Comments on: Opinion: Quick Time Events Kill Good Gameplay

By: DeadByNature

DeadByNature — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:06:44 +0000

I think the first time I really noticed quick time events were on the die hard arcade game, although those usually didn’t punish you with instant death they did seem to eat up quarters like no bodies buisness… And I agree that sometimes (very small percentage) they can be used effectively, I hope it is a trend that will die out because watching the same drawn out cut scene again waiting for the moment before you get shanked, thank you resident evil 4, is not fun in the least.

P.S. hearing this article read by that odiogo app is quite scary, and is no substitute for the voice of The Final Highlander =P

By: James Ireland

James Ireland — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:10:20 +0000

I do agree with BK in that in certain games it does work. However it’s videogames that use it for the sake of adding in a pointless dimension to the gameplay or a lousy excuse to use pre-rendered cut scenes.

By: bkmelendez

bkmelendez — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:24:57 +0000

The way I see it, certain games shouldn’t go down the QTE route since they do tend to ruin the flow of the gameplay when it is not well implemented. However, there’s games like the God of War series that I think have done a fine job integrating QTE’s that it just wouldn’t feel like GoW without them. Like you said we have grown accustomed to this practice in the series that it has become a big part of what is expected when playing this series. In GoW, usually the QTE’s come into play once the opponent is weakened so it doesn’t really break the combat. You are prompt to press a certain button when near the opponent in order to start a series of QTE’s that follows from there. I would have a problem with QTE’s if it interrupted the gameplay in a manner that I would have to press a completely different button from that of the default controls in order to dodge an attack or do a certain move. Something like that would definitely piss me off because it catches the player off-guard leading to instant death.

Heavy Rain for example is a game that heavily relies on this so-called “bad game design” that you refer to. Now I’ve only had a chance to play a few hours of Heavy Rain but I think the QTE’s add an element of surprise and the quick decision-making that results from that make the experience feel more authentic to me. I suddenly feel like I need to make quick rational decisions once the button options prompt on the screen and it adds suspense to the whole scene not to mention keeping the character alive. Personally, QTE’s don’t bother me all that much since I’m pretty comfortable with the control layout of the PS3 controller but I probably wouldn’t say that if I played on PC with a keybaord and mouse on which I’m not so saavy on.

By: James Ireland

James Ireland — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:44:48 +0000

So this doesn’t get approved on N4G. Bizarre. Considering the amount of shiet that gets approved on there, it’s an insult this doesn’t get approval. I’d say re-list it under (you don’t have to credit the website in the title for these articles) QTE’s ruin gameplay