Death or not Death
Author
In actual RPG there are two trends about death.
In most RPG death is final, you reload and you continue. In others, you die, respawn somewhere and run to grab your corpse and its inventory.
I dont think the reload thing is a good one, for the player doesnt experience the thrill of barely staying alive. On the other hand, the respawn version is like being immortal, even if sometimes you dont get your body because you died in too dangerous a place.
I thought maybe a way of doing it would be for the player to define some archetype of his character, and if he died to allow him to restart another character based upon the archetype. The archetype would slowly evolved and the new character wouldnt be as powerfull as the old one. This way the player would have another view of the death, more final, wich would lead him to better considerates odds in his defavour.
So much to do and so little time...
I think the problem is that characters die too easily sometimes.
When characters die easily and the game implements reloading it is really pissing me off.
You can''t force someone to replay the whole game(or even a scenario - level -) when death awaits a few steps away.
Reloading should take place only when a character is difficult enough to die.I mean when a character can sufficiently defend himself ,run away in possible danger,have a fair amount of resistances to physical attacks and magic.
When a character dies easily the only way is to give the player the ability to save the game.I don''t really agree with saving a game whenever you want but it is much better than replaying the game.
"Respawn" of the character is not recommended cause as you said it gives you partial immortality.
Voodoo4
When characters die easily and the game implements reloading it is really pissing me off.
You can''t force someone to replay the whole game(or even a scenario - level -) when death awaits a few steps away.
Reloading should take place only when a character is difficult enough to die.I mean when a character can sufficiently defend himself ,run away in possible danger,have a fair amount of resistances to physical attacks and magic.
When a character dies easily the only way is to give the player the ability to save the game.I don''t really agree with saving a game whenever you want but it is much better than replaying the game.
"Respawn" of the character is not recommended cause as you said it gives you partial immortality.
Voodoo4
You're right, death does not work correctly in most games.That's because death is not really a threat."Even if you kill me, I'll just load my previous save...".In rogue-like RPGs, you actually lose your character when he dies.However, there are two problems with that :
1.You can keep a copy of your saved game, so...
2.Simple (as opposed to hardcore) players usually don't like that.
But I believe it is stupid that players can just save outside the «enter dungeon name here» and if they lose, just load and try again until, at some point, they start complaining that the game is too difficult.They don't get it that maybe there's another way to finish the quest.
I would like it if my players had to think before they act, calculate their chances, and maybe try to find another way.
What you suggest might fit into my game world where people reincarnate...
hmmmmmm...
This Day All Gods Die
Edited by - runemaster on July 23, 2000 1:50:12 PM
1.You can keep a copy of your saved game, so...
2.Simple (as opposed to hardcore) players usually don't like that.
But I believe it is stupid that players can just save outside the «enter dungeon name here» and if they lose, just load and try again until, at some point, they start complaining that the game is too difficult.They don't get it that maybe there's another way to finish the quest.
I would like it if my players had to think before they act, calculate their chances, and maybe try to find another way.
What you suggest might fit into my game world where people reincarnate...
hmmmmmm...
This Day All Gods Die
Edited by - runemaster on July 23, 2000 1:50:12 PM
Voodoo4, where are you from ?(irrelevant, but it keeps the thread alive 
)
This Day All Gods Die
Edited by - runemaster on July 23, 2000 1:52:52 PM
) This Day All Gods Die
Edited by - runemaster on July 23, 2000 1:52:52 PM
There is a common assumption in this thread. People tend to think of MMORPGs and single player RPGs as the same animal. They aren''t, they couldn''t be more different.
The respawning technique was generally created for multiplayer, and it (kinda) made sense, since multiplayer RPGs were pointless slaughterhouses. Single player death is almost always final and reload, because you can do that in a single player environment. Nothing is gained from applying one to the other.
In all technicality, they are twpo seperate genres. They have entirely different design requirements, and aside from some recurring aesthetic and plot qualities, they have as much in common with eachother as they do with Star Wars: Episode One.
As for using other kinds of death or failure in these games, if it suits the mood you are trying to create, do it. Never just go with the default method because it''s easy.
The respawning technique was generally created for multiplayer, and it (kinda) made sense, since multiplayer RPGs were pointless slaughterhouses. Single player death is almost always final and reload, because you can do that in a single player environment. Nothing is gained from applying one to the other.
In all technicality, they are twpo seperate genres. They have entirely different design requirements, and aside from some recurring aesthetic and plot qualities, they have as much in common with eachother as they do with Star Wars: Episode One.
As for using other kinds of death or failure in these games, if it suits the mood you are trying to create, do it. Never just go with the default method because it''s easy.
quote:Original post by Freakshow
There is a common assumption in this thread. People tend to think of MMORPGs and single player RPGs as the same animal. They aren''t, they couldn''t be more different.
You might want to comment my post (De Mortis) then, because I believe my solution WOULD work for single player AND multiplayer. Though I do agree with you, in single player, there is the problem of keeping the plot preserved, while MMORPG look more like big frag feasts ... I''d just like to point the solutions that exists already in Real Life RPG, like Live Action RPG, or table RPG. Anyway, I have a pretty lenghty post up explaining some of my ideas, so I won''t start again here
youpla :-P
I''ve had a thought about the death scene on Character which i had to make a new thread on due to its difference. Please see "Stock Market RPG Charcters"
I love Game Design and it loves me back.
Our Goal is "Fun"!
I love Game Design and it loves me back.
Our Goal is "Fun"!
quote:Original post by runemaster
Voodoo4, where are you from ?(irrelevant, but it keeps the thread alive
This Day All Gods Die
Edited by - runemaster on July 23, 2000 1:52:52 PM
Alexandroupoli City
Where are you from?
Voodoo4
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