How do people feel about these, do they loath having to press one button suddenly, or like how it makes the experience more cinematic.

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I am going to include both Cut Scenes and Scripted Events into this answer:

If done right, they can be an enhancement to the story, but once they become the mechanism for delivering the story, then the game suffers. For example, there was a Final Fantasy game a while back, the one where they play Soccer underwater, and the first hours of the game were nothing but cut scenes, I lost interest after a few hours and never picked the game up again.

Bethesda tends to use this mechanism only when it is needed and at critical plot junctions, where it makes sense to have an interruption to the game.

So, for me, Less is More when it comes to cut scenes and scripted events.

I didn't mind the "QTE" button-mash-for-extra-XP thing in Kingdoms of Amalur. Or the "press these certain buttons" pre-QTE limit break attacks in older Final Fantasy games (6-10). Since you didn't really lose anything for doing badly at them, or ignoring them.

Didn't like the surprise QTE's in Final Fantasy XIII-2 boss fights, though. Especially since how well you did in them would effect (apparently) the loot drops and other things.

Haven't really played any other QTE-heavy games.

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As for cutscenes..... well, let's just say that I liked the games Xenogears, and Xenosaga 1-3. Clearly, I don't have a big problem with cutscenes.

Depends on how it's used. In a game like Heavy Rain it's not there simple as a gimmick. Your reactions and ability to whether or not to fail or complete the task at hand has a significant outcome on the story. Also in general the buttons are in some way consistent with the actually action. So if you wrapping a wound you'll have to move the control stick in a circular motion. However when it's just simply button mashing for the sake of button mashing it like in GOW, it better be good.

I dislike the QTE. It allows developers to be lazy. Instead of developing interesting gameplay mechanics, they slap an arbitrary button onto an action, which action is usually one that can never again be repeated. It breaks the fourth wall. Not only does it hamper interesting gameplay and versimilitude, but also good game development practices. When QTEs are used as a crutch -- which is almost always -- the game becomes a disjointed experience, skipping drunkenly amongst actual gameplay, QTEs, and cutscenes, when these three should ideally be as unified as possible.

In other words, they usually affect one's experience of a game for the worse.

Loathe it. Can just about put up with ME2 interrupts, but never in combat. If I wanted to tap buttons at the right time, I would play Guitar Hero, which incidentally was a whole franchise dedicated to prettying up the fact you were pressing buttons at the right time, nothing more.
Exhibit 'A' for the opposition, the last Turok game.

i would not be so bold to say that they are the bane of all gamers, like all things... moderation... blah blah blah.

This

Quick Time Events were the player fails he have to replay the level and watch cutscene again. Generally QTEs that break the flow of the game svcks. QTEs that changes the outcome in the next cutscene or something else in the game are good. Expample of good: Shenmue. Example of Bad: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

You know what I hate about QTE's (thinking specifically about my experiences in FF XIII-2)?

I can either pay attention to the nifty action cutscene going on, or I can keep my attention on the corners of the screen so I don't miss the button prompt popping up out of nowhere. Why bother even making a nifty scene, if you're going to encourage the player to either Not Watch It or Get Lousy Results? (For added fun, have the button prompts pop up in a new place each time, so that the player can't just keep an eye on one place.)

They're far from the worst thing wrong with games today, but I don't like them. I can't properly enjoy a well done cutscene if I have to constantly be on edge to avoid missing the button prompts.

I liked the ones in Mass Effect 2 mainly because it added even more choice in how to handle a situation. Though I think the only games that did it masterfully is the God of War series.

I wouldn't really call the interrupts in ME2 quick-time events. When I think of quick-time events, I think of non-optional "press this sequence of buttons to not die" scenarios.

Games like Resident Evil 4 were actually praised for their QTEs, and they proved that a QTE done right can actually be a fun addition to the game (the knife fight with Krauser is probably one of the most memorable moments of that game). However, it's been getting ridiculous ever since. So many developers are just using QTEs as a substitute for good game design, and they've become a mark of laziness.

There was one in the Battlefield Co-op which I thought was pretty good. You had to disarm a bomb and when you walked up to it you had to press the right buttons to deactivate the bomb, or you exploded (I think, have never failed it).

They don't bother me at all. I won't ask for them to be included, but if they are then it's no big deal.

I've never played a game that uses them. I imagine that I wouldn't like it.

I like them when they're used intelligently. Resident Evil 4, for example, implements quick time events really nicely.

I am strongly against QTE, but in resi evil 4 they were ok.

Apparently there's this crazy over the top game that just came out out on consoles called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura%27s_Wrath, which I've been told is almost non stop over the top QTE action with some normal combat as well. Think God of War, only with the ratio of normal combat versus QTEs switched around, and much more over the top.

I'll be watching a full start to end livestream of it on Sunday, apparently it's only around 5-6 hours long. Should be enjoyable to watch.

What? Povuholo, my favourite mod, why would you go and do that? you will come back with the wrath of Azura himself after putting yourself through that. hmnnn you must be a video game journalist.

I should play RE4 at some point (own it, just haven't gotten around to it). I know the QTEs in Resident Evil 5 were many and ridiculous. Dammit, developers. I want to drink my tea during cutscenes. I've earned that right! Now I have to hover over the keyboard waiting for QTEs, and my tea gets cold.

Ahem. I don't actually play all that many games with QTEs in them, but...I still feel like they cheapen the experience somewhat. They're a gimmick to have players "interacting" with cutscenes I'd probably rather just sit back and watch anyway. All I can think of are some more memorable moments from games like Silent Hill 2...something tells me certain scenes would not be improved by a flashing prompt on the screen telling me "press X to not die not get gored by Pyramid Head."

The thing is though in resi evil 4 and 5 the cutscenes were so bad that the QTEs actually made them ok! and put your tea down you addict!

I'm just going to view it as an over the top long action movie. And since I'm not playing myself I can just enjoy the action without having to focus on button prompts. They promised me the headbutting of planets!


Not usually a fan of QTEs. RE4's were alright. Except that on PC by default it would always show controller prompts instead of keyboard ones, and it even got two of the prompt images switched around. So if you somehow managed to find out which controller button represents which keyboard key, you'd still be doing it wrong sometimes. It makes the PC port of Deus Ex: Invisible War and Saints Row 2 look good. Thank god for modders. /rant

ha ha ha. P.S golden sun is awesome, but not as good as final fantasy! you obviously consider games in the LGS legacy (deus ex, system shock 2 etc )the best games ever made though right?
EDIT: yes i remember your top 5.

I don't mind them if they are like GoW 3. They popped up accordingly on the screen to the button layout.....triangle was on top etc. And the when they popped up they were big.

Sometimes they sorta blended in with what was going on in the game and sometimes I was more interested in the scene, but most of the time GoW3 gave you enough time to handle it and watch.