What do you look for in an RPG?
Author
Well, I think the title says it all... what do you think makes a good RPG?
Me and my friends are forming a small, indepentant company called Twilight Interactive and as our first project we are doing a small, SNES style RPG. Our tools are in the process of being completed, and outlook on the game in general is good, all except for one problem... we don't have any story AT ALL! (how's that for a switch?)
This is where we need your help. We are looking for any suggestions you might have that you think would make an RPG good. What type of setting do you prefer? Any particular taste in heros or villans? Is there somthing about Final Fantasy's battles that you absolutely hate? Or do you think a Zelda style system would work better? Get the idea?
Please post any oppinions, suggestions, comments, nasty rumors, or "you could have won $1,000,000" messages at:
http://pub97.ezboard.com/btwilightinteractive
Please note: This is NOT going to be a proffesionally released game! We plan on releasing the game and the tools FOR FREE over the net! Do not post your ideas if you expect to get paid!
Thanks, and happy gaming!
-----------------------------
Vash the Stampede
"Love & Peace!"
Edited by - Blue*Omega on February 20, 2002 3:04:38 PM
Style. A good RPG needs style, and ofcourse a good story and characters, these are the 3 elements are the main ones I look for in a RPG.
Final Fantasy had style in abundance, things like the Circles of Power, Limit Breaks and Summons just made the game a lot more fun to watch, as well as play.
Humour is also important, the game dosn''t have to be a slapstick comedy, but the occosianly bit of comic relief dosn''t go astray. The almighty Chocobo is a good example of this, as well as the jokes in Fallout (like the wrecked remains of the whale).
Anyway, thats what I look for in an RPG:
Story, Characters, Style.
"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation, Amen"
Final Fantasy had style in abundance, things like the Circles of Power, Limit Breaks and Summons just made the game a lot more fun to watch, as well as play.
Humour is also important, the game dosn''t have to be a slapstick comedy, but the occosianly bit of comic relief dosn''t go astray. The almighty Chocobo is a good example of this, as well as the jokes in Fallout (like the wrecked remains of the whale).
Anyway, thats what I look for in an RPG:
Story, Characters, Style.
"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation, Amen"
I think my all time favorite RPG was Ultima 4. Mainly because of the story (and the main quest was unusal for the genre), but also because you played as if you were really part of the game world.
By the time I was playing for a month I could read the symbolic language that was inscribed all over signs and tombstones in the game. I knew the names of many of the NPC''s and knew where they were located in each town.
No automap told me this, I just knew. Why, because the story in the game brought you back to the same towns and same people over and over again.
Sure many other RPG''s have done this (along with other Ultima titles), but none have ever made such a believable world as Ultima 4.
borngamer
By the time I was playing for a month I could read the symbolic language that was inscribed all over signs and tombstones in the game. I knew the names of many of the NPC''s and knew where they were located in each town.
No automap told me this, I just knew. Why, because the story in the game brought you back to the same towns and same people over and over again.
Sure many other RPG''s have done this (along with other Ultima titles), but none have ever made such a believable world as Ultima 4.
borngamer
Immersion. The sense that you are in the game world, and can interact with
and manipulate that world. And thus, you also have a direct hand in
advancing the story.
This is why I don''t rate many console RPGs. They break the immersion.
Maybe you go to a entirely different mode for combat that has entirely
different rules. Almost certainly you watch the story unroll despite, not
because of, your actions. There''s little interactivity with the gameworld.
They''re o.k. as a movie with annoying combat fillers. But not as RPGs.
(note to console RPG fans: my opinion only.)
and manipulate that world. And thus, you also have a direct hand in
advancing the story.
This is why I don''t rate many console RPGs. They break the immersion.
Maybe you go to a entirely different mode for combat that has entirely
different rules. Almost certainly you watch the story unroll despite, not
because of, your actions. There''s little interactivity with the gameworld.
They''re o.k. as a movie with annoying combat fillers. But not as RPGs.
