Cinematic Gaming Moments...do you share it?

[Grendel]

Whenever I play a game, and I accidentally do a series of super cool moves in a row, I stop, and think...wow, this worked out so awesome, I've gotta show this to somebody! I then go back to my last save point, and try to do the same thing again, or try to see where I can improve the sequence, to make it look more cinematic. I then make sure I keep the save point, and practice the sequence that I worked out to perfection. When my gaming buddies come over, I show it off to them, and they're like...Wow man, I want to play this!

I've done this with numerous games that have some cinematic opportunities in them, if you play them the right way. These games include:

1. Crysis 2 - The Lab Rat level, where I worked out an awesome sequence that shows off all the fun things you can do.

2. Bulletstorm - If you replay the first level with all you abilities...priceless.

3. Just Cause 2 - I've had loads of fun with this game, because the possibilities are endless.

4. Ninja Gaiden 2 - Luckily this game includes a "movie maker", so I can just record my best efforts.

These are just some of the games I've had loads of fun with. Unfortunately I play on X360, so I cannot make "gaming movies", as the PC gamers do. Have you guys also done this, and if so, with which games?

[McDangerous]

I do like to take screenshots of imagery that I find appealing in games (what happened to the screenshot thread that Miktar started ages ago? I loved it!), but I don't find myself ever recording myself playing. When I see guys posting their CoD rounds on YouTube, they always come across as egocentric, and to be honest, even though they may be skilled at the game, it's still just that, a video game. It's not really worth getting all high and mighty about.

I've only ever recorded one sequence of me playing a game, and that was when I wanted to show my gf and my friends the coolest multiplayer map ever created, the Damavand Peak rush map in BF3. The first time I progressed past the second MCOM station as an attacker, and I stood at what seemed to be the end of the map and saw twenty guys and an attack helicopter jumping off of a cliff, it blew my friggin mind. That jump is probably the most visceral experience i've ever had in a game. As you fall you hear the wind rushing past you, you see your teammates swarming the base, bullets, rockets and tubes flying everywhere. It really is breathtaking in every sense of the word.

[Toxxyc]

I used to record my DotA gameplay very, very often. I have a crapload of replays just lying there, and I used them to create DotA videos and all that. Most of my most epic kills are against human opponents, as AI tends to be too predictable and you can easily see the **** coming when they're on the other end. Epic kills are epic. I remember going Rampage with Necrolyte once - and I was alone. Sniper kills, ES stuns/blocks, Enigma ulti's, AA kills at the enemy fountain... Man, good times. I still show off these replays at LAN's and get togethers, and I rewatch them when I want to feel nostalgic.

Other games I've played and replayed (not only for, but this included in the reason) for the cinematic gaming moments will include Dragon Age: Origins, Darksiders: Wrath of War, God of War (all three), Need for Speed: Underground and Need for Speed: Most Wanted and many more. I can't remember them all.

[Squirly]

I did this a lot back in the day and I still find myself doing it occasionally when the game allows it. What's important to me in this case is that it isn't perfectly set up for me and not scripted at all. I suppose that's the point. The first Crysis did a good job of this - there's nothing more satisfying than plowing your hummer straight into a shack, tearing down the walls and the roof in the process, getting out and sprinting out what used to be the back door and dropping a grenade to blow the whole thing up. A quick power-jump onto the nearest (non-destroyed) roof and a couple of shots at the nearest enemy etc.

2 minutes of carefully planned, but ultimately random chaos that was entirely down to you, physics and enemy AI. It's great.

Also Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. This one was a bit more obvious in the set pieces it provided, but the variety of effects when it came to spells and physics allowed you to do some pretty impressive things. Fight an orc and kick him down the stairs into his buddies, cast some ice onto the ground just in front of the door to trip up the next enemy, pick up a box and toss it at the goblins charging at you.

I'm hoping the new Far Cry gives us this as well. The developer made a point of mentioning their philosophy of giving the player a variety of problems, a huge open map and some tools and to then just let him do his thing. I like that philosophy.

[Grendel]

Also Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. This one was a bit more obvious in the set pieces it provided, but the variety of effects when it came to spells and physics allowed you to do some pretty impressive things.

Aaah, Dark Messiah. I had so much fun with that game. I remember one scene where two guys were chasing me, so I ran towards a cliff. Close to the edge was a small ledge to the left, so I ran onto it, turned around, and cast ice. Needless to say, they followed at full speed, slipped on the ice, and went screaming and limbs flailing over the cliff. It was hilarious, and I also saved it to show to my buddies.

[Squirly]

I want a Dark Messiah 2 with the euphoria rag-doll animation system they use in GTA 4 and Max Payne 3. It would be glorious.