More cutscenes - good or bad?

Safe-Keeper · 06-22-06, 12:47 AM

For example, Rome: Total War made extensive use of cutscenes to great effect. Every campaign and single mission was preceeded by a cutscene that got you into the situation and helped set a great atmosphere.

In my opinion, there should be cutscenes for every single single-player mission, as well as for each starting year of the campaign. If you've played Rome, you know what I mean. Something deep and atmospheric for the career start-ups, and dramatic cutscenes for the single-player missions, with a little bit of historical information and some events leading up to the beginning of the mission. Nice use of camera angles, music, sound effects, dialogue, everything (except a few of them were a bit melo-dramatic and cliché-ish).

For example, for the Narvik mission my idea of a cutscene would include some sentences on the invasion of Norway, and then the "2 destroyers for 2 zestörer battle" - then the battleship entering the fjord. Something like that.

I know your main argument, too, gamer as I am at heart: "But I'll like it the first two times, then just skip it!". Fine, skip it. Just like you skip the opening cutscene when the game starts. Just like you, when having gotten into Silent Hunter III, do not spend more than ,5% of your patrols in the 3D compartment.

No one's saying you'll want to watch the movies 1000 times, over and over again. It's just like the 3D Compartment and the opening film on game-start: It's there to set the mood, to get beginners into the game world and give them the impression that they're a "real submarine commander". Or, in the Single missions' case, that their sub and the surrounding ships didn't just pop into place, but are actually part of a bigger picture.

As for cutscenes upon death, I'm less sure about those. They'd easily be out of context, would they not (unless you had many different ones -one for death by sinking, one for death by hull damage, and so on)?

OK, your turn. Go.

View Poll Results: Which of these cutscenes do you want in SHIV (you may select multiple options)
Opening Film.	33	62.26%
Career Start (one film, regardless of starting year)	9	16.98%
OR Career Start (one film for each year)	26	49.06%
Career End (Career at an end from retirement, death, capture, etc.)[/b]	34	64.15%
Single-Player Mission start.	17	32.08%
Single-Player Mission end (one for victory, one for defeat).	19	35.85%
I don't want any cutscenes.	11	20.75%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 53. You may not vote on this poll

06-22-06, 12:47 AM	#1
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	More cutscenes - good or bad? For example, Rome: Total War made extensive use of cutscenes to great effect. Every campaign and single mission was preceeded by a cutscene that got you into the situation and helped set a great atmosphere. In my opinion, there should be cutscenes for every single single-player mission, as well as for each starting year of the campaign. If you've played Rome, you know what I mean. Something deep and atmospheric for the career start-ups, and dramatic cutscenes for the single-player missions, with a little bit of historical information and some events leading up to the beginning of the mission. Nice use of camera angles, music, sound effects, dialogue, everything (except a few of them were a bit melo-dramatic and cliché-ish). For example, for the Narvik mission my idea of a cutscene would include some sentences on the invasion of Norway, and then the "2 destroyers for 2 zestörer battle" - then the battleship entering the fjord. Something like that. I know your main argument, too, gamer as I am at heart: "But I'll like it the first two times, then just skip it!". Fine, skip it. Just like you skip the opening cutscene when the game starts. Just like you, when having gotten into Silent Hunter III, do not spend more than ,5% of your patrols in the 3D compartment. No one's saying you'll want to watch the movies 1000 times, over and over again. It's just like the 3D Compartment and the opening film on game-start: It's there to set the mood, to get beginners into the game world and give them the impression that they're a "real submarine commander". Or, in the Single missions' case, that their sub and the surrounding ships didn't just pop into place, but are actually part of a bigger picture. As for cutscenes upon death, I'm less sure about those. They'd easily be out of context, would they not (unless you had many different ones -one for death by sinking, one for death by hull damage, and so on)? OK, your turn. Go. __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.