23 Jun, 2011
While many of us were excited to learn of some interesting titles for Kinect at E3, just as many of us were wondering if we would ever see games that had simple controllers any more. No worries, because you’re not the only one thinking that thought.
“Any experience that sits in the realm of motion play needs to be kept separate from the main experience,” said Ken Levine, Irrational Games’ Creative Director and BioShock Infinite mastermind. In an interview with OXM at E3, Levine said that motion controlled games are fine, but it’s not wise to try and fix something that isn’t broken. “[Motion play] needs to be firewalled off so that if this experiment isn’t for you [the player], or doesn’t turn out to be all that great, you just ignore it.”
It seems that many developers have jumped aboard the motion control boat, leaving those of us who have small checkbooks or are simply disinterested behind. However, according to Levine, there should be an option for players to choose between traditional controls and motion controls. Whatever floats your boat is the one you stick with.
However, we all know that once it’s been proven its worth, new things often become the downfall of subsequent games, either through repetitive (and often senseless) use or simply incorporated for the sake of being there. Levine’s suggestion? You mess around with it, but don’t force people to use it if it doesn’t make sense in the first place. “What you don’t want to do is add something in and enforce it on anybody,” said Levine. “Do an experiment, fine! We’re in the experimental stage, and people shouldn’t be afraid of experimenting as long as we can firewall off and protect what we know works. If we don’t experiment, we don’t progress.”
Hopefully the future won’t be inundated with motion-controlled games, or at least motion-controlled games that don’t make sense. For the time being, we know that at least one developer won’t be throwing around new concepts without thoroughly thinking them through first.
Via OXM.
Recent Comments