There is something in the world of video games called the YELLOW PAINT. It is a term for a process where developers put it in as a clue. If you ever get lost or don’t know where to go, then you can find the yellow paint that will guide you to the next area. Is it good or is it bad? That’s an answer that we need to dive into.
When did the yellow paint start?
It’s a bit unclear when this trend started. Recent titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Resident Evil 4 Remake had these very visible. They are not the only titles to have them, but being the more popular ones, they are definitely under the spotlight. Yellow paint is usually put on ladders, walls, and specific areas.
Yellow paint back then
While yellow paint wasn’t the norm back then, there were different methods where the game could instruct you on where to go or what to do. Clues are always there in the games, like when you’re doing a quest; you just read the quest, and it will tell you what to do.
Since we mentioned FF 7 Rebirth, in the original game, there are arrow markers telling you which areas are accessible. You did have the option to turn them off, but they can still help players where to go and maybe even what to do.
Other games also had other means of giving players instructions. Just like in Donkey Kong Country, there’s a literal arrow telling you where to go. If that ain’t telling, then we don’t know what is, plus it’s not really yellow paint, maybe the earliest versions.
The obvious areas to look for
While it’s not yellow paint, there are those areas in any game where it is an obvious secret area. Just like those walls in Zelda, you just want to try and place a bomb and see if an entrance shows up to a secret area. These locations are very obvious, and they may not tell players where to go, but it sparks anyone’s mind to just start trying to find a way to these locations.
Is the yellow paint good or bad?
The reception is always just based on the player, which is why yellow paint can be good or bad, depending on the player. It’s good for people who don’t have the patience to try and find the way. Let’s keep in mind that games nowadays are getting better in a lot of fields. Back then, you could just read walls of text. Nowadays, cutscenes with voice acting can be good and pleasant to listen to. Some people just don’t have the time today to look and find the way to the next area.
Perhaps it could be optional because some people do like a challenge. Then, there are those games where they just flat-out tell you where to go with quest trackers. This is prominent in MMOs and even single-player games that have area markers on where to go. If it bothers you, then you just have to deal with it, but most people don’t have a problem with it.