Kind Code: Nintendo's way of putting GameFAQs out of business since 2009

[GreenKirby]

Call it hints 2.0.

Nintendo is working on a gameplay system code-named "Kind Code" meant to ease the pain of completing a difficult game, without watering it down so much that it turns hardcore gamers off.

The new system, described in a patent filed by Nintendo Creative Director Shigeru Miyamoto on June 30, 2008, but made public today, looks to solve the issue of casual gamers losing interest in a game before they complete it, while still maintaining the interest of hardcore gamers.

The solution would turn a game into a full-length cut scene of sorts, allowing players to jump into and out of the action whenever they wanted. But when played this way, gamers would not be able to save their progress, maintaining the challenge of completing a game without skipping or cheating. It would also allow players to bring up in-game hint videos and skip directly to particular scenes in games.

While the patent doesn't describe how the automated gameplay (referred to as "digest moving image" in the patent) would be presented to gamers, either as a true cut-scene or as a recorded play-through, it does state that the playthrough will likely come from a game developers playing of the game.

In a game, this new play style would be broken up into three options: Game, digest and scene menu, according to the patent.

Game allows gamers to play the game in the normal way, though they can bring up video hints whenever they get stuck. These hints will appear in a screen that pops up in the top right corner of the screen.

Digest allows gamers to watch a video of a game developers play through of the game, which lays out the storyline and "flow of the scenario" from beginning to the end. At any time a player can press a button to jump into the action of the scene currently being shown. This is done by loading game saves downloaded automatically through a network.

Players will start the scene with the appropriate character attribute boosts and items for that part of the game. Saving is not allowed in digest mode.

The scene menu allows gamers to skip directly to a specific scene to play, without having to watch the digest or load a saved game.

This patent, if implemented correctly, could successfully help gaming make the leap from narrative fun, to something more open-ended and free range, the first real sandbox video game.

Imagine being able to play a game with all of the benefits of characters, story and goals, but without having to spend 10 to 20 hours of your life to enjoy doing so.

Of course, that's the best case scenario. The worst, is that this turns gaming into an interactive cut-scene, removing all of pleasure of achievement from gaming and instead turning it into a glorified demo.

http://kotaku.com/5127251/nintendo-kind-code-patent-a-potentially-paradigm-shift-in-design

Well so far, it's safe to say that this thing will be optional. And maybe even a return of harder games again without casuals whining about difficulty.

I just hope it doesn't become so simple that someone actually has a problem of putting a square block into a square hole.

 

[BloodyPuppy]

Hm, I'm not really sure I like the idea much to be honest. The reason that you get a game is to play the **** game, not watch it. Casual or not, if you don't play the game you aren't a gamer. Besides, if anything this is going to put youtube out of business, since nobody will have to look up the endings to game.

 

[Cashed]

Well that sounds boring as hell.

 

[Yuna-Maria]

The reason that you get a game is to play the **** game, not watch it.

It should be, but sometimes developers forget that that's the purpose of a game.
*ahem*



>_>



<_<

 

[OmegaXXII]

If this happens, then what would be the point of playing that video game in the first place?

This idea would only take away the thrilling rush of beating a certain level/enemy and that wouldn't be much fun now would it?

 

[metaXzero]

Remember, THIS IS OPTIONAL. This for those casual gamers who (unlike us) get turned off from when they get stuck. If anything, this will allow Nintendo to make games difficult again.

 

[Jimnymebob]

This is amusing, "Oh man, I'm stuck on a game.."
"Don't worry Bob, with this game you can fastforward the parts you are stuck on!"
"Wow, that's really cool! Now I don't have to go through the Water Temple!"

Seriously though, this idea sucks. Older games weren't exactly casual, but the fact that they didn't have much of a story helped them. For example, I could play though Sonic 2, and get stuck on it and have to restart the next day, but it'd still be a blast to play through. Imagine doing that with a new Sonic Heroes...

 

[Ange]

Aren't you supposed to play the game, not watch it?

This seems kinda childish to me, watching a game is like inserting Wii discs into a Gamecube, it doesnt... go together.

 

[KosukeKGA]

Yeah, um, Nintendo sucks now.

Glad I have my 360 and PC.

 

[tirkaro]

Seriously though, this idea sucks. Older games weren't exactly casual, but the fact that they didn't have much of a story helped them. For example, I could play though Sonic 2, and get stuck on it and have to restart the next day, but it'd still be a blast to play through. Imagine doing that with a new Sonic Heroes...

