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So I finished #TheLastofUsPart2 
https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt=""> the other day and I think I now understand some of the film criticism. To be clear, I still disagree with the idea that it& #39;s "trying to be a film" for the approach to narrative, cutscenes and gameplay. Or at least, I don& #39;t think that& #39;s bad. Thread.
But perhaps this is what some of you were getting at, which I wasn& #39;t far enough through to understand at the time:
If I was feeling these emotions in a film, TV show, books... it would work as expected.
Lemme explain. Mild non-specific spoilers below.
If I was feeling these emotions in a film, TV show, books... it would work as expected.
Lemme explain. Mild non-specific spoilers below.
As Narrative Designers, part of our job is to align the player with the character& #39;s feelings, motivations and objectives as much as possible. Naughty Dog makes the very intentional decision, I believe, to do the exact opposite.
As a result, I felt things I have never felt in a game before. I have never been more invested in the outcome of a boss fight, for instance. I put down my controller, texted people asking if I could get out of it somehow. Much like with the dogs, I couldn& #39;t look at the screen.
It made me not want to fight.
And honestly, considering I& #39;ve enthusiastically bought a game where fighting is necessary... that& #39;s an achievement. And, I believe, a manifestation of the game& #39;s message.
And honestly, considering I& #39;ve enthusiastically bought a game where fighting is necessary... that& #39;s an achievement. And, I believe, a manifestation of the game& #39;s message.
The contentious issue was that I wasn& #39;t playing as my character by that point. I was playing as me, at odds with my character. And I do think that& #39;s something to be open to, to learn from, because of the emotional possibilities it unlocked.
We gotta talk about the middle, without spoilers if possible. But I was gutted. I didn& #39;t care. I felt I& #39;d lost progress. I felt cheated. And it happened as this sinking, dawning feeling as I picked up weapon parts and unlocked the skill trees. "This isn& #39;t just a scene, is it?"
Yes, I think it ultimately paid off. But the fact that I felt those things then -- and for several hours, I should add -- doesn& #39;t go away because of that. Part of me just couldn& #39;t be bothered, and that& #39;s an issue.
But idk how they could have avoided it.
But idk how they could have avoided it.
I don& #39;t think a consistent splicing approach would have been the same, because part of the reason I felt all those things at the end was out of longing, because I& #39;d been denied what I wanted so long.
Friends and I have discussed an Abby DLC to the first game, following TLOU& #39;s timeline (albeit truncated) and ending with the first game& #39;s twist from Abby& #39;s perspective. That way we could have built investment in Abby beforehand, been interested enough to cushion the blow.
Expensive, though. Not really viable.
I think I need to divorce myself from my pre-held beliefs that good narrative design always = aligning the player with their character. Because this was intentional, and I& #39;m glad I felt the things I did, had the experience I had. I can learn a LOT from this game.
