Suspenion of Disbelief and You

Originally Posted by FadedReality

I was playing Ninja Gaiden Black last night and I started thinking as I sometimes do:

Who the hell built this place? Why did they make trap infested corridors ending in buttons that need to be pressed to open a door elsewhere? Why is there a lava pit with steam jets and a ledge as the only way to get across? Why a series of rooms in which you have to switch these stones around to open the door you want to get through?

I realize being a gamer requires a massive suspension of disbelief, it's necessary the first time you pick up a controller. Otherwise you'd have scoffed at a fat plumber throwing a fireball and walked away, forever cheating yourself.

Yet with games far more realistic looking these days, one starts to wonder. Sure it's a fantasy world, it's made up, but just for the sake of argument, who the hell built these places?

Anyone else have this sort of situation happen to them?

These are the aspects of gaming that you're not meant to think of. It's like thinking "Why is an oversized purple dinosaur teaching kids how to read? Why does he have friends? Why are they implying that dinosaurs still exist?"

I did this with ICO. Why is there a specific box hidden in the corner, which convinently happens to fall somewhere allowing you to reach another destination? Why do stone seats allow you to save? Why is Yorda so stupid? I'M RIGHT ABOVE YOU, TAKE MY FUCKING HAND.

I don't read too much into it. When you start questioning stuff like this, you have too much time on your hands. The games are supposed to be for entertainment, not realism.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

My suspension of disbelief is challenged only in certain instances or when I feel like being a smartass.

Which is all the time.

Ok. Crash Bandicoot's story makes no sense either. Tomb Raider's story also makes little sense. Why is there a bandicoot running around in the jungle collecting apples from pre-packaged boxes, or why is some girl running around the aztec half naked attacking crows. All these things are meant to be overlooked because they're a minor issue.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by guyinrubbersuit

Or a hedgehog. Or a fox. Or a frog. Or a dog. Or a cat. Or a (insert random animal to be fashioned into a badical character with 'tude!).

Frog? Why would I need to question Frogger? Frogs cross busy highways all the time.

Oh well, if gaming consisted of realism and realism only we wouldn't bother with gaming in the first place. I mean, Tails and Megalith. You really think they're going to be flying that fighter jet? No, so it's hello Ace Combat. Half of the games I play (semi-realistic) I wouldn't do. It's meant to be the escape from reality which sets gaming apart.

We could sit here and question a bunch of things which will ultimately be left unresolved. It's funny because some of the more realistic games aren't selling too well. Which reminds me, why must you cut everyone's head off in Tenchu?

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