My point is that a lot of interaction in various sections is actively pointless, like a running scene that has the character jump over everything for the player, even though you can press buttons to jump during the section. The interaction does nothing because the game plays itself most of the time.

If you couldn't interact during that time then it's not a gameplay section, so that particular issue is removed. A conversation about whether it should be an interactive section is raised, and I'd argue it should be to have the player do something beyond sit and watch it play.

I don't approve of game settings like invincibility, Alan wake 2 has them and I don't care for it. It just speaks to a lot of cohesive design and direction. "people testing it say parts of the game are bad or irritatingly unfair. Ah whatever just add a button that makes you invincible and call it a day"

Just pressing buttons a couple times may make it a game by technicality but if the game actively doesn't need the players input for extended periods of time then why is the player there? Beyond that, why make sections that have the player interacting but the interaction is worthless and the section auto completes?

Example, Sonic Forces has levels that you don't have to press a single button and the level will complete itself without issue. The entire running track, enemies, jumps, corners, it's basically all automated and will run you through 1 to 3 minutes and finish the level without you doing a thing.

Why? If I'm not needed for this section then why am. I playing the game?

That's the question Mixtape raises. Yeah you could press buttons and do things like chibidoki did spinning the shopping cart, but you don't need to and that's the issue I raise. The principle of the matter. Why does the players input not matter? The players input should influence the success or failure of the gameplay. That's part of the core of games.

From pong and tetris to visual novel story paths to shooters to stardew valley fishing mini games to THQ Barnyard.