Wed, Mar 25, 2009 | 10:52 GMT
GDC: PoP boss says no-death mechanic was a “mistake” of “attitudes”
Prince of Persia dev boss Ben Mattes has told a gathering at GDC that the no-death mechanic in last year’s franchise re-boot was a “mistake” in terms of projecting his own opinions on the game.
“I guess I made the mistake of projecting my own attitudes,” he said, as reported by MTV.
“I believed that, as a consumer base, the gaming industry had evolved to the point where they were punishing themselves for their failures.
“The idea with the Elika mechanic was [that] if you were a really good player, a single fall – when she had to pull you up – would be devastating thing because it ruined your perfect run.”
More through there. Thanks, EG.
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Posted in: Action, Adventure, GDC 2009, PC, PS3, Platformer, Ubisoft, Xbox 360
Tags: ben mattes, prince of persia
24 comments
#1
Blerk
25/03/09, 10:55 am
From the sounds of it they’ve totally gotten it wrong again for the DLC as well, though. The discussion about it on ListenUP this week essentially paints it as the ‘anti-PoP’ – ridiculously hard and irritating just for the sake of it.
They really need to find that middle ground again from the sounds of it. Which is somewhat ironic as they already had it pretty much spot on in the previous three games.
#2
Gekidami
25/03/09, 10:56 am
The whole game was a mistake, its the first 3D PoP game i’ve played and it was as boring as hell, dare i say it was even more boring then Crackdown
#3
Whizzo
25/03/09, 11:18 am
I got very bored with this PoP really quickly, Ubisoft has been getting it wrong since Sands of Time.
#4
No_PUDding
25/03/09, 11:43 am
Ubisoft have been going downhill since Sands of Time.
And Ben Mattes is a dick, I hate to say the old cliche I told you so, but I told everyone.
And now he’s eating some crow.
#5
Tonka
25/03/09, 12:07 pm
People who find Crackdown boring should be forced to play FFXII for 60 hrs.
#6
Tonka
25/03/09, 12:08 pm
BTW: Is there an achievement for not being rescued by Elika?
#7
Hero of Canton
25/03/09, 12:13 pm
There’s an Achievement for being rescued fewer than 100 times or something.
#8
Syrok
25/03/09, 12:15 pm
No, but there is one for talking to, one for talking a bit more to her.
You get one if she saves you less then a hundred times.
There is also one for finishing the game, as if finishing it wasn’t enough of a reward.
#9
Soong
25/03/09, 12:24 pm
People who find Crackdown boring should really find a new hobby, gaming is not for you.
#10
Quiiick
25/03/09, 12:32 pm
People who do not find Crackdown boring should really find a new hobby, gaming is not for you.
#11
SilentLoner
25/03/09, 12:43 pm
crackdown was awesome. Red Faction looks to fill the PS3 void that crackdown cant fill as its an exclusive
#12
Soong
25/03/09, 1:15 pm
Crackdown is amazing, pure gaming at its finest. If you can’t appreciate that I can only assume you’re one of *those* gamers, you know the ones that keep buying Need for Speed, Fifa, and Madden year after year.
#13
Quiiick
25/03/09, 1:28 pm
You seem to be too narrow-minded to understand that, no matter what game you talk about, there are always those who like it and those who don’t!
And saying that those who don’t like the particular game are not worthy playing any game is just plain stupid. In other words: You’re an idiot.
#14
Soong
25/03/09, 1:41 pm
I can accept that it’s a matter of opinion, but not when it comes to Crackdown. And if you think I’m an idiot for believing in Crackdown, then you represent everything that’s wrong with gaming today. You either believe in Crackdown and the gaming ethos it stands for, or you’re part of the problem. Crackdown.
#15
Gekidami
25/03/09, 1:47 pm
All this mention of Crackdown is making me sleepy…
#16
Soong
25/03/09, 1:47 pm
Crackdown!
#17
Quiiick
25/03/09, 3:47 pm
@ Soong
QUOTE: “And if you think I’m an idiot for believing in Crackdown…”
No, you got it all wrong, and on purpose I suppose.
I myself think Crackdown is a decent game, a bit repetitive but entertaining non the less.
You’re an idiot for saying: “People who find Crackdown boring should really find a new hobby, gaming is not for you.”
This statement is plain stupid!
Or: “… You either believe in Crackdown and the gaming ethos it stands for, or you’re part of the problem.
Equally stupid!
#18
lelik
25/03/09, 4:34 pm
quiiick you said this “People who do not find Crackdown boring should really find a new hobby, gaming is not for you.” and now you’re backtracking to win this argument. therefore you are the idiot here. that statement pretty much is outright hate towards crackdown. not a small dislike for a slightly repetitive game. you sir may just be the problem.
#19
Soong
25/03/09, 4:44 pm
You tell him lelik! Quiiick and other Crackdown haters are the real problem, and true gamers with good taste must rise up en masse to show them the wrongness of their ways. We have enough Need for Speeds, enough Fifas, enough mini-games compilations for the Wii. We need more gamers’ games, games that are all about letting the player have as much fun as possible without being bogged down by a pretentious story or cinematical aspirations. In short, we need more Crackdown. Crackdown!
#20
Quiiick
25/03/09, 4:48 pm
@ lelik
God! I’m not backtracking! I just reverted his statement by adding “do not” to show the stupidity of this sentence. Wasn’t that clear?
#21
Quiiick
25/03/09, 4:51 pm
@ Soong
There are no “true gamers”!
Seems you’ll never understand, moron.
#22
Syrok
25/03/09, 4:57 pm
What’s going on here, then?
#23
Quiiick
25/03/09, 5:01 pm
@ Syrok
I got a bit carried away. Stupidity makes me angry. Trying to calm down now …
#24
Soong
25/03/09, 7:26 pm
You are being foolish quiiick. You aren’t foolish but you have been tempted by Fifa and Need for Speed and you’ve strayed from the righteous path, the path of the true gamer and the epitome of gameplay that is Crackdown.
Don’t forget when you stare into the Crack, the Crack stares back into you. Crackdown.