Whatever happened to falling to your death?

Is it just me? Or does it seem like nearly every first person and third person game these days has something against allowing the player to die by falling. It really takes me out of a game when I get close to a ledge and am stopped in my tracks.

I've played many games where I was exploring a level and thought to myself, "Oh look at that lava!" Only to find out I can't actually step in the lava. Maybe it's a ridiculous complaint, but there you have it. I cannot get immersed in a game that has these downright dumb limitations.

What are your thoughts?

I guess it's because games became more linear so developers preferred to use walls rather than bottomless pits to keep the player on track. But to be fair jumping platforms always pissed me off especially when I had to spend ages trying to get past tricky jumps.
LOOKING AT YOU HALF LIFE

I absolutely hated Half Life's jumping puzzles.

I'm talking more about what it added to a game. I remember many instances "back in the day" where I was in the middle of a heated battle and forgot to watch where I was going and next thing I know I'm falling to my death. I know it seems like that would be frustrating, but it added to the intensity and danger of the game. You had to pay attention at all times to your surroundings because the environment COULD and WOULD hurt you. It's just an element of gaming that no longer seems to be there.

I loved Half life.

Jumping Puzzles? Not too big of a problem though. Heh.

But yeah, developers are making this happen due to sales figures. If that game sells well, then everything must have been a success, so they push out another game just like it, and get more sales you see?

I kind of miss that element of danger. It was better when it wasn't just the enemies on the screen that could kill you.

But I think you're right Epic-beatrice...it's all about the bottom line. Sadly, I guess that's to be expected...gaming is a business after all.

yeah, it's a shame. That's why everything went to consoles, due to sales.

But looks like PC is making a comeback.

DICE, Epic Games, RO2 and Hard Reset?

Looking good

After many years since HL1 I still think Valve are the best out there.

Good for the community and un-buggy games I suppose.

Quite ignorant and full of themselves sometimes but hey ho...

One game that i remember quite fondly for constantly falling to my death in was Dark Foces II: Jedi Knight, one level specifically was the Fuel Core one where you have to adjust the levels of fuel in this giant tank. I can recall numerous times in the heat of battle against Storm Troopers accidentally falling from the higher platforms.

That game had some great level design and even into the Mysteries of the Sith expansion pack.

I definitely noticed a lack of this classic FPS trait in current games, it's just another disheartening thing among all the rest.

jacek wrote:

After many years since HL1 I still think Valve are the best out there.

What they did to TF2 begs to differ.

Nice one Spig.

I agree. I like to die whatever way I want, thank you!

I <3 Minecraft jumping puzzles