10LazyMission-TypesEveryGamer

Hates
http://www.gamebasin.com/news/10-lazy-mission-types-every-gamer-hates
Yourereallygettingintoagameitsnarrativeisengaging,itsgameplayisenthralling,andwith
eachnewlevelyoufindmorecausetogiveitpraise.Butwhetheritsinanattempttodiversifythe
experience or simply a sadistic act onthe developers behalf, you find yourself facing a mission
typesolazilydesignedandinfuriatinglydifficultthatyoubegintoquestionbothyourownsanity,
andthatofthedeveloperswhoputitthere.Stale,banalleveldesignsucks.Sadly,thevastmajority
of games are guilty of committing this cardinal sin at some point over their duration. From the
sprawling openworld game desperately trying to inject some variation into its unwieldy
environment,tothehumblecorridorshooterthatwantsnothingmorethantodispelclaimsthat
its repetitive, lazy missiontypes have been shoehorned into just about every genre going.
Interestingly,theresnothinginherentlywrongwithanyofthesemissiontypes.Intherighthands,
these shifts in gameplay can provide a welcome change of pace while keeping the games core
mechanicsfreshandengaging;thisisnotoftenthecase.Theissueiscompoundedbythefactthat
thesemissiontypesareusuallyintendedasmeredistractions,andsotheynevergettheattention
they deserve from their developers. Either way, these missions rarely ever add anything to the
overallexperienceofanygivengame,simplybecauseonanindividualleveltheyresuchaminor
partofthefinalpackage.
10.TheFetchQuest
Thesurprisingeasewithwhichwearepersuadedtoactaserrandboysissomewhatworrying,and
consideringtheamountofthoughtandeffortthatmustgointodesigningaconvincinggameworld,
youdthinktheremightbemoreinterestingthingstodointhatworldthancompleteaseriesof
slightly elaborate deliveries. Still, its a missiontype that runs rampant through RPGs and
adventure games, where as if to lengthen the time it takes to complete the game collecting
variousitemsanddeliveringotherscanmakeupanembarrassingamountofthecampaignslength.
Sure,iftheyredonewellfetchquestscanprovidecrucialexpositionofeitheracharactersorthe
plotsbackground.Theissueisthatasgameplaymechanicsgo,goingfromoneplacetoanother
can only take so many forms before it becomes tedious and repetitive. The problem is truly
exacerbatedbyrepeatplaythroughs,wherethefetchquestisessentiallystrippedofanynarrative
gratificationitmightrewardtheplayerwith,leavinggamerswithablandandultimatelypointless
missiontocomplete.Sowhilefewmightvehementlyhatethefetchquest,itsstillalwaysmetbya
collectivesighbytherestofthecommunitytoo.
9.TheTurretSequence
Whileonrailsshooterscanbeimmenselyentertainingasarcadestylegames,theextendedturret
sequences that have become commonplace in the shooter genre are anything but entertaining.
Timeandtimeagainwerethrownintosequencesinwhichwemustmountaturret(orfirefrom
thebackofavehicle)inanefforttosuppresstheendlesswavesofenemiesthatcomeatus.Taking
gameplay mechanics that are already fairly simple and simplifying them further by restricting
movement, weapon variety, cover mechanics and recoil might seem like an obviously foolish
endeavour, but that hasnt stopped countless developers from cramming turret sequences into
theirgamesinordertoprolongtheircampaign.Additionally,therearetheequallyrepetitivetropes
thatarealwaysondisplayinaturretsequence:redexplosivebarrels,quicktimeevents,equipment
health bars and other similarly unimpressive mechanics that are intended to spice up the
experience of maiming innumerable foes. Anyone who played Call of Duty: World at War will
happilyregaleyouwithstoriesofhowtiringandwearisometheBlackCatsmissionwas.Herewas
a level that saw players mounting multiple turrets in an attempt to save some Americans while
simultaneously sticking it to the Imperial Japanese Navy. Mundane and dreary on regular
difficulties and almost unplayable on the games hardest difficulty setting, that mission (which
offerednothingtothenarrative)istheperfectindictmentoftheturretsequence.
