We all hate QTEs

QTEs have been quite prevalent in games today. Almost every blockbuster action/adventure includes some sort of QTE in it at some moment. For those that don’t know, the Quick Time Event is essentially an interactive cutscene. At some point in the game, there will be a prompt for the player to push a key within a certain time frame so that the character within the game can successfully deal with an obstacle. Many people feel that the QTE is an overused feature that is not very fun at all.

So here are some cons regarding QTEs:

• Strict time limits and insta-death. QTEs are notorious for making the player feel like they need the reaction time of a ninja to perfom them successfully and if they fail, they die and have to replay the whole scene again. This is mainly why people hate QTEs.

• Arbitrary button presses. You could basically call Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution a very long QTE but what makes them so enjoyable is that they feel like you are doing the real thing (maybe not so much DDR). However, many other games have QTEs that don’t fall in line, or even contradict, their main control scheme. And they may also not have the correct rhythm so that it feels like the player is actually performing the action.

If this sounds so awful, then why do developers still keep on insisting using these QTEs? Well simple, they convey complex and intricate maneuvers with simple button presses. It keeps the player in control and makes they feel like they are doing awesome things. It makes cutscenes more fun and interactive. This is what I liked about QTEs but unfortunately many have fallen short of what they were intended to do in the first place. They become overused for mundane actions and require split-second reaction. It’s not very fun when you are playing your favourite game when a message pops up on your screen saying, “Press X within a second or you’ll die and have to replay this level again!”

My suggestion? I propose the STE (Slow Time Event). They are more generous in their timing so that even a grandma can handle them. They feel like you are actually doing the action and give you prior warning if they are about to come up. If you fail them, you can continue playing but those that do them successfully gain some sort of reward. They don’t happen very often but when they do, they feel like you are undertaking something awesome when in fact, they are leading up to something even better.

~ by dinopoke on 4 February, 2009.