The idea sucks, but it makes those ****ed casuals happy, so we can have our hard games again.

If you don't like it, just don't use the **** thing. It's an optional code anyway.

 

[metaXzero]

Aren't you supposed to play the game, not watch it?

This seems kinda childish to me, watching a game is like inserting Wii discs into a Gamecube, it doesnt... go together.

It's OPTIONAL.

 

[Gates]

Yeah, um, Nintendo sucks now.

Glad I have my 360 and PC.

I disagree. Nintendo has sucked for quite some time now. At least a year imo.

On Topic: Hopefully including this will mean that they'll be ok with making some harder puzzles. I loved TP but it was almost always easy, significantly more so than WW or OoT.

 

[Darkslash]

I bet you this is going to be implemented in the next Zelda. I hope this is what Miyamoto said that he's going to make Zelda more "casual friendly" and becuase he patented this on June 30, 2008 before E3 2008, its safe to think so.

 

[Gates]

I bet you this is going to be implemented in the next Zelda. I hope this is what Miyamoto said that he's going to make Zelda more "casual friendly" and becuase he patented this on June 30, 2008 before E3 2008, its safe to think so.

Look at the image in the article. It's totally going to be in the next Zelda.

 

[KosukeKGA]

<_< ...

It's a deviation from the real game that some may never understand the true fun from a game.

"Oh! Instead of practicing until I understand what to do at certain points where I'll eventually beat it after understanding what to do after, WHICH ISN'T HARD AND ANY ****** CAN UNDERSTAND IT, I'll just hit the **** digest button! Because I'm a pretentious ***got!"

Nintendo is just going for anyone's money now and really isn't in tune with their games. WTF, I've even heard Miyamoto wanted to develop some Zelda prototype with that Wii Fit dashboard. **** them.
---
Also, Lobelia, MGS4 is actually a game warrant for GotY. Heh.

 

[Rutger]

Well, seeing how it is completely optional I see no problems with it. Hope it is not like the pic in the article though, it'd be annoying to have an option I'll never use in my face at all times.

Still, hopefully this would lead to harder games, if it means harder Zelda's then I'm all for it.

 

[Darkslash]

<_< ...

It's a deviation from the real game that some may never understand the true fun from a game.

"Oh! Instead of practicing until I understand what to do at certain points where I'll eventually beat it after understanding what to do after, WHICH ISN'T HARD AND ANY ****** CAN UNDERSTAND IT, I'll just hit the **** digest button! Because I'm a pretentious ***got!"

Nintendo is just going for anyone's money now and really isn't in tune with their games. WTF, I've even heard Miyamoto wanted to develop some Zelda prototype with that Wii Fit dashboard. **** them.

And seems like some one forgot the word OPTIONAL

 

[metaXzero]

<_< ...

It's a deviation from the real game that some may never understand the true fun from a game.

"Oh! Instead of practicing until I understand what to do at certain points where I'll eventually beat it after understanding what to do after, WHICH ISN'T HARD AND ANY ****** CAN UNDERSTAND IT, I'll just hit the **** digest button! Because I'm a pretentious ***got!"

Nintendo is just going for anyone's money now and really isn't in tune with their games. WTF, I've even heard Miyamoto wanted to develop some Zelda prototype with that Wii Fit dashboard. **** them.
---
Also, Lobelia, MGS4 is actually a game warrant for GotY. Heh.

For casuals, getting stuck somewhere for long periods isn't fun at all. They get tired of the repetition and give up.

YES, it's more satisfying to actually get past obstacles yourself, but the fact is most casuals (the majority consumer base now) will not get past the obstacles, stop having fun, and put the game away.

We've already known that Nintendo only wants money, but with this, they can still keep hardcore gamers (who obviously won't use this) happy.

 

[Crimson King]

OPTIONAL does not mean companies will use it to make games harder. Have you played any Wii titles? There isn't much difficult stuff in them as it is, but for casuals, it's harder because they don't know the nuances that gamers do. In short, all this will do is make games EASIER than they are now. I'd like to see it in practice though, but it sounds like a stupid way to play.

If I am going to watch a game, give me MGS4 where the quality of the story is at least entertaining.

 

[metaXzero]

OPTIONAL does not mean companies will use it to make games harder. Have you played any Wii titles? There isn't much difficult stuff in them as it is, but for casuals, it's harder because they don't know the nuances that gamers do. In short, all this will do is make games EASIER than they are now. I'd like to see it in practice though, but it sounds like a stupid way to play.

If I am going to watch a game, give me MGS4 where the quality of the story is at least entertaining.

