The Un-official laws of gaming # 6

Hey what's that I spy? A sniper rifle lying on the floor... just there, by the crate of ammunition. Should I take it? Should I trade in this sub-machine gun?

Of course, all veteran gamers know PICK IT UP! The introduction of a new weapon usually means that along your linear path through this game's world you are about to run into some enemies who are a long way off.

I spy some enemy soldiers over on that bridge, they are a jolly long way off...

Just bumped into some C4 / demolitions kit? Prepare for some structures that need blowing up. Did you just find a box of grenades? I'm sure you can practically smell the large groups of enemy soldiers meandering across the undulating path of your near future.

Hmmmmm.... i've just picked up a resist fire potion... but where do I go from now...?

Sometimes the last item you picked up can provide you with pointer as to what to do next. Just picked up a mirrored shield? See that beam of light? How about reflecting somewhere? A classic example of this kind of predictable gameplay is in Zelda games, especially the Ocarina of Time. Witness time and again the new item to tackle new problems gameplay, but do not despair, the way that this game slowly lures you through from beginning to end with many hours of gaming inbetween sailing by like shadows on the riverbank at night time.

It's a fine line between leading you by the hand, slowly introducing weapons/skills/spells etc when required by the gameplay and giving you all of the toys from the beginning and leaving no new experiences to be had later in the game.

Still, GavinoX is glad that he is playing the games, not making them because they are damned when they do, and damned when they don't.

Thanks for reading.

GavinoX