JeanFeb 28
Kenney
Games should include a menu option like "I haven't played in a while, give me a quick 5 minute refresher on the controls"
Feb 27 at 9:30pmWeb
Show threadPixel DunnFeb 27
@kenney what about a pinned hud with keybinds like i did some time ago?
Show threadKenneyFeb 27
@hacknorris Keybinds aren't enough, that's similar to just looking at the options. I need to know actions
Show threadλzydFeb 27
@hacknorris @kenney Oh my god, this screenshot immediately overwhelmed me. You have so much going on. This reminds me of the days when my ADHD unmedicated ass unironically had over 400 firefox tabs.
Show threadPixel DunnFeb 27
@zyd thank God i haven't shown you number of tabs… (most are unloaded tho, i use tabs as bookmarks tbh)
Show threadλzydFeb 27

@hacknorris

Yeah, that's what I was doing as well: using tabs as a poor man's bookmark management tool, because Firefox on its own doesn't care about you actually using bookmarks to any real degree. I basically never had many of those 400+ tabs actually loaded.

Just in case you might want something different, you might like linkhut for trying to deal with this instead. It's something I've recently started heavily using myself along with the extension linkput making it extremely convenient to bookmark all the things. It's open source, bookmarks can be imported and exported via a single HTML file via the web or through various means on the command line (or other external tools) through its 1:1 Pinboard API. Along with other people using the flagship instance of it, it also turns into a great search tool in general, not only for just your own bookmarks. Also has RSS feeds for any combination of tags and user profiles. It's sick as hell.

linkhut

Show threadWeAreMuesliFeb 27

@kenney
YES! I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS!

-D.

Show threadTabascoEyeFeb 27
@kenney so much this. I don't have the courage to return to RDR2 because of this
Show threadMelvin GundlachFeb 27
@TabascoEye @kenney Same! I was so lost when I got into my first fist fight after returning 😅
Show threadMelvin GundlachFeb 27

@TabascoEye @kenney RDR2 does a great job recapping the story thanks to its journal, but the controls… nothing.

I like how in every Ubisoft title there’s always a button to show the current context-aware controls.

Show threadellawFeb 28
@TabascoEye @kenney I opened the satchel once...
I am halfway through the game, and almost never remember that it even exists.
Show threadHannekeFeb 27
@kenney and the story 😳
Show threadGuillaume JacqueminFeb 27
@kenney I'll be honest, I'm glad some games allow replaying the tutorial at any time.
Show threadAmbient SpongeFeb 27
@kenney YES!!!
Show threadElissaFeb 27

@kenney That's a neat idea. Micro-tutorial, as it were.

Not about controls, of course, but a design decision I think is brilliant in Return to Monkey Island is the "Previous on..." feature where if you haven't gone back to it in a while Guybrush gives you a previously-on to remind you of the story so far and what you were up to.

Show threadKenneyFeb 27
@vampiress Yeah, love that! I'm just so busy that I can only play games like once every week so there's a lot of off-time between sessions. Makes going back to games a little daunting
Show threadElissaFeb 27
@kenney Yeah I have the same problem. Turns out making games is a great way to rarely find time to play them.
Show thread#Guigui 🇫🇷Feb 27
@kenney thinking about the fact that default controls in my game are never shown besides the non basic platformer things outside of the keybind rebind menu
Show threadXanathonFeb 27
@kenney Absolutely!
Show threadHadeurFeb 27
@kenney Kingdom Come II actually does this. 🙌🏼
Show threadJenFeb 27
@kenney they should also have a selectable complexity scale from "I want to memorise a hundred different moves" to "run, jump, & hit only".
Show threadFarhan AhmedFeb 27
@kenney This. So much this.
Show threadGreg HaaseFeb 27
@kenney I have actually seen this before recently, but I can't remember which game. I hadn't played in a while and it literally asked me if I wanted a tutorial. And it included the instructions into my current quest as well. It was an exceptional experience.
Show threadBadger DadFeb 27
@kenney I went back to Final Fantasy 14 recently after years away and it did give a refresher tutorial! Sadly the HUD did not save my settings so I still had to relearn a lot.
Show threadJoakim HagdahlFeb 28
@kenney in skate we have skatepedia which allows you to look up any trick or action at any time. Super helpful. Does take effort to maintain though and as new features are added we have to add them there too.
Show threadslacyFeb 28
@kenney Games should include a menu option for "I'm sick of this, skip this boss or level and just move on to the next one". So so so many games I just stop playing when the grind gets too tedious, but I want to follow the plot. Even "story mode" sometimes too tedious, but a good first step.
Show threadGlitchy PixelFeb 28
@kenney after saying yes on the promp, I would the tv trope of "previously con [this game]" and bring some scenes with the necessary actions to remember. Would give story context (what was I doing?) And a refresher on controls.
Show threadroque (ロク)Feb 28
@kenney oh god yes. I always forget whatever random control means “block” or “dodge” in games where it’s crucial.
Show threadCozy Rain VibesFeb 28
@kenney Sometimes I avoid playing metroidvanias because I know I'll have to complete the game in 72h or end up hopelessly lost. Metroid Dread actually subverts this though by having an amazing map.
Show threadD:\side\>Feb 28

@kenney we could bring back the "help" function of the F1 key.

Or not. Within a genre controls are quite often the same across many games. And controls in the settings menu tell the bulk of the deal pretty quickly.

Probably the only major outliers are simulators. But *their* control schemes can be so elaborate so as to be difficult to forget 

Show threadMarc A. KastnerFeb 28
@kenney and also a story summary. There's so many RPGs where I basically have no chance to get into ever again, short of starting a new save game, just because something came up in real life and I took a couple of weeks break..
Show threadAron (Sten S.)Feb 28

@kenney

And to the story so far, please.

Show threadRaymondFeb 28

@kenney Dos shareware games used to give a few screens on how to play, accessed by pressing F1. All disappeared in favor of slower onboarding sequences which appear once.

Doom even did it single screen.

Show threadmossmanFeb 28

@kenney Elite Dangerous is a game I drop in and out of every now and then (months in between sometimes) and it's very complex in terms of what you, the ship, your ground vehicle etc. can do *plus* all the controls and interfaces you use to do all those different actions.

Luckily, it does have a load of tutorial missions and encyclopedia entries available at all times... so besides constantly having to go through the control settings again and again, I have occasionally done some basic training missions to relearn how to maneuver during dogfights or use mining equipment or whatever.

Show threadJR Rickerson Feb 28
@kenney Dragon Quest XI S does this with the plot "The Story So Far..." and I love them for it.
Show threadꓤɔᴉʇɐʇSFeb 28
@kenney They should let players access to the test levels devs use to test the game mechanics
Show threadJulie SqveakarooFeb 28
@kenney ... the amount of restarting the whole game that would save...
Show threadMagess Feb 28
@kenney such a good idea 🩷 will I remember how to play ffxvi when I go back to it? Absolutely not! 😂
Show threadOvidi NawerMar 1
@kenney firered leargreen style diary recording the last 5 meaningful actions
Show threadSteffoMar 1
@Nawer_Rapter @kenney a vn series i played recently had this and i thought it was pretty useful, i'd love to see it more i think