Just in case anyone is wondering, my Twitter got banned recently. Not planning on trying to get it back, so if it seems like I've disappeared from the internet I haven't, I just can't tweet 😅
since there is no feedback on closer social media, the thumbnail is very missable while scrolling, video is fantastic so its sad I almost looked past it.
Hard agree. I think a lot of power weapon's core design ended up becoming the modern ultimate ability. Power weapons have been kind of commodified so that every player has access to some kind of WMD, but that also means it's no longer a controllable resource. You can't really stop a Soujourn from getting an Overclock, or a Genji from getting a Blade. Pretty similar to what you said about COD killstreaks I think we mostly just landed on a system where players of all skill levels have access to a spike in power, making power a map asset pretty much alienates every player on the bottom half of the bellcurve from accessing it Slamming vid btw
My hottest take is that arena shooters died because of 9/11. Gun culture means kids want to reload mags. Apex has guns that are like our own. Same in Fortnite. At least overwatch has symmetra but it isn't a pick up... Edit. Just watched video, and am impressed. (:
The awp in counter strike may not be a power weapon in that you have to fight over its spawn, but if you watch high level play, the game absolutely revolves around being able to completely lock down angles with the awp. If you’re walking towards one of the sites and you hear that noise, youre turning around and going somewhere else as fast as you can.
I'm not about to claim the awp wasn't a monster to be feared as much as respected in it's time, but as mentioned above the average Time to Kill ratio is a primary factor in preventing any of CounterStrike's guns from identifying as traditional Power Weapons. Yes, having one provides a meaningful advantage but that advantage doesn't change the fact that technically you can still die instantly if a fight goes sour, and a big chunk of CS's identity as a game was this facet being true regardless of the weapons involved.
"unbalanced" weapons also gave you a room to surprise the players with skill expression. You could get really good with one of the 'mid' weapons and stake your strategy around them. Learning to lead your shots with a slow projectile weapon, or learning some obscure trick, and then you didn't have to secure a powerful weapon everyone was aiming for to be strong.
This is why Halo 2 was such a good esport. The bxb/bxr and other button combos made it so that a pro's Battle Rifle was much more deadly than a sniper in my hands lol
Destiny 1 (and to an extent, 2) actually kept the power weapon going even with it's loadout system. It just had power weapons tied to the loadouts that could only be used if you got the power ammo that appeared on a timer on the map
You missed a very, very important aspect: Power weapons require the player to know the maps. A game is easier to pick up and play casually, if you don't have to remember where power weapons spawn. Great video though, thought provoking and well edited!!
"The ability to aim was just the _pin_ that held together ideas of map understanding, player tendencies, and resource control." Something that I've started toying with in my head again recently is an arena FPS where everyone has autoaim. Different weapons might autoaim within wider or smaller cones, to make them better at different ranges, but if you can keep a target near the center of the screen, you'll shoot toward it. In other words: an AFPS that focuses entirely on movement and territory control by making aim skill _obsolete._ This is, of course, a deeply fucking weird idea. But I love deeply weird ideas.
I will always hold out hope for their return. As extraction shooters become more mainstream, I feel like power weapons could find their footing again. The nature of their limited resources and select spawns would feel right at home. Imagine when Marathon releases, you have a squad taking down an NPC camp for a homing rocket launcher, only to have two other squads notice the action and jump in last minute for the steal. The tension building as the enemies thin out and PvP firefights begin, and the sudden shift in power when one player finally gets the weapon. Or maybe a lone solo player is hiding in that camp for the exact moment to steal it, turning a disadvantage into a fair fight. The possibilities for emergent gameplay are everywhere.
IMO the real problem is the lack of single player campaigns which deliver their fun via cathartic violence. Now you rarely get campaigns and if they do exist they are either something similar to dark souls where there is a high skill check or something like a ghost train which is just spewing exposition. Naturally those power spike weapons designed for god mode in the campaign arent integrated into the multiplayer experience. Its just easier to not design them for multiplayer experiences as they are naturally hard to balance for.
12:00 is such a clean transition. The quality of your videos across the board is not just visible but tangible within the experience of watching them. Fantastic stuff, good sir.
Honestly, I don't think the AWP is too far from a power weapon. High risk, high reward. It just doesn't spawn into a map, but both teams will certainly fight over control of it once somebody's got it. It changes the entire dynamic of how the game is played.
I've thought about this quite a bit recently. As the game industry morphed into the biggest entertainment industry of them all, and as game design became formalized and, in a way, standardized, I think some became overcome with this obsession for balance. And this balance became easier to implement. To the extent that even in single-player games, all options should be about equally as strong as each other. And if they are not that is considered a game design flaw. (See example: Skyrim, where several aspects of magic were nerfed for being "too powerful.") Along with the great analysis and reasons detailed in the video, I wonder if this balance-centric mindset could be a cause for the modern lack of Power Weapons? Like, that "gap" power weapons created in earlier titles was seen as unbalanced, and a flaw in game design. Anyways, excellent video!
I wonder if the obsession with balance has roots in the shift from custom server based multiplayer to ranked queue multiplayer and competitive approach to online games becoming the default.
