Fallout 3: A Game Feel Analysis
Fallout 3 does a very clean and efficient job of combining the three elements of game feel. Most of the game is played with first person mechanics which does an good job at supplying real time control and spacial awareness. Some of the mechanics are:
- Walk
- Run
- Sneak
- Jump
- Interaction with environment
- Grab
- Shoot/ Attack
- Aim
- Block (if using melee)
- Reload
- VATS
- Use Pipboy
First off, the movement feels instantaneous for the control scheme is set up. The mouse controls the player’s look plane, and the WASD keys control sidling and straight movement. With one of the toggle buttons, you can go into walking and running mode instantly. There is also a gameplay element of Sneak, which allows enemies to go undetected, giving a greater level of control over how the NPC is perceiving the actions of the player.
Interaction with the Environment is also an instantaneous function. When the interact button is pressed, something happens withing the perception time. A text window will pop us, an item added to your inventory or conversation started. With Grabing, the feel is a little different. You can pick up a non static item, but it floats in front of you. Your character’s arm does not go to pick it up. This is a case of real time control over an object, but no polish attached to the action.
Combat mechanics also begin to play a role into the feel, mostly in terms of Real-Time delay and polish. Depending on the weapon the attack does something different. If you equip a pistol then attack, the gun shoots instantly, but if you equip a minigun, then you have to hold down the button to spin up the gun before it begins to fire. There is a suspension of action similar to the Street Fighter II example of a fierce attack. Reloading also does this well, and even provides polish and feedback based of the weapons durability (i.e. the gun jams or is incorrectly reloaded)
The only things that really breaks Real-Time control are the Pipboy and VATS. The Pipboy essentially acts like a pause screen for the rest of the game, allowing a player to change inventory and manage information. The rest of the game world does not move during this time. The same is the case with VATS. The targeting system pauses the game world, until after the player makes the choices he/she wants, and then continues with a cinematic view of attacks, while suspending players control over the character.
Fallout 3 also has simulated space. Using the Havok physics engine, non- static items tumble to the ground and can be knocked over by the character. There are buildings and blocked passageways. All of the loaded spaces are contiguous with their sizes on the outside (aka there is no “Tardis” Effect). And all characters interact with each other and collide with one another.
Lastly, the polish of the game is very well done. If you cripple an enemy, the enemy will limp. The environments and objects make sounds as you walk through them and collide (i.e different floor types, tumbling objects). Even conversations of NPC’s are scripted with polish for them to interact as well.
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