Oh yeah, all the Assassin's Creed games!
How is that better than a black screen ? it really isnt. i hated that shit, fall asleep looking at it.
How about some mini game like duck hunt or something.
How to make loading screens more interesting?
- Thread starter RecursiveFault
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How is that better than a black screen ? it really isnt. i hated that shit, fall asleep looking at it.
How about some mini game like duck hunt or something.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Oh also, Akiba's Trip 2's Japanese advertisements were REALLY interested.
I've never been to Japan, probably will never go there either, but all those ads were super fascinating to see. The game has an option to turn them off, but I never did.
I've never been to Japan, probably will never go there either, but all those ads were super fascinating to see. The game has an option to turn them off, but I never did.
Bayonetta's practice screen is the GOAT.
On some version of the game i remember actually reaching the end of it on one of the levels. Might have been the Wii or Vita port i dont remember
On some version of the game i remember actually reaching the end of it on one of the levels. Might have been the Wii or Vita port i dont remember
The Cowboy
Member
For me it is to mask them and make then part of the game.
Do them like Uncharted 2 onwards do them (and i think KZ on PS4 does to), cover them up with the in game cut scenes so as soon as the in game cut scene ends your strait onto the next level - and because they get masked behind actual in game assets (or videos that look like they are) the loading screen is basically gone and it feels like one long game with no loading screens.
It actually shocked me that Alien Isolation didn't use this, in almost all loading screen places it was pre-empted with a cut scene (or in certain places waiting on a train and a train ride) and yet for some odd reason they didn't load the next areas behind these so the game would appear seamless.
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In games where this doesn't work, a basic game to play whilst the level loads would be nice (like Ridge Racer did).
Do them like Uncharted 2 onwards do them (and i think KZ on PS4 does to), cover them up with the in game cut scenes so as soon as the in game cut scene ends your strait onto the next level - and because they get masked behind actual in game assets (or videos that look like they are) the loading screen is basically gone and it feels like one long game with no loading screens.
It actually shocked me that Alien Isolation didn't use this, in almost all loading screen places it was pre-empted with a cut scene (or in certain places waiting on a train and a train ride) and yet for some odd reason they didn't load the next areas behind these so the game would appear seamless.
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In games where this doesn't work, a basic game to play whilst the level loads would be nice (like Ridge Racer did).
LonelyGreyWolf
Banned
Yeah, like others have said both interactivity and mini-games in loading screens are patented, though the latter may run out soon. I mean honestly if you can't use either of those then at least put some text in there. I know most games put a hint in their loading screen, but you could do like Super Smash and just offer a wide variety of information like tips, trivia, information about characters & levels etcetera so that you never run out of short, interesting bits to read. The games that do have hints in their loading screens usually have such a small amount of them that you've seen them all after only a fourth-or so through the game.
Then of course there are games built cleverly that hides loading screens through cut-scenes or progressive loading of sorts, but it doesn't work for all genres and types of games.
Or do like Telltale does to make loading screens more interesting: make it look like the game crashed and give the player a semi-heart attack.
Then of course there are games built cleverly that hides loading screens through cut-scenes or progressive loading of sorts, but it doesn't work for all genres and types of games.
Or do like Telltale does to make loading screens more interesting: make it look like the game crashed and give the player a semi-heart attack.
Yep, they need to fuck with your mind. No loading screen has provided me such novelty since I played Spec Ops: The Line.
The Cowboy
Member
I do like Fifa's, i like how even as it begins to load the stadium etc it all just appears around your player whilst your still controlling him - its really quite neat
They did that with Wipeout HD on PS3, after the game was released and people had bought it they released an update that added loading screen adverts. What made it even worse is that it got proven they actually made the levels load slower!!!, so not only did you pay full price for the game and not only did you get adverts - but you also got to wait longer to actually play your game due to them.
It wasn't a very popular change
, see the post below for how it worked.PetriP-TNT
Member
Shining Sunshine
Banned
Oh yeah, all the Assassin's Creed games!
I always feel like those increase the load time lol.
Incidentally Dragon Age Inquisition has possibly the worst loading screen I've seen in a recent game.
I mean... it has a good idea... and then throws it off the roof for some reason.
Has a variety of cards that reveal to you the game lore, or various tips.
Only 3 per loading screen though... and sometimes you just get cards that are really short (especially the case when you've just started the game), meaning you'll read through them before you... transition.
Other times, they give you more text on one card than you can read.
But the worst... the worst is that they transition you away from this screen... TO A BLACK SCREEN for the second half of the loading process.
It boggles the mind.
Here's how you do a good idea properly; load screen = enforced codex/bonuses area for the time duration of the loading. That way as you collect bits and pieces in game, you get more and more things to look at while loading.
Dragon Age Insquisition load screens: Half ass a good idea for half the time then rub salt in the wound by nonsensically taking even that away half way through.
I mean... it has a good idea... and then throws it off the roof for some reason.
Has a variety of cards that reveal to you the game lore, or various tips.
Only 3 per loading screen though... and sometimes you just get cards that are really short (especially the case when you've just started the game), meaning you'll read through them before you... transition.
Other times, they give you more text on one card than you can read.
But the worst... the worst is that they transition you away from this screen... TO A BLACK SCREEN for the second half of the loading process.
It boggles the mind.
