RPG Quirk

[Paragon Fury]

while playing Dragon Age the other day, I thought of something: Why is it that almost everytime you go somewhere or to someone for help in an RPG, something bad is going down that has too be solved first, or else they won't help you? Seriously, WTF?! Why can't we just arrive at a town/palace/person's house and find everything is chill and that they'll just help us?

Seriously, do they just have that bad of luck, or does bad crap just wait to happen at these times?

 

[Hiphophippo]

I need the key to Black Tower of Divinity!

"Sure, bro, but before I give you the key you have to go get 10 flowers from the peak of Mt. Jumbalaya."




Wait, what?

 

[Outofideas]

I always like to think every NPC is in contact and they're pulling an elaborate and unfunny prank on you because you're always too much of a sap to turn them down.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Dammit, now all I can think of is exceptions. Like Limelin in Quest 64, or Palmacosta in Tales of Symphonia...

 

[Paragon Fury]

Dammit, now all I can think of is exceptions. Like Limelin in Quest 64, or Palmacosta in Tales of Symphonia...

Palmacosta is the "beach episode" in Tales - it doesn't count. And bad stuff still goes on behind closed doors there anyways.

 

[j0frenzy]

I know precisely why. But unfortunately the dark robots of Scarytown kidnapped my daughter and will kill her if I tell you. If you really want to know, travel to Scarytown and rescue her and I will tell you.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Dammit, now all I can think of is exceptions. Like Limelin in Quest 64, or Palmacosta in Tales of Symphonia...

Palmacosta is the "beach episode" in Tales - it doesn't count. And bad stuff still goes on behind closed doors there anyways.

That's Altamira. I'd forgotten about that.

 

[Crabturtleking]

Dammit, now all I can think of is exceptions. Like Limelin in Quest 64, or Palmacosta in Tales of Symphonia...

Palmacosta is the "beach episode" in Tales - it doesn't count. And bad stuff still goes on behind closed doors there anyways.

I thought Altimira was the beach episode, since that's where you get the swimsuit costumes for everyone.

EDIT- ninja'd

 

[LockandKey]

But sir I already went, and found out that the robots are actually protecting her from you because you're an evil wizard who plans to use her as a sacrifice.

 

[Pimppeter2]

I'd link you to TvTropes, but I'm sure we all have things to do today

 

[Vimbert]

It's to pad out gameplay time, obviously. Lazy programmers.

 

[Bagmun]

while playing Dragon Age the other day, I thought of something: Why is it that almost everytime you go somewhere or to someone for help in an RPG, something bad is going down that has too be solved first, or else they won't help you? Seriously, WTF?! Why can't we just arrive at a town/palace/person's house and find everything is chill and that they'll just help us?

Seriously, do they just have that bad of luck, or does bad crap just wait to happen at these times?

I'd venture a guess that it's much more engaging to encounter an entire wizard tower filled with abominations as opposed to just showing up to a bunch of old guys playing backgammon. Do not question the rpgedness of rpgs, my son.

 

[Alex_P]

It's very simple:

Whenever anyone walks anywhere in RPG Land, there is a chance of a Random Encounter. Most regular citizens of RPG Land could not actually survive a Random Encounter.

Now, these regular people have really mundane tasks they need done -- finding a magical twig, buying a jar of jam from the store, delivering a parcel of love-letters to the sexy widow across the street -- but they stand absolutely motionless, paralyzed by fear, because they know that to do otherwise might attract the dreaded... Random Encounter.

Which is where you come in. You, the mighty hero, have faced Random Encounters and lived, meaning that you have the amazing might and power needed to go deliver some mail or buy jam at the store. When you burst on the scene, everyone tells you what is in their queue of mundane tasks so that you may accomplish them; and, when you are gone, they wait for another, because they know that more Random Encounters always lurk nearby, unseen and unstoppable.

-- Alex

 

[randommaster]

I'd link you to TvTropes, but I'm sure we all have things to do today

No we con't.

Everyone should take a look at Plot Coupon [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlotCoupon] and Fetch Quest [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FetchQuest].

 

[Master Kuja]

I've never quite understood that one myself, I'm playing a fucking evil character, why can't I just threaten the person in question, or threaten to kill his wife and child? I mean, at the very least I'd threaten to add their eyeballs to my human-kebab that I'm having for breakfast.

In short, no, fuck you, I will not do you a favour, I'm meant to be participating in this majorly important plot device to either save the world or blow it up, and people want me to run off to Khazad Dum to fetch something utterly arbitrary for them.

In reflection, I hate RPG developers.