Past Wii games had to dumb their difficulties down for the casual base. But I guess even that was still too hard.

They say they want to keep hardcore gamers happy. That COULD mean that they will start upping the difficulty for games (like that future Zelda game that will probably demonstrate this system.) when they integrate this. Casuals will be able to finish the game without getting frustaed by difficuly spikes while hardcore gamers will simply focus on the game and ignore this, and will HOPEFULLY get a better experience since the main game doesn't have to be dumbed down for hardcores.

And that too that last sentence; you're not going to use this. Nor are you going to be forced too.

 

[Bowser King]

I'm going to have to agree with CK.


Just because it's optional doesn't mean the games are going to be harder. The games could have the same level of difficulty but now with some button that allows you to skip through parts of the game.

I wish they'd stop making stupid idea's like this and just make the games difficulty higher. The casuals can keep there Mario Parties

-Bowser King

 

[Rutger]

Did anyone even say that they think this guarantee games will be harder?
Because it is optional it should at least not make it any worse then it already is. No, this does not mean games will suddenly become harder but it does offer the chance for developers to ignore the casuals that they are trying to please so much for the big games and make them how they should be.

This is pretty much the hope of someone that has not given up on Nintendo, trying to find a point in an otherwise pointless idea. Maybe this will cause nothing and Nintendo will stay the same but I won't know till it happens.

Also, you can't save after watching how to get through a part right so it's not like you can skip it. The only problem would be people that use it to see the story but they would be in the minority.

 

[BloodyPuppy]

Doesn't matter that it's optional, because it doesn't necessarily indicate that it will result in harder games. If anything this is just more evidence of Nintendo marketing harder at casuals which will result in easier games. It's a totally unecessary feature that takes the game out of gameplay and pretty much just widens the already oversaturated and watered down audience for games.

 

[urdailywater]

Only reason I would use this is if I spend about 30 minutes trying to figure out something about one part of a game, or maybe a small detail I missed.
Other than that, most Nintendo games are too easy to use this feature. I hope they keep up with the promise of making games more hardcore.

 

[metaXzero]

Doesn't matter that it's optional, because it doesn't necessarily indicate that it will result in harder games. If anything this is just more evidence of Nintendo marketing harder at casuals which will result in easier games. It's a totally unecessary feature that takes the game out of gameplay and pretty much just widens the already oversaturated and watered down audience for games.

Again, they say that they still want to keep hardcore gamers happy. But we'll see what Nintendo actually does.

With this, Nintendo doesn't have to dumb down the difficulty and complexity of their games for casuals. Yes, they very well could anyway, but the fact is with kind 2.0, they don't have too.

 

[Witchking_of_Angmar]

Well that sounds boring as hell.

Truth.

/thread

Darkslash, speaking as an absurdly bad gamer, I can say that the Water Temple was not the hardest one in OoT. Once you get the hang of lowering/raising the water level, it's relatively easy except for a few tight spots. I have had to use guides for pretty much every temple in OoT, because I'm a hopeless excuse for a gamer. But for the water temple, I didn't need to check a guide even once.

 

[metaXzero]

Truth.

/thread

Darkslash, speaking as an absurdly bad gamer, I can say that the Water Temple was not the hardest one in OoT. Once you get the hang of lowering/raising the water level, it's relatively easy except for a few tight spots. I have had to use guides for pretty much every temple in OoT, because I'm a hopeless excuse for a gamer. But for the water temple, I didn't need to check a guide even once.

Water Temple wasn't really hard for me either. It was just tedious and got very boring after a while. It just requires a decent amount of persistence (something casuals lack).

Yes, I butted into your reply to Darkslash.

 

[Crimson King]

Again, they say that they still want to keep hardcore gamers happy. But we'll see what Nintendo actually does.

With this, Nintendo doesn't have to dumb down the difficulty and complexity of their games for casuals. Yes, they very well could anyway, but the fact is with kind 2.0, they don't have too.

Well, you said it yourself, it's optional. You are assuming that it's just optional for gamers. I cannot see very many third party, multiplatform ports getting this feature at all. Take Spider-Man 3. The game was the same as the PS2 version because they outsourced it to someone to work on for the Wii and PS2. What will end up happening is is the developers that WANT to use this will have to create a game with it in mind. If they created a part in a game that is so hard that they have to show people how to play it, will they include it? The Wii is a casual gamer paradise, so more often than not, they games will have less hard parts, so that the casual gamers will feel like they are doing well.

