# Features in video games that you've never understood **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 5, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538 "2010-11-05T02:22:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/61 "2010-11-07T20:59:31Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > If I were building a traditional-ish RPG I’d probably go with you-can-loot-everything, an infinite inventory, and some one-click method of selling off all of your stuff at The General Fantasy Store, but that’s got its own problems with realism. The alternative, I guess, is to make every fight a boss fight so you don’t have an occasion to carry around 30 mooks’ worth of full body armor et cetera. Just limit inventory space and/or give the stuff some weight, no need to go into drastic measures like removing all mooks from the game just because they might drop rusty chain mail. As long as inventory management is made well, a game can have tons of stuff - even managing the massive amount of items in Fallout 3/NV isn’t too big a hassle and those games have really clunky GUIs. At some point players get the point of not having to carry everything they find … like that dead cat you could loot in one of the Icewind Dale games ages ago. Borderlands does it rather well for example with the color-coded guns and stat-windows opening when you go close, you don’t even have to pick up the crappy weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/62 "2011-02-14T05:14:50Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > This I totally understand, especially in games with a limited inventory system - do you REALLY want each enemy to drop five pieces of equipment that are usually inferior to the stuff you already have so that you either (1) have to leave their stuff lying around or (2) have to run back to town to sell stuff every five minutes because your inventory’s full again? > > Puts me in mind of the piles of fifty small iron caps you end up with in Nethack. > > ETA: Also, I think cooking is a sport and therefore cooking threads ought to be moved to the Game Room where I’d actually read them. Ahh, the ol’ rule number one of NetHack: _TURN OFF AUTOPICKUP_. (If you feel like wading through the menus, you can leave it on for gold, but yah – oops, I picked up a statue, slog-slog-slog – good thing its turn-based 😃 ) I was gonna post something earlier on Diablo 2, which brings to mind one of the things that makes it FAR more forgiving than NH: anything you pick up in NetHack is probably cursed. And the damn Identify scrolls are few and far between. For all that, NetHack still kicks D2’s ass, in my book. The whole gestalt. In fact, I’m starting a NetHack thread… (ps: sorry for the accidental thread-resurrection. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/63 "2011-02-14T10:23:54Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > water death… Using water as a barrier is cheating in a sense, but frex in WOW deep water drowning is used to surround the continents - you need to ‘zone’ by boat/teleport/zeppelin so it really does make sense. > [@Nava](#): > > . I really think sales of those games would benefit from having something resembling user-friendly keyboard settings. They translate the voiceovers and the subtitles, but can’t be arsed redo the keybinds. Some games at least have user settable keybinds. I hate using letter keys for movement, I prefer the arrow keys myself. Since I frequently game on a 17" laptop with the numbers pad I trackball mouse with my right hand and use the arrow keys for movement and I don’t have to worry that my hand has wandered off teh letter keys, I have tactile confirmation that my fingers are still on the correct keys. > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Well, fine. But I find that kind of gameplay really irritating and am glad that most games abstract away from it. (Nethack being an exception on both points because the irritation is part of the Fun (tm Dwarf Fortress).) > > If I were building a traditional-ish RPG I’d probably go with you-can-loot-everything, an infinite inventory, and some one-click method of selling off all of your stuff at The General Fantasy Store, but that’s got its own problems with realism. The alternative, I guess, is to make every fight a boss fight so you don’t have an occasion to carry around 30 mooks’ worth of full body armor et cetera. > [@Chronos](#): > > I think the proper solution to the loot problem is to let the players loot everything, and just make sure that the equipment that mooks carry is worth much less than the important equipment, so most people won’t find it worthwhile. But yeah, when you’re just starting out, or after you’ve just been through the Obligatory Lose All your Equipment cutscene, it’d make sense to steal a guard’s weapons and uniform if you manage to kill one. WOW had a mailbox in one dungeon so I always got into the habit of mailing stuff I wanted to keep off to my banker alt, and anything I didnt want to bother with would trash. The repairbot was nice. Then a couple expansions ago they got the mammoth that had the 2 NPCs tagging along to repair and sell was ok I guess … I do hate having to decide what to keep or trash if there isnt some way of mailing/selling available ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/64 "2011-02-14T10:36:08Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > **Diablo II.** You can’t save in a point in a game and get back later… this means that you have to complete a full quest before leaving the computer, or everything you’ve done up to this point will just disappear. > > Sometimes I just want to kill ten minutes, people from Blizzard. I shouldn’t have to schedule an hour and a half every time. You can leave and return to quest, not sure what you mean here. Some quests, where you have to pick up 3+ objects, will save the objects that you have when you log out, then when you return, you go for the next object. The maps reset, but whatever you’ve done in the quest will be saved up to that point. I hate games that don’t have hotkeys and you have to scroll down a menu to pick what you want to do. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/65 "2011-02-14T10:53:14Z")
Why must every jrpg have a fishing minigame forced into it somewhere? I’m looking at you, elda games, but you are not alone! ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/66 "2011-02-14T12:03:21Z")
and why does every game need a zombie expansion? ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/67 "2011-02-14T12:42:23Z")
