Discussion on what makes a great stealth game?

Kalifas · January 2016

I want to know what everyone likes and dislikes about stealth in games general. What is the coolest moment you had with stealth in a game? What is the worst stealth you ever experienced? Since the Thieves guild and Dark Brotherhood are getting introduced in the near future. What kind of stealth mechanics or systems would make it stand out for you?

My favorite concept of stealth is being overpowered or outnumbered if caught, but have the tools or skills to try and get around without getting caught when starting out in a game. But as my skills progress, I like when traversal methods and powers increase enough where you get some cool kill methods or acrobatics. My worst stealth experience was those damn VR missions in MGS, really annoying to me.

List of other things I like about stealth:

Use of maneuvering unconscious bodies to alert, draw, or avoid detection
Air Assassinations and assassinations from hidden areas(Assassin's Creed)
Camouflage tech(Metal Gear Solid)
Smart NPC AI(They notice things in the environment changed a moment ago)
Parkour or limited environment traversal(Doesn't have to be AC style either)
A state of being system(Saw this in Indigo Prophecy, but could see it being used for stealth awarding great execution/punishing bad execution)

I am interested in learning of what types of stealth you like, and perhaps experiences I missed and might check out if you're stories are awesome. I've seen discussions around the web on stealth but I want know what someone here coming from the Elder Scrolls fan-base thinks about it.

PBpsy · January 2016

What makes a good stealth game?

Nothing we have seen in any TES game. The fact that they tried to reproduce TES3-TES5 stealth in TESO bring even more trouble. A dumb stealth system in a single player game is something.A dumb stealth system in an MMO is something else.
My opinion is that cloak should have been the only way to go invisible.It should have been available to all classes in the DB skill line which should have been available at launch.

Great stealth games.
Deus EX series,Thief series ,Hitman series, Splinter cell, Alpha protocol.
What makes them great.
Too many things.

Mivryna · January 2016

Good stealth in games is dynamic, realtime puzzle-solving. As it is now, enemies and NPCs have really stationary positions that lend themselves towards a "gun it and run it" or a "stop and wait" approach with very little in-between. That said, it is better than a lot of MMOs.

A way to improve it is to give players a little more interactivity with the world and NPCs. Something to disrupt NPC patrols and set them slightly off-pattern to give players an opening. Most of this would come down to things like diverting attention and changing conditions of an area. Shooting a wall with an arrow to make noise and distract an enemy, putting out torches with frost staves or arrows of cold, and such.

And of course, there has to be some kind of motivation for leaving enemies alive. I figure the Thieves Guild would go perfectly with that. Less mess, more profit. It could be a lot to implement, but the ability to sap an opponent and tie them up could go a long way.

Kalifas · January 2016

Umbranox wrote: »

Good stealth in games is dynamic, realtime puzzle-solving. As it is now, enemies and NPCs have really stationary positions that lend themselves towards a "gun it and run it" or a "stop and wait" approach with very little in-between. That said, it is better than a lot of MMOs.

A way to improve it is to give players a little more interactivity with the world and NPCs. Something to disrupt NPC patrols and set them slightly off-pattern to give players an opening. Most of this would come down to things like diverting attention and changing conditions of an area. Shooting a wall with an arrow to make noise and distract an enemy, putting out torches with frost staves or arrows of cold, and such.

And of course, there has to be some kind of motivation for leaving enemies alive. I figure the Thieves Guild would go perfectly with that. Less mess, more profit. It could be a lot to implement, but the ability to sap an opponent and tie them up could go a long way.

I like the idea of changing conditions in an area. It changes the game from just max damage to worrying about other environmental hazards. I would like to see some of this in the game, perhaps in line with the darkness concept Gidorick was going on about.

Stranglehands · January 2016

Thief 2 is the ultimate pure stealth game that i've played. However the hitman series has arguably more sophisticated undercover infiltration type stuff. I haven't played dishonored but probably should because it almost seems like a whole game about being a nightblade (a morrowind nightblade, not an ESO nightblade)

I think maybe the best thing about thief is it really knows how to make the stealth experience scary and involving. It builds a whole ludomechanical narrative out of sneaking around in unfamiliar hostile territory - the story is delivered in overheard conversations and scraps of paper and books you find lying around, and what you come across while exploring places.

Rosveen · January 2016

Quietly capturing outposts in Far Cry 3 is a deeply satisfying open world stealth experience.

WalkingLegacy · January 2016

This
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcpOXmrJ2NbXzHZ3TlbOU7qv7sZz0nNNargB6IKeDrg4tUVcZL

sekou_trayvond · January 2016

Why are we looking to discuss Dishonored on an ESO forum?

That's a GREAT stealth game/system.

Kalifas · January 2016

sekou_trayvond wrote: »

Why are we looking to discuss Dishonored on an ESO forum?

That's a GREAT stealth game/system.

Because I am a stealth *** and am looking for more stealth games and maybe seeing it in ESO..

MrDerrikk · January 2016

sekou_trayvond wrote: »

Why are we looking to discuss Dishonored on an ESO forum?

That's a GREAT stealth game/system.

Aww, you beat me to mentioning it. Dishonored was absolutely magnificent.