Concerning the complaints about Braindance

[Punknaught2020]

The "tutorial" about braindance and how it works, like many tutorial missions in many comparable games they can take a few minutes.
Does it look slow, yes.....so they can show you what it is in the demo. Could they improve it sure, they could improve many aspects of the game till they go blue in the face, but they have to many systems that need work as it is.

But do you have to participate in it? is it forced or is it needed for more than a handfull of occassions, or is it like Geralts vision or Batman AA, Detroit becomes human where you find yourself falling back to it many times but didn't always need to do so?
IF its optional, then it really wont matter to those who will just tackle things in another way, but those who want to do things by investigating, finding out info/not killing everyone to get to point B or have the skills to (more technical/netrunner style), it might be a useful feature for another avenue of completing missions.

 

[oemartinez95]

The whole interface is really slick and well done but I don't find the "fun" factor in braindance. Maybe if the animations were sped up by 2 times. I get that it's a nice break from all the action but it feels like pulling the emergency brake on a train doing 200 mph.

 

[maxzorazon]

To me,
- Idea : Strange days, this 1995 movie, vibes, I find it very Ok, if not new.
- Execution : Was sceptic at first on the bdroller being omniscient of surroundings, but that's fine. Visuals very good, can improve UI a tad on the playback part, especially scanning.
Overall really irrelevant complaints.

I'd prefer by a long shot having CDPR working, in this constrained time, on filling the world, the same way they had to fill witcher3 in a hurry pre-launch : need 50 ppl dancing on Lizzie's dancefloor! Make use of the 24 parallel threads on the Ryzen 3900x!

 

[gogmeister777]

It seems the complaints focus on: 1. The braindance detective mode is too slow and dragged-on; 2. The tutorial is not clear enough; 3. There's way too much stuff to keep track of, like three tracks (audio, video, heat); and 4. There isn't a clear logic behind what to scan, and why scanning object A leads to conclusion B.

I'll take the complaints in order.

1: I felt it dragged on too but think it was mainly down to two things. One, it was a tutorial. They went back and forth a couple of times and weren't always using fast-forward/rewind in order to make sure viewers could follow things. So that slowed things down. Two, after all this time waiting for info, I wasn't really in the mood for a tutorial like that. I wanted to see more districts, combat, etc,. so that probably made it feel longer too.

2: I felt it was clear, but then again I've already played Remember Me, Arkham and Detroit. Maybe even some others I've forgotten that had similar detective modes.

3: Possibly. It might be that, once we're used to it, it'll become second nature.

4: This is an interesting point. I guess it'll depend on how well designed the different scenes are. I've always felt this kind of detective mode has great potential. Maybe this is the game to do it justice.

I actually want it to be difficult. I want to have to deduce things like I would if I was doing it myself. I don't want to just whizz back and forth through the video and wait for big, bright icons to appear and tell me to focus on them - at least not for everything. I hope we have to mostly decide what to look at ourselves, rather than have it signposted.

 

[Swedrami]

the bdroller being omniscient of surroundings

Being able to subconsciously pick up things in your peripheral vision or just inside of your hearing range and remembering them long afterwards has nothing to do with "being omniscient" though.
Judy even mentions that the BD implant used in the recording process enhances and helps perception to register more than what's physically/physiologically possible.

 

[Long-Gone]

It's an interesting mechanic that could be a cool side story mechanic say if you pick up a detective contract or are looking for a bounty. I think the reviewers have a lack of imagination regarding how other in game things can be built around the existence of the mechanic. You are effectively immortal so maybe a GTA style rampage mode where you are recording a brain dance and rack up a higher cash payout depending on the spree you cause before getting taken out.

 

[Maelcom404]

Braindance isnt bad, can even be a good gamey thing in game, but cutting your explosive preview with a 10mn long tutorial for a detective mini game...
I'm sure in game, in context, it may be great, but here, it wasn't really the best part of the show...

 

[kissybyc3]

OP here. I was merely the transporter of other's ideas. I don't necessarily agree with them. In fact I'm more of a pro-braindance person. It does seem that most complaints against braindance happen in the context of a highly anticipated and delayed Night City Wire show, or a limited time period where game journalists wanted to go through as much stuff as possible to write impressions on. People may not share a regular gamer's patience in those cases. In game, though, that's another story.

