A lot of people here seem to think that the RPG genre has gone stale, and they are assuming that you will just be making another clone. I just want to clarify my previous post in light of the responses since.

I too think that the same old thing has been done too many times, and the prospect of getting the uber +10,199,658 sword will not keep me playing. I have no desire to play such a game, much less play it for as long as your company is in business.

In my previous post I said that being able to play the game for that long would be a good thing. I thought it implied that you had found a way to keep the game fresh and interesting for that entire time. Otherwise it would seem to be common sense that no one would want to continue playing for so long, and you wouldn't have asked the question.

I have the all too common dream of creating my own MMORPG, but I know I currently have neither the skills nor the time to make it happen. So I'm working on various arcade clones and board games, waiting for the day when I can make it happen. I the mean time however, I do frequently think about the design of my dream game, and I believe that I have some simple yet effective ideas to make the game continuously interesting.

So I think that perhaps most people who have responded have been burnt a few too many times by RPGs offering revolutionary game play, only for them to turn out to be more clones. I can empathize with that, but at the same time, having my own ideas on how to change things, I have a little more faith that the mold can be broken.

So if you are just making another clone, I agree that I'm not going to want to continue playing it for too long. If you have found a way to keep things fresh and interesting, then I would definately count the long game life as a very good thing.


On a side note, as Wavinator pointed out, gamers have been burnt too many times by empty promises. If you are going to make a promise, back it up with something like a money back guarantee like I suggested in my first post. Otherwise, don't be surprised if no one believes you.

So, essentially you're trying to create a game with infinite replayability... but without the "re" at the beginning.

Personally, if you're trying to max out playability in a game then you should take look at some other games.

1. Collectable trading card games: Basically if its an RPG you're after, you can keep adding new "booster packs" with new items, characters, monsters, levels etc. to keep the players interested.

2. Motherload: Have some kind of falling back thing in play where the player has to start over somewhat in order to continue. In Motherload, the player has to return to the surface to refuel but can keep their equipment and gain some ore, in an RPG you could have the players character die of old-age or something and they get the joy of leveling up a new player while keeping their items and some skills.

3. Ratchet & Clank: Leveling up your weapons, have lots of items and things and make it so players have to level up each one to access their full capabilities... believe me, it's like XP farming but takes exponentially more time and is more enjoyable.


Well... anyway your question is rather moot to me because I generally wait a while and look at a ton of reviews and peek at FAQs and things before I buy a game. It would really depend on the game for me.

But if you were to gather every single replay-enhancing trick ever made and utalize them all into a single game that would theoretically never end but still stay fresh... I might buy it.