Shooting for 30 hours?

[roshan]

This is a quote from Ferret from a recent interview:

 

The number of hours is a tricky thing to quantify - we're shooting for 30 to 40 hours of dungeon-romping, plot-twisting and monster-slaying fun. But mileage can vary widely on this.

 

Shooting for 30 hours? What the hell kind of campaign is that? I estimate that for hardcore players this number will be much less, as it always is. I estimate that I will be able to finish the game with all the side quests in about 15 hours. (my formula is almost always the minimum hours according to the developer divided by two)

 

What the **** is going on with games nowadays? Why arent game developers focusing on creating large worlds with a lot of interesting sidequests and characters that gamers can immerse themselves in instead of these short displays of advanced graphics? Why the hell do they all cater to the ****ing attention disorder crowd?

 

That even the corpse of those partially responsible for fallout and torment is making a 15 hour dungeon romp is disturbing indeed.

Edited January 12, 2006 by Fionavar

[Darque]

30... to 40 hours?

 

 

@%@%@#%@#%@%@%@#%@#%

 

I think they need to revise the design doc and take a few lessons from japanese game designers.

 

Put in content to let players grind some times

 

Like the item world in games like Disgaea for example

 

But this is like I keep saying, the prettier games get the shorter they become.

[Surreptishus]

Hmm, maybe designers are catering to the wider audience who have stuff to do.

[mkreku]

Me and my girlfriend finished Dragon Quest 8 (both endings and with some progress on the dragon challenge) in 101 hours. And we had fun the entire time! Actually, I wish there had been more of it.

 

30-40 hours.. Oh well, the game comes with a toolset, so it's not so bad. I, too, was hoping for a longer main story though.

[Volourn]

"That even the corpse of those partially responsible for fallout and torment is making a 15 hour dungeon romp is disturbing indeed."

 

Oh please. FO was about 20 hours if one was lucky. It wa smore like 10-15 hours.

 

PST was pushing 40 hours at the extreme length.

 

30-40 hours is a very solid number if it's quality.

 

Sure, I'd love 100s no 1000s of hours of play; but let's get real people.

 

Until gamers are willing to pay $200 per game you ar estuck with this length for most games that arne't crap like DQ8.

 

P.S. Ahh.. Both endings? So the game was more like 50-60 hours. Hmmm.

[Pidesco]

If those 30-40 hours are filled to the brim with RPG goodness I'm not going to complain.

[roshan]

The problem is that it probably wont last me anywhere close to 30 hours.

[Darque]

Hmm, maybe designers are catering to the wider audience who have stuff to do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Well that's fine, they can have their money

 

I'll wait for the bargain bin

[Haitoku]

I don't see the problem really.

 

30 hours is fine as long as it's enough to wrap up everything the game has to offer.

[Darque]

I don't see the problem really.

 

30 hours is fine as long as it's enough to wrap up everything the game has to offer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Did you finish Fallout, PS:T or Baldur's Gate in 30 hours?

 

How about NWN?

[Volourn]

"Did you finish Fallout, PS:T or Baldur's Gate in 30 hours?"

 

FO easily under 30 if not 20 hours.

 

PST is a maybe. Definbitely no more than 40 hours or so.

 

BG no.

 

NWN no. It was around 40-50 hours. Maybe a little less.

[Darque]

"Did you finish Fallout, PS:T or Baldur's Gate in 30 hours?"

 

FO easily under 30 if not 20 hours.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

On your first playthru?

[mkreku]

P.S. Ahh.. Both endings? So the game was more like 50-60 hours. Hmmm.

No, the secondary ending is just something that let's interested people find out more about the story. It's probably 3-5 hours long, tops. It's just a small part after you've finished the game and beaten the final boss.

 

The draconic challenge (I think that's the correct name) is a series of battles that you have to win in order to get the best items in the game. I only had the patience for a few.