(note to console RPG fans: my opinion only.)
borngamer: for me, it was how the gameworld evolved from ultima to ultima.
In particular the move from Ultima 6 to 7, which for me was depressing as
hell. Especially coming across Skara Brae the first time.
In particular the move from Ultima 6 to 7, which for me was depressing as
hell. Especially coming across Skara Brae the first time.
My favourite Snes RPG has to be Secret of Mana, it''s a classic.The story is a bit basic : unlikely hero save the world from total destruction.
My favourite part in almost any type of game are the bosses and SoM has a bucketload of them. Sure some of them are the same as earlier bosses but with more HP and a different colour scheme, but they''re still diverse and interesting with plenty of "Oh Shit!" moments to boot. The areas are interesting and diverse, the music''s excellent. The real time combat system is simple but effective, hell it even stars Santa Claus - it has to be good. Even still with all the previous points, the best part of SoM has to be the Co-op. 3 players sitting side by side at the same time. I remember when me and two of my friends had it on emulator. Every morning we used to go round to one of our houses and play it before we had to leave for school, it made us late a few times
We came up with full strategies for the bosses and...... well that''s enough rambling for today. In short SoM is probably the best example of a good Snes RPG. You should look it up.
- DarkIce
My favourite part in almost any type of game are the bosses and SoM has a bucketload of them. Sure some of them are the same as earlier bosses but with more HP and a different colour scheme, but they''re still diverse and interesting with plenty of "Oh Shit!" moments to boot. The areas are interesting and diverse, the music''s excellent. The real time combat system is simple but effective, hell it even stars Santa Claus - it has to be good. Even still with all the previous points, the best part of SoM has to be the Co-op. 3 players sitting side by side at the same time. I remember when me and two of my friends had it on emulator. Every morning we used to go round to one of our houses and play it before we had to leave for school, it made us late a few times
We came up with full strategies for the bosses and...... well that''s enough rambling for today. In short SoM is probably the best example of a good Snes RPG. You should look it up.- DarkIce
Personally, I think Zelda style fighting is far better than Final Fantasy. You don''t just stand there and attack and cast spells. You have to dodge, run and most importantly USE YOUR ENVIRONMENT. You can jump across things, grab and toss things, etc. Granted, I haven''t played the latest Final Fantasy games so things may have changed but from what I''ve seen you merely trade off attacks in a battle system 
. Kind of sucks.
. Kind of sucks.
I have to give Fallout 1 and 2 a vote here.
Combat and game play went hand in hand.
Interaction was one flow. Graphics were simple
yet detailed. Nice violence. Awesome music.
No wonder it got so many awards.
Combat and game play went hand in hand.
Interaction was one flow. Graphics were simple
yet detailed. Nice violence. Awesome music.
No wonder it got so many awards.
Author
Hey everybody! Great comments! This is exactly the type of thing I was looking for ^_^
Keep ''em coming!
-----------------------------
Vash the Stampede
"Love & Peace!"
Keep ''em coming!
-----------------------------
Vash the Stampede
"Love & Peace!"
I''m also o big RPG-fan, especially a Final Fantasy fan.
I think it is really important that you''re able to do many things which aren''t important for the story. It adds a lot to the replay, the longlivety of the game. Things like beating high-scores in the Gold Saucer in FF7 or creating the best chocobos also in FF7 or getting al the game-cards in FF8 or getting many secret items like in most RPG''s are really big fun!
I also agree with this one.
They can because they think they can
I think it is really important that you''re able to do many things which aren''t important for the story. It adds a lot to the replay, the longlivety of the game. Things like beating high-scores in the Gold Saucer in FF7 or creating the best chocobos also in FF7 or getting al the game-cards in FF8 or getting many secret items like in most RPG''s are really big fun!
quote:Immersion. The sense that you are in the game world, and can interact with and manipulate that world.
I also agree with this one.
They can because they think they can
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