Poll: What RPG plot twists need to die? *possible spoilers in topic*

[TheTygerfire]

It has to be the simulation.

Spoiler: Star Ocean: TTEOT spoiler

When I heard that 90% of the game was revealed to be inside of a video game, I was PISSSSED and never played the game again.

Edit: I should have been more specific, as most of these are RPG conventions.

 

[Danglybits]

I hate "The Invisible Hand of Fate" where by every person a character has ever met is some how related in a very real way to the overall plot or everything is connected in some way. Can't there be events and experiences in the character's life that are significant for their effect on the character and not because they're directly related to the plot? The things I'm talking about are events/people that appear earlier in the story and then are brought up again and what originally didn't have connections to the main conflict or plot are given some. This usually happens in the 3rd or 4th installment of the series when the creators are clearly running out of ideas.

"I wasn't really dead!" This one might fall under retconning but I really hate reviving characters to tie up plot when their death was originally 1. intended to be final 2. a compelling and interesting part of the story 3. added weight to the story by leaving things unfinished and unresolved. I hate it when things tie up in a neat little package if writers go out of their way to make it so. It feels forced.

 

[WittyName]

FFX - It was all a dream? WHAT THE HELL???

 

[Baby Tea]

Bad guy is father.
So annoying.

 

[Overlord_Dave]

Amnesia pisses me off. It's the easiest, cheapest and least original way to start a story.

Lame. To the max.

 

[Vlane]

I hate it when it is revealed that one guy that helped out through the entire game is the bad guy. I mean who doesn't see that coming? I actually point at characters in the game and yell at the screen that he is a bad guy and the character I play is not smart enough to notice it.

And something about the "This is a virtual world thing". Sometimes this can make great plots. If you have played the DDS games you probably know what I mean.

 

[Argentavis]

"You accomplished impossible tasks. You did everything that was expected from you, and more. You are a hero to this world, a legend! Oh, but your girlfriend dies anyway"

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Oooh all of them. I haven't noticed Amnesia / dream / virtual world lately but that's just SO lazy.

If you're going to have a villain start off on your side make themw ell characterised and likeable to begin with so we begin to trust them and it makes mroe of a shock when they betray is.

 

[Snor]

not something that is stupid or anything but how come we are always just a humble farmer/prisoner/blue haired manwoman without fighting skills until some nut tells us that we are the one, and then we save the world of total obliteration while the real heroes die...

the "omg character change he really is the bad guy" moment is always so cheesy although not encountered in good rpg's that often

 

[Skruff]

I hate the "Your brother/sister/father/best friend is the ultimate evil villain who you have to take down" plot

 

[Nova Tendril]

Amnesia can be annoying but sometimes it can be used well. STALKER featured amnesia and had a fairly interesting story.

What I hate is the party member who turns into a villain twist. It is way to predictable. Plus sometimes they make it blatantly obvious that they are evil in trailers. So when you play through the game you always hate this character because you know that at some point they are going to ruin everything for your party. Then you yell at the other characters because they trust this guy like a bunch of idiots.

People in RPGs seem to be extremely gullible.

 

[Minjoltr]

King's long lost son. Everyone's the King's long lost son or knows the King's long lost son. You can't move for lost sons sometimes.

 

[Sir Ollie]

I hate it when the most likeable character in your party betrays you

DAMN YOU SIALEEDS! (even though you were crap at least you had the Twilight Rune)

 

[Halokon]

Amnesia does my head in, for the fact that most writers think it's an awesome way to start you off, given that, for the most part, people go into the game with no knowledge of the game world either.

However, I would have to add that, for me, Lost Odyssey's amnesia was a little more forgivable because of the text story "dreams", and if it wasn't for the fact that every other story in the game was lackluster and the gameplay was pretty dire, who knows, maybe I would have let it off for employing a crap writing technique.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Amnesia pisses me off. It's the easiest, cheapest and least original way to start a story.

Lame. To the max.

Spoiler: I dunno, it was done well in...

KotOR

 

[bindox]

The whole amnesia thing is so far off base as far as medical possibility goes. It's tired, let it die.

All of the poll plots could be done away with though.

 

[PeterDawson]

Dreams are my pick from the list. Amnesia is a fine plot device, if overused, especially since it creates a sense of mystery. I was never a fan of "all a dream" scenarios as most of the time they are just real but then it turns out it means nothing. A decent dream sequence needs to be freaking electric! Lets see birds replaced with flying hands! Virtual worlds can work in situations like Assassin's Creed so I'll let it slide.

As for obvious villains, my complaint is the freaking manual giving it away. My pick for decent example goes to Megaman X: Command Mission. Within the first 20 minutes your supposed initial first party member turns traitor, and the manual doesn't even detail his abilities to make it seem like he, you know, might be a good guy. His name also doesn't help. If you're going to make a party member turn evil, at least develop them properly.

Oh, and my pick for one that should be on the list goes to useless status ailment spells. Single-target status-ailment only spells are freaking useless more often than not, so either have them deal damage as well or be area of effect.

 

[Brainbomb]

Amnesia pisses me off. It's the easiest, cheapest and least original way to start a story.

Lame. To the max.

Spoiler: I dunno, it was done well in...

KotOR

True, but you didn't know until near the end. That is RARELY done and made it INCREDIBLY effective.

 

[Vlane]

Amnesia pisses me off. It's the easiest, cheapest and least original way to start a story.

Lame. To the max.

Baten Kaitos. It's not always lame.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Amnesia has been way overdone and should probably be avoided for awhile.

Same with "You are/were the chosen one!" and "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!" they are both WAY overused.

and my hatred of the "It was all a dream" knows no bounds. I don't mind the artificial world though, as long as the events that happened there still matter (Like Assassins Creed or Digital Devil Saga 1).