This is actually really important part of the game, the first impressions. At best the beginning can be the best part of the game. At worst, it can ruin it and make the player quit.
A lot of games have this repository-like ½ - 1 hour opening dungeon or set piece event that meticulously introduces every button and contraption you will be pressing during the game. From the basic WASD controls to "press LMB to fire your weapon", ctrl to crouch, e to interact, space to jump and so on, to introducing you the most common features like lockpicking a container and hacking and basic dialog sequence.
These advices are no doubt useful to be around. It might be someone's first game ever and he might not have any idea on what to do or how. And the opening dungeon or what ever can be somewhat useful to introduce the premise of the story. But...
But...
But...
This tutorial event will be there any and every time you pick up the game and start over. Every single time. And I've found this to actually be quite problematic, because the sort of tired unskippable repetition it produces. Even if it produces the initial story trappings while giving out the essential mechanics.
Think about the startup on Bethesda's games from Oblivion onwards. Think about the start up in Witcher 2 and 3. Just to give a few examples. There's always that 30 or so minute slog at the start where you do not make any significant choices, and the advice it offers you already know from the first time.
Some games start you off with a high level character to get a taster of how it will play, and then an amnesia strikes and you're puny again. The demos of Cyberpunk kinda gave an impression that this might be the case with CP too to some length (Keanu picking you up at the outskirts after being manhandled and saying you have a city to burn... kind of like saying, this is where the game actually starts).
New Vegas had a more open thing going on there, but I've lost count on how many times I quit during the opening sequence because if I did not do it, I'd have lost a couple of very valuable level ups and gear. It is kinda forced on you even there.
But then, think about Fallout 1 or Morrowind. You create your character, are given the first goal on your mission, and off you go into the strange world to finding things out by yourself, the setting, the gameplay, heck, even the story. I find that kind of initial uncertainty of "where am I, what should I do, where you I go since, I can really go anywhere" type of start much more engaging than a traditiona tutorial/story dungeon/setpiece.
I know CDPR has a something of an obsession for storytelling and "strong" narrative beginnings. But I would imagine that that could be produced by other means too, just for the sake of saving the repetition from the reruns. Now I do remember that you start from different locations based on your background, but that isn't really something I consider a problem if the opening is designed as freeform and without the sort of "essential" initial tasks whose rewards can't be neglected unless you want hard times.
So I suppose what I'm asking is, what kind of start would you want to see in Cyberpunk 2077?
There's a nifty poll too so you don't even have to post anything. Though of course it might be more constructive to post something about your vote; so others can bash it.
A lot of games have this repository-like ½ - 1 hour opening dungeon or set piece event that meticulously introduces every button and contraption you will be pressing during the game. From the basic WASD controls to "press LMB to fire your weapon", ctrl to crouch, e to interact, space to jump and so on, to introducing you the most common features like lockpicking a container and hacking and basic dialog sequence.
These advices are no doubt useful to be around. It might be someone's first game ever and he might not have any idea on what to do or how. And the opening dungeon or what ever can be somewhat useful to introduce the premise of the story. But...
But...
But...
This tutorial event will be there any and every time you pick up the game and start over. Every single time. And I've found this to actually be quite problematic, because the sort of tired unskippable repetition it produces. Even if it produces the initial story trappings while giving out the essential mechanics.
Think about the startup on Bethesda's games from Oblivion onwards. Think about the start up in Witcher 2 and 3. Just to give a few examples. There's always that 30 or so minute slog at the start where you do not make any significant choices, and the advice it offers you already know from the first time.
Some games start you off with a high level character to get a taster of how it will play, and then an amnesia strikes and you're puny again. The demos of Cyberpunk kinda gave an impression that this might be the case with CP too to some length (Keanu picking you up at the outskirts after being manhandled and saying you have a city to burn... kind of like saying, this is where the game actually starts).
New Vegas had a more open thing going on there, but I've lost count on how many times I quit during the opening sequence because if I did not do it, I'd have lost a couple of very valuable level ups and gear. It is kinda forced on you even there.
But then, think about Fallout 1 or Morrowind. You create your character, are given the first goal on your mission, and off you go into the strange world to finding things out by yourself, the setting, the gameplay, heck, even the story. I find that kind of initial uncertainty of "where am I, what should I do, where you I go since, I can really go anywhere" type of start much more engaging than a traditiona tutorial/story dungeon/setpiece.
I know CDPR has a something of an obsession for storytelling and "strong" narrative beginnings. But I would imagine that that could be produced by other means too, just for the sake of saving the repetition from the reruns. Now I do remember that you start from different locations based on your background, but that isn't really something I consider a problem if the opening is designed as freeform and without the sort of "essential" initial tasks whose rewards can't be neglected unless you want hard times.
So I suppose what I'm asking is, what kind of start would you want to see in Cyberpunk 2077?
There's a nifty poll too so you don't even have to post anything. Though of course it might be more constructive to post something about your vote; so others can bash it.