Technological Advances Ruined The M.n.ol.g?

[Malevolence]

I remember, back when the Mata Nui Online Game was new, how magical it was. The computer was standard, a Laptop ruining...no clue, maybe ME, or 95. I can't recall. Standard for the day, at any rate. But what I remember is how the game moved slowly. Each click required some time to load, and it made me really appreciate each new piece of a world I got to see.But the REAL magic was the movies. They took time to load. The movements were slow, the music filled up every scene, the Nui-Rama game was long and fun. and everything seemed very...full.I played it recently on my Windows 7 computer, with pretty good stuff on it...and the magic was gone. Everything loaded so fast, the movies went by speedy, the Nui-Rama game was so fast I could barely finish it because I wasn't used to them moving so fast.Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else feel that this increase in efficiency has damaged some of the beauty of the game?

[UltraHau]

I remember, back when the Mata Nui Online Game was new, how magical it was. The computer was standard, a Laptop ruining...no clue, maybe ME, or 95. I can't recall. Standard for the day, at any rate. But what I remember is how the game moved slowly. Each click required some time to load, and it made me really appreciate each new piece of a world I got to see.But the REAL magic was the movies. They took time to load. The movements were slow, the music filled up every scene, the Nui-Rama game was long and fun. and everything seemed very...full.I played it recently on my Windows 7 computer, with pretty good stuff on it...and the magic was gone. Everything loaded so fast, the movies went by speedy, the Nui-Rama game was so fast I could barely finish it because I wasn't used to them moving so fast.Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else feel that this increase in efficiency has damaged some of the beauty of the game?

Just you. The long load times back in the day drove me insane, to say the least.Or maybe that's just me...

[Gatanui]

Not at all. I found the long loading times a nuisance, as a matter of fact, although it's a pity you don't even get to see that loading screen with the island of Mata Nui for a second. I think I know what you're pointing at. The loading screen contributed to the misterious atmosphere of the game, because you did not know what scene would come next and you were madly looking forward for the next scene to load. However, loading times of more than three minutes were definitely too slow. Recently, I tried MNOG on the computer I used to play it on and I found the performance to be painfully slow. In conclusion, I still find the game highly nostalgic, and the faster loading times have not in the least diminished the magic of the game for me. ~Gata.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Gatanui

[rednas3636]

idd the cutscenes are pretty fast nowadays =p

[Field Marshal Rakmon]

Can't say, as I was 5 when I got into BIONICLE (in September/October 2003) and I never played MNOLG until I believe my family got a newer, 2009 Computer. But the old 2002 Computer is still in my Basement (In fact, I'm typing on it now) an dwill check to see if it's anything like what you suggested.But yes, I have never been able to beat the Nui Rama level once in my entire life.

[emily]

I agree, the cutscenes run too fast now. The dramatic effect is, in some cases, ruined as a result(like the cutscene where Tahu looks back at Takua through the smoke) and in other places, the music doesn't line up quite right(I'm thinking more specifically here of the Bohrok-Kal story updates, the timing in those is completely butchered now). It makes me wish there was some way to slow the frame rate....Other than that, I didn't like waiting for each individual scene to load, but I ended up getting used to it, because the game was fun anyways.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Tazakk

[Gatanui]

I agree about the Bohrok-Kal episodes, those are really a pain too watch with Flash Player 9 or higher. MNOG II works best with recent Flash Player versions, though, and MNOG is still alright, too. It´s more the animations from 2002 and 2003 which are horribly fast.~Gata.

[Field Marshal Rakmon]

Okay, now I need to check the Bohrok Kal animations to see if they're uber sped up.

[Katuko]

Loading times are now fine, but I agree that the cutscenes run too fast. It's a bit interesting; I thought all Flash animations have a set frame rate they are supposed to run at, and therefore even today's "uber-computers" shouldn't make them go faster than that?

[Gatanui]

Loading times are now fine, but I agree that the cutscenes run too fast. It's a bit interesting; I thought all Flash animations have a set frame rate they are supposed to run at, and therefore even today's "uber-computers" shouldn't make them go faster than that?

