Innovative Nintendo game help system to debut this year

[GekiDan]

Innovative Nintendo game help system to debut this year


To many gamers, nothing kills the fun of playing a game like getting completely stuck on a particularly difficult section. But if Nintendo has their way, such frustration will soon become a thing of the past.



In an interview with USA Today, legendary Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that the company's rumored in-game help system (initially dubbed the "Kind Code," but now tentatively called "demo play") will make its first appearance in the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii, which hits store shelves this holiday.

Rather than forcing players to comb the web for cheat codes and walkthroughs, the new help system is built directly into the game. If a player gets stuck, they'll have the option to pause play and allow the game to take over and play itself through any rough patches. Once they're out of the woods, players can hop back in and continue playing.

The move is sure to anger veteran gamers who insist on overcoming challenges without using hints or cheats, but it meshes nicely with Nintendo's overarching goal to make its games as accessible to as many people as possible. To that end, Miyamoto told USA Today that they're looking into incorporating the system in future games beyond the new Mario title.

So what do you think? Will an in-game help system ruin gaming, or make it more fun for everyone? Sound off in the comments!

Source: http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/p...s-year/1326709

[fanpages]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, GekiDan.

Originally Posted by GekiDan

...If a player gets stuck, they'll have the option to pause play and allow the game to take over and play itself through any rough patches. Once they're out of the woods, players can hop back in and continue playing...

You will be telling me next that Mercedes will have a car in general production that "drives itself". Oh... What? Three years from now they will? There goes the end of the human brain doing anything for itself... we'll be over-run by monkeys before we know it!


As any gamer knows, when you have a "Strategy Guide" for any game, the temptation is there to dip into it at any point, rather than taking the time to attempt & eventually complete the challenge restricting progress.

I would prefer there to be a manual process to retrieve help, especially a process that is not instantly available (by searching the InterWeb, or asking family/friends, and so on).

Back to the "monkeys" theme, more than fifteen years ago (long before the World Wide Wait was ever a concept) LucasArts used to offer telephone support service for their SCUMM(tm) adventure games (such as "Monkey Island", and "Indiana Jones"), and not once was I tempted to call.

I knew I could, and I knew that the end to my present problem would be just a call away, but I preferred to spend days, sometimes weeks, trying different approaches to problems, speaking with friends & working through potential solutions. Returning to locations, revising & re-tracing my steps, and looking for clues I had missed. It was such a great feeling when the solution was found. It made the game fun. It made the game a challenge. It made playing interesting. It tested me... it pushed me... it motivated me.

Mind you, back then games were not "dumbed-down" to meet lowest common denominators (sex, violence, and so on). Games entertained & educated. Stretched the imagination & inspired creativity. They were not taken for granted. They were something that you had to save your pocket money or disposable income to afford to buy. New releases were not available every week. You bought a title as an investment for future months, not days. Developers & Publishers made specific games available every two years, not every two months. Finishing a game by "cheating" meant you were only cheating yourself. (Hmmm... maybe that was a little too deep!)

But please don't misunderstand me, I am all for that extra tip or hint when you are completely stuck in-game, as without it you may never return to playing. You may end up missing the best game of all time just because you did not take the right door, but took the left path instead. You may have walked past the open drawer with the key in it one hundred times, but on the very next time you try a different viewpoint & suddenly you realise your mistake & smile to yourself for being so stupid.

Discovering the solution for yourself is what makes the games what they are. It teaches you something about yourself.

I'm not a big fan of Mario games anyway... but a game that anticipates people getting stuck at a given point enough to warrant the inclusion of an "auto-pilot" is perhaps a warning that the game design or the implementation of that design needs attention.

Such a feature does not make games more accessible, in my opinion.

The proposed feature will mean games will be concluded sooner, and will mean the same gamers are then inclined to spend more money on more games.

It will not be long until everybody notices their bank balances diminish at the same rate as their brain cells.

Or, maybe they won't. Maybe the loss of their respective Intelligence quotient will mean that they will not notice at all.

You have to admire Nintendo. They have great marketing strategies!

BFN,

fp.

[zEvArAnO]

Interesting news... going to be reading more about this. Thanks for the shares guys.

[GekiDan]

Originally Posted by fanpages

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, GekiDan.

Originally Posted by zEvArAnO

Interesting news... going to be reading more about this. Thanks for the shares guys.

No problem. Just like to share what I've found.

Originally Posted by fanpages

As any gamer knows, when you have a "Strategy Guide" for any game, the temptation is there to dip into it at any point, rather than taking the time to attempt & eventually complete the challenge restricting progress.

I would prefer there to be a manual process to retrieve help, especially a process that is not instantly available (by searching the InterWeb, or asking family/friends, and so on).

Same as for me. I pent hours and hours to finish a very complicated stage but never really look into a walkthrough until I have only stucked in there for months and greatly loses attention to it.But still, I tend to continue th game without the help of the internet.

I remember I finished Vanguard Bandits without a single walkthrough. Isn't that awesome?
I only used a walkthrough in the replay game to know the other part of the story, I mean, the alternate endings...

[Pyro767]

I think this is a great idea, considering it's optional. Veterans can get their challenges, and noobs can watch a movie. Everyone wins!

[Mexicutioner]

I agree with pyro it's almost like a SatNav in a car, retards (this may be you) who cannot use maps use one however intelligent people (this is me) dont need one.