Great Article
Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/Great Article Games still have levels for the same reason TV shows last an hour.
People love their entertainment in bite-sized chunks. Simply because we dont have TIME.
He says:
Elite has levels. Your level is your jump between star systems. There is always a start and an end. Clasically, most people save at the end of docking with the space station.
The same goes for the other games he mentions. Levels or welcome breaks, will always be there. Some games make it more obvious than others.
Immersion is great. It is not shattered just because you get up and put the kettle on, or the end of the level is reached. His concept that it would be, is flawed because ultimately breaks are welcome, not unwelcome.
I could go on about how many flaws are in his article but whats good for 1 person isn't for another. Personally I'll make a game with levels and "themes" for those levels not because I'm limited, but because IMHO its what we need and want.
I want an ice world. I want an end of level. Its lovely bite-sized chunks of themed fun.
People love their entertainment in bite-sized chunks. Simply because we dont have TIME.
He says:
Elite, the Metroid series, Dungeon Siege, God of War I and II, Half-Life (but not Half-Life 2), Shadow of the Colossus, the Grand Theft Auto series; some of the best games ever (and Dungeon Siege) have done away with the level mechanic and created uninterrupted game spaces devoid of loading screens and artificial breaks between periods of play.
Elite has levels. Your level is your jump between star systems. There is always a start and an end. Clasically, most people save at the end of docking with the space station.
The same goes for the other games he mentions. Levels or welcome breaks, will always be there. Some games make it more obvious than others.
Immersion is great. It is not shattered just because you get up and put the kettle on, or the end of the level is reached. His concept that it would be, is flawed because ultimately breaks are welcome, not unwelcome.
I could go on about how many flaws are in his article but whats good for 1 person isn't for another. Personally I'll make a game with levels and "themes" for those levels not because I'm limited, but because IMHO its what we need and want.
I want an ice world. I want an end of level. Its lovely bite-sized chunks of themed fun.
He also seems to hate cutscenes -- however, in many games they can be crucial for making the storyline (and game!) immersive.