Auto-manage
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this issue before in previous video game related posts. But I don’t think I’ve devoted an entire article to the matter, which is what I’m going to do today. So to provide some context, I logged into The Elder Scrolls Online today as I’m fast approaching that point in the year where I spend a few months subscribing to the game. Due to some recent patch, once again all my Champion Points have been refunded. Judging by the change in graphics, it may be that the entire Champion Point system has been updated. Whatever the reason, I have to re-allocate 501points into three skill trees. I wasn’t au fait with the last system, so I followed a build I found online. Now that it has changed, I’ll have to find a new one and copy it. Until I do, my character will be gimped. Shame the game doesn’t offer a selection of generic builds that can be easily implemented at the press of a button.
Back in 2003, I used to play a superb, squad based, tactical shooter called Hidden and Dangerous 2. A major part of the game was picking your team and equipment for the upcoming mission. The player was given a great deal of choice with regard to weapons, explosives, ammunition and such like. If you were planning a stealthy approach you would choose gear pertinent to such an approach. If you favoured a more direct approach you would select heavier weapons. However, the developers were savvy enough to understand that where this facility delighted some players, it also bored the shit out of others. Hence in their infinite wisdom and bountiful generosity they gave us a button that would automatically equip the “recommended selection”. And there was much rejoicing. Furthermore, they weren’t the only ones that did this.
Over the years many video games have included an “auto-manage” feature. I’ve never been a big fan of real time strategy games but I did play a lot of Star Wars: Rebellion in the late nineties. If the player found managing resources across multiple planets too tiresome or wished to focus on other elements of the game, you could assign your advisor droid to take care of these tasks. Naturally it didn’t yield the best results but it was adequate enough for new players or those who preferred other aspects of gameplay such as the epic real-time space battles. Again this comes down to a matter of personal choice, whether you wish to use such a facility. Naturally it will be an anathema to the purists and I totally understand such players being against such a game mechanic. From my perspective, I just like to have a choice and a means to bypass what I see as “chores” and unenjoyable “busy work”.
People who play video games do so for lots of different reasons. Some love to micromanage excessively complex systems, meticulously reading the text and crunching the numbers in the hope of finding an optimal build. Others like extensive choices so they can try a variety of permutations. As for me, I prefer to get straight into the action and start shooting things in the face. Anything that impedes that is a pain in the ass as far as I’m concerned. Which is why I’d like to see a lot more games implement some kind of auto-manage facility. It is these kinds of quality of life services that can make the difference between quitting out of petty annoyance and soldiering on, possibly to find one’s second wind. I can’t see how including auto-manage does any harm to a game, although I’m sure there are some gaming zealots who do. In the meantime, I shall continue to live in hope and lobby for this game mechanic.