The only thing I didn't quite get was the logic of scanning. Taking the braindance sequence shown in Night City Wire, for example, of course my most burning question is "who shot the robber?" So I wasn't sure why we scanned that first girl who got knocked out. I would have immediately jumped to the very end to catch a glimpse of the shooter. And then, when we get to that part, I'm supposed to see the security cam that feeds into the screen on the clerk's desk. But this info is given to me by Judy's voiceover, and not by the in-braindance gameplay itself. So how am I supposed to know that this security cam connects to another screen when I do detective work on my own? Can I scan the security cam? Will it then show a wire of some sort that connects to the said screen? We are not shown any of these steps. Instead we get told that we should scan a certain screen, and we did it. That part seems to me a bit unclear.

 

[FirstBlood2621]

OP here. I was merely the transporter of other's ideas. I don't necessarily agree with them. In fact I'm more of a pro-braindance person. It does seem that most complaints against braindance happen in the context of a highly anticipated and delayed Night City Wire show, or a limited time period where game journalists wanted to go through as much stuff as possible to write impressions on. People may not share a regular gamer's patience in those cases. In game, though, that's another story.

The only thing I didn't quite get was the logic of scanning. Taking the braindance sequence shown in Night City Wire, for example, of course my most burning question is "who shot the robber?" So I wasn't sure why we scanned that first girl who got knocked out. I would have immediately jumped to the very end to catch a glimpse of the shooter. And then, when we get to that part, I'm supposed to see the security cam that feeds into the screen on the clerk's desk. But this info is given to me by Judy's voiceover, and not by the in-braindance gameplay itself. So how am I supposed to know that this security cam connects to another screen when I do detective work on my own? Can I scan the security cam? Will it then show a wire of some sort that connects to the said screen? We are not shown any of these steps. Instead we get told that we should scan a certain screen, and we did it. That's seems to me a bit illogical.

What’s illogical about a convenience store’s security camera being connected to the convenience store clerk’s computer screen? Not sure why anyone would need a glowing line hand holding them to that conclusion, it’s not exactly rocket science.

 

[kissybyc3]

What’s illogical about a convenience store’s security camera being connected to the convenience store clerk’s computer screen? Not sure why anyone would need a glowing line hand holding them to that conclusion, it’s not exactly rocket science.

Of course it all looks natural when you look at it afterwards, but in the midst of investigation a player's mind could have gone a number of ways. For example: is the security camera scan-able? (If not, the player might take it as a cue that the security camera is a lost cause and stop proceeding further). Is it connected to, say, a security room elsewhere, or the clerk's office? Is it installed by the police and connected to the police station (a common practice where I come from)? Of course the clerk's screen is among the logical conclusions, but in reality I can see how many gamers would simply go the trial-and-error way until they find the right thing to scan, which isn't a fun process.

 

[FirstBlood2621]

Of course it all looks natural when you look at it afterwards, but in the midst of investigation a player's mind could have gone a number of ways. For example: is the security camera scan-able? (If not, the player might take it as a cue that the security camera is a lost cause and stop proceeding further). Is it connected to, say, a security room elsewhere, or the clerk's office? Is it installed by the police and connected to the police station (a common practice where I come from)? Of course the clerk's screen is among the logical conclusions, but in reality I can see how many gamers would simply go the trial-and-error way until they find the right thing to scan, which isn't a fun process.

I get where you are coming from but both the security camera and the computer screen are glowing like the woman you can scan implying you can scan them.

Not only that but upon further inspection there is in fact glowing lines that look like the WiFi symbol in a horizontal position on the wall leading you in the computer’s direction.
View attachment 11048648

 

[fridgeband]

OP here. I was merely the transporter of other's ideas. I don't necessarily agree with them. In fact I'm more of a pro-braindance person. It does seem that most complaints against braindance happen in the context of a highly anticipated and delayed Night City Wire show, or a limited time period where game journalists wanted to go through as much stuff as possible to write impressions on. People may not share a regular gamer's patience in those cases. In game, though, that's another story.

The only thing I didn't quite get was the logic of scanning. Taking the braindance sequence shown in Night City Wire, for example, of course my most burning question is "who shot the robber?" So I wasn't sure why we scanned that first girl who got knocked out. I would have immediately jumped to the very end to catch a glimpse of the shooter. And then, when we get to that part, I'm supposed to see the security cam that feeds into the screen on the clerk's desk. But this info is given to me by Judy's voiceover, and not by the in-braindance gameplay itself. So how am I supposed to know that this security cam connects to another screen when I do detective work on my own? Can I scan the security cam? Will it then show a wire of some sort that connects to the said screen? We are not shown any of these steps. Instead we get told that we should scan a certain screen, and we did it. That part seems to me a bit unclear.

What’s illogical about a convenience store’s security camera being connected to the convenience store clerk’s computer screen? Not sure why anyone would need a glowing line hand holding them to that conclusion, it’s not exactly rocket science.

