Poll: RPG's, why do we, or DON'T we, love them?

[AdeptaSororitas]

Hello there friendly Escapees, your, typically just as, friendly Sister of Battle here.

So, recently I've been pumped for the new Elder Scrolls and Mass Effect 2, both popular and downright Epic RPGs. I have however noticed that while I'm pumped for the equally new Space Marine, it's not quite to the same degree. That was until I heard about the kick ass armor customizer for multiplayer but that's another show. I realized that I love both for their stories and, at my core, I loved that they were good old RPGs. Now it could be the fact that RPGs tend to have better stories, it could be that I grew up loving, but being woefully unable to play, pen and paper RPGs. But personally, I love the freedom, the ability to be who I want, do what I want and all around control someone like I would were I say, an author. I loved Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 3 because of how unique my character could be and what backstory I could make up for um. Sometimes I'd even run through with say, an engineer character who was only ever trained to operate pistols, and I would have so much fun ONLY using a pistol, there were no real statistical advantages, it just seem right.

But enough about me Escapist, tell me what YOU think you like most about RPGs. J, W, C or otherwise, do you love stat building, forging a unique character, exploring, the grind? Let me know. ^^

 

[Mr Thin]

I now think of you as 'the thread lady'. Just so you know.

It's a toss between narrative & creating a character, but if you put a gun to my head, I'd probably go with narrative. I just love me some good story. I'll happily accept railroading if the roller-coaster is epic enough.

And yes, the new Space Marine customisation looks aaaaawesome. It's like the Spore creature creator, I want it more than I want the game itself.

Note: captcha was 'magical realism'. Oh hoh hah hah. Heh. How very witty of you captcha. I see what you did there.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

I now think of you as 'the thread lady'. Just so you know.

It's a toss between narrative & creating a character, but if you put a gun to my head, I'd probably go with narrative. I just love me some good story. I'll happily accept railroading if the roller-coaster is epic enough.

And yes, the new Space Marine customisation looks aaaaawesome. It's like the Spore creature creator, I want it more than I want the game itself.

Note: captcha was 'magical realism'. Oh hoh hah hah. Heh. How very witty of you captcha. I see what you did there.

I-is that good?

And story was this close to being my choice. RPGs just do it best usually. especially the Mass Effect Series, in my opinion at least.

And my captcha? Yes, sir. Um, thanks Mr. Captcha?

 

[Goatmeat]

The best thing an RPG can do for me is give me consequences for my actions, whether they're good or bad. Not necessarily rewards, but just consequences. One of the things I didn't really like about Oblivion was that I was essentially an unlikeable shit in that game, but nobody really batted an eyelid. I straight up murdered people, in broad daylight for no reason whatsoever, fought my way past the guards, paid off my fine and bounty, and all people could tell me afterwards was that I smelled of death due to my high conjuration skill.

Even though I didn't complete it, I think that Alpha Protocol was a great game for that. For all its flaws, Alpha Protocol did some pretty awesome stuff as far as choice & consequence goes. There are loads of games that promise to give choices, but there aren't many where you feel that that choice had any real meaning down the line.

I like character building and statty stuff as well. Especially if those stats have a noticeable impact on the character's story, but then again that goes back to the consequence thing.

 

[Mr Thin]

I-is that good?

Sort of. It's like the forum equivalent of cat lady; not bad or good, just kind of quirky. You no longer have a name; to me, you are just 'thread lady'.

 

[Feriluce]

I do enjoy me some rocket propelled grenades.

 

[CthulhuMessiah]

I posted this in the wrong topic :/

 

[Da Orky Man]

I-is that good?

Sort of. It's like the forum equivalent of cat lady; not bad or good, just kind of quirky. You no longer have a name; to me, you are just 'thread lady'.

It sounds more affectionate than anything else.

I would have to say seeing the world. I love exploring the world, be it far-off planets in Mass Effect, some decrepit dungeon in Oblivion, or at least soon, a Forge-world under attack.

 

[PureIrony]

While I do like the narrative(most of the time), my favorite aspect of RPGs is always when I'm planning out my character: I decide in advance what class I'll be, check out what kind of options I have leveling-wise, finding specific sets of armor, devising a party with all the necessary roles filled, etc.

I also like roleplaying in games that'll facilitate it: deciding on what kind of character they are and then making choices based on that. Its just pure escapism for me.

