Every month, the Destructoid Monthly Musing topic gives community members the ability to have their work posted on the Dtoid front page.
Another month, another opportunity for you -- yes, you -- to have your thoughts promoted to Destructoid.com's front page, merely by responding to our Monthly Musing theme.
I stole an idea from Michael Todd for this week's Rev Rant, and I'm going to rob him even further by essentially rephrasing a question he proposed to me a week ago.
Certain ideas or gameplay mechanics define the genres to which they belong. For whatever reason, particular design concepts are considered "standard" for certain genres, to the point where both designers and gamers either refuse to break away from them, or have become so accustomed to their presence that the thought of branching off and trying something entirely new never even crosses their mind.
They are sacred cows. And they must be slaughtered.
What mechanics have become so standard, so generally accepted as representing "good" game design, that you just want to throw them out the window entirely? In your opinion, which current gameplay conceits represent artistic dead ends?
Hit the jump for a further explanation of the theme, and instructions for posting.
Sign up for a (free) Destructoid account, and write a community blog. Simple as that. Choose the "Monthly Theme" tag for your cblog, and put "Nothing is Sacred: blah blah blah" in the title.
You can tackle this theme from a very, very broad perspective ("why are so many action games about killing stuff"), or you can focus on what others might consider minutiae ("why do action games revolve around machine guns and explosive weapons when highly lethal, realistically-designed semiautomatic pistols could be much more satisfying).
The challenge here comes in trying to re-examine things most people consider universally "good" game design, and turning them on their heads. It's easy to complain about stuff you don't like from genres you're not terribly fond of (as my Rev Rant proves), but it can be even harder, and even more interesting, to look at genres you really care about and try to deconstruct which ideas or mechanics are stifling creativity and innovation.
Does that make any sense?
Contest:
2:00 PM on 10.01.2009
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The need to include multiplayer in a game that doesn't need it, removing polish from the single player?
Is that what your talking about?
Yes, of course, Lance the rips in the wallpaper agree with you.
For being the most radical thus far I can almost guarantee as long as you have as few typos as possible you'll make it to the front page.
I know I'm slow and stupid, but yikes.
Come on! Go for it. Just write something and throw it out there. Chances are it'll be interesting.
Hmmm... Why are games always rewarded for being good?
No...
Square, once thought to be a company full of creative genius, has been rehashing the same three girls since their first famed outing on the Playstation: Final Fantasy VII
We have, in this order: Stoic or Whore, Comedy, and Girl-Next-Door/Wife
VII: Tifa, Yuffie, Aerith
VIII: Quistis, Selphie, Rinoa
IX: Freya, Eiko, Garnet
X: Lulu, Rikku, Yuna
XII: Fran, Penelo, Ashe
XIII's looking to follow, too 9_9
I don't know...I like the games, but come on...can it really be that hard to write a batch of characters that don't directly resemble all of your earlier outings?
You forgot the male cast too since VII (with the exception of IX) the Bishie(in some cases so Bishie they are post Op) Emo Boy Main Character/Sidekick
VII: Cloud and Vincent
VIII: Squall
X: Tidus (wasn't really emo just very Bishie and very annoying)
XII: Shirtless Vann, Basche
Can we please give some of these people personailities!