Simple Game Mechanics: Good or Bad?

[Eegxeta]

Compared to Morrowind, my favorite Elderscrolls game, Skyrim has fairly simple game mechanics. Fixed weapon damage, health, magic and stamina have arbitrary values, armor is just helmet, chest, boots and shield, etc.

 

My thoughts are it is easier to simplify game mechanics than it is to make them more complex why because to make them more complex you need to add coding to the game and making it simple could be done with tools like the creation kit.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Eegxeta

[Oubliette]

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking but I definitely prefer Mw's mechanics better (in every area except combat).

[luzburg]

Morrowind's mechanics were pretty lame. The game excelled in atmosphere and story more than anything.

The only thing that skyrim needed was not to change magic too much. The spell to hand is a good change, but they really should have used the spells from Oblivion and Morrowind as well as spell creation. Spell books are awful too.

 

That being said I much prefer the gameplay of Skyrim to its predecessors. I just wish story and atmosphere had been as good as the earlier games, that's my main gripe.

[jack013]

i like skyrim because it has the best zombies ever. i'm a terrible person.

 

that second question is bad, you should change it too 'like morro/skyrim'.

[Zalman1337]

The second question is not a yes or no question.

[InuyashaFE]

Compared to Morrowind, my favorite Elderscrolls game, Skyrim has fairly simple game mechanics. Fixed weapon damage, health, magic and stamina have arbitrary values, armor is just helmet, chest, boots and shield, etc.

 

I'll agree that arbritrary Health, Magic and Stamina are stupid. NPCs should be bound by the same rules as the player, not once have I ever managed to drain a mage's magicka pool.

I'll also agree that armor and clothing needs to be separated to what it was in Morrowind. Gender-divided clothing? Left and right pauldrons/gauntlets? Hell yes. I'd love to make an Argonian drag queen for once.

 

However I do think the combat is miles above Morrowind's. At least in Skyrim when I hit something, I actually hit it. I don't have to swing and hit it a hundred times for it to actually count as a hit.

 

My thoughts are it is easier to simplify game mechanics than it is to make them more complex why because to make them more complex you need to add coding to the game and making it simple could be done with tools like the creation kit.

 

Well yeah, it's easier to remove than it is to add, that's a nobrainer.

 

Personally I think Skyrim should be more complex, have more options, but not like Morrowind. Morrowind's combat sucked. Skyrim should be different on it's own, given that it's another game.

Edited January 9, 2013 by InuyashaFE