Your TOP 3 worst game mechanics / design choices

[Silly]

Everyone has some mechanics and design choices in games they absolutely detest, sometimes so much so that their mere presence is enough of a reason to drop the game entirely.

What are your three most hated mechanics in video games? Please only pick mechanics from games you have actually played, for example I won't mention gacha / F2P mechanics because I stay away from these kind of games by default.

1. Cryptic missables: The total opposite of modern handholding. I detest both, but sometimes the requirements to trigger a hidden quest are just too obscure.
   Did you want this super secret piece of equipment? Too bad, the NPC was only available between story cutscenes 78 and 79 and you've only talked to him twice instead of thrice. Too bad you don't have an older save file! See you in NG+!
   
   
2. Characters having whole philosophical debates during boss fights: Definitely mostly a JRPG trope, but can you please shut up with your conversation and wait until after I've beaten the ♥♥♥♥ out of you? I wonder what drives developers to do this. Did the budget for cutscenes run out?
   Let me focus on the fight ffs...
   
   
3. QTEs: Either let me watch a cutscene in peace or give me full control of the character. This isn't smart or engaging game design, it's just an annoying mechanic that catches players off-guard. I can deal with this at the end of climactic boss fights, but only then. Put QTEs anywhere else and you'll lose me eventually.

[$2 Hero]

When you skip dialogue one line at a time. It’s the reason I never finished the Witcher 3.

[TGC> The Games Collector]

Escrito originalmente por admiral1018:

- Escort missions

This is mostly due to piss poor AI.

For some annoying reason they often make the escortee a suicidal moron.

[Candyy]

Escrito originalmente por miakisfan:

Escrito originalmente por Silly:

Everyone has some mechanics and design choices in games they absolutely detest, sometimes so much so that their mere presence is enough of a reason to drop the game entirely.

What are your three most hated mechanics in video games? Please only pick mechanics from games you have actually played, for example I won't mention gacha / F2P mechanics because I stay away from these kind of games by default.

1. Cryptic missables: The total opposite of modern handholding. I detest both, but sometimes the requirements to trigger a hidden quest are just too obscure.
   Did you want this super secret piece of equipment? Too bad, the NPC was only available between story cutscenes 78 and 79 and you've only talked to him twice instead of thrice. Too bad you don't have an older save file! See you in NG+!
   
   
2. Characters having whole philosophical debates during boss fights: Definitely mostly a JRPG trope, but can you please shut up with your conversation and wait until after I've beaten the ♥♥♥♥ out of you? I wonder what drives developers to do this. Did the budget for cutscenes run out?
   Let me focus on the fight ffs...
   
   
3. QTEs: Either let me watch a cutscene in peace or give me full control of the character. This isn't smart or engaging game design, it's just an annoying mechanic that catches players off-guard. I can deal with this at the end of climactic boss fights, but only then. Put QTEs anywhere else and you'll lose me eventually.

There is really only one big choice that bothers me.

Stop adding Multiplayer to Single Player games dammit!

Integrating MP into SP games and forcing it to be part of the experience annoys me to no end. I have purposely not purchased a SP RPG I would normally have until I found out MP was added to it.

In many cases it isn't the choice of the developer, either. The publishers see dollar signs in MP and force it to be added.

Stop ruining my SP experience for the love of God!

Well, ppl want multiplayer 😀

[admiral1018]

Buying a game on Steam, then immediately being forced to use a different loader and create a new account. That's usually an immediate refund for me.

[C4Warr10r]

I actually have to agree with all of those, OP. The only minor addition I'd have is that I hate cryptic missables in fast-paced games. I don't have the time, nor the desire, to be looking around for that junk. When I have the time, sure, I'll check most things out, but I'm not a speed-running treasure hunter.

And I have one to add. Only one game I remember has ever done this, and it was Front Mission 5. In one mission, my mechanic took the liberty of customizing my mech. Wanzer, whatever. You do not EVER do that. I don't care how the game wants me to play it, you do not ♥♥♥♥ with my ride. I spent hours developing very precise muscle memory for the configurations I prefer, and I can beat everything with them, eventually. Or I'll modify them if they don't work. But if you just drop me in some unfamiliar piece of crap, out of the blue, the most lethal thing is going to be the torrent of abuse I hurl at the game, because we sure as hell aren't killing anything with this clumsy trash.