@@TourFaint At the same time, I can't say it's not unwarranted. Frequently, said "imbalances" make an experience lesser since one tool or playstyle may prove all other redundant. Why the hell would I play a mage in Skyrim if magic doesn't scale effectively and I will be left dealing with bullet sponge leveled enemies when I have the ability to one-shot most of everyone as a stealth archer? It's something that I feel a lot of older games suffer from in general, where the whole experience can be brutal on those who do not choose meta strategies. Like, try playing through Akalabeth without a build guide, it's not a fun time!
@@thosebloodybadgers8499 that's why there are other ways of balancing than just power level. The plasma and bfg are obviously the strongest, but they don't make other weapons obsolete. I understand the "stealth archer" problem in Skyrim but it's not a result of making archery intentionally stronger, it's just a result of bad design.
I think something everyone is overlooking is how players play games today. Everyone can use the internet to find out the meta and turn an unbalanced game into easy mode. The first time I noticed this was in CoD Modern Warfare 2 back in 2009, when the models had to be nerfed because word had spread that they were crazy strong. There's also an issue of bad balance in singleplayer games that sometimes happens where, if the first weapon the player gets is good, they won't bother using anything else. Finally I'd like to point out that I feel power weapons do still exist to a degree, they're just very different. The AWP in Counter Strike is arguably a power weapon, and Fortnite often has stupid weapons like that Dragon Ball Z shoop da whoop lazer that are incredibly strong if you land the hit.
This makes me immediately think of Splatoon, in which, by painting, you can get a special. Some of these are utilities, like big bubbler, but many are powerful weapons such as crab tank or kraken. These are kind of power weapons, in a way. Not to mention the rainmaker gamemode, where you essentially take a kind-of-power weapon to a pedestal, like payload but you’re carrying it and the payload can shoot large bombs.
The production quality of this video is off the charts! I wouldnt even mind a behind the scenes kind of deal how you managed to pull all of this off Looking forward to what you're going to come up next.
rocket to rail in Quake or shock rifle combos in UT are such a dopamine rush.. most FPS players don't even know what they're missing. great editing btw!
I know the game is a bit of a meme nowadays, but back in the day, Turok: Rage Wars had both. You could pick a loadout AND had power weapons on the field. Truly innovative gameplay back in '99
I wanted to add that the recently released Valorant Team Death Match has a similar concept to map specific power weapons. They have a phased economic system that contain spawn location for weapons at a higher economic tier, think getting an smg during pistol round. This is counter-balanced with the abilities and ultimate of agents bringing the old and modern together.
it's crazy seeing how good your editing (and animations now!!) are compared to your older fighting game videos i still love those videos and literally was binging them when you uploaded this but GOD the improvement is insane
I watch a lot of TH-cam, and I am certain you are one of the best - Scripting - Voice-over - Visuals - Editing I just don't know what you could do better, you are an amazing creator, and I applaud you!
This video is a nice companion to Innuendo Studios' "CO-VIDs: what makes an fps arsenal good?" Weapons in fps games have really taken on different roles.
i think that power weapons still exist, albeit in other forms depending on the game and the character (golden weapons in fortnite and apex/ ultimates in overwatch and paladins, killstreaks in cod) however its not like they are very different from how they started, but theyre alot less scarce than it used to roaming in the map waiting for that one guy who remembers all the spots it spawns in, its a trade for more accessibility in exchange for a part of its identity, which sounds sad but also reassuring that they didnt leave i hope. awesome video as always i love ur perspective on this kind of topics in games
honestly thought this would be just about how missing shots with big weapons like rocket launchers makes you feel stupid, but the detective story is way cooler than my idea lol
I know you said you weren't happy with how the parts came together but I think this is one of your more coheisive videos in terms of feel. No part feels under baked to me. Great as always!
You brought up battle royales as missing power weapons, when fortnite has power weapons built into the design. Overpowered weapons at specific spawns that require risk taking and tactics to get.
I'd even argue that the AWP in Counter-Strike still carries some of the qualities of a power-weapon; the reward by which one can get easy one-shot kills combined with the commitment of spending money on it and the risk of letting it fall into enemy hands, lends it an element of control.
I'd personally argue that the AWP in counter strike has more bones of a power weapon that it would seem. It's not the just the change the "heatshot zone" but the fact that its increased range makes the map and match warp to its influence with plenty of strategies around dealing with a team that has one or more awps. Additionally with the economy sure a team could always just save up to get an awp, theyre giving up precious rounds in a best of 30 game meaning if youre keeping track of, and impacting the opposing teams economy enough you can still influence their access to that weapon.
Yeah I agree. CS essentially is 'road to AWP'. Who ever gets it first, and whoever can actually not die using basically dictates who wins the game. (Tho tbf, i havent played in years so idk if they nerfed the AWP)
Just rocking up in the comments to let people know that my Twitter got banned during the making of this video. Not planning on trying to get it back, been a lot more productive with it gone. Just letting you know that under the circumstance that it seems like I died, I'm still alive twitter just got nuked from orbit.
I think power weapons are a great concept, though it does create somewhat of a snowball effect, doesn't it? The better players who are already going to be winning, are going to have more opportunities to get the power weapon if it spawns in a consistent place that the good player can camp.
