Re: RPS Demands: 10 Things All PC Games Should Do

We’ve all had frustrations while playing our favorite PC games: unreasonably long install times, poor key mapping and save files hidden in seemingly random folders. Thankfully, Alec Meer over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun has quantified ten of the most fundamental design flaws that can give PC gamers grey hairs at a premature age so developers are finally aware of their taboos and can avoid them in the future. While his list is most certainly true, it seems to be centered around single player games and I think a few more items should be added to the list that specifically relate to multiplayer.

Alt-tab support. For those that didn’t follow the above link, this was the most important feature on the original list. I just wanted to repeat this one because it’s such a big deal. It is just as important for multiplayer-centered games since down time between matches can be long enough to check email or look up game-specific strategies. MMO people, think of how many times you (or someone in your party) had to alt-tab to check a strategy or item drop rate. And no matter what you’re playing, it always bites to miss an important IM. It’s original from here on, I promise.

Microphone support. If a game offers any kind of strategy based PvP or co-op gameplay, people need to talk to each other quickly and the old school chat window just doesn’t cut it any more. Granted, if you play with the same people a lot, you can get any number of third-party mic applications. But if you’re playing a game of matchmaking on your favorite FPS, you probably don’t have the time to set up a Ventrillo or TeamSpeak session with your team. Any shooter fan will tell you how important it is to be able to strategize with teammates and berate opponents as you teabag them.

Stat tracking/leaderboards. For decades, gamers have been arguing over who’s better than who at what; we need to finally be able to settle that score. The best way to settle that debate will always be head-to-head challenges, but sometimes it would be awfully nice to point to an accuracy percentage or headshot count to get your annoying roommate to shut up for a second at least.

Note: no interface.

A designated screenshot button. I know there’s the basic ‘print screen’ function but this only allows you to take a single screenshot per session (especially if alt-tab isn’t supported). Along with a screenshot button should be the ability to easily toggle the game’s interface to allow you to take shots that aren’t cluttered with text boxes. Most MMOs have caught onto this and now have thriving online communities of in-game photographers.

Video capture/playback. We all love to re-live those moments of pure bad-assery where we accomplished the impossible, like that time you took out three snipers in Counter-Strike when all your teammates got themselves killed. Well, the only way to make sure your friends believe you is to show them the video. Also, if Halo 3 can do it, there’s no reason every PC game made in the past five years couldn’t do it.

There are plenty more basic ideas that need to get adopted by developers across the board for PC games, multiplayer or otherwise. Sadly, these features get overlooked far too often in favor of a myriad of pointless features or just gaping design holes. Until the day finally arrives when every game developer understands what it takes to streamline a player’s experience, we just have to take matters into our own hands.

(SPOILER WARNING: Shameless plug follows): These fundamental flaws are exactly why the tireless designers and programmers here at GotGame have been working on GotGame LIVE. GotGame LIVE is going to incorporate all of the above features, (some already available in the current closed beta, others in the future), and hopefully make alt-tab completely obsolete by overlaying a web browser right inside of your game. LIVE is currently in closed beta, but we’re always looking for more testers, check it out.

Updates to LIVE in the two most recent releases:
1.1.0
Added:

• Simplified installation/update process
• GotGame Web Browser 1.0 (try it in game!) - Note complex Flash objects like embedded video players do not work yet)
• Games Page 1.0 - WoW “featured bookmarks” and 10 public chat rooms
• Better visibility at login for “YES to dialog” workaround
• Intro page for each tab for new users

1.1.6
Added:

• Web Browser enhancements (Save/delete bookmarks, save home page, icon for new browser tab, stop loading button, page loading indicator)
• New key bindings to hide or show individual in-game windows
• Removed the “YES to Cert” dialog every login, now only need to say YES once
• Fixed “Spiral crash” errors when quitting app
• Fixed “Login Required” mssg bug when running app many hours
• Many other tweaks and improvements