Is the "Game Over" screen a relic of times past?

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

Think about it. What purpose does a Game Over screen serve? Usually you meet it after you die, and it stays there for a few seconds while sad music plays, then you're transported back to the main menu. Then you spend moments navigating to your save file and back to the last loading spot you go.

Do we need a Game Over screen? I usually press F12 anyway to skip it. I personally think it's not needed, you just need to get teleported to the place you last saved, or even use a checkpoint system. Surely there's better ways of telling you that you died!

 

[That Bread]

I found a way to make it useful, by adding a script to choose what you want to do. Go to tittle, load a save or turn off game.

Look up game over options... besides that I like how the game over screen kind of tides everything together. Instead of being thrust into the menu... might cause confusion if there is a mini game where you can die.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

Yes, but think about it. Why would you want to go to title? To start a new game? I doubt it. To load a save? Well, you can already do that from the game over menu. Quit? Why give them the option to give up when they die? It's better to say, "don't worry about it, you'll succeed next time" instead of presenting them with the quit option and saying, "hey dude, if you're not having fun, here's the door."

I reckon straight to the last loaded save. Removes all clutter.

 

[Dalph]

I don't mind them, but can you understand the real "troll" power of a well made Game Over Screen and how it forces the player to try again after he\she loses?

Spoiler

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

Ah Dalph you make a good point, but they could just as easily see that as an insult that gives them more reason to quit. I reckon it's like a kiddy that's learning to swim. Didn't succeed the first time? Here you go, I'll chuck you in the water again. Then you'll really learn how to swim, child.

OK, bad example. But hopefully you get my point.

 

[That Bread]

So true, but I did not make the script. So I would have to dig through to change it up.

 

[Dalph]

Ah Dalph you make a good point, but they could just as easily see that as an insult that gives them more reason to quit. I reckon it's like a kiddy that's learning to swim. Didn't succeed the first time? Here you go, I'll chuck you in the water again. Then you'll really learn how to swim, child.

OK, bad example. But hopefully you get my point.

I agree but if you think about it, this is the real purpose of the Game Over Screens after all.

It's not really about insulting, they exist for the reason to make the players feel bad about their failure in the game...and in whatever way they show this failure is up to the developers of the game itself.

Mine was a bad and trollish example too (made just for fun), but you also got the point.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

I agree but if you think about it, this is the real purpose of the Game Over Screens after all.


It's not really about insulting, they exist for the reason to make the players feel bad about their failure in the game...and in whatever way they show this failure is up to the developers of the game itself.


Mine was a bad and trollish example too (made just for fun), but you also got the point.

Yes, but is shaming the player into failure a good tactic for fostering punishment? Or is being held back in progress enough? More than anything, I think we should preserve the player's time as precious. If every time the player dies, they have to wait 5 seconds looking at a screen, then navigate through several menus just to get to their last checkpoint, that is just so inefficient in my eyes. Why punish the player with boredom. Just give them a second chance and let them punish themselves for their shortfalls instead of thinking it's our job to over-parent them.

 

[lemongreen]

The Game Over screen serves as a way to tell the player they've either lost or done something majorly wrong. Think about it; if a game just kicked you out to the title screen or opened the load screen wouldn't you be a little confused at first first? Especially if it came with no prompting at all (which is pretty much what I think of a Game Over screen; it prompts that the player has lost in some way and needs to either start over or reload)

Now it is true that not every game needs a game over screen or a way to show players they've lost (usually due to the fact that there isn't really any way to lose) just as if a game already has some other way of telling the player that they lost/died the game over screen isn't as needed. 

I do have to say I like RPGs that let you load from your last save file rather than dumping you onto the title screen (even if it's from a prompt on the game over screen) This wastes a lot less time getting back into the game, but if a game just dumped me on the title screen or opened the load screen without any warning (and just plain party death sometimes isn't enough of a warning in some games because you barely see the message) while I was playing I'd probably be more frustrated due to not knowing why it did that and not want to play it again.

 

[Dalph]

Yes, but is shaming the player into failure a good tactic for fostering punishment? Or is being held back in progress enough? More than anything, I think we should preserve the player's time as precious. If every time the player dies, they have to wait 5 seconds looking at a screen, then navigate through several menus just to get to their last checkpoint, that is just so inefficient in my eyes. Why punish the player with boredom. Just give them a second chance and let them punish themselves for their shortfalls instead of thinking it's our job to over-parent them.

What are you saying makes sense but it's more like a matter of tastes at the end I think, most of the games use them and I personally don't mind them (like a lot of other people too), so I'm ok either way.

With them...without them...as long as the game is good, I don't really care.

 

[Cutie Mark Keldeo]

The game over screen is more or less an artifact left over from the days of arcades and early consoles. In an arcade game, the game did end when the player ran out of health or lives, unless they were to insert another quarter. Before video games allowed players to save their progress, the game would literally be over when they died. Using "Game Over" in that sense feels like a callback to the old days, and probably exist mainly for tradition, just like "1UP" is still used as well.