I think one big note that didn't get touched on is the industry shifting towards consoles: Low TTK getting popular was also a byproduct of how poor controller aim was until autoaim got jacked up to 11 in every shooter game in the past few years (hence why halo, with absurd autoaim from the start, still felt good to play on controller even with larger health pools) A more casual audience (which console has always had compared to online PC gaming) probably prefers to not have to memorize all the item spawns on a map and time them, and they stand a significantly better chance at actually doing anything in the game when other players can't stack up better weapons and more health And the ever expanding market of video games in general, especially with the accessibility of consoles (which really only started to touch competitive online gaming in 2004), encourages companies and developers to make games simpler (as to increase the reach and audience, because that, of course, makes more money) and ideas like timing, map control, advanced movement, or building a stack are complexities that will drive off some people so it's better to not have them. This isn't to say "ree pc good consoles bad", or "ree casuals on my vidya games", I'm not mad about any of this, but I think there definitely is a factor there that the target audience of shooter games and online games in general shifted hard from 2001-2007.
There are like half a dozen channels with the bell on whose videos are so well crafted that I immediately watch them. You're firmly in that category now.
I feel that same missing feeling for modern FPS. While guns now just feel strong but not powerful, they're loud and sound amazing but they lack a certain punch, like they lack recoil. But power weapons? You could see, feel, hear that rumble, a enemy or you could INSTANTLY know what was on the feild and what that meant, the only modern example that isn't in a PvE game I can really say that feels powerful is the Kraber in Apex but it kinda falls in comparison to itself from Titanfall 2, in Apex, its slow, limited, rare, and you're rewarded with putting a guy half health maybe In titanfall? It was slow, clunky, the time between shots could be felt, but no matter what it killed INSTANTLY when its slower bullet landed, paired with that sound and a body just being stopped in its tracks in air or ground made it feel so scary, the entire lobby would know it was around and if the person who was using it was a monster? Someone who never missed? Could read a person so well you'd assume they must have opened their third eye, it made the lobby recognize that person as powerful almost, it was a very VERY clear sign of skill and a very blunt and loud "I am better than you." And it fucked. I want just powerful weapons back, I want guns that psych everyone else out, I wantvsome chaos in my games
Leon has posted a new video today. Today, is a good day. Thank you again for such an incredible perspective into a particular niche of (probably many) childhoods. Each one of your videos is like a Five Star Meal at an overtly expensive restaurant and I relish in every savory bite. The magnificently crafted script is the silverware, and your lovely voice is the host. I could spend eternity here, but alas, the metaphor is getting weird. You make things good and I hope you can understand the appreciation I feel for all the hours of hard work you put into everything that you do. I can't afford to help out on the patreon atm, but just know I'm quietly rooting for you every step of the way.
Great video, Leon! The issue is pretty nuanced, and I think it's really important to analyze not just the tastes of the audience, but the game designers as well. I think that around the time power weapons disappeared, video game studios wanted to create more balanced games which appealed to a broader market. Not only did the quickly aging playerbase of video games in general want more well-designed experiences, but it was much easier for studios to sell a game where matches aren't centralized around a resource only one player can have. Hence loadouts, low TTK, and no power weapons. I don't think it's any singular game or design decision, but moreso a broader desire for *balance*, from players and designers. That isn't to say power weapons are impossible to balance, but from a dev perspective, they're very difficult to balance, and it's so much easier to simply remove them than to try and design around them. They limit the design space of other mechanics when they act as a catch-all solution to every problem, and lose their appeal if they have an abundance of counter-play. I suspect we don't see power weapons anymore for the same reason modern fighting games lack secret/boss characters or insta-kill moves.
this past year I started playing quake 3 with some friends (mainly duel) and power weapons aren't really a huge problem or big focus in it as there's 3 and all of them have their different use cases. Most of the duel is just contending for red armour and mega health and avoiding engagements if you are lacking in armour as the one who is more stacked is most likely to win the engagement. it feels more like to me is that this style of game isn't that popular anymore because it's difficult to get into because it's not simple to wrap your head around doing things like timing power ups and only fighting when you know you can win the engagement and knowing where everything is on the map alongside constantly playing mindgames with the opponent.
I just gotta say. When i watched your video on Character Archetypes, however long ago, i did not expect your future videos to have the graphics, and cinematography, and animation quality that you've been putting out recently. That's not even to mention the writing. That video was great as well, it's the thing that made me Subscribe. But i feel like you deserve huge props for what feels like an insanely rapid improvement in quality 👌👌👌
This was kind of touched on but I believe one of the biggest reasons for power weapons to disappear is that other systems are A LOT more new user friendly. Along with being more "bad user" friendly. Less is required to get good so to say. That's not a knock on new games but they definitely focus on accessibility in places that 90's MP did not.
