Do you avoid optional combat in games? Under what conditions?

[Shagger]

In something like an RPG, I tend to avoid combat and situations I'm under-levelled for. This is usually not without cost in these games as you'll miss the chance to earn valuable resources and/or experience buy taking them on, so it's about balancing the risk against the reward. In something like the Last of Us where stealth can reward the player by saving resources is also a good excuse to avoid combat.

 

Addressing what @StaceyPowers brought up in the opening post, it's a similar sort of thing, that whole measuring the risk vs the reward. I games like Oblivion, trying to persuade or intimidate somebody is often a much better ide than attacking them and risk the wrath of the guards. Th other alternative in that situation is usually doing some stupid bullshit for them to gain thier favour, but that's still better than attacking them 9/10.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Shagger

[Heatman]

7 hours ago, m76 said:

Deus Ex human revolution gives more XP the more ruthless and brutal you are. Clearing a level by sneaking  barely gives you any, while the most XP can be gained by headshot killing every NPC.

Headshot kills always gives better XP in all shooting games that I have played. It's the same thing you get in playing Frontline Commando. There are some mission that are tasked to eliminate all enemies with headshot kills. 

[Shagger]

2 hours ago, Heatman said:

Headshot kills always gives better XP in all shooting games that I have played. It's the same thing you get in playing Frontline Commando. There are some mission that are tasked to eliminate all enemies with headshot kills. 

 

I think the point @m76 was trying to make is that the way the XP system is set it Deus Ex Human Revolution actually penalises you for using stealth, and in a game like Dues Ex, that's a bad thing. Like I mentioned in my post a little earlier, The Last of Us does this much better by giving you an incentive to just sneak past when the chance comes along. When a game offers more reward for playing in one play style than the other when both are supposed to be a choice for the player, that is a problem.

[Justin11]

I can't really focus my mind trying to get the headshot kills. I played Frontline commando on mobile, it's optional there, but accelerates your game as it downs enemies quicker.  Getting it right is always trickery indeed. 

[m76]

11 hours ago, Heatman said:

Headshot kills always gives better XP in all shooting games that I have played. It's the same thing you get in playing Frontline Commando. There are some mission that are tasked to eliminate all enemies with headshot kills. 

Except Deus Ex is not a shooting game. It is an immersive sim, that supposed to have multiple approaches, but if one approach gives far more rewards then it's less of a choice.

[Heatman]

9 hours ago, Shagger said:

 

I think the point @m76 was trying to make is that the way the XP system is set it Deus Ex Human Revolution actually penalises you for using stealth, and in a game like Dues Ex, that's a bad thing. Like I mentioned in my post a little earlier, The Last of Us does this much better by giving you an incentive to just sneak past when the chance comes along. When a game offers more reward for playing in one play style than the other when both are supposed to be a choice for the player, that is a problem.

They make it in such a way that even though it's your choice to use an approach that's made available for you in the game, there's always a consequence for each choice you make. If it's even made know before you play, then you know what your choice is going to cost you but you get to find out after your choice and play. 

[Boblee]

21 hours ago, m76 said:

Deus Ex human revolution gives more XP the more ruthless and brutal you are. Clearing a level by sneaking  barely gives you any, while the most XP can be gained by headshot killing every NPC.

I love headshot kills. The way the theatrics is done when they drop dead gives me adrenaline rush. Though, it's not easy perfecting headshot kills. If you're not good, it takes you longer time to get it done and properly get you eliminated too. 

[Heatman]

My brother who's a big collector and a completionist would never skip or avoid any battle or combat for any reason whatsoever. I wonder how he manages to keep that up in all of his games. 

[Boblee]

It's what high level of commitment does for most of them that are completionist. Some even pay more in order to be able and complete the full game's aspect. 

[Shagger]

29 minutes ago, Boblee said:

It's what high level of commitment does for most of them that are completionist. Some even pay more in order to be able and complete the full game's aspect. 

 

The first thing I want to point out is that post is terribly written, to the point I can barely understand it. Give your posts a read before hitting the send button, please. I know English may not be a first language for you, but that's all the more reason to take your time. That, was written in rush, or you just didn't care. Also, can you in future actually quote the post you were answering to? I'm assuming it's a response to this post from @Heatman, but it's hard to be sure unless you actually quote it.

 

1 hour ago, Heatman said:

My brother who's a big collector and a completionist would never skip or avoid any battle or combat for any reason whatsoever. I wonder how he manages to keep that up in all of his games. 

 

A quick proof read on my own, and this I what I think you were trying to say.

 

29 minutes ago, Boblee said:

Completionists are very committed and have to play games in a very different way than most people. Some will even pay more in order to achieve 100% completion. 

 

Now addressing what I think was your point instead of the quality of the post, what do you mean that completionists would be willing to pay more to finish a game? If a game was to lock 100% completion behind a paywall that would be such a scum move that no serious completionist would go anywhere near it. Unless you can give me an example of what you're on about, that doesn't make sense. Of course, it is also possible you post was so badly written I've misunderstood you. Either way, can you clarify this?

Edited May 19, 2022 by Shagger

[Scorpion]

I often avoid optional combat to focus on storytelling or exploration. However, if it enhances character development, I might engage.