Actually, you have to take into consideration that all games and animations Templar made for BIONICLE were based on vector graphics, which, as I have discovered recently, are kind of hard to handle for standard computers at that time, so it would seem reasonable for Templar to set the framerate in a way that the high animation speed can to a certain extent compensate the poor performance speed. Nowadays, vector graphics are no problem for computers, so there is no poor performance speed that can compensate the high animation speed, making it play too fast. ~Gata.

[Katuko]

But if lag was really the problem, then upping the frame rate would only lead to more strain on the system as well as possibly choppy animation due to laggy frames switching between too slow/too fast and getting skipped.If you are developing a game for a low-end computer, you don't set the frame rate to 60 when you estimate to run at half that speed. You set it to 30 and make sure it runs at that speed only. Anything else would just be stupid, really, unless you are working with a "delta time" system that regulates in-game speed based on the current fps, but Flash doesn't have that capability AFAIK.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Katuko

[Gatanui]

But if lag was really the problem, then upping the frame rate would only lead to more strain on the system as well as possibly choppy animation due to laggy frames switching between too slow/too fast and getting skipped.If you are developing a game for a low-end computer, you don't set the frame rate to 60 when you estimate to run at half that speed. You set it to 30 and make sure it runs at that speed only. Anything else would just be stupid, really, unless you are working with a "delta time" system that regulates in-game speed based on the current fps, but Flash doesn't have that capability AFAIK.

But if the frame rate is too slow, the animation will be fast and choppy, if you set it high, it will only be slow but also smooth. I guess you are right, though.~Gata.

[Ghosthands]

I agree that the Nui-Rama minigame was a lot better on a slow computer. Don't know about the cutscenes; but it does also annoy me how little time the Mata Nui loading screen is visible for.

[Toa of Nerds]

The load times for me were so bad that it totally ruined my whole experience and I never finished the MNOG until very recently. Since I've lived my entire life with terrible internet, I've learned to hate long load times.-don't touch my pocket protector

[Katuko]

If you lower the fps it is choppy by design, though. The computer is then running the animation fine at the speed you set, even if that speed is not the prettiest.Try playing an HD video or a very very fast animation on a computer that can't handle it, by the way. You won't get a slow-mo vid, you will get a vid that pauses, skips and tears.

[Gatanui]

The load times for me were so bad that it totally ruined my whole experience and I never finished the MNOG until very recently. Since I've lived my entire life with terrible internet, I've learned to hate long load times.-don't touch my pocket protector

I agree, I barely progressed in MNOG because it was so laggy that I did not want to shift the camera too much, thus missing important things like the entrance to the lightstone caves in the Onu-Wahi tunnels or the tube where Nokama speaks to you in Ga-Koro.

If you lower the fps it is choppy by design, though. The computer is then running the animation fine at the speed you set, even if that speed is not the prettiest.Try playing an HD video or a very very fast animation on a computer that can't handle it, by the way. You won't get a slow-mo vid, you will get a vid that pauses, skips and tears.

Okay, I guess you are right. ~Gata.

[Akuna Toa of Sonics]

I like the MNOG games when they load fast and don't pause at random during movies.

[Tiakor]

Well, maybe the game ran on the internal speed that the computer could process stuff on.In other words, on the Windows 7, it's so faster that it causes the game to be sped slightly up.That or you just know the game too well, and it's not fun anymore.Or your just going insane...

[Lewa Krom]

The magic returns when you play MNOLG on a touchscreen computer. Trust me.

[Jedi Knight Krazy]

Short load times I'm OK with. However, as you mentioned, the Nui-Rama game is practically impossible, and the dramatic effect of the cutscenes are gone; the cool striped flashing backgrounds are way too fast, and the long pauses are pretty much ruined.(although my friends and I found a little trick - the only Nui-Rama that actually attack your Gukko follow the same flight pattern. Put your mouse in the right spot and click whenever one shows up)If anybody figures out how to slow the framerate of the cutscenes and minigames, that would be awesome.

