Fallout 3: New screenshots from OXM US

[Absinthe]

I do read manuals, but most others (particularly non-gamers) don't, and I think they should become less and less of a requirement for understanding how a game works. The best way to inform players of a title's gameplay is through hands-on experience and intuitive design. You shouldn't have to research a game before playing it unless we're talking about some ridiculously complex sim.

And in no way does intuitive design have to come at the expense of a satisfying learning curve. Unless you consider a learning curve to be the time and effort it takes to learn the simplest of basic gameplay mechanics, which I find completely worthless and unhelpful. Nobody except for the hardcore would put up with Fallout today, with few exceptions. And not because it's amazingly difficult.

If I can ****ing play Civilization after just a quick tutorial and no manual reading, then most other games do not have an excuse.

 

[Jintor]

Yes, you are so f'in smart nothing is left to be read and no learning curve is worth it... [another ... for sarcasm] ...

Refer to avatar for response.

 

[Deleted member 56031]

 

[Kyorisu]

The best way to inform players of a title's gameplay is through hands-on experience and intuitive design.

Nail, head, hit.

 

[Jintor]

Ah, Kyon. You poor sap.

I should really make a stable of Kyon facepalm avatars and just cycle through them every once in a while.

 

[Asknoone]

So basically a bigass tooltip should pop up whenever the player is faced with a choice, explaining what is going to happen?

In the gaming world of today carefully constructed, seamlessly implemented gameplay tutorials inside of the game itself are the best way to go and it has proven over and over. There's no need for cumbersome text or for players to have to refer to a manual - which should never be the case - when if you're competent enough you can explain it through the game anyway.

Everything should be inside the game.