Mechanics, Gimmicks, Terminology, etc in Sci-fi Games

[Chaos Avian]

So, I've been thinking about sci-fi games as a whole while developing my project and I've been thinking what kind of mechanics and gimmicks are liked and disliked and wanted to find out what is "fun" and what is more on the annoying side. We (well me at least) tend to deal with mechanics and etc that I would otherwise not stand for if I were playing a game that wasn't mine. What are some of your sci-fi do's and don'ts?

I for one cannot stand warp panels, especially when I have to memorise massive amounts (ala Pokemon). Another is terms or really futuristic names that either make no sense, or are unnecessarily over the top.

 

[Matseb2611]

Yeah, I am no fan of too many futuristic/made up terms either. I am also not a fan when sci-fi goes too much into technical details. I like good, engaging stories, so the sci-fi has to be about an interesting plot with deep, dynamic characters first and foremost, not weird sciency lingo and a bunch of terms thrown in to sound smart.

I also find the use of swords to be immersion-breaking in a setting where machine guns and energy weapons exist, unless said swords can give the user some sort of edge over gun users, such as lightsabers in Star Wars being able to deflect blaster bolts for example.

Sci-fi games tend to often use hacking and cyberspace mini-games too, and if so, I think they should be interesting and fun, and not to just be there for the sake of having some sort of hacking mechanic. So not too simple and not too complex. If all it is is just me having to align the dots or do some reflex-based mini-game, it's too simple of a concept and gets boring fast. If it has a bunch of new mechanics of their own with a steep learning curve, then it becomes too complex and puts me off. So I think it is important to get that balance right.

 

[Wavelength]

One thing that seems "right" to me in a sci-fi game is having your equipment do very specific things, rather than giving you general stats.  I guess that's how combat tech tends to work; each part does something special rather than being something to just damper a hard blow.  It can lead to some very interesting gameplay, too.

If there is space travel in the setting, make sure that there is a lot of space travel in the gameplay.  Set some of your game in space, rather than on planets.

Also, I like sprawling, futuristic cities that are full of light and plants, as a setting in sci-fi, as opposed to apocalyptic or heavily mechanical settings.  Probably just a personal thing.

 

[Hoppy]

One thing that seems "right" to me in a sci-fi game is having your equipment do very specific things, rather than giving you general stats.  I guess that's how combat tech tends to work; each part does something special rather than being something to just damper a hard blow.  It can lead to some very interesting gameplay, too.

If there is space travel in the setting, make sure that there is a lot of space travel in the gameplay.  Set some of your game in space, rather than on planets.

Also, I like sprawling, futuristic cities that are full of light and plants, as a setting in sci-fi, as opposed to apocalyptic or heavily mechanical settings.  Probably just a personal thing.

Like having a backpack that grants a skill such as calling an airstrike by drones or a have the backpack as a large first aid kit and nothing else, it could contain skills that could be free or cost items that can heal and cure a variety of status ailments.