Heavy Rain

[txa1265]

It seems like my definition of a "short" game is changing drastically the older I get. I just don't have that much time to game anymore... Bioshock lasted me a good year. Heavy Rain lasted me over a month (one play-through), and I played that what I consider "a lot". As a rental, I would have to play it an entire weekend, from the minute I wake up until I go back to sleep. Reality is, if I get like 3-4 hours in on a weekend, it's exceptional.

But as I have said in other contexts, that is great *for you* ... but game length is an objective quantity ... so just because one round of Tiger Woods PGA Golf now takes you a month shouldn't stop those of us who continue to want RPG's to be 40+ hours like back in the 80's ...

 

[Taustin Powers]

but game length is an objective quantity ...

Not really. What's a short game for some people can be long for others. The time to finish is quantifiable and therefore subjective. Whether it's "long" or "short" depends on your personal standards.

so just because one round of Tiger Woods PGA Golf now takes you a month shouldn't stop those of us who continue to want RPG's to be 40+ hours like back in the 80's ...

Who ever said it should?

Not really seeing the point of your post here....

 

[txa1265]

Not really. What's a short game for some people can be long for others. The time to finish is quantifiable and therefore subjective. Whether it's "long" or "short" depends on your personal standards.

Sorry - but if the average FPS in 2000 was 12 hours, and in 2010 is 4 hours ... the games are shorter. Period.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

Not really. What's a short game for some people can be long for others. The time to finish is quantifiable and therefore subjective. Whether it's "long" or "short" depends on your personal standards.

Nope. MW2 is going to take less time to finish than Far Cry unless you are just being stupid and wasting time.

 

[Taustin Powers]

Reading comprehension, guys....

The time it takes to finish a game is not subjective. 8 hours is 8 hours, no matter who plays it.

Whether 8 hours is short or long is up to your judgment. Many people say Bioshock or Heavy Rain were "short". They weren't to me.

 

[0098386]

Sorry - but if the average FPS in 2000 was 12 hours, and in 2010 is 4 hours

Not all, just the bad ones.
Besides an "8 hour game" isn't a fixed length. Some people might speed through it whilst others (like me) inspect everything and take their sweet time. That's why HL2 took me 12 hours, and even the episodes took me 6 hours or so.

 

[txa1265]

Reading comprehension, guys....

The time it takes to finish a game is not subjective. 8 hours is 8 hours, no matter who plays it.

Whether 8 hours is short or long is up to your judgment. Many people say Bioshock or Heavy Rain were "short". They weren't to me.

But then if an 8 hour game is 'long', what is a 35 hour RPG ... or the 80 hours I took for Dragon Age ... or my recent 120 hour replay of Baldur's Gate 2?

 

[takao]

But then if an 8 hour game is 'long', what is a 35 hour RPG ... or the 80 hours I took for Dragon Age ... or my recent 120 hour replay of Baldur's Gate 2?

well game lenght is more dependend on game type and genre
shooter with 30 hours: very long
RPG with 10 hours: laughable short

i found the pacing of heavy rain just right in matters of lenght for what it is.. it never felt that i was grinding away or not being entertained or that it was cut too short (despite plot holes left open)

 

[Taustin Powers]

But then if an 8 hour game is 'long', what is a 35 hour RPG ... or the 80 hours I took for Dragon Age ... or my recent 120 hour replay of Baldur's Gate 2?

These would be games that would probably last me five years each!

Seriously though, this debate is rather silly. I was just commenting on how I have less time to play as I get older, and therefore games last me much longer and do not seem "short" to me. Just my personal observation/experience; nothing to argue about, really. Ten years ago, when I had a lot more time to dick around with video games, I probably would have considered Heavy Rain and Bioshock "short" as well.