I feel like games have been getting easier in the wrong way. AIMING should be getting easier, not the gamesense/macro stuff. Getting better at aiming is so boring and tedious, while getting better at positioning is cool because you're always learning and thinking. If an enemy kills you because they outplayed you, you can appreciate that and learn from it. If an enemy kills you because they had good aim, all you can really think is "I guess I should have clicked on his head faster." That's why I like paladins more than overwatch. Overwatch's characters are all tiny and move fast, and hitting people feels impossible. The gameplay is more focused around aiming. In paladins, everyone has bulky hitboxes, so the gameplay is more focused on ability usage and gamesense.
i think this is your best made video so far you all ways got good topics to talk about and your scripts/writing are great but now with this animation/art style i think that you are going to glow up and i miss power weapons man
Fistful of frags is game I play that has loadouts and a short time to kill while still having power weapons. There are some interesting things that they've done to keep them relevant. For starters you get them from a chest and choose which one you get meaning that you can find one that goes well with your loadout. while the time to kill is already short the power weapons make it easy to kill people allowing you to consistently get higher kill streaks which is rewarded in fistful of frags.
no exaggeration, this is a perfect youtube video. interesting subject matter, great writing, insane visuals, great animations, immaculate editing; these last 2 videos should have all youtubers up their game (of course if they reasonably have the means to with the content cycle speeding up)
I think I was something like Subscriber 100 or so to your channel Leon, and it's been just a blast to watch your videos improve while you developed a pretty clear 'Leon Style'. Please keep making videos - I really enjoy them!
I think it's a combination of Time To Kill and Player Choice. Every gun kills everyone in 1-2 seconds, and there are a lot of them to choose from, so power weapons would be incredibly redundant since they basically would have the exact same time to kill as every other gun.
Leon you do some of the absolutely most incredible videos. god speed and thank you for sharing your ideas with us all. people like you are exactly what youtube is all about.
I was rushing your channel yesterday, now im a big fan, your videos are perfect! Thanks for helping me go trough my bad days man, continue doing this pls❤❤❤
Surprised you didn't mention the Rainmaker from the Splatoon series. While it's not exactly equivalent, it certainly possesses a lot of the power weapon's DNA. Wonderful vid regardless!
Bit long winded but still a good analysis. From my perspective as a game designer myself it has more to do with changing style of games where characters and guns became more like classes with specific roles, pros, cons, strengths, and weaknesses. It became less about adaptability and knowing lots of general weapons and more about specific mastery. In games like Quake you need to be good with many guns and play styles depending on the map. In modern games like VALORANT you can just be good at one character and one or two guns and do well. More about a shift into teamplay where each person specializes and supports others instead of being more solo and a master of all.
What's funny about Battlefield is that eventually power weapons became part of the game again with the battle pickups in BF4 and Battlefield 1, only for them to die a second time woth 2042.
They were also even present in BFV, with the flamethrowers and katanas. I’m stunned Leon didn’t talk about these three pretty much bringing the power weapons back in modern gaming.
As someone who has been watching you for some time now, I believe the first release I watched when it was released was the first air dasher, I've loved seeing your content evolve. While I do still enjoy videos like Jump Arcs and old fighting game mechanics, I have enjoyed your past couple releases more than ever. Thank you for making this content, and I hope to see more of it.
Holy shit Leon, this video is incredible. Your growth as a creator is staggering. This video is beautifully produced and researched very well. keep up the work dude
Just in case anyone is wondering, my Twitter got banned recently. Not planning on trying to get it back, so if it seems like I've disappeared from the internet I haven't, I just can't tweet 😅
Fair enough that site is brainrot
since there is no feedback on closer social media, the thumbnail is very missable while scrolling, video is fantastic so its sad I almost looked past it.
Did you accidentally say a gamer word? Happens to the best of us.
with all the misinformation posted on that site, i wouldn't blame you for not rushing to return
Whats that jazzy tune you have in the background at 3 mins in, sounds sam and maxish but I cant place a finger
Hard agree. I think a lot of power weapon's core design ended up becoming the modern ultimate ability. Power weapons have been kind of commodified so that every player has access to some kind of WMD, but that also means it's no longer a controllable resource. You can't really stop a Soujourn from getting an Overclock, or a Genji from getting a Blade. Pretty similar to what you said about COD killstreaks
I think we mostly just landed on a system where players of all skill levels have access to a spike in power, making power a map asset pretty much alienates every player on the bottom half of the bellcurve from accessing it
Slamming vid btw
funke the power weapon of youtube
Hey Funke, loved your movement shooter bucket list video!
both of you uploading in one day is so devious
Agreed!
I was also hyped to see this video and yours both in my feed today.
Apex still has power weapons, as does Fortnite to a lesser extent.
Truly, the worst consequence of 9/11 has been the resulting lack of lightning guns in first-person shooters of the 2010s.
Ikr 🤯
It’s too bad They had to take down the twin towers with a ritual and satellite weaponry 😢
I'd say that's a real tragedy
My hottest take is that arena shooters died because of 9/11. Gun culture means kids want to reload mags. Apex has guns that are like our own. Same in Fortnite. At least overwatch has symmetra but it isn't a pick up...
Edit. Just watched video, and am impressed. (:
The awp in counter strike may not be a power weapon in that you have to fight over its spawn, but if you watch high level play, the game absolutely revolves around being able to completely lock down angles with the awp. If you’re walking towards one of the sites and you hear that noise, youre turning around and going somewhere else as fast as you can.
I'm not about to claim the awp wasn't a monster to be feared as much as respected in it's time, but as mentioned above the average Time to Kill ratio is a primary factor in preventing any of CounterStrike's guns from identifying as traditional Power Weapons. Yes, having one provides a meaningful advantage but that advantage doesn't change the fact that technically you can still die instantly if a fight goes sour, and a big chunk of CS's identity as a game was this facet being true regardless of the weapons involved.