Of course it all looks natural when you look at it afterwards, but in the midst of investigation a player's mind could have gone a number of ways. For example: is the security camera scan-able? (If not, the player might take it as a cue that the security camera is a lost cause and stop proceeding further). Is it connected to, say, a security room elsewhere, or the clerk's office? Is it installed by the police and connected to the police station (a common practice where I come from)? Of course the clerk's screen is among the logical conclusions, but in reality I can see how many gamers would simply go the trial-and-error way until they find the right thing to scan, which isn't a fun process.

I get where you are coming from but both the security camera and the computer screen are glowing like the woman you can scan implying you can scan them. View attachment 11048645

Not only that but upon further inspection there is in fact glowing lines that look like the WiFi symbol in a horizontal position on the wall leading you in the computer’s direction.
View attachment 11048648

I have to say, the worst part is how blurry and pixelated it is.
If it didn't look all "edgy low quality corrupted video" things would be, well, more clear, literally, you know?
I feel like that effect/style is handholding the player so they don't get confused and forget they are watching a VR recording playback. I think it's unnecessary because everyone playing Cyberpunk2077 already know that it's a very technology themed game, you know?

 

[Nefla]

Huh, I thought it was cool and look forward to exploring scenes and finding clues and such. It's the fast paced FPS combat scenes that make my eyes glaze over.

 

[ITheBonless]

Possible improvements to Briandance

Before I get to possible solutions I want to sate the following.

It's difficult to really gauge what needs improvements by a 5 minute video or current feedback from a group of few individual who got to play the game.

Main reason for Difficulty in assessing Braindance mechanics.

1: “Judging a tutorial as final experience.”
Am making the assumption that gameplay showed in the 6 minute video is essentially the tutorial for Braindance for this reason I believe it would be unwise to judge the entire gameplay within Braindance until more information is release.

2: “Difficulty assessing concerns.”
Individuals who had the chance to play the game and viewers of the 6 minute video giving very simple feedback "example: I don’t like Braindance or I do like Braindance" without going into detail as to why something worked or something didn't, in addition not providing possible solutions for enhancing their experience.

As far as I understand nobody had a problem with the concept of Braindance to further develop nigh city and its inhabitants.

Possible improvements
Given this is an RPG, progression within Braindance would be an interesting addition.

For example the design of editing mode is meant to be cyberspace looking with distortions and pixilation to give the player the distinction between editing mode and viewer mode. Possible hardware can be added to V to reduce some of the pixilation/distortion later in the game.

Another addition can be noise base localization and automations of objective for example if you walk into a scene where a camera needs to be analyzed the player would only hear a specific type of sound.

Am being very general with the word 'sound" this can range from a beep to V commentating something to let the player know of the camera. After the "sound" has passed a small option would appear on the right side of the screen, example: "accesses feed" by pressing R1.

If R1 is pressed the feed to the camera would pop up without the player having to be anywhere close to the camera or having to analyze it. Again automation of objective would be achievable with an upgrade to V's hardware. Side note: only one thing can be automated within Braindance.

Possible UI refinement with in Braindance.
1: Making the large green interface for letting the player know there was someone talking smaller.

2: Possibly changing the green in Braindance to another color (Not too sure about this one)

3: The circle in the middle that expands and contract, possibly leaving the circle in its contracted state and changing its opacity to a higher number when analyzing an object.

 

[4RM3D]

Possible improvements to Briandance

I don't know who Brian is and how he dances, but if you say so.

 

[Sardukhar]

I don't know who Brian is and how he dances, but if you say so.

Kinda like this:

I love Brian. The Briandance is the -best-.

 

[KingRevolt]

I think is almost insulting to the game developers to take one example of a gameplay mechanic and try to tear said mechanic to pieces. Wait until the game is out. Better yet, even if it isn't the most engaging aspect of the game there is no need to try to convince others that the rest of the game will suffer based on conjecture, and baseless opinions.

 

[Nicademusx]

It seemed to me that the specific braindance tutorial that was shown is better used as an investigative tool. Easier to find clues to solve mysteries or live out your law enforcement fantasy.

Side note, isnt the man's (Mike Pondsmith) character in the cyber world a bad ass police officer?

 

[satyrsangre]

Side note, isnt the man's (Mike Pondsmith) character in the cyber world a bad ass police officer?

yes. his name is Maximum Mike in the Cyberpunk lore

 

[KakitaTatsumaru]

It will probably be shocking to all here who knows me, but I currently have zero complaint about braindance so far.