When will video game devs learn that swimming segments are rarely, if ever, fun?

I have never once played a game where I got to a swimming segment and said "yay a swimming segment" it's always "ugh" and it ALWAYS feels like a chore. In God of War I'll be having fun, then swimming and I'll force myself through. Mario Galaxy = fun until swimming. MGS2 = fun until swimming. Banjo Kazooie/Tooie = fun till swimming. It's rather annoying, why do developers add these levels in if most gamers think they're more of a chore. I don't mind water in video games, just the swimming always suck.

I agree, why can't it be like InFamous where if you hit the water, you die? Or maybe there is a skip botton before every water section.

I actually usually love swimming segments in 3D games, in Banjo Tooie my favorite level was Jolly Rogers lagoon.

I just love the underwater world, probablly the reason I loved Mario Sunshine so much more then the other marios.

Ugh. I hate it too. It's not like it's even anything new. The swimming levels in Super mario world and Donkey Kong Country were just as brutal as ones in games today. As much as developers like to say they listen to fans, I can't believe no one has responded to this.

Either make them fun, or take them out

I actually get quite annoyed if I am playing as some supposed all powerful character, yet I die when I hit the water, lol. "Here to rid the land of evil, folks. Just don't throw me in the water, pleeeease!!!!!"

I don't like it when water causes you to die, just doesn't feel realistic. Most games with water are tedious, but on the other hand the levels are always really cool looking. I thought the water levels in the last tomb raider were tedious, but the same levels looked amazing!

I actually get quite annoyed if I am playing as some supposed all powerful character, yet I die when I hit the water, lol. "Here to rid the land of evil, folks. Just don't throw me in the water, pleeeease!!!!!"

ironcreed

Maybe if you're playing as a vampire or something, but I hate that stuff too.

I never quite understood why the guys in GTA III and VC had no problems shooting people, but dorwned the instant you touched water.

The underwater section of Cryostasis is one of the best gameplay sequences ever.

I don't mind them.

Water sections can be quite good sometimes, alot of the time they are tedious though. To be honest I think it has more to do with paranoia than anything else. They are never hard to enough to be anything of a real threat though.

I hated swimming in Banjo-Kazooie!:evil: Banjo just didn't control right which led to frustration and it made Rusty Bucket Bay a horrible, hated leve!:evil:

I hated swimming in Banjo-Kazooie!:evil: Banjo just didn't control right which led to frustration and it made Rusty Bucket Bay a horrible, hated leve!:evil:

DarkGamer007

really? I thougght that the swimming in the banjo kazooie games was fantastic, and had really great controls.

Everyone should be able to walk on water.

I agree, why can't it be like InFamous where if you hit the water, you die? Or maybe there is a skip botton before every water section.

WiiMan21

Everybody seems to hate water levels, I must be one of the only people who actually enjoy them. Tomb Raider 2 Water levels = best part of the game.

Swimming owns in Doom(With Zdoom) and Duke Nukem 3D.

Some games do it very well and others are just awful. The water temples in thezelda gameswere frustrating and way too dificult.

But in the metroid games i thought the underwater areas were incredible and my favourite parts of the different games which is why I was dissapointed with corruption not having any

Mario 64 had great water levels. Incredibly tranquil. I used to loooooove that music and the sound of the coins giving you air under water...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQTJWhbOn7E

I think most people find water levels annoying is due to the lack of control they have (you can't move about in water as well as you can on land) and a sense of inferiority while swimming around (let me explain this real quick).

Like in Banjo Kazooie, I remember being extremely paranoid in Treasure Trove Cove (I think that's the name, 2nd world) swimming out because that shark scared the **** out of me. It's usually never the domain of the main character, hence the reason why it's a tad bit scary to be swimming around knowing some shark could eat you lol.

Crysis had the floating section that moved like water, that part was quite entertaining. was almost scary like in a haunted house

They always come as a great annoyance, but they're also something of a fixture in games. I wouldn't want to see them gone.

I LOVED the water levels in Galaxy...

agreed. swimming was only fun in spyro: year of the dragon.

I actually get quite annoyed if I am playing as some supposed all powerful character, yet I die when I hit the water, lol. "Here to rid the land of evil, folks. Just don't throw me in the water, pleeeease!!!!!"

ironcreed

LOL this is so true.. When I was playing infamous Ihad the thought of what would had happened if a heavy rain falls on the city when you where out there kickin' the hell outta the baddies, not so super anymore huh?

I agree, why can't it be like InFamous where if you hit the water, you die? Or maybe there is a skip botton before every water section.

WiiMan21

[QUOTE="WiiMan21"]

I agree, why can't it be like InFamous where if you hit the water, you die? Or maybe there is a skip botton before every water section.

gamer620

I've never had a problem with underwater levels.

I agree, underwater levels/parts of games usually arent that fun for me, although dieing from landing in water is even less fun.

If any game is going to do water segments right it'll be bioshock 2.

The charm of water in games is in the atmosphere said enviroments bring, water is a very alien thing to us, full of ambiance and shrouded in either mystery or colour, using it as a exploration means in bioshock is a stroke of genius in my book. On the whole water is like anyother gameplay element (driving sequences etc.) if its done right it''ll only enhance your experiance if its thrown in as an after thought its clunky and awkward simple as that.

In any case its a great way for a game to show off graphic wise. :)

I loved the SMG water levels! Probably becaue they looked better than most of the 360 and PS3 water levels I've seen. And it was kind of fun to grab a shell too!

I can't really think of any examples of bad underwater levels. Any underwater segments I can think of are somewhere between average and awesome. :/