[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.01,0:00:06.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi. I'm Mark and this is Game Maker's Toolkit
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.27,0:00:11.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mirror's Edge is one of those games that was\Ncrying out for a sequel. One that would polish
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.51,0:00:17.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up the first-person platforming, rethink the\Nstory, get rid of the guns, and just add a
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.04,0:00:18.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bunch more stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.29,0:00:22.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, hey, we got it! Mirror's Edge Catalyst\Nis a sequel - or a prequel or a reboot or
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.88,0:00:27.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whatever - and the controls are more responsive,\Nthe cutscenes don't look like they were made
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.16,0:00:30.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Flash, the guns are gone, and there's way\Nmore content.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.74,0:00:35.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, if the reviews are anything to by, it\Ndidn't quite work out. And I think the culprit
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.83,0:00:46.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,might be one contentious change to the franchise:\Nthe introduction of an open world.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.34,0:00:50.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The original Mirror's Edge presented most\Nof its levels like an obstacle course. There
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.59,0:00:55.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was a linear route through the world and you\Nhad to build up, and then maintain momentum,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.75,0:01:01.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by stringing together parkour movements over\Na series of springboards, fences, and zip
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.51,0:01:02.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lines.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.38,0:01:06.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You'd often see your route in front of you\N- highlighted in the bright red of Runner's
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.12,0:01:11.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Vision. But the challenge was to pinpoint\Nthat path while at top speed, to look for other
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.47,0:01:16.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,routes that could be quicker, and to actually\Npull off the moves - the jumps, tucks, rolls,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.17,0:01:18.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wall runs, and quick turns - with precision.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.44,0:01:24.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at other times, the game slowed down. Here,\NMirror's Edge turned into a platforming puzzler
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.41,0:01:30.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where you tried to find a path up a tall tower,\Nusing a maze of platforms and obstacles.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.47,0:01:37.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As for Mirror's Edge Catalyst. No, actually,\Nall that is true of Catalyst, as well. Because
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.11,0:01:42.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,almost every story mission, and some of the\Nside missions, take place outside the realms
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.45,0:01:46.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the open world - in locations that are\Nlinear and intricately designed to be run
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.74,0:01:49.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through once and in one direction only.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.89,0:01:54.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those missions take place in skyscrapers,\Noffice buildings, underground facilities,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.84,0:02:00.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and giant server hubs you can't access while\Nfree roaming. Which means the open world is
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.26,0:02:02.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,relegated to other roles.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.81,0:02:07.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's a way to get from mission to mission,\Nand a place to practice parkour. It's filled
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.64,0:02:12.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with collectibles if you're into that sort\Nof thing, and it also houses a number of side
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.02,0:02:17.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,missions. And so maybe these non-essential\Nquests could actually take advantage of the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.13,0:02:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sandbox City of Glass?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.08,0:02:24.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we want to understand how an open world\Ncan lead to gameplay that really takes advantage
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.27,0:02:28.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of having a large space to play in, there\Nare plenty of games we can look at.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.57,0:02:32.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Games that give the player a huge breadth\Nof options in how they approach a mission,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.100,0:02:38.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or give them a feeling of mastery by repeatedly\Nexploring the same locations. But considering
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.68,0:02:43.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the speed of Mirror's Edge, perhaps the best\Nplace to look would be a game like Burnout
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.47,0:02:44.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Paradise.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.81,0:02:50.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's a super speedy franchise that successfully\Ntransitioned from linear tracks to an open
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.16,0:02:55.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,world. And I think that's because every event\Ntakes advantage of the game being set in a
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.53,0:02:56.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sandbox city.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.91,0:03:02.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Races and marked man challenges send you from\None side of the map to the other, and there
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.33,0:03:07.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are no limits on the route you can take. Road\Nrage and stunt run events let you take
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.25,0:03:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,down cars and rack up combo points in any\Nway you wish and you don't have to worry about
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.01,0:03:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hitting dead ends because the city spills\Nout in every direction.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.06,0:03:20.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because you're constantly racing over the\Nsame roads again and again, and all of
