Is it time for a new way of making AAA games?

[Gen_Liu]

I think it's time for people to chill out and recognize that it's not the end of the world if a videogame isn't perfect, and yes, 2077 isn't perfect, but it definitely has a great base to build upon that, with tweaks here and there, could eventually be an even better game. It would be a shame if this game never released because someone, somewhere, had problems with playing it. I understand the frustration, maybe CDPR bit off more than they could chew by trying to get this game to run on last gen hardware, but all the outrage and smash the system style mentality that we're getting is just silly.

Yeah, people need to make a distinction between issues that needs solving (game breaking bugs, major AI flaws ect) and issues that are just tied to their personal preferences and what they want the game to be.

People can't expect the game to match everybody's taste and point of view because it's litterally impossible.

 

[Mobster100]

How is exactly a great base? Beside writing cinematics and graphic the open wold is just visually pretty but is empty and dead.

To me, there is something about the whole flow in the game, that simply makes it feel more immersive than any other game I have tried, and makes it have life in a different way than other games have, Mass effect came really close as well, and Assassins Creed, GTA, but not as good as CP. First of all that there are no loading screens, it makes a huge difference. And also it doesn't have the same feeling of going from just one mission to the next, in the same way as other games do. Sort of like the same way Skyrim does it, but when the missions, dialogs and voice acting are as good as they are, because in my opinion they are terrible in Skyrim they don't really flow correctly or natural, so it never really react the level that CP does. And also you never really care about anyone in Skyrim. Where you sort of get to know these characters in a more realistic way, like call you and you can call them, and all in a natural way, almost whenever you feel like it. I would probably say that CP is sort of a mix between the dialogs in Mass effect and why they worked so well and the open world of Skyrim and GTA all in a weird mix. And to me as a RP experience it works much better than any other game I have tried. And then you have Night city which itself just add so much to this experience as well, because it never stops to impress.

But I agree, that there should be a lot more mundane things to do, won't go in details here due to spoilers. But still for what CP delivers at the moment of what I mentioned above is top notch. But if a player doesn't find these things especially important in a RPG and are more interested in stats, character optimizations, %, items etc. I agree, that its probably not for them. And one of the other games would most likely be more interesting.

To me, characters and that the world feels alive, is far more important than these things. For all I care, they could have made all the weapons work like they do in a straight up FP shooter like modern warfare or what these games are called, if people consider them the top of the line. I personally enjoy the shooting in CP, but then again I don't normally play FPS. I think the melee combat from what I have tried is probably as good or bad, depending on how you look at it, as in Skyrim. And don't really find it anything special there either. But I think that comes down to melee combat, being quiet difficult to do good in FP in general. I at least have no better solution of how one would do it.

So I think CP have a great base to build of, and the more details and fleshing out they do, I can only see it being better and more immersive.

 

[ottffss1]

CDPR seems more in their zone when they pick a character with a set background (ie Geralt) and running a story around that personality than something totally open world and tabula rasa. It doesn't help in 2077 that the intro/background stories where probably really chopped out. Like the Nomad intro sort of works because well, you're a drifter and new to NC. But the other two backgrounds kinda rough getting into character.

 

[IskrasFemme]

Couldn't help but focus my post on the thread title itself, so my post will revolve around that, if you may forgive that approach. Let us take a step into the future and ponder how games development itself could be.


A new way of making AAA games would mean new technology and approaches. You can't change a running system, a lot is simply dependent on time windows and money and the realistic constraints (development taking time with finite resources and an eventual delivery date).

Imagine in the moderate future, advanced technology aiding you in game development rapidly. Maybe even with AI support. A world where you don't need to develop such major titles over several years and still be unable to finish all original ideas (different apartments, way back years ago, possibly pickable classes and factions or jobs, etc) due to the aforementioned constraints and priorities, because development itself becomes faster and easier.

I see issues in both the "mainstream industry" and also more independent indie developers. Notable titles often get changed scopes and some downgraded package because you eventually have to deliver as the market or investors demand it, or simply because you cannot afford to develop a title longer. Some titles outright fail and never see the light of day.

Then, you get indie developers who don't have the same financial security. Some fail, some make it but their scope remains limited as they lack the bigger resources. And then there is crowd-funded mega projects like Star Citizen. Star Citizen is, depending on how you look at it, both a bad and yet also good example.

You're not subject to certain investors as far as I understand how it works - or not so much like in the big industry. That's where such more independent developers or studios pride themselves - yet, a huge mammoth project takes time. Star Citizen will easily see the next decade in continued development until it is probably somewhat or relatively near where it was pitched to be, without being finished for good.

Long story short, no matter the route or approach and depending on project size, you are always subject to higher powers and limitations. Money, time, luck, scope, people to work with, experience, skill, and so much more. Some of that, you cannot simply wash away or change radically: How "the system" works.

But I feel you can make a lot along the way easier with ground breaking technology aids, like AI. Where games can be made or tweaked faster, thus, more content can be offered. Where a lot of the work doesn't become menial or hands-on tasking and coding, but can shift to a creative process as technology takes the parts that take time and prone to mistakes in coding or fine-tuning and does the job in almost no time. The coder becomes the artist who simply oversees and shapes the process as needed by the creative process or director.

These are the games and virtual (vast) worlds I look forward to and it should still be within my time frame on this earth. Maybe at the end of this decade, maybe in the 30s, 40s.

It's quite exciting to think what could be around the corner.

But let's stop dreaming and look at the near future: Curious to see what they will make with DLC and the next Cyberpunk game.

We need, really, a AAA game or we can do the BEST game ever made 'like AAA' but, in real, a single A+?

I have a nice idea about, but ll be my secret at 2021