Here's how you do a good idea properly; load screen = enforced codex/bonuses area for the time duration of the loading. That way as you collect bits and pieces in game, you get more and more things to look at while loading.
Dragon Age Insquisition load screens: Half ass a good idea for half the time then rub salt in the wound by nonsensically taking even that away half way through.
I had so much fun with the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai loading screens, lol.
the GOAT loading screen
Sparrowhawk
Member
I remember when I was a kid I would play games on the Disney website. While waiting for the actual game to load, they had a Breakout clone with a loading bar beneath it. You could hit space or something to continue on to the game. I spent more time playing Breakout than playing the actual games.
RecursiveFault
Banned
Writing a ton to an SSD sounds kinda unideal, but this is nice for some games.
kingwingin
Member
I love loading screens like that, just something slightly distracting and it makes sense since you are teleporting so it could be argued it's a cut scene
Games dont need to constantly write to an ssd, only read. Except for save data which is hardly anything.
BrassDragon
Member
The Sims 3 has a find the object game that gives you aspiration points to spend in-game. The loading times are still atrocious but that took the sting out of it.
I wish more PC games would stay active when the focus is off the window. I love games that let me alt-tab to a browser as it loads.
I wish more PC games would stay active when the focus is off the window. I love games that let me alt-tab to a browser as it loads.
Zevenberge
Member
Do like Smash 4. Put some random info on it, then make them last too short to be able to read it.
Nice for all games. Games hardly write to your SSD.
I don't even have a HDD anymore. Full SSD PC.
RecursiveFault
Banned
Geez, I didn't know it was that robust. Been delaying an SSD upgrade forever.
Also, I meant installing all my games to a SSD, but that's true, yeah.
Net_Wrecker
Member
lmaoooooooooo
Every time we have a loading screen thread someone posts this and I'm on the floor. My God
This one gets it.
At least make the loading work in the background during cutscenes or cinematic.
Lord of Castamere
Member
Any game wity large amounts of text needs a 'press x' to proceed. If you want me to read then you need to give the time to read it.
Acquiescence
Member
By making them as short as humanly possible.
Whats the point of a drive if you cant install anything on it?
SSD's are fine and the stigma about overwriting and messing it up is nothing for the ordinary user to worry about.
RecursiveFault
Banned
I know a few people who have them neigh-exclusively for the OS, but that's cool to hear.Whats the point of a drive if you cant install anything on it?
SSD's are fine and the stigma about overwriting and messing it up is nothing for the ordinary user to worry about.
thomasmahler
Moon Studios
Really, Loading Times are a technical nuisance... Developers should make their games so that there aren't any stupid loading times. Adding some shitty gameplay on top of Loading Times isn't solving the issue - Solving the issue solves the issue.
SkeptiMism
Member
Conversely, on PC, developers should realize that a lot of people don't really have loading screens that last more than a second or two. On consoles I like it when the loading screen has a hint or info about the game world or something simple like that, but on PC I really dislike it. If you give me something to read, I want to be able to read it. If it's too long, either put a picture in or put a "press x to continue".
Sapphire Dreams
Member
Onechanbara is a shitty game but I actually liked the loading screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo7VTC6LI8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo7VTC6LI8Y
3D Dot Game Heroes had over an 100 different loading screens referencing games from the 8 and 16 bit era.
If you were aiming to 100% the game, you had to discover them all.
NOTE: Discovering all Loading screens is based off chance. They do not appear in order, you will see the same loading screens over and over.
If you were aiming to 100% the game, you had to discover them all.
NOTE: Discovering all Loading screens is based off chance. They do not appear in order, you will see the same loading screens over and over.
Budokai comes first then this...
Yeah, I like the chance to practice combos while loading.
HazySaiyan
Banned
First thing that came to mind was the DBZ games with the mini games.
Forgot about this. This works too.Budokai comes first then this...
Klart
Member
A simple interactive game has my preference, but it should also make a difference in the actual game: collecting loot, coins, shield, life,.... Rayman Legends (on PS3, PS4 has no loading screens!) let's you run around & you can collect an extra heart.
Otherwise some informative screens with artwork are great (Skyrim), but than you need a lot of those (to avoid seeing the same ones over & over again).
Otherwise some informative screens with artwork are great (Skyrim), but than you need a lot of those (to avoid seeing the same ones over & over again).
LeeRoyBrown
Banned
Game Loading...
Do you feel like a hero?
Game Loaded!
QUICK KILL THE NEXT WAVE OF HUMANS
BANG BANG BANG.
Do you kill the criple boy, or santa, then no one gets presents.
YOU ARE A BAD MAN.
AlphaTwo00
Member
Namco's patent is specific to loading a full game as it's load screen. You can see all of it pertains to a emulated version of it's classic games, like Rally X or Pac Man. Never recall an EA one on it. The notable EA license/patent that has far reaching impact is the dynamic music layering/generation based on scoring system (first in SSX).
The button test/3d loading world that people point to in Bayonetta/Assassin's creed, afaik, is not under patent so people are free to use that. However, it's not suited for everyone, as it's already requires a load of the 3D model and all the animations. Some engines aren't fit for that.
Unless you're thinking of ways to break the physical limit of transferring data/content from optical to disk to memory, there will be always some sort of loading. The questions is how to best hide it, and whether you end up with other concessions.