needed (I.E. , in really big games like Chip's Challenge). While a platform game may take up to 1-2 hours to be finished, it HAS to be played like that, to be a challenge, or else the game becomes too easy. It's like you have to master each level. Unless of course the password also saves your state in the game (How many lives you have, etc).

Ruff 'n' Tumble rox, BTW. It doesn't need a password system

[Drake1009]

Take James pond 2. That game is too large for you to just complete without a password IMO.

[alkis21]

I don't like loosing energy when I fall off a platform. It makes sense in some games, but it's very frustrating in others.

[7-Zark-7]

Okay two more pet hates.....

3) Stunt Car Racer-great game with one design fault, the computer A.I. is too good, it never crashes. However, its a complaint which still exists to this day. Computer players always seem either too dumb or too perfect. Notice how despite all the efforts poured in GFX,SFX, etc. we've still yet to see CPU player that can resemble human players? (& I'm not talking about PC's beating Chess players, either!)

4) Another game "fault", One rule for you, another rule for the CPU.Example:Lotus Esprit Turbo Challange. Who here recalls reaching the later levels with the barriers & being punished visciously by the collision detection conering near one, yet through an impossible Needle eye gap you'd be overtaken by the CPU cars who'd even drive through the barriers!

[BippyM]

Another coming back to driving games..

Hitting a CPU driver (or vice-versa) and only you slow down, the computer player continues without any noticeable slow-down/spinning etc

[Shatterhand]

I HATE when the CPU play by a different rule. I hate when the CPU drones can do stuff that you can't, like in Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64. (I remember once I was playing in the Wario Stadium in Kart 64, I was in the very start of the big straight, I shot Donkey Kong and got the 1st place. I accelerated all the way, kept my speed at the maximum during all the straight, and still in the end of the straight, Donkey Kong was OVERTAKING ME!)


I finished James Pond 2 without password...