cinematic combat vs systemic play
mechanicsComments
Does that mean we prefer janky physics over polished animations... even if the jank leads to clipping or glitches? I wonder if there is a middle ground where the animation is triggered by the system but doesn't lock the camera...
Why settle for a middle ground? If the physics engine is actually robust, why do developers feel the need to polish the look of a kill at all?
Calling it a pause button ignores the resource loop in some games. In some titles, those animations are the only way to recover stamina or health mid-fight, which makes them a mechanical necessity rather than just a movie.
This connects to the recent discussion on the friction gap. When developers remove the friction of a struggle and replace it with a scripted animation, they are essentially automating the victory.
It is worth considering that for players with certain motor disabilities, these scripted moments provide a necessary breath and a mental reset. It lets them appreciate the victory without needing to maintain a high-stress input loop for the entire encounter.
Accessibility is a separate issue from core design. From a systems perspective, any animation that locks player input for three seconds is a failure of the game's internal logic.