See, I can speak hypothetically about something that isn't out too. My idea is just a lot more plausible than assuming this will make games better.

 

[metaXzero]

Well, you said it yourself, it's optional. You are assuming that it's just optional for gamers. I cannot see very many third party, multiplatform ports getting this feature at all. Take Spider-Man 3. The game was the same as the PS2 version because they outsourced it to someone to work on for the Wii and PS2. What will end up happening is is the developers that WANT to use this will have to create a game with it in mind. If they created a part in a game that is so hard that they have to show people how to play it, will they include it? The Wii is a casual gamer paradise, so more often than not, they games will have less hard parts, so that the casual gamers will feel like they are doing well.

See, I can speak hypothetically about something that isn't out too. My idea is just a lot more plausible than assuming this will make games better.

The way this looks, you are kinda right. It seems to only apply to first-party software. Third-parties will probably not apply unless they want.

But I've been looking at this as only Nintendo and their second partys are the only ones guaranteed to be effected anyway.

Still, with this, developers are more free to make the game challenging (should they choose to do so).

 

[Crimson King]

The way this looks, you are kinda right. It seems to only apply to first-party software. Third-parties will probably not apply unless they want.

But I've been looking at this as only Nintendo and their second partys are the only ones guaranteed to be effected anyway.

Still, with this, developers are more free to make the game challenging (should they choose to do so).

But why would they? As long as it has "Nintendo" on the cover, it can be **** (as some titles clearly are) and will be a multi-million dollar game. There is no incentive for the games to get better just because they CAN.

 

[metaXzero]

But why would they? As long as it has "Nintendo" on the cover, it can be **** (as some titles clearly are) and will be a multi-million dollar game. There is no incentive for the games to get better just because they CAN.

As the OP quote says, this an attempt to ease the difficulty of beating a game, without watering the game down.

 

[Overload]

I was reading about this earlier today. IMO it shouldn't happen. If people want to play games then they should spend a few minutes learning the game instead of having everything spoon-fed to them. Games are meant to be played. If you can't get past a certain part you should keep trying.

 

[GreenKirby]

But why would they? As long as it has <B>"Mario" or "Zelda"</B> on the cover, it can be **** (as some titles clearly are) and will be a multi-million dollar game. There is no incentive for the games to get better just because they CAN.

There. Much more accurate.

 

[urdailywater]

I was reading about this earlier today. IMO it shouldn't happen. If people want to play games then they should spend a few minutes learning the game instead of having everything spoon-fed to them. Games are meant to be played. If you can't get past a certain part you should keep trying.

You joking? It's a video game. Just a form of entertainment.

Just think of the people just watching a 30hour movie or something like that.

I think it's pretty stupid, but still, pursuit of happiness, in whichever way you desire.

 

[Sad Panda323]

It's like socialism, but in video game form!

 

[metaXzero]

I was reading about this earlier today. IMO it shouldn't happen. If people want to play games then they should spend a few minutes learning the game instead of having everything spoon-fed to them. Games are meant to be played. If you can't get past a certain part you should keep trying.

And what if they're not good enough to get past something before it gets to the point where they stop enjoying the game?

As much as I hate saying this, that's how alot of casuals are.

 

[Darkslash]

And what if they're not good enough to get past something before it gets to the point where they stop enjoying the game?
As much as I hate saying this, that's how alot of casuals are.

Exactly. I enjoyed Super Mario 64 up until you beat Bowser for the 1st time. Then I stopped playing it. Why? I couldn't beat it, got angry, and dropped it. I traded SM64 for Jet Force Gemini. Same thing happened with the twin Mantis Brothers. It took me 5 years (I dropped it when i was 9) to pick up JFG. This time i didn't drop it becuase I gained more skill. But I gained more skill from constantly playing Rouge Squadron(which at the time was near impossible to hit Storm Troopers becuase they would be 16 bit on the 64 bit screen). But do you think a Casual has 30 hours a week to practice video games for 5 years? Of course not. That's why I'm standing by this idea. Hopefully Nintendo will sharpen up to get back to good old Water Temple.

 

[Oracle]

This is ********. This just further breeds stupid children who don't want to work hard.

 

[tirkaro]

This is ********. This just further breeds stupid children who don't want to work hard.

because playing video games is an essential and required factor in life, and certainly attributes to ones character in the real world.

 

[GreenKirby]

This is ********. This just further breeds stupid children who don't want to work hard.

.....

What the heck?

That makes no sense.

Especially sense the apperant problem is that video games makes kids lazy in the first place.