Joystiq Poll: Do you watch cutscenes? [update 1]

I guess I'm in the minority, but usually skip cut scenes if possible. I hate it when you are forced to sit through a 5 minute snooze fest. At least give those of us who aren't interested a chance to opt out.

I always picture the developers sitting around discussing whether to let the player skip the scene. "We worked really hard on this animation and they're going to watch it Dammit!" I find unskipable scenes insulting and self indulgent. Pompous bastards.

One of the biggest problems with Lego Star Wars II is the fact that you can't skip the cutscenes! After watching once, there is no need to watch again.

this is one that depends on the game. If the games got a rich storyline like Kingdom Hearts I'll watch. Also, if the cutscene is vital to helping you out with a misson like in GTA, i'll be sure to watch it as well. However, if the story sucks, or it's more of a run n' gun FPS title where I just want to blast away, I skip right through every chance I get.

@ Alan Wii

In a way, you helped prove my point. Storyline in
video games is more of an excuse for the gameplay. In other words, most of the time storylines are only there to give players a specific purpose, so they don't feel like they are wandering around aimlessly.

Although, I would argue games are better without the
storyline, or if there is storyline, instead of having one big, epic storyline that forces players on a linear path (and forces them to watch cutscenes which interrupt gameplay), there should be miniature 'episodes' perhaps eventually leading to some larger storyline. I'm thinking along the lines of Oblivion without the story with the king, simply having individual quests (I didn't even play through the main quest).

Forcing players down a linear path limits the interactivity, and I think games of the future will
focus more on open-endedness like Oblivion or GTA, instead of the Hollywood, blockbuster style of Metal Gear or Halo. I say leave Hollywood where it belongs, in the film industry. Huge, epic storylines only distract the ultimate purpose of games, which is
obviously the gameplay. Although when done correctly, a storyline can serve as a decent break from the gameplay, but I think games like Metal Gear 4, that has a freaking 15 minute TRAILER for christ's sake,
are shifting games into the wrong direction.

Though what do I know? MGS and Halo have huuuuuuge sales. However, I'd argue that if this trend continues, which is the focus on huge blockbuster hollywood-inspired titles, video games will become decadent. If you think playing the same genres and sequels over and over again is bad now, it will only get worse if video games continue to look at Hollywood for inspiration, instead of focusing on new means of interactivity.

Thats why I hope Wii will succeed, the focus is clearly on new means of interactivity, instead of just interactive movies.

@ Laughing Target

I agree. Writers should be able to incorporate the story into the game without cutscenes at all.

@ Cyborg771

I'll have to agree with Rob X on this one. The story of a video game contributes nothing to it as an art form, it is only another form of literature. And as for cutscenes, that is film, not video games.

The only way video games will be appreciated as an art form is if the interactivity is expanded in more creative and artistic ways. If Wii ends up becoming a huge hit, I wouldn't be surprised if it changes people's minds about video games as art.

As it stand now, though, people are only comparing video games to Hollywood movies, because video games are attempting to immitate them. Just look at the way games like Gears of War are trying to use cinematic effects and bouncy camera work to make the action seem more intense.

If video games want to be appreciated as art, they will have to do so in their own way, not by copycatting other mediums.

LOL looks like joysticks plan to say loads of CG for Blu-ray is pointless .lol FAILED !!!!

When cutscenes are done well with good animation and writing and acting and, most importantly, have elements that advance the story then they're great.

However, I think all cutscenes should be optional. I hate it when I can't skip ones I've already seen. And, no matter how good they are, I hate it when they make up 50 percent of the games like in a lot of console RPGs (which I like, by the way.) I'm playing Baten Kaitos off and on and the cutscenes and conversations are driving me nuts. That game has such lousy voice acting...

I vote "Scream and pound every button to get straight to the action" except for Homeworld, Homeworld: Cataclysm, and Homeworld 2. No other games'--just those.

long cutscenes in action games: bad.
long cutscenes in story-driven games: good.

and how about short?

short cutscenes in action games: a good break for you sore thumbs.
short cutscenes in story-driven games: bad. not enough narrative, character motives etc...

although i believe skipping should be optional the second time through a game...

I pay people to watch cutscenes for me. Only $2.95 every 5 minutes!

CUT THE CUT SCENES. Period.

I find I watch them just to move the story along. If it's a Final Fantasy game, in which, nine times out of ten, the cutscene is only there to be eye-candy, then I'll kind of gloss over and lose myself in my thoughts. But if it's a great story, with powerful cutscenes, I'll be glued to the tube, as the kids say.

I like cutscenes to a certain extent. Cutscenes in most Nintendo games are short, that´s fine by me. But in games like Final Fantasy where you are actually playing a game and watching a movie at the same time, that I find annoying. I prefer the Nintendo style.

Jesus, is this ever a sticking point with me.

If any developers are listening, please take note: if you're programming a portable game, *do not* make unskippable cut scenes.

I don't think you should ever need to sit through a cut scene if you don't want, but it's very important when you've got the finite resources of a battery to contend with.

What's worse are the games where, upon launch, you need to watch an intro movie, then another movie for the production company, then some logos, and finally you get a 'now loading...' screen.

Play Tony Hawk Underground for PSP sometime for a good example.

Honestly, that time you're showing me your production company is the time you should be *loading the frigging game!* Thanks to you I've just lost like 2 and a half minutes worth of a battery power just for vanity's sake.

Sorry, everyone, this topic just tends to :twitch: get me all riled up.

Oh hell yea, I watch all of the cut-scenes. If I spent $60 on a game, I want to know each and every detail of the game!

"I never understood why people play video games for the story. Then again I never really understood why people watch movies for story either"

I for myself never understood why people go to videogame blogs to talk about games. :P

Seriously, there are people who appreciate brain candy just as much as eye candy... i actually hope they are a majority, but you can never know the real size of human's stupidity...

You gotta put a bottle of whiskey right next to that kid..

I always will watch the cutscenes the first time around. But, I want to skip them after that. There is nothing worse than trying to beat a big boss and having to wait 10 minutes for a cutscene you can't get rid of!

After reading the responses abit more, I'm kinda thinking these CG animations should be presented in a different way.

One possible way would be, having completed a level, or met some requirements, you could "Unlock" The CG scene that goes along with it, and that way it could become a reason to try to do levels again, but more of the way they intended.

The other way that I think would be interesting would be upon completing the game, you could unlock a small movie of the entire game.. so say you spent like 20 hours of to finish the game, than you could sit back and watch the 30-60 minute animation.

Because lately, cutscenes sort of take you out of the game experience, all the sudden you are bombarded with amazing graphics and..your characters taken in directions that you wouldn't lead them and than basically thrown back to the wolves trying to follow the unbranching path of the story.

You gotta pay attention when Hideo makes his next joke, every second counts ;-)

This is quite possibly the stupidest question Joystiq has ever asked its readers. How can any of us answer that question? Doesn't it entirely depend on the game? There are several games I've wanted to mash through and just play the damn game because the cutscenes were so atrocious, however, there are many games where I've actually sat there after a cutscene just contemplating its implications on the storyline.

What the hell kind of ignorant poll is this? Joystiq, did you make this poll up or did the New York Times? I hardly expected a gaming publication to word something where the only choices represent a minority of gamers.

Nothing aggravates me more than a game that MAKES me sit through 15+ minutes of cutscene before the first time I get to play (Okami comes to mind).