"Too short": length of a videogame.

Numerous

L4: Comfortable Member
Oct 14, 2009
150
72
So, basically, what is necessary in terms of the length of a videogame?.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and generally come to the conclusion that it's a bit like eating a lunch in a specific order - if the portions are too small, you want more, although that doesn't change the fact that you enjoyed it (if you actually enjoyed it), but if they're too large, then you have the option of either giving up, even though your favourite bit might be still on the plate, or forcing yourself and ending up feeling like you want to puke.

Unnecessarily lengthy metaphors similes aside, what do you think?
 

Jakkarra

L4: Comfortable Member
Aug 26, 2009
167
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I havent found a point where a game can be too long, unless of course, they had run out of ideas, and just re-tread old ground.

Personally, i like longer games, "Infinate" games, That is, ones that generate the levels as you play them, are some of my favourites.
 

StickZer0

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Nov 25, 2008
664
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I like games where you can finish the main story by rushing through it in about 20-40 hours, but you get much more out of it by doing side missions or challenge missions that actually affect the game (ie grant you new powers or introduces a new game mechanic) which will take it up to 60-80 hours, and then another 20-40 hours of mini quests which are fun but don't really affect the gameplay much.

Essentially, you should have been able to play through around 80% of the game's mechanics by playing "normally" by the time you've done the main story, and there's still more to do. That's how I feel, anyway
 

Terwonick

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 25, 2010
278
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see, I don't like the repetitiveness of games like Oblivion. They have you do the same quests over and over:

-go find something (sometimes you have to kill a leader of a band or something and BRING BACK AN ITEM from there corpse)
-kill stuff

it just gets boring after a while of those same 2 things.
 

Fraz

Blu Hatte, Greyscale Backdrop.
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Dec 28, 2008
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Depends on the game. I could've went with another 10 or so hours ontop of the 8 that God of War 3 provided, even though it was short, it was great. I'd rather have a short, amazing game than a longer mediocre game. I'm one of these people who will generally play a game once, complete it and then not touch it again, bar a few exceptions. I completed MW2 in a single day, even though it has a couple of hours less gameplay time it took me about 2 weeks to complete God of War 3. Just because I wanted to play through it, enjoy it, whereas with MW2 and its itsy bitsy SP story I was like "fuck it" and just played, didnt really enjoy it.

The only game I've ever really kept playing and playing is Fallout 3. Oblivion was just not my style, Fallout was good though, played through it now 5 times and am onto my 6th. I dunno what it is about it, I just love it. Most games seem to be getting shorter and shorter though, and it is annoying me. I'd rather some games developed storylines more, I rarely notice "padding" if the game is good enough but I do know it is there.
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
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May 21, 2009
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I have maxed out the recorded timer in Pokemon Pearl Version.
 

eyefork

L3: Member
Oct 27, 2008
130
186
Right. Or developers can just make games that are long and enjoyable like they have been. It's an extremely rare circumstance where a $60 game's overall quality can make it's short length forgivable. And why should we not criticize full-priced games for being short when competing games of high quality are easily exceeding our expectations for length without "padding". Should we hug the developers and wish them better luck next time?

Don't get me wrong, short games can be great, but don't expect all smiles when people are paying the same price for a game that's less than half the length of their other games and only as good as them.

Also, lol at the article asking for multiplayer to add value. Because Bioshock 2's multiplayer was so memorable and necessary, riiight?
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
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Dec 20, 2007
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In today's day of gaming and its average market more then 10 solid hours of gameplay is "to much"

People seem to rather have 1o hours of game play, buy it and praise the shit out of the game and then happily pay for added features later.


I remember when 50+ hours of gameplay wasnt uncommon and there was no bullshit "DLC" to make up for the fact developers didn't add enough content at the release of the game.

50 dollar game got you 50+ hours of gameplay then
$60 dollar game now gets you around 10-20 hours of gameplay with DLC you pay for to add another 5-10hours of gameplay.
 
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nik

L12: Fabulous Member
Aug 14, 2009
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564
anything shorter than portal
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
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Dec 20, 2007
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I just read that article and it sounds like a 14yo ADD kid wrote it. Its people like that which make pirating so popular and why shit games keep coming out.

anything shorter than portal

Portal was about 1/3 as long as a "real" game should have been. If Portal is your "good length of a video game" why do you prefer such a short game period?
 

Micnax

Back from the dead (again)
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Apr 25, 2009
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I remember when 50+ hours of gameplay wasnt uncommon and there was no bullshit "DLC" to make up for the fact developers didn't add enough content at the release of the game.

50 dollar game got you 50+ hours of gameplay then
$60 dollar game now gets you around 10-20 hours of gameplay with DLC you pay for to add another 5-10hours of gameplay.

Oh man, Zelda: Twilight Princess is a perfect example of a 50+ hour game. It was fantastic all the way through, too.
 

Fraz

Blu Hatte, Greyscale Backdrop.
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Dec 28, 2008
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The game developers are making shorter games to get more casual customers. More customers buying shorter games = more profit. Hopefully everything worms its way back and we get proper games again, I dont care if I have to wait years for a highly anticipated game as long as it gives me satisfaction and enough game playing time.
 

Omnomnick

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 16, 2009
335
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It's not the time that really determines how good a game is. It's the overall experience. If the storyline and gameplay are amazing then it doesn't really matter about the storyline, we saw that in Portal. True a short but amazing games leaves you feeling a little bit empty because there could've been so much more of that good gameplay. But really long games with bad story lines are probably worse as you have to keep enduring the same old shit for hours and hours on end.

But heck, look at Minecraft. No length and no story, but you play it for hours and hours happily.
 

nik

L12: Fabulous Member
Aug 14, 2009
987
564
I think because the quality of portal was so high, the length wasn't as much of an issue, but anything SHORTER than that, regardless of the quality, would probably be a waste of money
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
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Dec 20, 2007
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The game developers are making shorter games to get more casual customers. More customers buying shorter games = more profit.

I can agree with this but as a consumer i can't believe "WE" are falling for this or allowing this.


But heck, look at Minecraft. No length and no story, but you play it for hours and hours happily.

But its infinite so it holds no place in this topic.

I think because the quality of portal was so high, the length wasn't as much of an issue, but anything SHORTER than that, regardless of the quality, would probably be a waste of money

I loved Portal don't get me wrong but the hype of Portal comes from -no game like it before- not that it was an amazing quality game. Length was a serious issue IMO. I was disappointed because the game had so much potential but ended so short. If i would have played a demo for free and had the option to buy the game of 20 hours for full price i would have never.
 

DJive

Cake or Death?
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Dec 20, 2007
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The thing about Portal was that it was $20 instead of $50 or $60.

I understand that. Anyone know the price of the new one? I highly doubt it will be $20 however i may be wrong.
 

Tapp

L10: Glamorous Member
Jan 26, 2009
776
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It all depends on how repetitive it is. HL2 was originally almost twice the length it is now, but they had to cut it down because the set pieces were starting to repeat themselves. It's not a question of length, but rather the density of good, original ideas.
 

eyefork

L3: Member
Oct 27, 2008
130
186
I understand that. Anyone know the price of the new one? I highly doubt it will be $20 however i may be wrong.

Nah it's definitely full-priced. They said it'd be longer than the original. That includes the co-op mode though IIRC.
 

nik

L12: Fabulous Member
Aug 14, 2009
987
564
It's a full price game Djive, but it's going to include a crap-ton more stuff :|