Topic: Metroid: Other M to Use Dual-Layer Disc

[balzzzy]

The amount of storage space a game takes up has little do with the quality of gameplay. Chances are that without the movies the game would only need a single layer disc, I doubt the cinematic pushed gameplay plans out because of storage concerns. Heck the prime games could be beaten in a few hours if you were good enough, and Final Fantasy, well grinding contributes quite a bit to the length of the game. Some of the best games ever created were made with limited storage, think to the N64, SNES and NES days.

Phoneix, you misunderstand. I was just saying that it would be nice to see more elements to gameplay such as more levels, characters, plot development, exploration and even textures than cinematics. Surely to include these things it takes up more storage on a disc. And yes Final Fantasy VII was a bad example but it was mostly grinding that I was referencing there.

The point of why I bring this up is that I read that someone with an early copy has already beat Metroid Other M and collected 100% of the items in about 15 hours. They wrote a write up of the game and their thoughts on Metroid Database. *Warning there are spoilers contained within that link so if you click it you do so at your own risk.* I guess I would rather see the game take me 30 hours with less cut scenes. Does that make more sense?

[Mop it up]

I'm sure everyone would like to see that, but I don't think it is realistic. Designing stages and environments takes up a lot more time and resources than cinematics do, and to fill up the entire disc would put the game in development for too long. Consider Super Mario Galaxy 2. It uses about 1.3GB as it is. Now, if they were to fill up the max space they have, which is 8.5GB if they go dual-layer, that's over six times as many levels as what the game contains currently. Assuming these stages are actually good, meaning crafted with the care and creativity of the existing levels, it'd have probably spent some eight years in development. That's just too long.

I think someone famous said something along the lines of "Games are never finished, only abandoned."

[broodwars]

I'm finding these days that 15-20 hour games hit the sweet spot with me.  Anything more than that, and it becomes something of a chore to finish them (damn you, Last Remnant!  James didn't point out enough how long that game is!).  I'll take a well-paced and entertaining 15 hour game (100%-ed) with good cinematics over a bloated 30 hour game that wears out its welcome long before it ends (which these days is usually what happens).  Also, the shorter a game the more likely that I'll actually replay it sometime down the road.  I'm not saying that's what Other M is, but that is my general stance on shorter games.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm finding these days that 15-20 hour games hit the sweet spot with me.  Anything more than that, and it becomes something of a chore to finish them (damn you, Last Remnant!  James didn't point out enough how long that game is!).  I'll take a well-paced and entertaining 15 hour game (100%-ed) with good cinematics over a bloated 30 hour game that wears out its welcome long before it ends (which these days is usually what happens).  Also, the shorter a game the more likely that I'll actually replay it sometime down the road.  I'm not saying that's what Other M is, but that is my general stance on shorter games.

I agree, I'll enjoy the rare 30-50hr Zelda game, but overall I prefer games shorter games that are 10-20hrs. Developers tend to pad their games a lot when it goes beyond that making for poorly paced game in places.

[Mop it up]

I can't afford very many games so I don't usually pay full price for single-player games that don't last longer than 20 hours. It's why I've been tending to look for multiplayer/online games, because I tend to get a lot out of those. Plus I don't usually get to playing games right when I get them, so by the time I do, it would have come down in price.

[balzzzy]

A good run at 15-20 hours is fine with me. Adding other things to collect along the way appeals to adding more replayabilty of the game in some cases. Adding hard and expert modes appeals to the hardcore fan base. And in the case of MOM they've added a movie to the list. But I pose this question. Could the potential for say an MMORPG not be made for a home console? Not for Method in particular but just a thought. The multiplayer and replayability of those games is quite good.

[KDR_11k]

I just feel like laughing at the fact that this means Other M contains more data than the XBox 360 can handle.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I just feel like laughing at the fact that this means Other M contains more data than the XBox 360 can handle.

Hmmm? Thought the 360 had dual layered DVDs as well?

[KDR_11k]

Yes but a few GB of the disc are reserved for DRM nonsense so the capacity for usable data is more limited.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Yes but a few GB of the disc are reserved for DRM nonsense so the capacity for usable data is more limited.

Interesting never heard that before!