Video games I want to play

I was looking through the E3 coverage tonight and thinking about what kind of video games I'd like to play that I just haven't seen done right in years. All of them have been done before, but none of these are things I feel have been realized to their full potential. There are lots of things that are just begging to be made into really great games and they just haven't been. I really don't think this post is going to influence anyone to actually make these games, but please indulge me while I piss into the wind. Okay?

Surfing: This is probably a tough one to really pull off, but it's been done in the past, and pretty well. Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer was pretty much the best you could've hoped for in a surfing game at the time. What I'd like to see from something like this is a semi-realistic approach along the lines of Skate (although with the controls tailored to surfing instead of skateboarding, in an equally intuitive, non-gimmicky way), and also like Skate, a learning curve that rewards a prior understanding of the sport, and makes the sport easier for newcomers to understand as they pick up the game. The main challenges I could see with this would be accurately representing the sport in a way that's fun to play, and also making the actual gameplay varied enough to be worth the purchase to people used to land-based "extreme sports" games. My suggestion would be lots of unlockable boards and wetsuits/shorts/etc. and multiple "real world" beaches with their own algorithms for generating waves that mimic the ideal conditions present at each of those beaches in real life. I think this approach, which probably seems rather dated in a way, is still the ideal for this kind of game (a "sandbox" approach would probably just be awkward and serve only to destroy the immersiveness of the experience). Another problem I could see is defining gameplay objectives without getting too "arcade" with it. I definitely feel that an emphasis on realism, and a system for producing photos and videos along the lines of Skate would be essential here. I could see, for example, something like Skate 2, where you compete against professional surfers in competitions and make videos for sponsorships and cash to unlock new boards and clothing. Of all the ideas I have here, this would probably, I think, be the hardest to implement.

Speedboat racing: Anyone who's ever seen Live and Let Die wants this game to be made. But I think for it to be done right, it needs to go above and beyond the call of duty for a game like this. First off, realistic driving physics and actual licensed boats, past and present. The ability to upgrade and tinker like in Gran Turismo would also go a long way. Really, it's a pretty simple idea I think. Just one that hasn't really been implemented. Add a strong online component and you'd have solid gold.


Rugby: I know, another sports game. But rugby is a sport that's never really gotten a good, solid video game adaptation, despite being far, far more entertaining to watch than sports that have really excellent video games based on them (American football, baseball, and golf come to mind). That said, I have to wonder what's so hard about making a good rugby sim. I know EA sports has made one in the past, but it's never really been good. This needs to change. Are you listening EA? I know you're making Rugby 2012 right now. For fuck's sake, don't screw it up!

Really, none of these ideas is really anything too special. In fact, almost all of them could be done in a way that would feel fairly familiar or at least be somewhat intuitive to pick up for anyone who's been playing video games for a few years. But what I'd like to see is a fresh approach that makes them all relevant genres again.

Been playing lots of Tony Hawk games lately

Today I was playing Tony Hawk's Proving Ground on my DS. Picked it up last month after spending a day with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 on my Playstation. You know, just to see what the hell was being done with the series. I have sort of mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, I like the fact that a skilled player can now continue a combo indefinitely. There aren't tricks that will instantly end your line anymore, at least, as long as you know how to use them properly. They range from the vitally useful (reverts, aggro kicks, spine transfers, acid/bank drops, etc. - and I'm aware most of those aren't unique to Proving Ground) to the completely useless, but awesome (bert slides, footplants, flatland tricks, natas spins, focus mode, etc.). Also, as far as I can tell, the nollie button is gone. I don't miss it. Never used it in the old games and wouldn't use it in this one. One curiosity in the DS version of Proving Ground is the stylus tricks. There's no reason those need to be there. They don't add anything to the game, and they're not implemented well at all.

On the other hand, it's now become virtually impossible to bail. You don't bail when you jump straight into a wall. You don't bail when you go off a quarterpipe, catch air, and land on flat land. You don't bail pretty much ever unless you lose your balance in a grind or a manual or hold a trick too long. It really has gotten far too easy. And even when you do bail, you can save your score with the Freak Out system, which, frankly, is pretty lame. While I understand that the style of gameplay is more "arcade" oriented, it's just gotten to the point where the challenge has been sucked right out of it, especially for players who've been around the series for a while.

So I really hope they go back to the drawing board with it. Maybe a more challenging gameplay style is in order? I'm not talking Skate-style realism here, but at least something a little less cartoonish (and yeah, I'm aware it's even been toned down since THUG2 - the low point of the main series in my opinion).