I don't even remember the name of that digital mechanic, but I hate her to this day, with more hate than I've ever had for an actual human, including ones that have tried to kill me in warfare.

Actually, that also includes a lousy First Sergeant who tried to make me my combat gear layout because he thought it would be more combat-effective if we all had a uniform stormtrooper appearance. As if the enemy can see that ♥♥♥♥ from 300 yards away. Nobody gives a rat's anus, what they're going to notice is being hit with bullets, but I could ignore that guy or appeal to other authorities, both of which I did. That one game, though, I had no appeals.

Plus, unlike that First Sergeant, I really wanted to like it. I also wanted to like my mechanic. I don't remember her being terrible the rest of the time, or anything at all, because the overriding hate is all I recall.

[Kweeb]

QTEs that you have to do or else the boss regains his health.

Developer deciding to mix up the gameplay. They do it too much and every 30 minutes is a new mini game.

[Kweeb]

Escrito originalmente por admiral1018:

Buying a game on Steam, then immediately being forced to use a different loader and create a new account. That's usually an immediate refund for me.

Every third party launcher should have a one click login with Google... And not store the save game in their own cloud/have their overlay enabled by default. That's what steam is for.....

[Silly]

Escrito originalmente por admiral1018:

Buying a game on Steam, then immediately being forced to use a different loader and create a new account. That's usually an immediate refund for me.

I mean usually these games usually inform you of these extra launchers before you purchase them, don't they?

[Swarmfly]

A game being built around being played once and never again.

Might as well have been rentals.

[ArgentAbendAzure]

Some good points here.
I agree about the platforming in non platforming games.
I don't want to have to jump on a dime, or pick along a path with a character that wasn't designed to do things like that.
I've had to deal with a number of custom campaigns in Left4Dead2 that would be a good example of pushing the characters to do things, go places, that they aren't well adapted for.
It's annoying, and tedious.

But if I have to choose the area that bother me the most it's poor movement.
Mouse oversensitivity drives me crazy.
It can feel like trying to walk on snot slicked glass in some games.
I usually have to turn my mouse sensitivity down as a rule.
But sometimes it's just ridiculous. It can make a game unplayable.

I also have to complain about the lousy driving in some games.
It's like a demolition derby if you don't play it safe and slow.
Why do that?
Why make the driving in some game so god awful?
Touchy over sensitive steering. The car lurching left, and right at the slightest touch of the keyboard.
Just tone it down, and assume I don't mean to actually drive into everything?
Sigh.

[Disgruntled Cuttlefish]

Easy or medium difficulty levels (get gud), unless the damage the player does is so lopsided compared to the damage enemies do it's just ridiculous and immersion breaking etc. Depending on the genre etc.

[skOsH♥]

Escrito originalmente por Moogal™:

Worst: Difficult games in general as well as the horrible and sudden difficulty spikes that some games have (at least be consistent if you want the game to be hard). Also ppl who find themselves of better character etc. for completing games on high difficulties. Plz get off your high horses and realize games are FOR FUN.

(Modern handholding is good in games which you hate to play (which tbf are most games today for me, at least it makes the ride enjoyable to an extent).)

I tried to have fun in that valheim game but the longer you're alive and keep leveling your skills the mobs just keep multiplying. It's wild.

I might try it again and see if it's fun. It's ironically easier if I speedrun it and abuse the game mechanics

[Mathius]

1. Playing a certain type of game and then the dev throws in something completely different just for one area. Like.... I despise driving levels in non driving games, i.e. Gears of War, Batman Arkham, etc.

2. Platforming in first person games in general.

3. I don't need hand holding, but I hate when a game has mechanics that aren't explained. Ark is one of the worst. Is it realistic? Yeah, because learning things by communicating with other players fits the game, but all the information for a game should be IN the game, not trial and error, not spend hours on a wiki, etc.