8.TheSewerLevel
Nottotakeanythingawayfromsewers(theyrefantasticatwhattheydo),butdoeseverygame
reallyneedasewerlevel?Becauseasmuchfunaswanderingthroughtunnelsintendedtocarry
humanwasteis,thegameplayisoftenrepetitiveandtheaestheticdesignisinvariablydrab.Weve
seenthesewerlevelinallitsvariousincarnations:thepuzzlesegment,theplatformer,thecorridor
shooter,thestealthsequence,thebossbattleandsoonbutineachofthesescenariosnothing
hasbeenmoreapparentthanthefactthatitis,afterall,asewer.Theinherentproblemofsetting
alevelinaseweristhattherereallyisntthatmuchtodointhem.Onceyouveexploitedthetropes
ofturningvalvesandcrossingbodiesof water,thesewerislittlemorethanaglorifiedtunnel;a
moresubtleroutethatcharactersoftenuseforgettingfromAtoBwithoutattractingtoomuch
attention. Then theres the issues that arise from actually having to look at the damned things.
Whetheritswallsaremadeofcobblestonesorconcrete,thecolourpaletteisalwaysthatsame
blendofdismalgreysanddrearybrowns,scarcelyilluminatedbythelevelsfewlightsources.Its
notthatsewersshouldbeluminescentmenageriesofcolourthatdazzleandexciteoursenses,its
morethatgamedevelopersshouldbecomingupwithsomethingelseiftheywanttokeepgamers
investedintheirtitles.
7.TheTailingMission
This missiontype has not permeated the gaming world as much as the others, but that doesnt
makeitanylesshated.AfavouriteofstealthandopenworldfranchiseslikeAssassinsCreedand
Grand Theft Auto, the tailing mission often involves following an NPC to an unknown location
withoutlosingsightofthemorattractingtheirattention.Ofcourse,thisinvolvesfollowingthem
at a pedestrian pace, while being sure to act as normal as possible, whichmakes for some
excruciatinglyboringsequencesinagamewheremurderousrampagesandhighspeedchasesare
thenorm.Arguablytheworsttraitofthismissiontypeistheextenttowhichitcanbebrokenand
exploitedtotheamusementofanotherwisedazedgamer.Seeingasthedetectionmechanicsare
basedalmostentirelyontheplayersproximityandhowmanyobjectstheyknockover,inGTAfor
exampletheplayerisstillabletoperformaseriesofdoughnutsinaperformancesportscarsolong
astheydontgettooclosetothetarget.Perhapsworstofall,isthatthismissiontypeoffersalmost
nochallengetogamersbeyondtestingtheirpatience.Whentherestofthegamehasaskedthe
playertoperfecttheirskillsandexplorevariousstrategiesinordertoprogress,thetailingmission
ordersustoshutupandplayballwhileitlazilydeliverssomeexpositionontheplotthroughvarious
sectionsofdialoguealongtheway.
6.TheAreaDefenceMission
Often integrated with the aforementioned turret sequence, the area defence mission requires
playerstodefendanobjectorzonefromwaveafterwaveofenemies.Thisdifferssomewhatfrom
the generally liked horde mission, in that it asks players to preserve something other than their
owncharactershealth.Asaresult,thesemissionsareoftenquitetaxingandcanrequirenumerous
attemptsevenonnormaldifficulties.Theresnothingproblematicaboutamissionbeingdifficult
the success of Dark Souls has shown us how much gamers relish a challenge but when were
forcedtogothroughthesamewavesofenemieseachtime,thedifficultyandrepetitivenessbegins
tograte.Thisisnothelpedbytheslowprogressionthatthesemissionsoftenemploy,whichcan
makethemunbearablytimeconsuming.Thegameplaymechanicsrarelychangeeither,meaning
thatwhileyoumightbegivenafewtoystoplayaroundwith,youlllikelyberelyingonthegames
corecombatsystemtoseeyouthrougheachwave.Butletsnotalsoforgetthattherewilllikelybe
atimer,orworsestill,ahealthbar,toremindyouhowyourdoingatanygivenmoment.Combine
alltheseandyouhaveabythenumbersrecipeforaparticularlyirritatingmission.
5.TheMandatoryStealthSequence
Nothing destroys a wellconstructed sense of immersion more completely than failing the exact
same stealth sequence hundreds of times over. Unlike with stealth games, stealth missions are
often found in games which have not been specifically designed for suck things, as the
implementation is poor at best. So when players are forced to comply with an unexpected
gameplayshift,itsrarelymetwithanysemblanceofjoy.Theplotdevicethatusuallyaccompanies
thismissiontypeusuallyinvolvesbeingimprisonedinaneasilyescapablejailcell,strippedofall
yourweaponsandthushavingtosneakyourwayoutofwhateverscenarioyouvefoundyourself
in.Youwillofcoursebefacinganarrayofguardswhowereseeminglyhiredspecificallybecause
theylackbothperipheralvisionandasenseofhearing.Ofcoursethismightnotalwaysmatteras
theleveldesignisfrequentlysubstandardandbroken,meaningthatnomatterhowdumbtheNPCs
are,youllstillbecaughtoutbysomeotherterriblyexecutedgameplaymechanic.Moreirritating
though,isthenotionthatthereisnootherapproachtothescenario,thatregardlessofhowmany
otherroutestherecouldbe,youllhavetoblindlyfollowordersanddowhateverthegametells
youuntilyouroutofthispurgatorialmess.
