When games like this come out I want to beleive that everyone will notice it and try to change their game design perspective. The game is an RPG without character stats. No old school game design bullshit. We moved on!
Dishonored could use another system: <strength, agility, perception> based system. It could use stat checks for dialogs, firing guns, swordplay. It could, for example, make choking time dependent on strength and agility. You would gradually increase these stats thinking "I'm going to make this cool build in 5 hours, I just need to get a little more XP.". It didn't. And I'm inclined to beleive that it's made like this not only to appeal to more gamers which have not played oldschool rpgs. It's made like this because of realization that oldschool stats are mere tool to make a simple game look like it's deep when all it does is increasing numbers in formulas by 0.1%.
Character skill progression is based on two tier "perks", unique weapon/armor upgrades. This is a concious design choice to make game systems unique(and orthogonal) and provide two levels of upgrades. When you get a "perk" or upgrade you know it. The game gives you immediate feedback. As opposed to grinding for 3 hours to gradually build a character. The game just values your time.
Ofcourse, Dishonored did not discrover this way of making games. There were good examples of such games before: Deus Ex series, Bioshock series. Dishonored took this formula to the next level. Minimum of bullshit progression, maximum of unique gameplay elements. You can complete this game in 12 hours and experience quarter of the content. It provides replayability. It's not designed to get all achievements, powerful weapons in one playthrough. It's designed to support different playstyles. In this kind of games there is no realization that you fucked up your build and have to start over. From the beginning you make choices that reflect your personality and help you discover more things about yourself and maybe life in general.
There are also at most two choices in dialogs. Some people complain. But I like it. The game designers just wanted to eliminate bullshit choices that leave to the same conclusions. It makes you think harder on your choices.
The game asks many questions and as any art form does not clearly tell you answers. Maybe you have to think for yourself. What is justice? What does it mean to be loyal? Can political system based on rational but unmoral choices be successful?
Dishonored could use another system: <strength, agility, perception> based system. It could use stat checks for dialogs, firing guns, swordplay. It could, for example, make choking time dependent on strength and agility. You would gradually increase these stats thinking "I'm going to make this cool build in 5 hours, I just need to get a little more XP.". It didn't. And I'm inclined to beleive that it's made like this not only to appeal to more gamers which have not played oldschool rpgs. It's made like this because of realization that oldschool stats are mere tool to make a simple game look like it's deep when all it does is increasing numbers in formulas by 0.1%.
Character skill progression is based on two tier "perks", unique weapon/armor upgrades. This is a concious design choice to make game systems unique(and orthogonal) and provide two levels of upgrades. When you get a "perk" or upgrade you know it. The game gives you immediate feedback. As opposed to grinding for 3 hours to gradually build a character. The game just values your time.
Ofcourse, Dishonored did not discrover this way of making games. There were good examples of such games before: Deus Ex series, Bioshock series. Dishonored took this formula to the next level. Minimum of bullshit progression, maximum of unique gameplay elements. You can complete this game in 12 hours and experience quarter of the content. It provides replayability. It's not designed to get all achievements, powerful weapons in one playthrough. It's designed to support different playstyles. In this kind of games there is no realization that you fucked up your build and have to start over. From the beginning you make choices that reflect your personality and help you discover more things about yourself and maybe life in general.
There are also at most two choices in dialogs. Some people complain. But I like it. The game designers just wanted to eliminate bullshit choices that leave to the same conclusions. It makes you think harder on your choices.
The game asks many questions and as any art form does not clearly tell you answers. Maybe you have to think for yourself. What is justice? What does it mean to be loyal? Can political system based on rational but unmoral choices be successful?
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