Immersion breaks

dbhankins · 10-08-05, 16:44

What are the worst places in TR1 where the design of the game kicked you out of your immersion in Lara's world and reminded you that you're playing a game?

It's a principle of game design that if your character cannot do something a normal person can do, you don't remind the player of it by giving them an obstacle they could overcome if only they could do that.

For instance, if your character can't jump, you don't block him from going where he needs to by putting in a 3-inch-high wall.

The case where I saw this in TR1 was with a key on a conveyer belt. A person could have easily reached that item by reaching out a hand, or crawling. But Lara can do neither.

A better design would have been to block the crawl entrance and the reachable spot with iron grates.

What immersion breaks have you seen?

Dan

Thorir · 10-08-05, 17:05

She swims VERY fast underwater!

MikeJM · 10-08-05, 17:40

How long she can hold her breath...

Gomes · 10-08-05, 17:46

That crawling one was the worse. There is one terrible puzzle in The Last Revelation in the City of the Dead where she has to open a grate to be able to climb to a crawl space, because she cannot climb to crawl spaces unless they are higher than her. A normal person would not need that.

Not jumping over the swinging doors in the tub, needing a ticket?

Not being able to shimy around corners in early games was annoying too. I some frustratring moments I thought "If only Lara was normal".

Nicky · 10-08-05, 17:51

The fact that she can actually explore a frozen cave while wearing a rather summery outfit

Tomb Raider Master · 10-08-05, 21:39

There are a lot of them. For example, she can dive to extreme depths (Lud's Gate, 40 Fathoms) with no problem. And it is annoying that she can't do a mid-air twist and underwater roll in TR1, crouch in TR2 (1st Secret in Wreck Of The Maria Doria

) and do a somersault in TR4 (it was annoying to turn around non-stop just to get out of crawlspace

).

DREWY · 10-08-05, 22:59

Or killing T Rex with pistols. I've never come across one yet that I could kill that way!

ben croft · 10-08-05, 23:09

As far as I know, my backpack doesn't have enough space for a shotgun, rifle, pistols, keys, crowbar, ...

[ 11. August 2005, 00:10: Message edited by: ben croft ]

Gomes · 10-08-05, 23:18

You're not of the time of "Sport Billy" are you?

Joseph · 10-08-05, 23:36

Quote:

Originally posted by DREWY:
Or killing T Rex with pistols. I've never come across one yet that I could kill that way!

When you do, kill it immediately DREWY.

[ 11. August 2005, 00:38: Message edited by: joseph ]

10-08-05, 17:05	#2
Thorir Tomb Raider Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Norway Posts: 11,554	She swims VERY fast underwater! __________________ Even as a ghost I will walk for pleasure in the summer meadows...

10-08-05, 16:44	#1
dbhankins Student Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 161	What are the worst places in TR1 where the design of the game kicked you out of your immersion in Lara's world and reminded you that you're playing a game? It's a principle of game design that if your character cannot do something a normal person can do, you don't remind the player of it by giving them an obstacle they could overcome if only they could do that. For instance, if your character can't jump, you don't block him from going where he needs to by putting in a 3-inch-high wall. The case where I saw this in TR1 was with a key on a conveyer belt. A person could have easily reached that item by reaching out a hand, or crawling. But Lara can do neither. A better design would have been to block the crawl entrance and the reachable spot with iron grates. What immersion breaks have you seen? Dan

10-08-05, 17:40	#3
MikeJM Historian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ireland Posts: 253	How long she can hold her breath...

10-08-05, 17:46	#4
Gomes Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,923	That crawling one was the worse. There is one terrible puzzle in The Last Revelation in the City of the Dead where she has to open a grate to be able to climb to a crawl space, because she cannot climb to crawl spaces unless they are higher than her. A normal person would not need that. Not jumping over the swinging doors in the tub, needing a ticket? Not being able to shimy around corners in early games was annoying too. I some frustratring moments I thought "If only Lara was normal".

10-08-05, 17:51	#5
Nicky Tomb Raider Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 15,943	The fact that she can actually explore a frozen cave while wearing a rather summery outfit

10-08-05, 21:39	#6
Tomb Raider Master Moderator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Croatia Posts: 20,980	There are a lot of them. For example, she can dive to extreme depths (Lud's Gate, 40 Fathoms) with no problem. And it is annoying that she can't do a mid-air twist and underwater roll in TR1, crouch in TR2 (1st Secret in Wreck Of The Maria Doria ) and do a somersault in TR4 (it was annoying to turn around non-stop just to get out of crawlspace ).

10-08-05, 22:59	#7
DREWY Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 11,614	Or killing T Rex with pistols. I've never come across one yet that I could kill that way!

10-08-05, 23:09	#8
ben croft Tomb Raider Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brasilia, Brazil Gender: Male x Male Posts: 10,895	As far as I know, my backpack doesn't have enough space for a shotgun, rifle, pistols, keys, crowbar, ... [ 11. August 2005, 00:10: Message edited by: ben croft ]

10-08-05, 23:18	#9
Gomes Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,923	You're not of the time of "Sport Billy" are you?