"unbalanced" weapons also gave you a room to surprise the players with skill expression. You could get really good with one of the 'mid' weapons and stake your strategy around them. Learning to lead your shots with a slow projectile weapon, or learning some obscure trick, and then you didn't have to secure a powerful weapon everyone was aiming for to be strong.
This is why Halo 2 was such a good esport. The bxb/bxr and other button combos made it so that a pro's Battle Rifle was much more deadly than a sniper in my hands lol
being particularly good with the plasma/nail gun & shotgun in quake can really shake an opponent
your animation and editing has gotten so good, man
Destiny 1 (and to an extent, 2) actually kept the power weapon going even with it's loadout system. It just had power weapons tied to the loadouts that could only be used if you got the power ammo that appeared on a timer on the map
If somebody told me 9/11 was partially responsible for the disappearance of power weapons before I watched this video, I would’ve laughed at them
You missed a very, very important aspect:
Power weapons require the player to know the maps. A game is easier to pick up and play casually, if you don't have to remember where power weapons spawn.
Great video though, thought provoking and well edited!!
I love the crime investigation type vibe in this video!
YES NEW LEON MASSEY VIDEO
THATS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID
Pog pog pog pog pog pog pog
Really going hard on the 3D work - love to see it! LA Noir OST also an excellent touch
"The ability to aim was just the _pin_ that held together ideas of map understanding, player tendencies, and resource control."
Something that I've started toying with in my head again recently is an arena FPS where everyone has autoaim. Different weapons might autoaim within wider or smaller cones, to make them better at different ranges, but if you can keep a target near the center of the screen, you'll shoot toward it. In other words: an AFPS that focuses entirely on movement and territory control by making aim skill _obsolete._
This is, of course, a deeply fucking weird idea. But I love deeply weird ideas.
That's what Armored Core is. And it's hella fun.
@@vj7248 I need to play more AC, to be honest. I picked up For Answer and never spent enough time with it.
3:28 Really enjoying the Bungler cameos. The editing in your videos is always a treat to watch.
I will always hold out hope for their return.
As extraction shooters become more mainstream, I feel like power weapons could find their footing again. The nature of their limited resources and select spawns would feel right at home.
Imagine when Marathon releases, you have a squad taking down an NPC camp for a homing rocket launcher, only to have two other squads notice the action and jump in last minute for the steal. The tension building as the enemies thin out and PvP firefights begin, and the sudden shift in power when one player finally gets the weapon. Or maybe a lone solo player is hiding in that camp for the exact moment to steal it, turning a disadvantage into a fair fight. The possibilities for emergent gameplay are everywhere.
IMO the real problem is the lack of single player campaigns which deliver their fun via cathartic violence. Now you rarely get campaigns and if they do exist they are either something similar to dark souls where there is a high skill check or something like a ghost train which is just spewing exposition. Naturally those power spike weapons designed for god mode in the campaign arent integrated into the multiplayer experience. Its just easier to not design them for multiplayer experiences as they are naturally hard to balance for.
12:00 is such a clean transition. The quality of your videos across the board is not just visible but tangible within the experience of watching them. Fantastic stuff, good sir.
so what you're saying is that COD4 truly was the 9/11 of gaming.
Honestly, I don't think the AWP is too far from a power weapon. High risk, high reward. It just doesn't spawn into a map, but both teams will certainly fight over control of it once somebody's got it. It changes the entire dynamic of how the game is played.
You can't hide that Poker Night at the Inventory OST from me, Leon. Lovely choice
"Missing: Power" woah is that a reference to "Touhou 7.5 Immaterial and Missing Power" the hit fighting game spin-off Touhou game from 2004?
It ain't called a bullet hell for no reason
Your production quality just keeps on going up and the narration is always on point
Every Leon Massey video is a banger
I've thought about this quite a bit recently.
As the game industry morphed into the biggest entertainment industry of them all, and as game design became formalized and, in a way, standardized, I think some became overcome with this obsession for balance. And this balance became easier to implement. To the extent that even in single-player games, all options should be about equally as strong as each other. And if they are not that is considered a game design flaw. (See example: Skyrim, where several aspects of magic were nerfed for being "too powerful.")
Along with the great analysis and reasons detailed in the video, I wonder if this balance-centric mindset could be a cause for the modern lack of Power Weapons? Like, that "gap" power weapons created in earlier titles was seen as unbalanced, and a flaw in game design.
Anyways, excellent video!
Yeah, this obsession about balance is weird, especially in single player or PVE games. There are other ways to balance things than just power levels.
I wonder if the obsession with balance has roots in the shift from custom server based multiplayer to ranked queue multiplayer and competitive approach to online games becoming the default.
@@TourFaint At the same time, I can't say it's not unwarranted. Frequently, said "imbalances" make an experience lesser since one tool or playstyle may prove all other redundant. Why the hell would I play a mage in Skyrim if magic doesn't scale effectively and I will be left dealing with bullet sponge leveled enemies when I have the ability to one-shot most of everyone as a stealth archer? It's something that I feel a lot of older games suffer from in general, where the whole experience can be brutal on those who do not choose meta strategies. Like, try playing through Akalabeth without a build guide, it's not a fun time!
