This question was brought up another site's podcast and they eventually got an answer from their community but then didn't articulate it very well on the subsequent podcast.
It left me thinking though, and the fact that I didn't hear the answer bugged me.
So why do we still have to "Press Start" to get past the title screens of so many games.
GTA IV is the game that always sticks in my head as one of the games to eschew this, but then they didn't have a "front end" at all. The game just started and you were in it. It was kind of cool and I wonder why more game developers don't use that idea.
Oh, and now for my usual disclaimer.
This topic has most likely been brought up countless times before. I suck. I don't know how to use a search function and I should get off the internet now and leave it to the professionals to keep it the friendliest place on earth.
Thanks in advance to anyone who just enjoys good discussion!
I think it is mainly just maintaining tradition, but I also think it gives for a better look. When I see the start menu I get into the mood and I see a full size picture before I start to see menus. It also makes it seem like I'm in control of when I start to do things because I can load the game and leave it on that screen sort of idling as I do other stuff around the house, then I can come back and actually start up the game and get into the menus. Just sort of feels right.
As for the actual question, I don't know. I would assume it was just force of habit in game design. Just look at lives - they still exist in some games (and were in the majority of games until relatively recently) despite being a throwback to the arcade era, and being largely useless to the actual gameplay. I'd guess that press start screens are just a throwback to "insert coin" screens of arcade games, and they have just stayed in game design despite being redundant.
Alright, fair enough. Good answers from everyone. Not to keep bringing up the other podcast, (it was Joystiq btw. I feel safe saying that because the GB crew seem to be on friendly terms with those guys) but the answer that they mumbled through sounded like there was some sort of technical reason on the part of the devs. That kind of stuff always interests me because I love hearing stories about the process of game development.
It's for the game to make sure that you're there, so it can begin gameplay. Trust me when I say that you want to be required to press start, whether you know it or not.
"It's for the game to make sure that you're there, so it can begin gameplay. Trust me when I say that you want to be required to press start, whether you know it or not. "
Ahhh, good point. I was afraid it might be some subconcious thing that we just didn't think about. That kind of stuff scares me. GET OUT OF MY HEAD GAME DEVELOPERS!!
If we don't press start to start a game, then what's the reason to have a start button at all? And if we don't have a start button, then how do we pause the game?
Good question. Quite useless if you ask me. And if games are going to become more realistic, and get the player more committed, things like this should be removed. And they very well might. Who know's what the future holds. If there was a first person RPG that once u started it it got you into the character, I think that would be quite immersive.
I know, right? But hey, my NES isn't that old....What's that?.....What just turned 25 years old?..... OH DEAR GOD!! "
This fact absolutely terrifies me. I am so old. "
I was going to say Atari at first, but that was more of a "flip reset switch to start" than a "Press Start". Then we would have had the youngest readers sitting in a state of goggle-eyed, disbelieving, wonderment, and everything would have broken bad from there.
"If we don't press start to start a game, then what's the reason to have a start button at all? And if we don't have a start button, then how do we pause the game? "
I love how my topic has caused some people to go into a state of psychological introspection. LOL. Seriously, though, thanks for the good discussion everyone. These sorts of discussions actually make me feel a little better about humanity from time to time.
i don't have any problem with start screens or pre-game menus. if they weren't there i'd have to wait for the game to load only to have to manually pause it so i could go and make a snack or something.
" I think it is mainly just maintaining tradition, but I also think it gives for a better look. When I see the start menu I get into the mood and I see a full size picture before I start to see menus. It also makes it seem like I'm in control of when I start to do things because I can load the game and leave it on that screen sort of idling as I do other stuff around the house, then I can come back and actually start up the game and get into the menus. Just sort of feels right. "
I agree with this. But i also do think it is kind of useless, as I do like it how GTA4 just puts you in the game straight away. If anyone remembers, the first 'inFamous' had a very interesting start screen as they kind of ingrained it with the actual story. It was like press start at the bottom, and the back ground was a streaming live image of empire city that was untarnished and totally fine. You press the 'start' button and you trigger an explosion which destroys the city, which commences the overall game. From then on, every time you started the game, there was no 'start' screen as it just put you in the game straight away. I thought that was kinda neat because it symbolized that it was player's character, Cole McGrath, who was the cause of the explosion.
" I think it is mainly just maintaining tradition, but I also think it gives for a better look. When I see the start menu I get into the mood and I see a full size picture before I start to see menus. It also makes it seem like I'm in control of when I start to do things because I can load the game and leave it on that screen sort of idling as I do other stuff around the house, then I can come back and actually start up the game and get into the menus. Just sort of feels right. "
I agree with this. But i also do think it is kind of useless, as I do like it how GTA4 just puts you in the game straight away. If anyone remembers, the first 'inFamous' had a very interesting start screen as they kind of ingrained it with the actual story. It was like press start at the bottom, and the back ground was a streaming live image of empire city that was untarnished and totally fine. You press the 'start' button and you trigger an explosion which destroys the city, which commences the overall game. From then on, every time you started the game, there was no 'start' screen as it just put you in the game straight away. I thought that was kinda neat because it symbolized that it was player's character, Cole McGrath, who was the cause of the explosion. "
Oh, god. Now I feel even worse that I haven't played inFamous yet. I've got to see that.
Most of people's counterarguments here fall through in games that have a menu after the press start screen (which most have). You could still launch it and do something else, etc.
In my opinion it's completely useless, but how much I'm annoyed is directly proportionate with how much time it takes from pressing start to reaching the main menu.
"The "Press Start" screen is known as the "Invitation to Play." Kind of an industry standard in all games. But I always press X or A, cause I'm a rebel. "
Ahhh, now that's what I was looking for. I knew there had to be some sort of technical or psychological reason for it on the part of the devs. That pretty much sums up the thought process of it.
" oh god, this is why I can't play any PC games, my keyboard doesn't have a start button. "
Most PC keyboards made after 1995 have a start button, it's the key with the Windows logo on it, used to bring up the Windows start menu. Funny enough, if you press it when most games asks you to press the start button, the game will minimize or crash, as the windows start menu is opened ..
@ZeForgotten: you're free to do whatever you like lol, i'd just rather jokes aimed in my direction to be somewhat humourous. at least make me laugh if you're going to make fun of me would be the thesis of this post, i guess.
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