Real-Time Menus Poll : V

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:44 am

Do you want the game to pause when you bring up a menu, or do you want gameplay to continue?

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:33 am

Pause. Because when I need to stop playing for a sec, I need something to pause the game while I do it. All they have to do is not allow you to use items from your menu while in combat, simple as that. If in combat, the only way to equip weapons or use items should be from your quick menu.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:42 am

While it might seem to add realism at first, the fact is that in reality, it would take mere seconds to grab your sword while in a menu it might take you a minute to scroll between all the menus.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:18 pm

The esc menu should pause the game.

The tab-equivalent menu should have the game moving at 1/2 speed or something.

It definitely felt like cheating to outright pause a hectic battle to quaff potions.

EDIT: Given how ridiculous console-based game menus are, though.. maybe pause the game but have it take time to do any action from the menu.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:52 am

Pause, with no restrictions other than the amount of potions to drink. Convention is convention, and the menu design we are hearing about doesn't at all sound conducive to real-time interaction.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:31 am

pause, maybe with the exception of that "hotkey-menu". depends how quick you can change weapon/spell in it.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:24 am

Pause, most definitely.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:40 am

The actual game menu is your instant pause button.

As for, IRL you don't have to search through your bag, you have it equipped. Yes, in the game it is still equipped. A real time menu doesn't prevent your character from equipping items. Also, this is what I thought hotkeys were supposed to simulate. Things that your character has equipped.

And it doesn't really matter how streamlined the menu system is, the point of a realtime menu is to prevent you from easily opening your inventory during a tight situation. It would force you to think ahead a little more.

IMO, it would be a great feature, it worked great in Stalker.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:48 am

I voted for that it needs to be paused. I still haven't seen an explanation as to why it shouldn't be paused.

One more time, these games are suppose to be Roll Playing Games, not action games. This is an RPG, so yes you roll play with it, not see who can press the buttons the fastes or scroll the fastest.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:37 am

For the love of god, pause.

This is just a point where realism takes away from the fun, its one of the reasons I'm finding it hard to make myself play demons souls. The menu needs to pause the game, I don't believe there is a good reason for real time menus besides realism, and I just took care of that. Pause menus.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:35 am

The actual game menu is your instant pause button.

As for, IRL you don't have to search through your bag, you have it equipped. Yes, in the game it is still equipped. A real time menu doesn't prevent your character from equipping items. Also, this is what I thought hotkeys were supposed to simulate. Things that your character has equipped.

And it doesn't really matter how streamlined the menu system is, the point of a realtime menu is to prevent you from easily opening your inventory during a tight situation. It would force you to think ahead a little more.

IMO, it would be a great feature, it worked great in Stalker.

THIS!

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:11 am

Are there really people that find no fun at all in adrenaline?

People who have barbarians with horned helmets as their icons no less :rolleyes:

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:54 am

Pause menus are for people not properly prepared.

I voted yes.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:52 pm

PAUSED. I shouldn't have to worry about getting whacked to death while I am browsing my inventory.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:15 am

Paused. This isn't an MMO, so it's hardly necessary. Plus, sometimes I enter the menu during combat to make some adjustments.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:30 pm

No real-time menu. Unless you have a lot of hotkeys for items, then it because really tough to access your inventory during a battle to, say, change a spell, use a magic item, or drink a potion.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:48 pm

No, just because

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:36 am

I voted for pause. People say "be prepared in advance" but it seems to me like in practice this would mean that quirky but rarely used things like wabbajacks would have to get tossed aside because you'd need to hotkey practical things like heal potions.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:43 pm

When I need to pause a game I need the game to pause.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:38 am

Pause!

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:50 am

No, it would be a pain in the ass if I'm trying to look at my skills or my inventory and I have to go into the city to make sure I'll be safe from creatures outside, or someone could engage in coversation with you and you wouldn't even know it would be happening.

Please have it to where it pauses the game.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:48 pm

You know.. I use the "Combat Fumbling" mod for Oblivion. I have it set so that every 2 seconds that pass in the menu during combat, my character is frozen for 1 second in the combat.

It really works well. Esoteric items like strength potions or one-use scrolls are far from useless. If you want to use something that isn't hotkeyed you just find a lull in the combat - or use some delaying tactic to make one - and grab whatever you needed. It's heart-pounding but not at all frantic... unless you wandered into some enemy way out of your league. But it makes combat feel like combat, not a tea party.

I wonder how many people who voted no, know what they're opting out of..

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:20 pm

The esc menu should pause the game.

The tab-equivalent menu should have the game moving at 1/2 speed or something.

It definitely felt like cheating to outright pause a hectic battle to quaff potions.

EDIT: Given how ridiculous console-based game menus are, though.. maybe pause the game but have it take time to do any action from the menu.

They could make all potions heal over time, and if you drink a second potion that heals 3 points for 12 seconds while the first is still active, then it would just reset the duration instead of healing 6 points. Then there'd be no hyperspace quaffing.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:55 pm

Pause, for strategy and decision making.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:22 am

Pause! real time always fails