Options

[A Black Falcon]

When you start a game, do you go straight into the game, or go into the options menu first? Maybe it's because I started playing games on PC, but after getting a game I almost always go into the options menu first, before starting the game. Back when paper manuals were a thing I usually read those before playing too, particularly for PC games, but PC or console, I'll always check what the options are first! I know some people will just start games blind, but I don't do that much at all myself...

I don't know, this is just a little thread topic idea I've been thinking about.

[Dark Jaguar]

Yep, I check the options first, and I have since the NES days. Can't say I've completed a game until I see those options. Especially these days, what with all the meta commentary and hidden secret entire levels they stuff in options menus now.

[Weltall]

I miss BGM tests being a thing in options menus.

[Dark Jaguar]

Agreed, and some still have that but too many don't.

[A Black Falcon]

If they just give you the soundtrack in the options menu, how are they going to sell you the soundtrack DLC?

[Dark Jaguar]

How do they sell it now? Anyone can just hook their audio up to their PC mic input and record away. That said, a lot of OSTs these days, like Doom 4, don't really fit the "play it back whenever" mold since the music is generated proceduraly in a "never the same song twice" kind of way, made up of chunks of melody mixed up based on what's happening on screen.

[A Black Falcon]

Sure you could, but a lot of indie games on Steam, particularly, seem to like to sell soundtrack DLC.  It is more convenient to just buy it, so I'm sure they sell sometimes, particularly in games with soundtracks people like...

But yeah, seriously, learn how to play a game before complaining about it, internet!

On that note, coincidentally (and it is a coincidence), here's a related video that I saw today:


I still have not played ET for the 2600, but I'm sure that it does make sense with the manual.  There are some more adventure-style 2600 games you really need a manual to understand -- ET, Raiders of the Lost Ark,  the Swordquest games, some others...

[Dark Jaguar]

Oh yes this is old news. I think AVGN has covered this before, but that game absolutely depends on the player reading the manual first.