 

[Ms Littlefish]

I don't mind Game Over screens. Mine is more of a, "Yeah, so.  Don't do that." screen that plays a funky little jazz tune. I didn't want it to be so melodramatic, I guess. In the sense of an RPG, if the health of all your characters does reach 0, you probably have to start over somewhere. I think it's nice to have something that prompts the reload rather than just suddenly dump you to your last save.

 

[Deep Thought]

Game Over screens only make sense if the game is truly over; i.e., the save file is automatically erased and you have to start a new game, like Minecraft's Hardcore mode. I wish I knew how to script so I could do that to people.

 

[Cadh20000]

I do have to say I like RPGs that let you load from your last save file rather than dumping you onto the title screen (even if it's from a prompt on the game over screen) This wastes a lot less time getting back into the game, but if a game just dumped me on the title screen or opened the load screen without any warning (and just plain party death sometimes isn't enough of a warning in some games because you barely see the message) while I was playing I'd probably be more frustrated due to not knowing why it did that and not want to play it again.

I'm with lemongreen on this.

 

[Eschaton]

Yes an no. On one hand, it's original purpose was to let the player know that the game was indeed over and to send them back to the title where they start over. Insert more coins, consumer.

However, no game just ends. All games have a save feature, and with that, a list of options to take you back to the loading screen or a checkpoint. But I do think te Game Over screen you see before you have those options available does serve a purpose. It is a reminder of your failure.

The words "Game Over" are something of an artifact; olde-tymey games used them and by Golly, we gonna use 'em!

Are the actual words "Game Over" necessary? No. Is a screen that reminds the player that they failed a good feature? Absolutely!

 

[mlogan]

Haven't read all the replies, but personally I would like the option to quit or load to a save point. I've said in other threads that as a parent I can't sit down and play hours on end. I'm lucky to play in 20 - 30 minute bursts. So it is highly likely that if I'd been playing and I'd died in a battle, I would say okay time to quit for now and try again later. To be thrust right back in and have to go through the save process to quit. In short, giving people options is always good.

 

[Fernyfer775]

I scrapped the game-over concept altogether and instead just put "checkpoints" or "restart points" where if a player loses a battle (regular or boss), they are instantly transported back to a safe spot and able to try again without all the hassle of "continue or load" at a game over screen.

 

[C-C-C-Cashmere (old)]

Haven't read all the replies, but personally I would like the option to quit or load to a save point. I've said in other threads that as a parent I can't sit down and play hours on end. I'm lucky to play in 20 - 30 minute bursts. So it is highly likely that if I'd been playing and I'd died in a battle, I would say okay time to quit for now and try again later. To be thrust right back in and have to go through the save process to quit. In short, giving people options is always good.

Or you can just press "X"

 

[Curia Chasea]

Are the actual words "Game Over" necessary? No. Is a screen that reminds the player that they failed a good feature? Absolutely!

Pretty much this line sums it up. But let's unwrap this statement. 

Let's talk about Affordances in Design. "Game Over" basically became a universal sign of losing a game. The moment a player sees these words, he realizes he lost and has to start over. There is no reason to further explain what happened - he knows he has to load his last save.

Now, imagine people were trying to be creative here, coming up with their own names. 

"The End"

"You have failed"

"The Darkness has won."

"You have failed to deliver the right amount of damage to the opponent and now he dealt so much to you that your HP value simply couldn't take the extraordinary amount of basic attacks coming from the boss, which was not the right strategy at the time and you should've blocked more and evaded more, but unfortunately that did not happen and would you like to load a previous save, hoping that you actually did load, cause if not you will have to go to the title screen and start from scratch."

Consider the words "Game Over" like the WASD keys for movement in FPS games. Since people are familiar with it - you can skip explaining what is happening. The player just "gets it" quickly. 

As for Game Over screens - Iteration time should always be low. A simple "Load last save" + "Title Screen" + "Exit" combo is everything you will ever need for game over screens. Just make it appear fast. But I highly suggest sticking to the old fashioned "Game Over" words, since it helps in the long run. If you try to improve what is already working, you might just break it in the end. 

 

[Ashton]

Now, imagine people were trying to be creative here, coming up with their own names. 

"The End"

"You have failed"

"The Darkness has won."

"You have failed to deliver the right amount of damage to the opponent and now he dealt so much to you that your HP value simply couldn't take the extraordinary amount of basic attacks coming from the boss, which was not the right strategy at the time and you should've blocked more and evaded more, but unfortunately that did not happen and would you like to load a previous save, hoping that you actually did load, cause if not you will have to go to the title screen and start from scratch."

This. My favorite game over, one I felt was quite poignant, was from ChronoTrigger, it read "But the future failed to change..." (or something like that)

Also, lets not forget the surprise when someone receives a non-standard game over after triggering a certain event-flag in the game

I like an idea somone posted in the script request form - after you die, you are simply transported back to the nearest church (presumably because some nameless NPC recognized you as the hero and had you resurrected) 

However, the best useage of death (note I did not say "game over") was from Planescape: Torment. you literally _HAD_ to die sometimes to advance the plot!