Quick Time Events (QTE) - an element of computer games . Typically, QTEs are dynamic scenes during which the player must quickly perform some actions with the controller (for example, quickly pressing certain keys or pulling the joystick in different directions). In almost all situations, non-fulfillment of QTE negatively affects what is happening (for example, in "Dead Space", if a player did not have time to perform various QTEs, then each failure led to death; in Heavy Rain, failure in QTE led to the death of key characters). The pioneer in terms of QTE can be called the game Dragon's Lair .
Often used in arcades . The system is more typical for game consoles than for games on personal computers.
Advantages of QTE include bursts of adrenaline during these scenes. Also, if you properly create an atmosphere of fear (in horror), a sudden QTE greatly scares the player. In some cases, with the proper atmosphere of the game, he may have a desire to desperately fight for the life of the hero. The disadvantages include indirect control, the inability to use QTE in network games in battles between players.
One of the first games using QTE was Time Gal (1985). The QTE system became famous thanks to the adventure games Danger Girl , Shenmue , Dragon's Lair , Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) and later found wide application in such games as: God of War , Tomb Raider , Resident Evil , Collapse , Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (in minigames), Saints Row 2 (minigames), Dead Space , Heavy Rain , Subway 2033 , ObsCure 2 , Clive Barker's Jericho , Sonic Unleashed , Star Wars: The Force Unleashed , The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings , Battlefield 3 , Jurassic Park: The Game , FarCry 3 , Need For Speed: The Run , Remember Me , The Wolf Among Us , The Order: 1886 , Until Dawn , Detroit: Become Human , Beyond: Two Souls , Everlasting Summer and others.
Criticism
QTE caused a mixed reaction among players and journalists. On the one hand, correctly selected and balanced QTEs, such as those used in Shenmue , can organically and imperceptibly interweave in the narration and development of events, allowing you to seamlessly switch from cutscenes to control and completely eliminate pauses needed to load game data [1] [ 2] . On the other hand, QTE is also seen as a poor design decision, forcing the player to repeat individual game segments in order to perfectly execute the QTE and move on. QTE is often called the “curse of games”, since their presence often interrupts the natural course of the plot and limits the player’s influence on the game environment with just a few buttons, turning entertainment into a monotonous work [3] [4] .
QTEs are often used to dramatize cutscenes, involving the player in the plot so that he does not lose interest in the game during non-interactive inserts, as for example, in Resident Evil 4 [5] , in which the plot narrative is interspersed with QTE, because of which the player does not may skip cut scenes. However, the use of such tricks is often criticized due to the fact that the player, not expecting any interactive events, will miss the QTE, because of which he will have to “revise” the cut-scene again in order to move on. [6] Because of this, the phrase “Press X to not die” or “Press X to win” have become synonymous with the QTE phenomenon in games [7] . Sometimes the active use of QTE in cut scenes only distracts attention and prevents the player from getting involved in the plot [8] .
Another problem of QTE was the expression of complex emotions in what is happening with the click of a button, which eliminates the whole drama of the scene. A striking example of such abuse was Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare , in one scene of which the player is invited to “press F to honor” the fallen soldier at the funeral [9] . Such tricks are recognized as a bad decision in the presentation of the plot, since such scenes can be played without any player actions, which is why there is no sense in using such QTEs. [10] [11]
Notes
- ↑ Shenmue . IGN (November 3, 2000). Date of treatment March 6, 2011.
- ↑ Shenmue Review . Computer and Video Games (August 8, 2001). Date of treatment March 6, 2011.
- ↑ Hoggins, Tom Heavy Rain preview . The Daily Telegraph (May 22, 2009). Date of treatment February 9, 2011.
- ↑ Alec Meer. Quick-Time Events, and the Scourge Thereof . Rock, Paper, Shotgun (November 6th, 2007).
- ↑ Hirabayshi, Yoshiaki Postmortem: Resident Evil 4 . Game Developer Magazine (October 2005). Date of treatment June 28, 2013.
- ↑ Waters, Tim Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment: Incorporating Quick Time Events into Gameplay . Gamasutra (February 8, 2011). Date of treatment February 8, 2011.
- ↑ Martin, Joe Heavy Rain Review . Bit-tech (March 12, 2010). Date of treatment February 9, 2011.
- ↑ Kuchera, Ben Quick time events: tap "A" if you're tired of them . Ars Technica (September 19, 2008). Date of treatment February 9, 2011.
- ↑ Christopher Hooton. 'PRESS X TO PAY RESPECTS': CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE'S FUNERAL SCENE IS SO CALL OF DUTY . Independent (November 4, 2014). Date of treatment July 1, 2018.
- ↑ Durnbush, Jonathan Press square to feel: The problems with 'Call of Duty's' funeral scene . Entertainment Weekly (November 4, 2014). Date of treatment November 4, 2014.
- ↑ Fahey, Mike Nothing Says Funeral Like a Quick Time Event . Kotaku (November 4, 2014). Date of treatment November 4, 2014.