centipede
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Post by centipede on May 13, 2018 4:08:33 GMT
Did we do something like this already?
Whether it's an action-based or a turn-based RPG, what do you think makes a well-paced, combat balanced game?
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stratogustav
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Post by stratogustav on May 13, 2018 17:55:20 GMT
Actual exploration, and whatever combat mechanic Zelda games use, I mean technically Link is your avatar, you choose the name, then you level up by gaining energy and hearts. If all JRPGs played like Zelda, my life would had been different as I probably would had dedicated a big part of it trying to finish all those long ass games.
Story wise, I would say sex, comedy, slavery, rape, torture, war, extreme fantasy, extreme sci-fi, a mix of everything, are themes the Japanese are very good at. I can't even imagine how many good stories the genre already has.
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dschult3
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Post by dschult3 on May 13, 2018 19:01:25 GMT
You need a story line with an element of surprise. I mean real surprise here, nothing that can be figured out a mile away. When Kefka poisoned the water surrounding Doma in Final Fantasy VI, I was truly shocked at the time. For the love of God, he killed countless children, and he didn't give a damn. I had never seen something so dark in a game prior to that. Then Kefka actually won. He actually destroyed the world...and the game wasn't over yet. Story to me is paramount.
That being said, I also think exploration with a solid game play within that environment is a close second. I hate games where the story takes over and you feel as if you are watching a B movie. The CD games of the early 90s were a perfect example of that. I think the lesson of the FMV era has been learned for the most part, but you still see an element of it every now and again.
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leaon79s
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Post by leaon79s on May 16, 2018 19:19:20 GMT
Engaging combat mechanics, immersive world, riveting story - in that order.
Final Fantasy - Dark Souls - Mass Effect
True for all 3, as widely divergent in styles as RPGs can get.
You want a formula, that's as clear cut precise as you are going to get.
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Post by Imperial Khador on May 16, 2018 21:27:12 GMT
Engaging combat mechanics, immersive world, riveting story - in that order. Final Fantasy - Dark Souls - Mass Effect It is difficult to argue with this, though I don't know that the order matters as much to me. There are so many different kinds of RPGs, even aside from the JRPG and WRPG divide, that it can be hard to call out specific games for the rest of the genre. Something with those three elements though, is bound to be great, and I've definitely had fun with games where only two out of three are covered. |
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scipioafricanus
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Post by scipioafricanus on May 17, 2018 0:10:51 GMT
Engaging combat mechanics, immersive world, riveting story - in that order. Final Fantasy - Dark Souls - Mass Effect True for all 3, as widely divergent in styles as RPGs can get. You want a formula, that's as clear cut precise as you are going to get. I love the story of Mass Effect, but playing through... I can't wait to get to ME2. |
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Post by winnersdontusedrugs on May 17, 2018 0:32:40 GMT
One of the things I like in an RPG is the ability to pursue different builds. I don't necessarily mean choosing different classes at the start of the game, more like being able to make a viable character out of many different combinations of equipment and stat distributions.
Something else I also like to see is movement during combat. Not just being able to move around during turns but also having the environment and positioning matter during fights.
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leaon79s
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Post by leaon79s on May 17, 2018 1:31:08 GMT
Engaging combat mechanics, immersive world, riveting story - in that order. Final Fantasy - Dark Souls - Mass Effect It is difficult to argue with this, though I don't know that the order matters as much to me. There are so many different kinds of RPGs, even aside from the JRPG and WRPG divide, that it can be hard to call out specific games for the rest of the genre. Something with those three elements though, is bound to be great, and I've definitely had fun with games where only two out of three are covered. I believe the ordering is important though, because firstly before anything else there needs to be a proper game, otherwise it might as well be a glorified walking simulator. Early dungeon crawler RPGs had little by way of grandiose world or intricate plotlines afterall. A high profile example I personally like to think of that put world and story presentation ahead of game mechanics was the original/first FF XIII, which although not without its proponents, has seemingly gone down in history as one of the weaker Final Fantasies. Then to illustrate why world building seemingly takes precedence over story, take Dark Souls for example, or otherwise some recognizably great WRPG experience such as from the Elder Scrolls or Fallout series (though admittedly I haven't personally played these latter ones to any great extent) where emphasis is more on the world's presentation itself rather than any particular narrative drama. Contrast this with those that do appear to put story ahead of world building, Xenogears or Saga for example, and more often than not the world emphasizers are going to come out ahead in both mainstream popularity as well as critical acclaim. Heil, even the greater success of Xenoblade over its Saga/Gears predecessors stands as credence and testimonial to this... Personal preferences aside (Xenosaga is my favorite series of all time afterall), the greatest RPGs will of course have high degrees of investment in all 3 as you seem to agree, but the ordering priority stands I believe. |
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leaon79s
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Post by leaon79s on May 24, 2018 19:39:46 GMT
Whether it's an action-based or a turn-based RPG, what do you think makes a well-paced, combat balanced game? I've been thinking on this a bit more. If you're talking specifically about what constitutes a good combat system... These are the main points I could isolate (and sort of articulate): - Customizability - of weaponary, skillsets, as well as the player avatar/character(s) themselves
- Depth - a layered system of tiered mechanics and rewards beyond basic attacks [e.g Regular -> Specials -> Supers/Ultimates, Bonuses for better performance... etc.]
- Creativity - allowance for variations of approach and player epiphany
Sequences of flashy animated spectacles are always nice, although a game that utilizes them but pays poor attention to the earlier points is bound to be a lesser game compared to one that lacks them but does. Feel free to correct me or add to that list if I've overlooked or over-generalised anything... |
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Post by Falcula18 on May 28, 2018 9:42:02 GMT
The story and the world.
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Cervantes
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Post by Cervantes on May 28, 2018 10:22:04 GMT
Want it or not, I think it really comes down to this. I remember that Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean on the Saturn is still one of my favourite RPGs. It really doesn't have anything innovative about it - the combat is completely standard fare, it only has six playable characters, the story has no major surprises or drama, the characters can't be customized besides choosing their weapons/armor (and most of these don't even have any visual difference)... But here's the thing: everything about it is just charming. The story is well written, the characters are all very likeable (including the villains) and the world is interesting. It has some exploration and a few secret areas, but the game is still strictly linear. So I also vote for story and world. Gameplay, exploration, customization and surprises are a plus, but I think this is a genre that is almost entirely defined by how well written the story and characters are. |
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leaon79s
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Post by leaon79s on May 29, 2018 3:40:10 GMT
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centipede
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Post by centipede on Aug 26, 2018 8:46:26 GMT
What if an RPG, turn-based or real time, wouldn't allow you to learn spells, but tied them to one-handed caster weapons which could be dual-wielded? And for warriors wielding a two-handed weapon, instead of a shield, have a weapon mod in the off-hand to give him a new attack skill? Is that a good mechanic, paired with randomly generated drops (like in Diablo)?
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Cervantes
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Post by Cervantes on Aug 26, 2018 11:48:36 GMT
centipede - It sounds like a good mechanic, it could be good given enough variation.
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Post by winnersdontusedrugs on Aug 27, 2018 0:46:06 GMT
Those sound like good ideas, but I would prefer being able to learn spells since that's part of what makes something like a mage unique. Having things tied to the staff you're using is a good idea though. Maybe you could learn spells, but the staff you use decides what element the spell is and changes some properties of the spells.
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