4.TheTimedMission
There can be few things in life more infuriating and stressful than the ticking clock. The mere
appearanceofatimerinagameisenoughtoturnsomegamersoffcompletelyandwhocould
blame them? A timer is essentially an easy way to instantly make any given mission more
interesting,andleveldesignersarentfoolinganyone.Thereasonsthataregiventotheplayerare
usuallyarbitraryandtheamountoftimethatyourgiveniseithersuspiciouslyconvenientorjust
plainsadistic. Ifthelatteristrue,gamerswillfindthemselvesreplayingthesametimedmission
over and over again, failing by the narrowest of margins with each successive attempt. Its a
missiontypethatcomesbearinganinherentaspectoffrustrationinthateveryobjectivebecomes
centredaroundacapricioustimelimit.Wherebeforeagamehasallowedyoutoexploreitsevery
nookandcranny,thejarringappearanceofatimerforcesusontoablandandnarrowpath,where
themeansofcompletionarelimitedtowhatevertoolsaremostefficient.
3.TheUnderwaterLevel
Theunderwaterlevelisanothereasilyimplementedmissiontypethatcaneffectivelymakegames
less fun for everybody. Significantly slowed movement, dodgy physics and the obvious lack of
breathablesubstancesallplayapartinmakingthegameplaymechanicsbehindunderwaterlevels
both predictable and boring. Then there are the obligatory clichs that must accompany the
underwaterlevel:electricalobstacles,submergedruins,seamines,enemieslikesharksandeels.
Obviously,notallunderwaterlevelsarepoorlydealtwithGodofWarII,ShadowoftheColossus,
Tomb Raider II and Rayman Origins spring to mind but the vast majority have proven to be
nothing more than a combination of burdensome controls and farcical aesthetic design. Then
therestheoxygenmechanicthatsomeoftheselevelsutiliseinordertomakegameplayevenmore
rageinducing;thefranticmusicthatplayswhenSonictheHedgehogstartstodrownisscarredinto
thememoryofeverygamerwhohaseverheardit.
2.TheVehicleMission
Perhapsmostprevalentintheshootergenre,thismissiontypeplacestheunsuspectingplayerin
a vehicle as aoneoff gameplay modifier. The obvious issues that arise from this sudden shift in
gameplayareinnumerable,butsufficeittosaythatshoddilyimplementeddrivingmechanicsand
tunnelvision level design play a significant part in ruining these sequences. Vehicular missions
forcetheplayer(whohasjustperfectedonesetofcontrols)toswiftlyadoptanentirelynewsetof
controls,allthewhilebattlingwiththeunwieldy,weightlessdrivingmechanics.Sostartlingisthis
clashofgameplaymechanicsthatanysemblanceofmomentumthatmighthaveexistedbeforeis
quicklylosttominutesofbuttonfumblingandheadscratchingwhileyouawkwardlycollidewith
every object in sight. Of course when you do finally manage to reign the controls in, youll find
yourself trapped on a path so straightforward and obvious that its a wonder the developers
botheredtogiveyousteeringcontrolsinthefirstplace.
1.TheEscortMission
Becausebabysittinginrealityissomuchfunthattheyjusthadtomakeamissionoutofit,right?
The escort mission has been realised properly on only a handful of occasions, in every other
circumstanceithasbeenthecauseofuntoldlevelsoffrustration.EscortinganNPCwhostumbles
throughtheworldlikeablindturkeyisagamersworstnightmare:theydiefromnominaldamage,
run into enemies, block your line of sight and offer you nothing but grief in return. This is
exacerbatedbythosestingydeveloperswhogleefullystarveplayersofcheckpoints,forcingyouto
relivetheagonyrepeatedlybeforefindingsuccess.Theescortmissionalsoprovidesplayerswitha
veritablesmorgasbordofgamingtropesrangingfromthedastardlyhealthbartothesurreptitious
paththatourNPCadoptsalloftheseareofcourseintendedtomakeourcombinedexperience
as negative as possible. On occasion these missions are so shoddily thrown together that their
completioncanonlyeverbeattributedtoluck.
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