Screenshots are not gameplay (Forza Motorsport 2)

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beetle120 (2415) on 8/31/2009 11:32 PM · Permalink · Report

All the screenshots in here are from the in-game photo capture feature and not representing gameplay, someone should replace them with real screenshots.

Yearman (29582) on 9/1/2009 5:15 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start beetle120 wrote--]All the screenshots in here are from the in-game photo capture feature and not representing gameplay, someone should replace them with real screenshots. [/Q --end beetle120 wrote--]

Bullshit!

They are representing gameplay. Aside from that, what's wrong with an in-game screenshot mode?

Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 9/1/2009 5:39 PM · Permalink · Report

They are representing gameplay

It would be very difficult to play a driving game where the player's view always consisted of a gorgeous side view of the car and no ability to see what was coming up on the track, for instance. You have presented a virtual car show of sorts, which is a great photo-essay of the love and fidelity to the automotive art the developers had, but I still have no idea what it would be like to actually operate one of them in-game. Is there a dashboard display? Other HUD elements? Maybe some game menus or a splash screen? Can we crash or upgrade parts?

Photo galleries are okay for H-games, where there is no gameplay beyond ogling the different conquests, but I hope this game has more to it than that.

Yearman (29582) on 9/1/2009 5:54 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]It would be very difficult to play a driving game where the player's view always consisted of a gorgeous side view of the car and no ability to see what was coming up on the track, for instance. [/Q --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] Then we could reject thousands of other screenshots, not only from racing games. TOCA Race Driver 2 is just one example.

[Q --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]Is there a dashboard display? Other HUD elements? Maybe some game menus or a splash screen? Can we crash or upgrade parts?[/Q --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] The in-game screenshot mode does not work in menus.

And why are there no cockpit screenshots? Because the game doesn't feature a cockpit view!

Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 9/1/2009 6:10 PM · Permalink · Report

Then we could reject thousands of other screenshots, not only from racing games. TOCA Race Driver 2 is just one example.

Oh, I'm sure the critic didn't mean to suggest that the problems with this game's screenshots are unique to this entry.

The in-game screenshot mode does not work in menus.

Ahh, and the issue is that the in-game screenshot mode is our only way to obtain screen captures of the game?

I don't think that these shots have to go, but I think that as it is they present an incomplete picture of the game without some of its interface portrayed and that more shots are needed 8)

Yearman (29582) on 9/1/2009 6:22 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]Ahh, and the issue is that the in-game screenshot mode is our only way to obtain screen captures of the game? [/Q --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] Yup.

[Q --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] I don't think that these shots have to go, but I think that as it is they present an incomplete picture of the game without some of its interface portrayed and that more shots are needed 8) [/Q --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] There's still room for more shots...

beetle120 (2415) on 9/1/2009 11:43 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Yearman wrote--] [Q2 --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]It would be very difficult to play a driving game where the player's view always consisted of a gorgeous side view of the car and no ability to see what was coming up on the track, for instance. [/Q2 --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] Then we could reject thousands of other screenshots, not only from racing games. TOCA Race Driver 2 is just one example. [/Q --end Yearman wrote--] This is the only other game that I have looked at that has the screenshots done like this but I am sure there are heaps (only looked at this game as I have recently brought it). I personally don't like it as people come to this site to get what the gameplay is like and all they get is promotional screenshots. As for now they are a good placeholder but my hope is that people don't see the screens and think this game already has screens so won't add their own.

[Q --start Yearman wrote--] [Q2 --start Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--]Is there a dashboard display? Other HUD elements? Maybe some game menus or a splash screen? Can we crash or upgrade parts? [/Q2 --end Pseudo_Intellectual wrote--] The in-game screenshot mode does not work in menus.

And why are there no cockpit screenshots? Because the game doesn't feature a cockpit view! [/Q --end Yearman wrote--]

It does have a HUD though and it would be nice to have some menus and the watermark is not throughout the game. You did do a good job on the screens and descriptions considering the limited resource you had, it makes a good placeholder. But someone needs a capture card to take some proper screens of this and other games using a in-game screenshot feature.

Yearman (29582) on 9/2/2009 2:28 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start beetle120 wrote--] This is the only other game that I have looked at that has the screenshots done like this but I am sure there are heaps (only looked at this game as I have recently brought it). I personally don't like it as people come to this site to get what the gameplay is like and all they get is promotional screenshots. As for now they are a good placeholder but my hope is that people don't see the screens and think this game already has screens so won't add their own.

The HUD is only available in 1st and 3rd person perspective. It would not be very smart to upload only screenshots from these two views. You also need captures from other modes too, like replays or spectator mode to document a game properly. Like I said, there is enough room for more shots. If someone has a capture card he can still upload 20 or more screenshots.

I wouldn't consider these shots as placeholders. The in-game screenshot mode is a game feature and there is no reason why this should not be documented here.

St. Martyne (3648) on 9/1/2009 6:32 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Yearman wrote--] Aside from that, what's wrong with an in-game screenshot mode? [/Q --end Yearman wrote--]

Actually, that is a very a good question.

Would an in-game screenshot mode, that produces images of unpredictable resolution, stripped menus, applied/removed shader filters and/or antialiasing, modified contrast/brightness levels, attached watermarks and other things, at the end be accurate enough for a convincing representation of the gameplay and the game itself.

Unicorn Lynx (181780) on 9/2/2009 2:35 PM · Permalink · Report

You guys are right: these screenshots do not represent gameplay. Problem is, we do allow screenshots that don't represent gameplay. We have intro shots, menu shots, behind the scenes footage, and what not. So I see no reason to remove those shots.

If you are worried that there are only such shots for this game, I can only say that it's still better than no shots at all. And Yearman is right: there is plenty of room for other screenshots. Screenshot limit is 40. If someone uploads true gameplay screenshots, they would look nicely together with this "car gallery".

vedder (70767) on 9/2/2009 2:53 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Unicorn B. Lynx wrote--]You guys are right: these screenshots do not represent gameplay. Problem is, we do allow screenshots that don't represent gameplay. We have intro shots, menu shots, behind the scenes footage, and what not. So I see no reason to remove those shots.

I agree entirely.