 

[Swny Nerdgasm]

i play RPG's (western only I hate JRPG's with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns) because I started with pen and paper rpg's and video game rpg's are just a logical outgrowth

 

[Araksardet]

I think the funnest part of RPGs is seeing a well-realized story unfold at your command, at your pace and in an organic way. It's the ability to be a part of a story and make decisions pertaining to a world and a set of characters you've come to relate to.

At least, that's what good RPGs are like.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

My favorite part of RPGs is breaking them.

For example, I had a 3.5 build for a Drow Sorcerer/Elderich Knight/Dragon Disciple that focuses on Abjuration and Conjuration magic, with elemental effects they are immune to (Fire for red dragons, ice for white dragons, ect). The only problem is low reflex saves, but low level Transmutation spells and Cleric buff spells make up for it.

I enjoy beating the game in ways more than one.

 

[infohippie]

Umm, I can't really choose just one option. It depends a lot on the game - Bioware RPGs I enjoy for the story and interacting with the characters. Bethesda RPGs I enjoy for the massive worlds to explore and secret little spots to find. Some RPGs I enjoy for the combat, although this is usually in conjunction with some other aspect, I don't really enjoy any RPGs solely for the combat.

The Witcher 2 is one of my favourites because I love the story, the characters, the atmosphere and the combat.

 

[KaWaiiTSuKI]

The story is really my favourite aspect.
Sure, it can get a little samey but... it beats the hell out of the millionth "story" about a faceless soldier fighting aliens.

 

[nyysjan]

Good story, interesting npc's and character growth for me.
It's nice when you can build your own character from scratch, but that often leaves the story more hollow as the character is not as tied to it.

But as i can only vote for one, i'll pick the Narrative.

 

[badgersprite]

I think it's because RPGs appeal to my inner child, and the sort of fantasies most of us nerdy types had as kids. They have a lot in common with the imaginary games and adventures I would make up as a little kid when I would run around outside and play with kids in the street or with my cousins. We'd always pretend we were on some kind of epic journey or space adventure, and we'd set up little fortresses and make pretend weapons out of sticks and play characters. Except, of course, RPGs do this a million times better with great writing, quests, level progression, combat mechanics. All the good stuff.

So, to put it bluntly, I think the RPG genre appeals to a lot of the adventures we used to love as kids (although obviously in a far more adult and complex way than running around playing spacemen), by letting us step into those adventures and letting our imaginations loose.

Good stuff.

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

The problem I have always had with RPGs is length. As much as other people might despise linearity in gaming, I love it. I don't have that much time for gaming, and when I do, I only play for a couple of hours. Never more than...say...four at most. So, with that time, I like to have a sense of accomplishment and progression. Good RPGs like Chrono Trigger do this well, but games like Fable? I never know if I'm actually doing anything important or if I'm even making any progress in the story.

Also, the constant comparison of numbers and stats make me feel like I'm dealing with an Excell spreadsheet more than a game. (An exaggeration, of course, but I hope you know what I mean.)

 

[ChupathingyX]

Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 3 because of how unique my character could be and what backstory I could make up for um.

I don't know, to me personally it felt like Fallout 3 didn't really give you any choice about your history, you practically live through your history and the way it is presented is bad.

*You are born to Catherine and James.
*Butch is your bully who hates you.
*You have to have a love interest with Amata.
*You grew up in Vault 101.
*You were born at the Jefferson Memorial.
*Your father loved you very much.
*Your favourite comic book was Grognak the Barbarian.

Yeah sure you can choose your questions in the GOAT and can approach certain small events in different ways but this doesn't really make much of an effect.

Fallout: New Vegas on the other hand, I agree, because;

*You are a courier who works for the Mojave Express.
*You got shot in the head.

That's all you have, the rest is a clean slate that you're free to fill in, with certain perks such as "Lady Killer", through speech and intelligence checks you can even choose speech options that tell stories of your past.

Also all of those stories that people make up about the courier being an amnesiac are total bull.

OT: What I just said basically sums up what I love and don't love about RPGs:

*When they let us make great choices about our character and events.
*And when they don't, or to a lesser degree.

 

[Zhukov]

I want to like RPGs, I really do. But they don't make it easy for me.

I like good stories, interesting characters and cool settings. However, XP grinding and stat-based combat can go die in a fire.

It probably says a lot that my favourite RPG is ME2, a game that many people criticize as not being sufficiently RPG-ish.