A couple of oldies. In Atari’s arcade game Hard Drivin’, there’s a side street off of one of the tracks (can’t remember if it’s the stunt or speed one) that goes a little way, then circles around a weird grey silo. Never did understand what that was about, or even what it was meant to be. It’s not a farm silo. A while back, I had an arcade emulator with the Hard Drivin’ ROM set, and I gave myself infinite time so that I could explore the little nooks and crannies put into the tracks. Most of the stuff makes sense as scenery-- the barn, the house and driveway-- but the silo is not an obvious feature that people would notice. “Big head” codes in games, usually sports titles. Punch in a code and… your players have giant heads. Big fad for a few years after the days of the original NBA Jam. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/68 "2011-02-14T16:36:59Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > and why does every game need a zombie expansion? The cynic in me thinks it probably is because zombies will only need a texture replacement and the most rudimentary AI code and then the expansion is good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/69 "2011-02-14T16:54:51Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > and why does every game need a zombie expansion? I disagree. The first counter-example I can think of is _Plants vs. Zombies_. There is inherently no need for a zombie expansion. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/70 "2011-02-14T17:21:12Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Why must every jrpg have a fishing minigame forced into it somewhere? I’m looking at you, elda games, but you are not alone! I presume you meant “Zelda”? And the fishing game was freakin’ awesome in the N64 one. Didn’t like the one in Twilight Princess at all though (and the one in Link’s Awakening was alright). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/71 "2011-02-14T17:42:37Z")
Okami had a huge fishing minigame, too. So did FF 8, I think. Anyway, mine is very specific. Civ IV - and I think all of the Vis previously, though I only played 2 - you can set up your map so it is just you on the map. Because I don’t want anyone else in my game. I want to be able to play and discover everything and never have to worry about diplomacy, just build my cities to the best they can be. Civ 5 - you can no longer do this. WHY??? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/72 "2011-02-14T18:37:53Z")
I cannot stand the feature in all racing games where no matter how fast you are, the computer’s always just a little bit behind you. I suppose it makes the game challenging after you’ve mastered it, but it’s a really cheap way to code in artificial difficulty. With the realistic racing games, it’s worse, because there’s often no power-ups or weapons you can use against other cars. If you’re in 1st, all it takes is one bad turn and you’re sunk. Many people might disagree, but I like the blue shell in Mario Kart. It allows players to catch the guy in the lead without some artificial speed boost. At least it’s realistic within the game, and it happens rare enough that it’s not a total killer. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/73 "2011-02-15T02:00:15Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Anyway, mine is very specific. Civ IV - and I think all of the Vis previously, though I only played 2 - you can set up your map so it is just you on the map. Because I don’t want anyone else in my game. I want to be able to play and discover everything and never have to worry about diplomacy, just build my cities to the best they can be. > > Civ 5 - you can no longer do this. WHY??? Because- and I mean this is the nicest possibly way- you’re probably the only person who’s ever wanted to play _Civilisation_ like this more than once. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/74 "2011-02-15T02:23:09Z")
Here’s a feature that I _understand,_ but hate: unnecessary gas masks/ski masks. What I mean is when they are too lazy to make individual faces for the enemies, so they just slap on ski masks, like they’re all about to take a trip to the slopes as soon as they’re done killing you, or gas masks, as if there is imminent danger of an attack with poison gas. It’s fucking stupid. No real soldiers on the planet like wearing gas masks for any length of time; talk to anyone who ever served in any branch. They’re uncomfortable and they also restrict peripheral vision badly. To have a bunch of goons patrolling around nonchalantly wearing gas masks, unless there is an officer right there ready to give them all dishonorable discharges if they take them off, is ridiculous. The ski masks are equally stupid. It’s _hot_ under a ski mask. It makes sense to have guards wearing them only if the level is in a frigid Arctic base. Otherwise, the masks are totally unnecessary. _Metal Gear Solid_ is a particularly horrible offender in this department but tons of other games do it too. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/75 "2011-02-15T02:53:23Z")
I was always of the understanding that the gas masks and balaclavas served a dual purpose- firstly, they immediately identify the wearers as “The Bad Guys” (for the most part) and secondly, they “De-humanise” the enemies. In the quasi-cinematic world of Action Video Games Set In The Modern Era, the only people who generally get “Face Time” are important to the plot; not disposable goons or Red Shirts. The “Saving on modelling and coding” thing is a welcome and intended bonus, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/76 "2011-02-15T02:57:11Z")
One of the Zelda games had an Owl feature that let you quasi save the game, it had some do this only if you want to X. If you Y the save won’t work. Yeah. I want to say Majoras Mask. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/77 "2011-02-15T04:32:49Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > The “Saving on modelling and coding” thing is a welcome and intended bonus, I believe. I am pretty sure this is the _primary_ reason for the masks. In _Goldeneye,_ the enemies’ faces are drawn randomly from a pool of 10 or so different designs. While imperfect, it is at least in a crude way a commendable attempt at varying the faces. It’s been 13 years since then, and you’d think game makers would finally try this same concept in an FPS. They can make fuckin’ endless basketball and football games where every single goddamn player has a completely different and distinct face, yet for FPSs, all the enemies get masks. It’s bullshit. I want to see them try to apply a true random face generator to enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/78 "2011-02-15T14:33:28Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Because- and I mean this is the nicest possibly way- you’re probably the only person who’s ever wanted to play _Civilisation_ like this more than once. 😉 She is not! I love Civ, but I don’t give a rat’s ass about fighting and stuff. I just want to do what it says on the tin - build a civilization that will stand the test of time! ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/79 "2011-02-15T16:08:39Z")
Got another one In FPS games, there’s usually a bunch of pre-made maps for online or deathmatch play. I don’t understand why half of these games don’t allow you to practice by yourself on these maps and/or have built in bots I know they kind of moved towards that when Quake 3 came out and they got rid of the single-player storyline and replaced it with all bot matches, but all FPS should have that. Return to Castle Wolfenstein has some fun maps and interesting mechanics in online mode, but there are no built-in bots for them. Same thing with Enemy Territory. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538/80 "2011-02-15T16:27:16Z")
Call of Duty: Black Ops has that option. Which is nice because I suck so bad at that game it’s a little less embarrassing when I know legions of 13 year olds aren’t pwning me … just bots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/features-in-video-games-that-youve-never-understood/559538.md?page=5)