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Socoder -> Question of the Day
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| Wed, 22 Nov 2006, 15:02 | |
Jayenkai
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When was the last time you included a Pause button in one of your games? Would you count "Hit Escape for Menu" as a pause button, or should there be a definite alternative "Just Pause" key? -=-=- ''Load, Next List!'' 
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| Wed, 22 Nov 2006, 15:07 | |
HoboBen
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I'd go for Escape for menu in most cases, but I like how in Age of Empires II you could still order people to do things while paused (F3), which meant that you could conduct simultaneous battles as well as the A.I. could. Also, it meant that your mounted horse archers could dodge their catapult fire by changing direction during this pause. In other games, e.g. a demo of Warrior Kings on my mac (Like AOEII but 3D), it was fun to be able to pause to dodge arrow fire by getting people ordered to run during this frozen time. I think that in games that have no reason to still be interactive while paused, an Escape menu is just fine. -=-=- blog | work | code | more code |
| Wed, 22 Nov 2006, 16:00 | |
JL235
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I don't see any real point in a pause button these days. The menu acts as one, and it also gives a sense of "I know it's paused, because it's not even in the game" sort of feel. I can't think of the words currently. For HoboBen's suggested above, I see that as taking advantage of aspects in the game, and detracts from the game environment itself. But that's just me. I much preffer it in games when I have given it my all and just scraped through then if I've easily wiped the floor with the AI. It also depends on the game. It would be strange if Mario went to a proper menu when paused, but an RTS should go to the menu. Not saying Mario shouldn't or doesn't have a menu when paused, but it's usually more of a mini-menu such as you also get in beat-em-ups. Some games also need a pause because it's a part of the game play, like UFO. Some games also don't need to be paused, like Civilization. I feel proper menu screen pauses are more of a PC thing, and old fashioned still screen pauses are for consoles. That is also because console games are generally less complicated to set up and use, such as the control's are usually pre-set or a list of pre-sets. I could probably easily name 5 recent console games which have less options then BattleField 2's 5 full screens for just the keyboard layout. |
| Wed, 22 Nov 2006, 18:53 | |
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Yayyak |
Escape for menu in most games, but again it depends. And a quick note: If you do have a pause menu, make it something logical. 'P' is nice. Pause Break is acceptable, but something like F7 is just crazy.
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| Wed, 22 Nov 2006, 19:25 | |
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JL235
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If your talking about a separate pause, then I yes 'p'. Otherwise I think escape is the best choice. It's also very rare for a pc game not to have a pause menu accessible through escape. Are there any modern ones which don't?
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| Thu, 23 Nov 2006, 08:04 | |
Scherererer
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The only games that i wouldn't include a pause button would be timed games, specifically like timed puzzles. You wouldn't want someone to be able to pause and think up a strategy before they move. Granted with an RTS its a little different, however, you aren't trying to beat a time there.
-=-=- YouTube Twitter Computer Science Series: Logic (pt1) (part 2) (part 3) 2's Complement Mathematics: Basic Differential Calculus
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| Thu, 23 Nov 2006, 10:17 | |
magicman
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never, i have never added a pause button or key, if i had to, i dont know if i would know how.
-=-=- Stuff... Yeah...
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