@@thosebloodybadgers8499 that's why there are other ways of balancing than just power level. The plasma and bfg are obviously the strongest, but they don't make other weapons obsolete. I understand the "stealth archer" problem in Skyrim but it's not a result of making archery intentionally stronger, it's just a result of bad design.
I think something everyone is overlooking is how players play games today. Everyone can use the internet to find out the meta and turn an unbalanced game into easy mode. The first time I noticed this was in CoD Modern Warfare 2 back in 2009, when the models had to be nerfed because word had spread that they were crazy strong.
There's also an issue of bad balance in singleplayer games that sometimes happens where, if the first weapon the player gets is good, they won't bother using anything else.
Finally I'd like to point out that I feel power weapons do still exist to a degree, they're just very different. The AWP in Counter Strike is arguably a power weapon, and Fortnite often has stupid weapons like that Dragon Ball Z shoop da whoop lazer that are incredibly strong if you land the hit.
This makes me immediately think of Splatoon, in which, by painting, you can get a special. Some of these are utilities, like big bubbler, but many are powerful weapons such as crab tank or kraken. These are kind of power weapons, in a way.
Not to mention the rainmaker gamemode, where you essentially take a kind-of-power weapon to a pedestal, like payload but you’re carrying it and the payload can shoot large bombs.
Loving the evolution of how you build and light scenes, it’s seriously inspiring
NEW LEON MASSEY VIDEO WOOOOOO
The production quality of this video is off the charts!
I wouldnt even mind a behind the scenes kind of deal how you managed to pull all of this off
Looking forward to what you're going to come up next.
rocket to rail in Quake or shock rifle combos in UT are such a dopamine rush.. most FPS players don't even know what they're missing. great editing btw!
I know the game is a bit of a meme nowadays, but back in the day, Turok: Rage Wars had both. You could pick a loadout AND had power weapons on the field. Truly innovative gameplay back in '99
I wanted to add that the recently released Valorant Team Death Match has a similar concept to map specific power weapons. They have a phased economic system that contain spawn location for weapons at a higher economic tier, think getting an smg during pistol round. This is counter-balanced with the abilities and ultimate of agents bringing the old and modern together.
I was laughing throughout the whole video, just at how classy the editing was. Always appreciate your insights as well.
it's crazy seeing how good your editing (and animations now!!) are compared to your older fighting game videos
i still love those videos and literally was binging them when you uploaded this but GOD the improvement is insane
It is incredible to see how much you've grown in your content since I found your channel, great work dude!
The quality of your videos are unmatched. Your such a big inspiration.
I agree with the last point, It seems power weapons were replaced by the tier system in games like Fortnite and such
I watch a lot of TH-cam, and I am certain you are one of the best
- Scripting
- Voice-over
- Visuals
- Editing
I just don't know what you could do better, you are an amazing creator, and I applaud you!
This video is a nice companion to Innuendo Studios' "CO-VIDs: what makes an fps arsenal good?"
Weapons in fps games have really taken on different roles.
i think that power weapons still exist, albeit in other forms depending on the game and the character (golden weapons in fortnite and apex/ ultimates in overwatch and paladins, killstreaks in cod)
however its not like they are very different from how they started, but theyre alot less scarce than it used to roaming in the map waiting for that one guy who remembers all the spots it spawns in, its a trade for more accessibility in exchange for a part of its identity, which sounds sad but also reassuring that they didnt leave i hope.
awesome video as always i love ur perspective on this kind of topics in games
All this editing is a work of art.
(Wish i had a better comment then the 50th one about the edits tho)
honestly thought this would be just about how missing shots with big weapons like rocket launchers makes you feel stupid, but the detective story is way cooler than my idea lol
I know you said you weren't happy with how the parts came together but I think this is one of your more coheisive videos in terms of feel. No part feels under baked to me.
Great as always!
You brought up battle royales as missing power weapons, when fortnite has power weapons built into the design. Overpowered weapons at specific spawns that require risk taking and tactics to get.
I'd even argue that the AWP in Counter-Strike still carries some of the qualities of a power-weapon; the reward by which one can get easy one-shot kills combined with the commitment of spending money on it and the risk of letting it fall into enemy hands, lends it an element of control.
With each video this new style gets even cooler
Been watching your videos for a while now. They've always been good, but the level of quality and editing you've reached now is amazing.
the progressions of ur videos' aethetics is amazing, keep it up
I'd personally argue that the AWP in counter strike has more bones of a power weapon that it would seem. It's not the just the change the "heatshot zone" but the fact that its increased range makes the map and match warp to its influence with plenty of strategies around dealing with a team that has one or more awps. Additionally with the economy sure a team could always just save up to get an awp, theyre giving up precious rounds in a best of 30 game meaning if youre keeping track of, and impacting the opposing teams economy enough you can still influence their access to that weapon.
Yeah I agree. CS essentially is 'road to AWP'.
Who ever gets it first, and whoever can actually not die using basically dictates who wins the game.
(Tho tbf, i havent played in years so idk if they nerfed the AWP)
@@vj7248 they have nerfed the awps magazine capacity from 10 to 5 to make it harder for them to hold back pushes solo
Just rocking up in the comments to let people know that my Twitter got banned during the making of this video. Not planning on trying to get it back, been a lot more productive with it gone. Just letting you know that under the circumstance that it seems like I died, I'm still alive twitter just got nuked from orbit.
