Thoughts On CamVator... - by SlyFoxx
SlyFoxx on 11/2/2019 at 15:56
It was brought up in another thread that some dislike the CamVator. Since that thread was already going sideways and pear shaped I didn't want to derail it further.
I've usually found them a wonderful way of imparting story info ie...The 7th Crystal or Frobber's "Keeper" series. R Soul used it nicely in his "Torc" series. Just another way to convey what a briefing vid might...
What's the problem? Just curious.
Purgator on 11/2/2019 at 16:17
I like 'em. It shows a bit of ingenuity, and it's a nice way to set the scene, IMHO. I don't think it detracts from the mission in any way.
It's just like a cutscene, really.
JonesCrusher on 11/2/2019 at 16:52
they're ok....long as they work...I remember one that was a bit iffy (in the Fm .. the Mirror?)I seem to remember.
DrK on 11/2/2019 at 18:17
Regarding Thief, to me it goes against the core of its game design, where visual storytelling is key and the story unravel itself as you play and remain in control of your character. A camvator is similar to a cutscene which takes the control out of the player and forces you to watch an event from afar without any consequence to your actions.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't especially dislike it. A camvator here and there can be a nice touch as long as they are rather short and don't break the flow of the game. I'm fine with it if it's used as an intro or an outro for example.
Random_Taffer on 11/2/2019 at 18:22
I do not like camvators. Especially during development because they're usually unskippable, so you always have to rig up something to shut them off while you work.
Additionally, I like experiencing the story from the main characters POV whenever possible.
Yandros on 11/2/2019 at 19:04
I had a bunch in DCE because that train started rolling years earlier when I didn't feel the same way about them, and so I decided to maintain consistency in narrative delivery method, so they remained in the final product. Nowadays, though, I greatly prefer movies for briefing and cutscenes, because they aren't prone to bugs and are skippable by the player who is replaying (or the dev who doesn't want to sit through it for the 1000th time). And for mid-mission scenes, narrative storytelling through experience is better than forcing the player to be a third person (and sometimes out-of-body) observer, as was the case with most the in-game cutscenes in DCE.
john9818a on 13/2/2019 at 16:26
I used a camvator in LS2 Part 2 during the wedding scene, and while some might not like camvators at least the player could control when the camvator took place.
I don't dislike camvators, but some missions use them to take the player all over the map before the mission begins therefore spoiling all of the scenery.
ZylonBane on 13/2/2019 at 22:25
Does NewDark allow the author to control the camvator camera facing, or are players still free to look wherever they want? That always annoyed me, as it sometimes wasn't clear where I was "supposed" to be looking during a camvator sequence. This made the sequences feel less like an in-engine cutscene and more like Garrett's Balloon Ride.
downwinder on 14/2/2019 at 00:48
i love camvators so much,usually i would say at start or end of mission,but i have even played some missions where they during mission it self and wow it was amazing
they feel so natural to thief i was shocked they not stock in someway,kinda like how the thief 1 intros use that drawing style omg so epic
ZylonBane on 14/2/2019 at 02:20
God dammit Moon Moon.
