Does gameplay ruin the special sense of discovery in a new game?

[TheBaconator]

I keep wondering when Rockstar will release some gameplay footage of RDR2, my best guess being mid to late July. The reason being that I like most of you can't wait to play the game, and any new tidbit of info to ease the never-ending wait is worth it. At the same time, I wonder if it will ruin the discovery and uniqueness of the title. For something to add weight to this argument, look no further than any assassins creed game. At the E3 before it's annual release, they show you everything there is to know about it. In the case of Origins, they went as far as to show the actual beginning. This is a telltale sign that the game is lacking any substance. Beyond that, it causes the introductory sequence to lose its sense of awe. So maybe, leaving a few more variables than we may like In the short term will end up rewarding us with the closest thing to magic a game can provide, the unknown. 

 

 

Side note: I understand that we can't be expected to buy a game without knowing what it is about, just like we cant buy a car without test driving it. But do you really need to drive a Ferrari to know it's good?

[Benjo]

What are you classing as gameplay footage?

[TheBaconator]

Anything beyond showing the game world from the characters perspective. That includes footage from early on story missions and so on. My point with this post was to argue a minority viewpoint that has a slight foothold with me. I doubt rockstar would show too much anyways, but thought I should post it regardless and maybe start a conversation. It’s my first post in a while so forgive me if it doesn’t seem too well thought out, it was kind of a spur of the moment type of thing. 

[TheBaconator]

5 hours ago, Benjo said:

What are you classing as gameplay footage?

Forgot how to quote 

[Benjo]

So all the R$ trailers contain gameplay, albeit little snippets with different camera angles than the standard 3PS view. To answer your question, I know exactly what you are getting at. Another game I am looking forward to is Dual Universe, and I have seen a LOT of gameplay walkthroughs for that game, so much so that I am not as hyped about it as I was before. That's not to say that the gameplay put me off, far from it, but there is a sense of mystery about all Rockstar games that you are only able to satisfy by playing the game. What I think you are referring to are gameplay walkthroughs. These show you everything, like how the player walks, the sights, the sounds of the world, the lighting, how clothes hang from people, how the ground interacts with your steps. For me that is all stuff that is pure magic when taking your first steps in a Rockstar game, especially one as rich as this, and I believe a walkthrough would kill that magic. I want to marvel at the atmosphere and the detail, and experience it first hand, not through some Youtube video. I for one absolutely agree on R$'s approach to their marketing and although I would LOVE to see the game in action, I know the wait and anticipation between now and October will be more than worth it, so that my first steps in the game will be that much more special. 

[Kean_1]

I think R* will show just enough to wet the appetites of their dedicated fans while making their product attractive to new customers of the franchise.  They will reveal just enough about the gameplay mechanics to answer some questions, quell some doubts and pique interest.  There will likely be no public closed or open beta so I think the game, for the most part, will be unspoiled.

 

If you want a recent example of too much exposure just look at FC5.  That game had oodles of marketing videos introducing fans to the characters, cut scenes from the game revealing crucial parts of the story, tons of in-game footage from the devs and closed demo, etc.  What they didn't have was support for the fans who had specific questions about the game's mechanics, UI, etc.  In either case, that game was a huge turd IMO on several levels.   

 

While I rarely show much confidence in a game prior to release, I honestly believe RDR2;R* will do it right .

[dIV4r]

We really don't know everything going on, we just get a general idea of what may or may not happen. It is no different than a movie trailer. Would you see a movie without having seen the trailer inclining you to want to watch it? 

[Benjo]

3 hours ago, dIV4r said:

We really don't know everything going on, we just get a general idea of what may or may not happen. It is no different than a movie trailer. Would you see a movie without having seen the trailer inclining you to want to watch it? 

Of course, especially if its a sequel.