[bonesiii]

Faster = better.

[Takatu]

In most cases, bonesiii, I'd agree, but one part of this isn't so great. For the most part I prefer it faster, I certainly don't miss the loading times, but the Nui-Rama part is ludicrous. Maybe my reflexes aren't quite what they used to be since my wrist surgery a few months back, but I found myself just flinging disks at random to take them down because they were moving way to fast to aim properly.

[FlutterTree]

I always played that game back in '04 I believe. And it was at a moderate pacing, probably due to the dial-up connection. So I was frustrated by the action sequences, but fine with the cutscenes.

[Phyoohrii]

The long loading times were an incredible pain, especially as I was still using a Windows 95 at that stage! It was almost impossible to play it at all, let alone MNOLGII. But yeah, I do miss the slowness of framerate for the Nui-Rama game for example, the other notable example being the Defend Kini-Nui game. In the old days I could hit all of them no problem, but now I'm only able to get those that explicitly attack you. If they made that game today, I suspect that would be a non issue, as they would have created set speeds for everything. So that I agree is annoying, but I don't miss the loading times one bit.

[Toanoopie]

I really hated the long loading times but like playing it on a more modern computer. It's also quite odd that it's got such a nostalgic feeling for me, seeing as I didn't know anything about Bionicle until 2004. Oddly enough, I always tend to start playing the game in the days before New Year. Odd, I know.

[Zarohum]

It ran fine on mine.

Edited November 30, 2011 by Zarohum

[Bambi]

I don't think it has been ruined at all. Still the same as it was all those years ago.

[Lewa0111 Nuva]

I think only part of the problem was the long load times. The biggest thing for me was the inexperience with the game when I originally played it. Now, when I play, I know exactly where to go and what to do to get to Kini-Nui and help all of the villages right away. Before, I would aimlessly wander around to figure out what to do next. Not to mention the gradual "unlocking" of more parts of the island was a nice touch as well, being able to explore more of Mata Nui in real time.Although one thing I don't miss at all was the fact that my old computer in '01 was SO slow, it would freeze whenever I tried to give the infected koli ball to Onewa. Every. Time. I eventually had to go to the library whenever I wanted to get any farther in Po-Koro, and it frustrated me to no end as a kid. Lewa0111 Nuva

[Chibinuva]

I never played it until recently, so I didn't have the issue of switching. And I prefer faster, so it was nice to play it on a Windows 7 computer without any long loading screens or annoying lag. But now I want to go play it on a touchscreen computer. Or see the Bohrok Kai animations for that matter.

[Sir Kohran]

I've noticed this too, on a modern computer, certain parts of the game (largely the action sequences) now play at an almost manic speed.I agree there was something magic about the loading screen, with its image of the island and the four shaded segments each vanishing one after the other, the anticipation rising as you wondered what characters or goings on or secrets might be revealed in the next room or tunnel or valley. Perhaps it's the fact that we now know what we'll find that accounts for the loss of that magic.I admit the actual wait was a bit annoying at the time, but that may be down to me having been an impatient little lad.

[fishers64]

I downloaded the game in 2006. The only problem then was that it took so long to download (yow!) and that I forgot to pick up the Po-Koro chisel the first time and the ending crashed.

[avak3]

New technolgoly allways make old software look bad, still it is not as bad as most games.

[Terminus]

My biggest problem with it running faster is the almost complete lack of the Mata Nui loading screen. Otherwise, I'm completely fine with it, especially since it plays pretty smoothly.

[Gatanui]

My biggest problem with it running faster is the almost complete lack of the Mata Nui loading screen. Otherwise, I'm completely fine with it, especially since it plays pretty smoothly.

That´s easy to fix. Just create a seperate folder containing only the player and launcher files, then start the game. Enables you to stare at the loading screen for as long as you wish. ~Gata.

[25K Now!]

Not really. I prefer less loading time, because then I can get right into playing it.

[The 1st Shadow]

For the Rama game, I liked how it was slower, but the rest took too long for my taste. So, there were some advantages and some drawbacks...