Are you sick of fantasy-based role-playing games?

[Snaggly Pete]

I am. I love RPGs and the whole idea of developing and improving a character over time, but why must they always (or nearly always) be centered around wizards, elves, dragons, etc? I guess the short answer is because that's what sells. Still, it bugs me. There are countless fictional works as well as historical events that could provide compelling material for an RPG, yet developers invariably turn to fantasy settings. Your thoughts?

By the way, sorry if this question has been asked time and time again--I was too lazy to do a search plus I like to hear myself type.

 

[Snaggly Pete]

Not to sound like an idiot, but how come I can't see my poll anymore, nor the results? Have I somehow been banned because my poll was so lame?

 

[AngryMan]

I agree that the ones set in the present day or future are relatively uncommon next to their fantasy-setting kin, but I wouldn't say I'm sick of the Fantasy ones. I've got NwN2: Mask of the Betrayer on my desk here, waiting for me to install it once I'm done with this semester's university assignments, for example. Just because something is somewhat more common, doesn't necessarily make it tiresome or bad.

With titles out there like Fallout, Deus Ex, Mass Effect and KoToR, I think that sci-fi based RPGs more than stand up for themselves. Hell, most of the Final Fantasy games count as sci-fi, what with all the airships and what have you. Either that or steampunk, which is almost as awesome.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

I tend to like a more modern or quasi-future RPG than either fantasy or sci-fi. Give me something like Bloodlines over dragons or spaceships any day.

- J

 

[sammyfreak]

I like original and great settings, unfortunately DUngeons and Dragons settings arent orignal or great. But never-the-less i still enjoy a good fantasy setting, se Jade Empire or FFXII.

 

[Saskwach]

I don't mind fantasy, but I can get sick of high fantasy sometimes. So we all agree that Tolkien did some great things with fantasy (well I don't but moving on...). Stop fellating him and do something new. I will make love to the first good RPG developer who signs China Mieville's Bas Lag setting.

 

[Frybird]

Although i HATE Japanese RPGs, i will give "The World ends with you" for the DS a try, just because of that. A unique Setting that is not Fantasy in a classic Sense.

While i like good classic Fantasy ONCE IN A WHILE, most of the time it is just something that i don't find that interesting. And even the Final Fantasy Settings don't do it for me (the theme and style of Final Fantasy 7 was kinda compelling, but the rest...)

..I also usually just see the end of an RPG if it is Sci-Fi (Mass Effect) or something, well, modern (Bloodlines)

 

[Gig_Complex]

The way I see it is that the common 'fantasy' setting is already thought out and one generally knows what you need to include in order to have a successful 'fantasy' setting. It is similar to EA's sports games, they have the groundwork already built for them so all they have to do is add the extras. However I think there has been a general trend for the upper class of RPGs to lean away from normal fantasy into other areas, as the posters stated above me, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, KOTOR, and even the Final Fantasy series has developed in an opposite direction then normal fantasy.

Now I enjoy fantasy based RPGs, to a degree, I'm not looking for extremely radical changes in the settings as that could back fire in a developer's face and would cause more publishers to shy away from such settings.

 

[Meliz]

Final Fantasy is the last bit of Fantasy that isn't done, done and done to death. Yes, there's almost nothing new in a Final Fantasy but they just mix together various aspects and it's pretty likely you'll find your thing in there.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.57245#432602

If you got the time, read my review for FF CC RoF for the NDS. It reunited me with two long lost friends - handheld gaming and sleep deprivation

 

[Mr Scott]

Nevah!

 

[tino1498]

im not. but that's because im hyped about fable 2

 

[Saskwach]

What else are you gonna base it around? An RPG basedaround Accountants and Politicians?

Just like FPSes can only be set in WW2.

 

[Mr Scott]

Deep space is fantasy for the record. Since we've never been there.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Yeah it's ridiculous, people just love those "cookie cutter" stories I guess, I mean, even Sci-Fi RPGs are the same crap, sure the "races" may be a bit different, but, the only "Sci-Fi" that I think is unique, is Warhammer 40K - I mean, that is the grittiest, most chaotic Sci-Fi setting ever, while other Sci-Fi things are just "lasers, pew pew, boom" - it's like for some reason because it's the future, everything must be "better", even war..

Wait, this is a topic about Fantasy...hehe, sorry about that, here's my view on fantasy.

You can still be "unique" and have those "Fantasy elements" like wizards and dragons, you don't have to revamp or redo everything, you can still have the same settings, and be unique, but man, it's like Fantasy and Sci-Fi's majority of..well..anything (except books I guess) is just "cookie cutter" versions of itself.

 

[squirrelman42]

RPG's were born in fantasy, so it's to be expected that the majority of RPG's are set there. Also a lot of RPG's implement magic, which you need a fantasy or a fantasy hybrid setting to do that. I don't mind seeing scifi RPG's or modern RPG's. My favorite setting is probably steampunk but there's still nothing like magic when you need supernatural abilities that don't need scientific explanations.

 

[Necrohydra]

RPG's were born in fantasy, so it's to be expected that the majority of RPG's are set there. Also a lot of RPG's implement magic, which you need a fantasy or a fantasy hybrid setting to do that. I don't mind seeing scifi RPG's or modern RPG's. My favorite setting is probably steampunk but there's still nothing like magic when you need supernatural abilities that don't need scientific explanations.

Best way to explain away any plot hole, inconsistency in the game world, or other sheer phenomenon?

"It's MAGIC!" Or "a wizard did it," take your pick.

Anyways, I do like classical fantasy setting things, so no, I'm not sick of the genre. Not that I won't pick up a sci-fi setting or something else of the like, it's just where my likes are centered on. However, that's not to say I enjoy getting the same "cookie-cutter" game every single time. Fantasy pretty much indicates you can do whatever your mind can come up with...so why should we keep coming back to the same conventions? Why not replace the standard "elves" with a people made up entirely of vines? It's fantasy, it doesn't have to make logical sense.

Of course, there's the whole issue with companies taking risks on new IP's, but that's another story.