Direct character controls can increase immersion a lot, but it just doesn't mix with an uncontrollable camera. For direct controls to shine, you need a full 360° 3D environment and either a chase cam or one that can be freely rotated around the character.
I don't agree with that. Direct control with a static camera (like in Grim) can be awkward as all get out, but direct control with a camera that has some liquidity and responsiveness to your movements to it can feel very organic and nice. The distraction caused by manipulating user-controllable cameras is usually enough to pull me out of the game world, or possibly break my living room table with the controller I'm bashing against it. Mario Galaxy was murder for some people, but I found the 3D follow/modifiable camera to be pretty nice in that game. In a direct control game, I just want the world to be slowly exposed based on my direct movements, and I want to be able to get up close to things. There are surely many combinations of player and camera movement methods that allow you to do that well, but there are also a lot of combinations which are awkward.
Tools like binoculars are only added when needed. Case and Point Reality 2.0 where you get a pair of binoculars in order to find out the password to Bosco's bank account. Having them all the time would be the same as having Sam's gun on hand: 9 out of 10 times you won't use it unless it is a last resort item because nothing else has worked.
And there is only so much binoculars can do even in Sam & Max's illogical world. At least the gun can function as a can opener and a Swiss Cheese maker.
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I don't agree with that. Direct control with a static camera (like in Grim) can be awkward as all get out, but direct control with a camera that has some liquidity and responsiveness to your movements to it can feel very organic and nice. The distraction caused by manipulating user-controllable cameras is usually enough to pull me out of the game world, or possibly break my living room table with the controller I'm bashing against it. Mario Galaxy was murder for some people, but I found the 3D follow/modifiable camera to be pretty nice in that game. In a direct control game, I just want the world to be slowly exposed based on my direct movements, and I want to be able to get up close to things. There are surely many combinations of player and camera movement methods that allow you to do that well, but there are also a lot of combinations which are awkward.
But I like to play sam and max one handed :eek: so I can drink a beer out the other while playing
And there is only so much binoculars can do even in Sam & Max's illogical world. At least the gun can function as a can opener and a Swiss Cheese maker.
It's true, besides binoculars aren't that handy for anything in there world at all, except for spying on the enemy agents across the street.