# How do you feel about games where ammo is scarce?



## AngelClare (Jul 10, 2012)

I hate that. It's more frustrating than challenging. I'm playing Bioshock Infinite. I played it on normal at first and finished it. Amazing game. Now I'm playing on 1999 mode (harder than hard) and I find that running out of ammo is a pain. There are situations where I just don't have enough ammo (and vigors) to clear the area. 

Why don't games do what Rage did?

1. You have access to all the guns in your inventory
2. You find money not ammo. You use the money to buy the ammo you want.


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## CrimsonTrigger (Jun 28, 2011)

I like them. I like it when games really make you think and plan your moves so you can get through it without any problems. It's why I like the Resident Evil games so much, though to be honest, if you know what you're doing, you'll find that ammo is a lot more plentiful than people think it is, so its never been a problem for me. 

But if it's a game that just throws waves of baddies at you and doesn't give you any ammo to prepare yourself, then I think that's bad game design. Gameplay mechanics need to balance with the overall design of the game. I don't think you could make just any game with guns and make ammo limited for no reason.


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## AngelClare (Jul 10, 2012)

CrimsonTrigger said:


> I like them. I like it when games really make you think and plan your moves so you can get through it without any problems.


That's great but how can you plan ahead when you don't know the kind and number of enemies that you will encounter? And you don't know how many ammo and health packs you will encounter.

I'm grumbling about this because these game design patterns take forever to change.

Found a cool flamethrower, Yay!...I can only carry two weapons...I have to choose between a very useful sniper rifle and a cool weapon I'd like to use...and I have very little ammo for the flamethrower...Of course I'll just keep the sniper rifle.

Game after game after game, same thing; cool weapons you can't really use.


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## CrimsonTrigger (Jun 28, 2011)

AngelClare said:


> That's great but how can you plan ahead when you don't know the kind and number of enemies that you will encounter? And you don't know how many ammo and health packs you will encounter.


Trial and error. That's the only way you can play a game like that. To be real, every Resident Evil game I played turned me off in the beginning because I had no idea what to do. I was sure I was going to hate this series. But once I learned the proper routes to take and I memorized where ammo and health was, suddenly the games were easier to play and more fun as a result.

I also don't know what's up with modern shooters limiting your weapon choices like that. I never had that problem when I played shooters on the 64, gamecube and ps2.


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## ShineGreymon (May 30, 2013)

it is very annoying. or when theres no good guns for ages makes me upset..


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## Joe (May 18, 2010)

I really like it, especially on games like Resi4. It makes you think more, Alan Wake has just one point where you run out of ammo but it forces you to change the way you play, although because I try to conserve ammo usually I have so much I can't take any more.


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## Luna Sea (Apr 4, 2012)

I'm not a fan. Especially in games where there's no viable alternative. If melee is actually a usable skill I don't mind much, but if you're just ****ed when you run out of ammo it sucks.

I liked how Uncharted did it, with plenty of ammo for boring weapons and a few shots with cool ones, and ammo not really being a problem until the higher difficulties.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I think Dead Spade did it well with TK. Shove your enemies limbs(or random crap) in your enemies. 

Resident Evil didn't do it so well though. That damn knife wouldn't cut butter, and you felt like a 500 pound guy trying to fend off another 500 pound guy coming at you. It was way too clunky.

System shock 2 did it right by giving you a wrench from the start. 

Overall i enjoy scarce ammo but it depends on the alternative they give you.


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## graymatter (Mar 31, 2011)

It's good and bad.

GOOD: Survival Horror. Monsters are even scarier when you know you don't have the ammo to kill them all.

BAD: Action/adventure. Forcing you to stop every 30 seconds to break open crates for a measly 5 pistol rounds is an annoyance, and detracts from the excitement.


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## TheExplosionist (Apr 13, 2009)

I can't stand them.

I prefer good old fashioned Quake/Doom style run & gun over whatever the kids are playing on consoles these days.


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## TrueAstralKnight (Jun 23, 2012)

graymatter said:


> It's good and bad.
> 
> GOOD: Survival Horror. Monsters are even scarier when you know you don't have the ammo to kill them all.
> 
> BAD: Action/adventure. Forcing you to stop every 30 seconds to break open crates for a measly 5 pistol rounds is an annoyance, and detracts from the excitement.


I agree with this. With survival horror, scarce ammo is part of the atmosphere that piles on tension. The early RE games had great tension with the typewriter ribbons limiting the players saves. With action/adventure games, scarce ammo can be annoying since it breaks the flow of the game.

On a side note, I hated having all the vigors but only two guns. I never used half of the vigors (Undertow, Charge, looking at you two.)


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## Big Game Theory (Jun 16, 2013)

I hate it. I never finish those types of games unless they are unbelievably good. But the again, I don't like difficult games to begin with. I play games to sit back, relax, and enjoy myself... not to work. I like getting immersed in the world and I like being bada** in games.

Each game is different. But I like my games like I like my food. I don't want challenging INSANE hot wings for dinner. I want something that enjoyable to eat.

Some people are different. Some people love the challenge. Hey, good for them. I'll take the story and immersion, thank you.


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## Cheesecake (Feb 2, 2007)

It depends on the game. 1999 mode is for people who want that type of challenge. It's probably not for you.

In survival horror games, it adds to the tension. Having to worry about conserving ammo and all that.


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