I think power weapons are a great concept, though it does create somewhat of a snowball effect, doesn't it? The better players who are already going to be winning, are going to have more opportunities to get the power weapon if it spawns in a consistent place that the good player can camp.
I think one big note that didn't get touched on is the industry shifting towards consoles:
Low TTK getting popular was also a byproduct of how poor controller aim was until autoaim got jacked up to 11 in every shooter game in the past few years (hence why halo, with absurd autoaim from the start, still felt good to play on controller even with larger health pools)
A more casual audience (which console has always had compared to online PC gaming) probably prefers to not have to memorize all the item spawns on a map and time them, and they stand a significantly better chance at actually doing anything in the game when other players can't stack up better weapons and more health
And the ever expanding market of video games in general, especially with the accessibility of consoles (which really only started to touch competitive online gaming in 2004), encourages companies and developers to make games simpler (as to increase the reach and audience, because that, of course, makes more money) and ideas like timing, map control, advanced movement, or building a stack are complexities that will drive off some people so it's better to not have them.
This isn't to say "ree pc good consoles bad", or "ree casuals on my vidya games", I'm not mad about any of this, but I think there definitely is a factor there that the target audience of shooter games and online games in general shifted hard from 2001-2007.
It's such a short part of the video, but that transition that you put in when switching to the shotgun was so cool
I love the little 3d renders you make for your videos. they add so much to the vibes. great video as always king.
Excellent, as always. it's a privilege to continue watching you grow.
I've really enjoyed watching your visual storytelling just blossom after implementing more 3D elements! always looking forward to your videos
hearing you mention Brink at the end gave me whiplash
leon messy
I love how your videos have improved to the point where I prefer them over errant signal
There are like half a dozen channels with the bell on whose videos are so well crafted that I immediately watch them. You're firmly in that category now.
I feel that same missing feeling for modern FPS. While guns now just feel strong but not powerful, they're loud and sound amazing but they lack a certain punch, like they lack recoil.
But power weapons? You could see, feel, hear that rumble, a enemy or you could INSTANTLY know what was on the feild and what that meant, the only modern example that isn't in a PvE game I can really say that feels powerful is the Kraber in Apex but it kinda falls in comparison to itself from Titanfall 2, in Apex, its slow, limited, rare, and you're rewarded with putting a guy half health maybe
In titanfall? It was slow, clunky, the time between shots could be felt, but no matter what it killed INSTANTLY when its slower bullet landed, paired with that sound and a body just being stopped in its tracks in air or ground made it feel so scary, the entire lobby would know it was around and if the person who was using it was a monster? Someone who never missed? Could read a person so well you'd assume they must have opened their third eye, it made the lobby recognize that person as powerful almost, it was a very VERY clear sign of skill and a very blunt and loud "I am better than you." And it fucked.
I want just powerful weapons back, I want guns that psych everyone else out, I wantvsome chaos in my games
such a cool video visually
I really like that you actually go for a specific visual style
Just wanted to say this video is excellent and put together so well
Damn boyyyy, thats quality video, animation and script *chef kiss*
The presentation and little intermissions are amazing, keep doing that please
This was unreasonably good. I've always really enjoyed your videos, but even so this was a cut above. The presentation is perfect. Thank you!
Leon has posted a new video today. Today, is a good day.
Thank you again for such an incredible perspective into a particular niche of (probably many) childhoods. Each one of your videos is like a Five Star Meal at an overtly expensive restaurant and I relish in every savory bite. The magnificently crafted script is the silverware, and your lovely voice is the host. I could spend eternity here, but alas, the metaphor is getting weird. You make things good and I hope you can understand the appreciation I feel for all the hours of hard work you put into everything that you do. I can't afford to help out on the patreon atm, but just know I'm quietly rooting for you every step of the way.
I've never played an FPS game a day in my life, but I sat enthralled by this video
Great video, Leon!
The issue is pretty nuanced, and I think it's really important to analyze not just the tastes of the audience, but the game designers as well. I think that around the time power weapons disappeared, video game studios wanted to create more balanced games which appealed to a broader market. Not only did the quickly aging playerbase of video games in general want more well-designed experiences, but it was much easier for studios to sell a game where matches aren't centralized around a resource only one player can have. Hence loadouts, low TTK, and no power weapons. I don't think it's any singular game or design decision, but moreso a broader desire for *balance*, from players and designers.
That isn't to say power weapons are impossible to balance, but from a dev perspective, they're very difficult to balance, and it's so much easier to simply remove them than to try and design around them. They limit the design space of other mechanics when they act as a catch-all solution to every problem, and lose their appeal if they have an abundance of counter-play. I suspect we don't see power weapons anymore for the same reason modern fighting games lack secret/boss characters or insta-kill moves.
this past year I started playing quake 3 with some friends (mainly duel) and power weapons aren't really a huge problem or big focus in it as there's 3 and all of them have their different use cases. Most of the duel is just contending for red armour and mega health and avoiding engagements if you are lacking in armour as the one who is more stacked is most likely to win the engagement. it feels more like to me is that this style of game isn't that popular anymore because it's difficult to get into because it's not simple to wrap your head around doing things like timing power ups and only fighting when you know you can win the engagement and knowing where everything is on the map alongside constantly playing mindgames with the opponent.
