I’ve heard of Fate, but who else has? Really? Even if it is a moderately popular indie game, it pales in popularity and awareness, in comparison to the real Diablo games. Granted, that was far simplified from Nethack, but perhaps there is a good middleground, eh?

Also, Megaman is not a good example for that paragraph, because you DID have to get weapon recharges. In fact, the MM games were far more difficult - less accessible, that is - than most platformers/shooters of today, especially the insane first game. Unless you were being sarcastic or something, in that case, *woosh*.

Also, demanding a Battlestar Galactica or even 24-level video game pretty much is a hardcore endeavor - they’re examples of high budget production excellence in television, with complex storylines and character arcs that demand more of the average viewer, and they have been rewarding in that sense. What you’re advocating is more akin to begging for more Two and a Half Men, which, while one of the most successful sitcoms on television, is not really something I want to see more of.

I’m shocked at what P8 is trying to make me do. I just got it last week and there are goals in the first level I can’t do to Sick rank. It was an interesting idea to combine all the difficulties like that, but when I see what has to be done for Sick mode right there in the list, I feel like I have to go for that. I never could finish Sick mode in the THUG games, so this is a bad design decision. Also, I really hate the goals of “grind here, then here, then here, then here… (repeat for about 8 miles of terrain)”. That’s not Tony Hawk. That’s “don’t screw up”. Tony Hawk is an open playfield and 2 minutes to use the tricks at your disposal to get a high score. I also enjoy the finding stuff goals, but when you’re told exactly what to do and can’t make any mistakes, it’s stupid.

Especially when it is both an insanely hard thing to do and even - in the very first level! - involves ‘breaking’ the game’s physics! The goal that says to grind down a seesaw then hop up the wall and grind a tree branch literally requires you to defy physics right there. And it seems to be completely random exactly what happens when you hit the branch. That’s the goal I’ve only gotten to Am. You’d think they would explicitly avoid including goals that show off flaws in their physics. There’s another one later in the school level where every time I got to a certain point and had to side jump to a new rail, I’d hit the wall strangely and magically end up moving the opposite direction at full speed. On the plus side, at least they don’t intend you to do that, but it’s still a goal that puts a flaw in the physics right in your face (did that never happen to the testers?).

Done bitching about P8. But it felt good. I do think simplification of controls is a primary goal. It’s one of mine for sure.