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.12,0:03:25.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Burnout Paradise takes place inside the city,\Nyou quickly start to learn routes and shortcuts,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.60,0:03:28.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and know where to top-up your boost or cut\Na few corners.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.85,0:03:33.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plus, every race ends at one of eight finish\Nlines on the map, so you'll soon become very
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.47,0:03:37.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,familiar with the roads and shortcuts leading\Nto those end points.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.99,0:03:41.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mirror's Edge Catalyst doesn't really work\Nlike that.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.69,0:03:47.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Side missions like dashes, fragile deliveries,\Ncovert deliveries, and dead drops are all
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.09,0:03:52.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,point to point runs, but to arbitrary spots\Nand on short, predetermined routes. And while there
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.75,0:03:56.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are often shortcuts that will give you a better\Ntime, they're usually just off to the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.63,0:03:58.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,side of that main route.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.30,0:04:02.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That makes it feel like the open world has\Nbeen carved up into tiny chunks and at that
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.86,0:04:06.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,point you might as well just put them all\Nin a menu and call it Mirror's Edge.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.95,0:04:10.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because they ultimately feel no less linear\Nthan the races in the first game, which saw
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.92,0:04:16.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,small sections of the main story levels turned\Ninto speed runs. As well as bonus, pure platforming
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.72,0:04:20.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,challenges set in bizarre abstract worlds.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.41,0:04:25.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Side Note: because Mirror's Edge didn't need\Nto reload an entire chunk of an open world
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.28,0:04:30.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every time you fluffed a jump, it didn't have\Nto have annoying loading screens during races.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.59,0:04:35.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Anyway. What you'll find is that the shortcuts\Nin Catalyst's side missions are found much
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.34,0:04:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like they were in the original Mirror's Edge:\Nthrough repeated playthroughs of that specific
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.00,0:04:44.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,event, rather than from your overall knowledge\Nof the City of Glass.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.63,0:04:49.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which will be, I'm willing to bet, very limited.\NAnd that's for a few reasons.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.40,0:04:52.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One is that because the main missions don't\Ntake place in the open world, you just don't
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.68,0:04:57.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spend enough time there to learn the layout.\NTwo is that the city has few familiar landmarks
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.41,0:04:58.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to help you navigate.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.88,0:05:03.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And third, which is the most important, is\Nthat the game is almost impossible to play
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.25,0:05:08.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without obsessively and blindly following\Nthis wispy red trail. Check out this video
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.86,0:05:13.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for more on how following little dotted lines\Nharms your ability to engage with a game's
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.73,0:05:14.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,world.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.90,0:05:19.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can tone down Runner's Vision or turn\Nit off entirely but the confusing design of
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.36,0:05:22.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the city almost makes it a necessity.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.17,0:05:27.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Strangely for an open world, the City of Glass\Nconstantly funnels you into linear corridors,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.32,0:05:32.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where you're trapped between towers too tall\Nto scale, or buildings too low to land on,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.42,0:05:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or enormous gaps between rooftops.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.29,0:05:40.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is good for giving you that classic Mirror's\NEdge feeling of flowing through an obstacle
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.08,0:05:46.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,course but it's horrible for navigation. Especially\Nbetween these big clusters of buildings that
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.02,0:05:50.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have just a few ways to get between them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.36,0:05:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So your floating waypoint thingy might be\Nright in front of you, but the only way to
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.26,0:05:58.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,get to it is to take a huge detour around\Nhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.20,0:06:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is likely a technical issue, to do with\Nloading the different chunks of the open world
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.44,0:06:06.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into memory. But while gamers can put up with\Nsome hidden loading screens, it's harder to
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.99,0:06:10.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stomach when it starts to really impact the\Nway you navigate the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.71,0:06:22.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What all this means is that Mirror's Edge\NCatalyst can't really provide missions like
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.99,0:06:28.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Burnout Paradise. Or, perhaps, Crazy Taxi.\NIn that game you had a vague arrow pointing
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.62,0:06:33.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,towards your destination and to make it under\Npar time you needed both good driving skills
Dialogue: 0,0:06:33.59,0:06:36.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and some knowledge of how the city was laid\Nout.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.90,0:06:40.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This could have been a fun mission type in\NMirror's Edge where you would pick up and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.81,0:06:44.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deliver packages from one side of the the\Nopen world to the other. It would provide
