what are some elements of current RPGS that you really dislike? btw: i''m not looking for "lacking storyline and characters", thats an obvious giveaway..

I hate how most rpg''s are pointless repetitive exercises. For instance, consider the gameplay of your average console rpg. The battles require such a small amount of thought (sometimes all you need to do is press one button repeatedly) and yet they take up a huge portion of the time playing. If the key to the game is its story, then the story should take up a lot more time than the tedious battle sequences. Now a lot of computer rpg''s, such as the Fallout series, do a lot of stuff really well, but some rpg''s really involve little actual skill usage.
Look at Diablo 2, the main skills here are intelligent usage of skill points and character attribute points. Other than this, Diablo 2''s main draw is the continuous and tedious process of going through millions of enemies to find that next piece of armor. Granted, the story holds some interest, but after a short period the story doesn''t even factor in for the average gamer (by the third replay in a different difficulty level, the average player is more concerned with finding a stronger player to take him/her past all of the tedious process to advance).
Overall, I feel like rpg''s can present a story well, but the lack of any type of direct control (selecting actions from a menu does not equal direct control) makes it ultimately lose interest. Games like Half-Life allow a player to directly control a single person and use their own skills to advance the game. Rpg''s are about characters that learn skills and use them, not the gamer.
Certainly, there are lots of rpg gamers, I happen to like rpg''s and I even got hooked on Diablo 2 for a little while (until the process became overpoweringly boring as I realized the enemies increase in skill with me and there will always be better weapons and armor that I don''t have), but still, rpg''s need to do some things better to allow a player to be more involved in the world. I hold fallout as a great example of this. The player is usually not just trying to find the next place to go and the next thing to do in order to advance the story in Fallout. They can specifically control many aspects of their characters development, and the battles end up taking on a strategy aspect (usage of time units, what skills to utilize when, the basic programming of party members).

One thing I really dislike is in console RPG''s:

The random battles. I realize games need battles, and I realize you can only have so many scripted battles before your save games become humongous, but there are ways of handling enemy encounters that involve a little more stratagy.

Games like Crono Trigger, you can at least see the enemy. Games like The 7''th Saga, you can see if they are close to you and avoid them. PC RPG''s, although earlier than both of them, you can see them and avoid them easily and will only need to attack when ready.

(Most games that boast 100+ hours of gameplay are really 10 hours of game, 90+ hours of battles you can''t avoid.)

Another thing I dislike is the linearity. True, PC RPG''s are linear, but nowhere near that of console RPG''s. PC RPG''s usually let you go anywhere anytime. If you enter a spot you aren''t ready for, you usually will find out with that first fireball aimed at one of your characters heads. Console RPG''s on the other hand usually give a cheap explanation of why you can''t go somewhere (The boat to our neighboring town only comes once a day, and the day only will end once you solve this quest we have given you).

Next, most console games usually lack stratagy. You usually can''t position your characters around a moster to corner it. Console RPG''s usually consist of bashing the attack button. The most stratagy I''ve found is how to cast which spells in the correct order to take down a big boss. PC RPG''s are a little better at stratagy.

Finally for dislikes, and PC RPG''s do this too, the lack of any attempt at reality. Yes, I realize RPG''s are fantasy, but how can 3 6 ft characters kill a whopping 1000 ft giant? The giant should just be able to step on them. Even if you somehow did manage to pluck your sword into his skin, it probably wouldn''t even penetrate deeply enough to even wound him. (Xenogears got this right imho).

As you can probably tell right now, I prefer PC RPG''s over Console RPG''s, but I do find some flaws in PC RPG''s.

One dimensional NPC''s. Play Might and Magic 6-8 sometime, or even worse, Daggerfall, and you will know what I mean.

In console RPGs, random battles and lack of overall freedom.

My problem with console RPGs these days are the battle elements, and the non-battle elements

The battle is generally easy and pointless. The non-battle is mostly talking to people in towns to make sure you don''t miss stuff. I hate the feeling of dread I get when I walk into a new town and realize I should talk to everyone just because *one* of them *might* have something useful to say.

When you take out those parts there isn''t much game left...

What is missing from single player RPG games, as well as "fantasy" games in general, is ACTUAL FANTASY. *Fanstasy* should be fantastic, not mundane. The old red dragons breathe fire stuff becomes a routine after a while.

I don''t think console RPGs or PC RPG''s have gotten worse - fundamentally they have stayed the same but I''ve gotten older and played more. I never played Planescape:Torment but that at least looks like something different. I''m not asking people to re-invent the wheel over and over but I would really like a sense of wonder and immersion in a game, rather than been-there-done-that. Especially for an RPG. In an action game the action and play control and levels might sell you; in an RPG those things are non-existent or pretty basic, so you need something else.