> Where Stephen came into this message thread, what he directly replied to was a reply of mine to something Matthew said -- that all gamers are expected to use cheat codes to unlock items that should have been included at the beginning of the game. If I don't want to do that, I should just muddle along with whatever the game actually provides at the beginning. (This conceit is one I find appalling. It is indicative of lazy programming or poor communication between the game designers and the advertising department.)

Lazy programming? I only half agree here. It is not lazy programming to write a storyline that draws a player through 20 scripted levels. It could be consdiered lazy programming to require people to unlock the cars in GT, however, as there's really no reason why the should have to, other than "because we want you to play the game for longer." That's lazy. Half-Life ("because you wouldn't understand what was going on if you could start on any level, and you would find it too easy if you had all the weapons") isn't.

> {various examples}

> Yes. That's why most all copy released to the public by large companies usually goes through a legal department to see if the language used accurately reflects what should be said. "Play through a storyline with 20 levels" indicates that each level is played sequentially. "Features 20 levels" does not. Words have definitions.

This side of the argument I find rather pedantic. The expression "features 20 levels" simply means that the thing has 20 levels. It doesn't mean that they are all available from the start. One of them might even be secret, or only available during a full moon. The game does, however, feature (defn: have, contain) 20 (defn: 20) levels (defn: maps or whatever). RTS games often say "features 30 levels" despite the fact that they are spread over two campaigns, and would require at least two full plays through in order to see them all. It still features 30 levels.

It all comes down to marketing. As I said before, the expression "features 20 levels" is in no way misleading (it makes it through their legal departments for one thing) and it very literally accurate. It also sounds better than "features one level and a training mission," which would be Half Life's alternative statement under your system. GT's marketing boasted an obscene amount of cars, correctly as the game code does contain them. The blurb on the back of the boxes has to sell the game, and that's not going to happen if it restricts itself to telling you what you can do at the start.

"Fully interactive installation system! Copy to any location on your hard drive!"
"A variety of beeps and background noise enhance the fully 2D menu system."
"Play one level at a time!"

I'm not trying to be insulting, even though those quotes were. It's simply a fact that a game wants to state that it contains as much as it does. Some boxes do inform you that you'll need to unlock things. "Compete in races to earn rewards"-style things. The box teases. Wow, there are 200 cars? I want them. I want to play this game.

Marketing.

Matthew