50 Landmark Game Design Innovations

Next Generation has put together a lengthy list of landmark game design innovations that many of your favorite games probably wouldn't exist without. They break them out into self-contained units, though it's sometimes ambiguous how they're demarcating game design elements. Just the same, it's an interesting look at where game industry trends have led us: "23. Gestural interfaces. Many cultures imbue gestures with supernatural or symbolic power, from Catholics crossing themselves to the mudras of Hindu and Buddhist iconography. Magic is often invoked with gestures, too--that's part of what magic wands are for. The problem with a lot of videogame magic is that clicking icons and pushing buttons feels more technical than magical. The gestural interface is a comparatively recent invention that gives us a non-verbal, non-technical way to express ourselves. Best-known example: Wii controller. Probable first use: Black & White, 2001."

Re:Eve

[QuantumG]

Eve Online is one of the few games where I didn't even finish the free trial.

I felt the game was playing me more than I was playing it. "Hey buddy, I need you to press a few buttons here. No, not that one. Ok, now that one. Great, now fuck off for 45 minutes, I've got some flying to do."

It's a fish tank.

ESDF WASD

[Chris Pimlott]

I always preferred to use ESDF for movement keys instead of WASD, for two main reasons. First, since F is one of the home keys, it makes it easy to be sure your fingers are in the right position without looking down at the keyboard, since the F normally has a raised nub on it. Second, shifting the movement keys over to the right one from WASD adds 3 more keys that are easy to hit with your pinky for binding to useful game actions.

Re:Complaining about choices

[CaptainCarrot]

Well, "best known" is something of a judgment call. As someone who enjoys the Thief series but has never played any of the Metal Gear games, Thief is certainly better-known to me

In an unintentional irony, the screenshot for that one shows what happens when you fail at stealth. Swordfights aren't good things to get into in Thief. I found them practically unwinnable until I switched to a 3-button mouse and mapped the parry maneuver to the middle button.

My Top 20 Innovations by Game

[jlf278]

1. Open Adventure - Legend of Zelda
2. Getting an Airship - Final Fantasy
3. 3rd person 3D - Mario 64
4. Best non-joystick - DDR
5. Captivating Story - Final Fantasy 2
6. 100+ hours to Complete - Final Fantasy 3
7. Online RTS - Command and Conquer
8. Online RPG - CircleMud
9. Online FPS - Halo 2
10. Multiplayer Coop - Secret of Mana
11. 2-player Game - Super Mario Kart
12. 4-player Game - Super Bomberman 2
13. 4-player Hardcore - Smash Bros.Melee
14. Career Mode - Rock 'N Roll Racing
15. Depth of Strategy - Starcraft
16. Depth of Gameplay. - Soul Calibur
17. Depth of Environment - Grand Theft Auto 3
18. True to life - Gran Turismo
19. Powerups - Mega Man
20. Making Sports Fun - Tie: Base Wars / Wii Sports