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.72,0:06:49.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a new type of gameplay to compliment the linear\Nlevels of the campaign - and test you on both
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.49,0:06:53.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,navigation of the city and your ability to\Nmaintain momentum.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.45,0:06:57.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I don't think it would work in the maze-like\Nand fractured City of Glass, because you'd
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.75,0:07:05.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spend the entire time simply following that\Nwispy red line, or just falling to your death.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.06,0:07:09.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One thing that does work well is the way that\Nplayers can make their own time trials, using
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.45,0:07:13.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,any route through the City of Glass. That\Nwouldn't really work in a linear game, like
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.87,0:07:17.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the first Mirror's Edge, where all the best\Nbits have already been turned into races.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.62,0:07:21.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But would it be naughty to say that Burnout\NParadise did it better by just putting leaderboards
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.69,0:07:25.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on every road so you're passively competing\Nwith other players and it makes you always
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.93,0:07:30.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,want to race fast, take risks, and become\Na better driver?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.25,0:07:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or how the collectibles in Burnout were only\Never about smashing through gates and billboards
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.29,0:07:40.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as you drive and not stopping dead in your\Ntracks to open up a fuse box. And how mission
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.78,0:07:46.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,givers don't just stand around like zombies\Nbut rocket past you and goad you into giving chase?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.92,0:07:55.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, back to Catalyst. There is one more mission\Ntype that actually does take advantage of
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.13,0:08:01.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the open world. These security hub side quests\Nsee you beating up a bunch of guards, smashing
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.56,0:08:04.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up a tower, and then running away from a helicopter.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.90,0:08:10.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, like the stunt run events in Burnout,\Nyou can just run in any direction, sprinting
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.02,0:08:15.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this way or that and taking any route you\Ncan to maintain enough momentum to outrun
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.14,0:08:20.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the chopper. There is no predetermined\Npath and no specific direction, and any small
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.09,0:08:24.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,understanding you have of the City of Glass\Nwill help you avoid dead ends and drops.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.39,0:08:31.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, sadly, the best way to finish those missions\Nis to just follow the red line which automatically
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.14,0:08:35.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,routes you to the nearest safe house, where\Nthe chase is immediately called off.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.81,0:08:37.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So close!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.19,0:08:42.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Stuff like this shows that a Mirror's Edge\Ngame could utilise an open world. The mechanics
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.31,0:08:47.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are not incompatible with free roaming and,\Nin fact, an open play space could lead to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.18,0:08:53.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,another style of mission to play. To compliment the\Nlinear and puzzle-like missions.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.83,0:08:59.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But many unfortunate choices - like the weird\Nlayout, the reliance on Runner's Vision, the
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.02,0:09:04.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,short-sighted side quests, and the main missions\Nbeing off in their own locations - all mean
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.57,0:09:09.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that this open world just doesn't quite work.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.09,0:09:15.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In an interview, design director Erik Odeldahl\Nsaid "I'm 100 percent sure that other teams
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.69,0:09:21.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,within DICE, and other EA studios will learn\Nand look at what we've done and probably use
Dialogue: 0,0:09:21.27,0:09:25.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it in some way, especially when it comes to\Nthese big, big worlds".
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.90,0:09:30.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which should worry me. But seeing as how EA\Nseem to have completely forgotten all the
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.63,0:09:35.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,clever stuff they achieved in one of the best\Nopen world games they ever made, I don't think
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.42,0:09:38.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their memory is all that great.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.46,0:09:45.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching! Lemme know your thoughts\Non Mirror's Edge in the comments below. I
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.93,0:09:49.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually do like the game quite a bit, even\Nif the open world was fumbled.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.66,0:09:54.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, a quick note to say thanks for all the\Nkind words on Boss Keys, which is my spin-off
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.38,0:09:59.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,show about dungeon design in Zelda. I wasn't\Nsure how that would be received, so I'm relieved
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.94,0:10:03.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you like it. Link's Awakening is up next,\Nas requested!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.79,0:10:08.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Finally, Game Maker's Toolkit is made possible\Nby everyone who donates on Patreon, but a
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.39,0:10:11.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,special shout out to these top-tier supporters.