Examples of programming/scripting brilliance in modern games?

[futurefields]

What games in the modern era (say since 360/ps3) have you played where you were really impressed by the programming/scripting? And can you give an example of such?

And I'm talking about more than graphics say like you were playing a game made on Unreal Engine 3 but it had something about it that no other UE3 engine game has that made you think whoever programmed that game must have been a genius.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Fallout 4 has some nifty scripted boss fights, which is new for the modern series.

Like when you first put on power armor and . . .

Spoiler

a Deathclaw appears. Even in PA with a minigun it's still scary and a bit epic at that stage of the game

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Crysis.

That physics engine is a miracle

 

[Fulle]

I was impressed by what Sony's first party studios were able to do on the PotatoStation 3, that had like no RAM, that stupid Cell processor, and ancient GPU. Games like Uncharted 3, The Last of Us, and God of War 3, looked and played awesome, despite the system they were running on being just awful from a hardware perspective.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Some of those Mario Maker levels look amazing:

http://youtu.be/yD1npgtQJkw

 

[tdawg]

The Last of Us, Uncharted 2, inFamous

 

[Lil Frier]

Can I nominate Halo 4's Forge as the epitome of the OPPOSITE of this thread's aim? They added Forge maps into Halo 4's multiplayer rotation, and they ran like trash. The things were often choppy to an unplayable degree. They then carried some over into Halo 4 games in TMCC, and they were just as bad. It was infuriating having to be thrown into those thing. I haven't tried BtB in Halo 5 (where it's all Forge maps) to see if the Forge maps run better online, but they can't run WORSE!

I also still think that Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis is an awesome example of well-made A.I. It might not be all that technically complex, I can't say when I don't know what it is and how others compare, but what it gives you is something awesome and fairly unique.

 

[purbeast0]

you all can laugh at me, but some of the most genius programming i've seen is in candy crush saga. it's developed so that the majority of rounds are simply not winnable, so it means you will always lose many rounds, and with the limited numbers of turns you have (or you can pay for more turns!), and how they make you come close to beating it even though it's not beatable, is just genius to me.

then the ones that are winnable aren't gimmies either, you can still easily mess them up. these guys sure as hell know what they are doing to roll in the dough though.

 

[Rage187]

the handicapping of the Destiny RNG is pretty brilliant.

All you need is a helmet = don't get helmet
Had GJH = you would get it repeatedly but some people would never get it
Need 320 boots = you would get 4 pairs of 313
Have a bounty to win Crucible games = matchmaking put you in games that can't be won

everything designed to keep you playing.

 

[007ELmO]

you all can laugh at me, but some of the most genius programming i've seen is in candy crush saga. it's developed so that the majority of rounds are simply not winnable, so it means you will always lose many rounds, and with the limited numbers of turns you have (or you can pay for more turns!), and how they make you come close to beating it even though it's not beatable, is just genius to me.

then the ones that are winnable aren't gimmies either, you can still easily mess them up. these guys sure as hell know what they are doing to roll in the dough though.

Getting into NES gaming again lately, I'm learning how simple concepts with a controller that essentially has 2 buttons and no analog movement, can still be fun. It helps me think of ideas in rudimentary VR code.