Always a treat when one of your videos pops up
this is such a great vid. In my opinion your best edited video so far, defiantly worth the wait.
I just gotta say. When i watched your video on Character Archetypes, however long ago, i did not expect your future videos to have the graphics, and cinematography, and animation quality that you've been putting out recently. That's not even to mention the writing. That video was great as well, it's the thing that made me Subscribe. But i feel like you deserve huge props for what feels like an insanely rapid improvement in quality 👌👌👌
An early morning upload. Can't wait to crack open my vintage box of Hal-O's for this one
This was kind of touched on but I believe one of the biggest reasons for power weapons to disappear is that other systems are A LOT more new user friendly. Along with being more "bad user" friendly. Less is required to get good so to say. That's not a knock on new games but they definitely focus on accessibility in places that 90's MP did not.
I feel like games have been getting easier in the wrong way. AIMING should be getting easier, not the gamesense/macro stuff. Getting better at aiming is so boring and tedious, while getting better at positioning is cool because you're always learning and thinking. If an enemy kills you because they outplayed you, you can appreciate that and learn from it. If an enemy kills you because they had good aim, all you can really think is "I guess I should have clicked on his head faster." That's why I like paladins more than overwatch. Overwatch's characters are all tiny and move fast, and hitting people feels impossible. The gameplay is more focused around aiming. In paladins, everyone has bulky hitboxes, so the gameplay is more focused on ability usage and gamesense.
The quality on this is bonkers. Great job
This video was incredible, keep up the good work!
beautiful storytelling and editing for such a niche topic!
i think this is your best made video so far
you all ways got good topics to talk about and your scripts/writing are great but now with this animation/art style i think that you are going to glow up
and i miss power weapons man
Fistful of frags is game I play that has loadouts and a short time to kill while still having power weapons. There are some interesting things that they've done to keep them relevant. For starters you get them from a chest and choose which one you get meaning that you can find one that goes well with your loadout. while the time to kill is already short the power weapons make it easy to kill people allowing you to consistently get higher kill streaks which is rewarded in fistful of frags.
no exaggeration, this is a perfect youtube video. interesting subject matter, great writing, insane visuals, great animations, immaculate editing; these last 2 videos should have all youtubers up their game (of course if they reasonably have the means to with the content cycle speeding up)
I love the 3D work you've started doing
I think I was something like Subscriber 100 or so to your channel Leon, and it's been just a blast to watch your videos improve while you developed a pretty clear 'Leon Style'.
Please keep making videos - I really enjoy them!
I think it's a combination of Time To Kill and Player Choice. Every gun kills everyone in 1-2 seconds, and there are a lot of them to choose from, so power weapons would be incredibly redundant since they basically would have the exact same time to kill as every other gun.
This quality is outstanding. What a video!
Leon you do some of the absolutely most incredible videos. god speed and thank you for sharing your ideas with us all. people like you are exactly what youtube is all about.
I was rushing your channel yesterday, now im a big fan, your videos are perfect! Thanks for helping me go trough my bad days man, continue doing this pls❤❤❤
Surprised you didn't mention the Rainmaker from the Splatoon series. While it's not exactly equivalent, it certainly possesses a lot of the power weapon's DNA. Wonderful vid regardless!
cant believe you didnt call this "how 911 ruined the rocket launcher"
Came thinking this was about energy-based weapons.
Stayed for the great video.
God it’s 1:55 AM in Canada why am I doing this?
Probably cause this guy makes some absolutely incredible videos.
Bit long winded but still a good analysis. From my perspective as a game designer myself it has more to do with changing style of games where characters and guns became more like classes with specific roles, pros, cons, strengths, and weaknesses. It became less about adaptability and knowing lots of general weapons and more about specific mastery.
In games like Quake you need to be good with many guns and play styles depending on the map. In modern games like VALORANT you can just be good at one character and one or two guns and do well.
More about a shift into teamplay where each person specializes and supports others instead of being more solo and a master of all.
Great animation homie, your work paid off
I adore the thesis of this video. Another masterpiece from Leon Massey
What's funny about Battlefield is that eventually power weapons became part of the game again with the battle pickups in BF4 and Battlefield 1, only for them to die a second time woth 2042.
They were also even present in BFV, with the flamethrowers and katanas. I’m stunned Leon didn’t talk about these three pretty much bringing the power weapons back in modern gaming.
As someone who has been watching you for some time now, I believe the first release I watched when it was released was the first air dasher, I've loved seeing your content evolve. While I do still enjoy videos like Jump Arcs and old fighting game mechanics, I have enjoyed your past couple releases more than ever. Thank you for making this content, and I hope to see more of it.
Wake Up Babe, New Leon Massey Video Just Dropped
love ur channel man, every video is amazing
new leon and funke vid on the same day? its gonna be a good one lads
Babe wake up, Leon’s taking about game design again…babe…babe?..
…babe?!
Oh shit oh fuck
THIS INTRO IS SO GOOD!
Masterful editing.
Holy shit Leon, this video is incredible. Your growth as a creator is staggering. This video is beautifully produced and researched very well. keep up the work dude