[Arkan]

You folks are totally focusing on the wrong portion of the quote.

we're shooting for 30 to 40 hours of dungeon-romping, plot-twisting and monster-slaying fun.

 

 

 

In none of those thirty hours does it include role playing? Boo urns Obsidian.

Edited January 11, 2006 by Arkan

[Haitoku]

I don't see the problem really.

 

30 hours is fine as long as it's enough to wrap up everything the game has to offer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Did you finish Fallout, PS:T or Baldur's Gate in 30 hours?

 

How about NWN?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Well, no (never tried Baldur's gate).

 

However, length does not matter. My favorite game of 05 was SMT: Avatar Tuner 2, which took me 20 hours to complete (the main objective anyways).

 

The content is what matters. I rather a game be short and sweet then long and boring. (COUGH* Nwn1)

Edited January 11, 2006 by Haitoku

[Darque]

I'm sorry, but length DOES matter.

[mkreku]

However, length does not matter.

Have you played Jade Empire?

 

13-15 hours of RPG goodness and shoot'em up crappiness and it was over. I almost felt guilty for suggesting the game to my cousin (who bought the damn thing).

[Haitoku]

However, length does not matter.

Have you played Jade Empire?

 

13-15 hours of RPG goodness and shoot'em up crappiness and it was over. I almost felt guilty for suggesting the game to my cousin (who bought the damn thing).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Pick a good example. :/

 

Plenty of RPG run in the 20~30 hour range and are wonderful.

 

I'm sorry, but length DOES matter.

 

No.

Edited January 11, 2006 by Haitoku

[LoneWolf16]

I'm sorry, but length DOES matter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"

[Volourn]

"On your first playthru?"

 

Yes. FO, while awesome, was relatively short. And, that's not coutning the fact that it's easily possible to finish the game in under an hour (by joining the Mutants).

 

 

"13-15 hours of RPG goodness and shoot'em up crappiness and it was over. I almost felt guilty for suggesting the game to my cousin (who bought the damn thing)."

 

20-30 hours. Anyone who took less time than that were simply rushing and not playing the game. Period.

 

 

" the secondary ending is just something that let's interested people find out more about the story. It's probably 3-5 hours long, tops. It's just a small part after you've finished the game and beaten the final boss."

 

I didn't care for DQ8 and find it overrated; but that's actually a pretty cool idea.

Edited January 11, 2006 by Volourn

[mr insomniac]

Have to agree with Volourn. Took roughly 40 hours to complete Torment the first time I played it... missed a few things in the first third of the game... and despite being quite linear and fast-paced in the second half, that was the most enjoyable game I've ever played.

 

If NWN2 is a quality game, 40 hours for the single-player portion is plenty.

[LadyCrimson]

Even at 20 hours it's still cheaper than a full price movie per hour.

And I agree, content and the fun factor are the most important things. I'll take a fun, fast, 20 hour game over one that's 80 hours long but boring as s**t. But it would be nice if the two combined together more often, tis true.

 

A game that takes me more than 30-40hours to finish is because I spend a lot of time 'tinkering,' optional stuff that's not required to 'win', & re-loading type experimenting, even on the first run-thru, not because the game actually has that many hours of straight story/levels/gameplay. That includes BG1.

 

I don't really see how to make the majority of them longer tho - unless you like plain old randomly generated dungeon levels that all look the same, the more content there is the more time and money it takes to make them...which at today's salaries, business practices, and prices, would probably = higher priced games, which would cause people to whine even more.

 

edit-typo

Edited January 11, 2006 by LadyCrimson

[Surreptishus]

I'm sorry, but length DOES matter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

2" is too darn small

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Llyranor]

Morrowind packed in 500 hrs of roleplaying goodness. It was teh awesomeness!!!

[karka]

Morrowind was filled with 500 hours of crap for me. I prefer a good short game. Besides, i am loosing my interest when a game is longer than enough.

 

And NWN 2 will be(i hope...) a great multiplayer game too. That means hours of additional length.