What can change the nature of Role-Playing Games?

[Fappy]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

 

[ResonanceSD]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Because nothing in DA:O had ever been done before.

 

[Fappy]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Because nothing in DA:O had ever been done before.

I never said Bioware exclusively, that's why I said "thanks to companies like Bioware". I was thinking more of Mass Effect than Dragon Age anyway. Many critics believe Mass Effect was the most significant step forward in the RPG genre of the last decade.

 

[Axeli]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Choice-playing, not role-playing.

If it were actually role playing, I could design at least the personality of my character beforehand. But alas, you can't do that, because you can only choose from the 2-4 different personality options that get repeated over and over in many dialogues. Usually you have to be happy if those options are at least consistent, so that a deadpan snarker character doesn't suddenly run out of sarcastic remarks half-way into the game.

 

[Fappy]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Choice-playing, not role-playing.

If it were actually role playing, I could design at least the personality of my character beforehand. But alas, you can't do that, because you can only choose from the 2-4 different personality options that get repeated over and over in many dialogues. Usually you have to be happy if those options are at least consistent, so that a deadpan snarker character doesn't suddenly run out of sarcastic remarks half-way into the game.

Well so far that's about as good as the gaming industry can deliver unless you happen to be playing an MMO on an RP server.

 

[Axeli]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Choice-playing, not role-playing.

If it were actually role playing, I could design at least the personality of my character beforehand. But alas, you can't do that, because you can only choose from the 2-4 different personality options that get repeated over and over in many dialogues. Usually you have to be happy if those options are at least consistent, so that a deadpan snarker character doesn't suddenly run out of sarcastic remarks half-way into the game.

Well so far that's about as good as the gaming industry can deliver unless you happen to be playing an MMO on an RP server.

Doesn't change the fact that these games are much, much closer to a make-your-own-adventure (one that doesn't allow you to really change the adventure that much mind you) than any real role playing.

I don't see why insist on defining the genre by something that the genre will inevitably fail to achive in any foreseeable future.

 

[Fappy]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Choice-playing, not role-playing.

If it were actually role playing, I could design at least the personality of my character beforehand. But alas, you can't do that, because you can only choose from the 2-4 different personality options that get repeated over and over in many dialogues. Usually you have to be happy if those options are at least consistent, so that a deadpan snarker character doesn't suddenly run out of sarcastic remarks half-way into the game.

Well so far that's about as good as the gaming industry can deliver unless you happen to be playing an MMO on an RP server.

Doesn't change the fact that these games are much, much closer to a make-your-own-adventure (one that doesn't allow you to really change the adventure that much mind you) than any real role playing.

I don't see why insist on defining the genre by something that the genre will inevitably fail to achive in any foreseeable future.

It seems to be what people want, however, it appears the challenge is balancing open ended character exploration and good story telling. So I suppose I agree with your point. The genre itself was never well defined... so people associate it with stats and game play mechanics while others believe it has everything to do with the traditional definition of "role playing".

 

[Jaebird]

I don't think RPG's should follow a specific formula, based solely on the fact that everyone will have their own favorite sub-genre. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

I for one favor the linear story over multiple choice. I don't mind doing a side-quest here and there, as long as it will either help progress the story in some form or improve my party to take on more difficult challenges. Having to stop every five minutes in between gameplay for asinine conversations is just distracting.*

*Yes, I'm bias against Bioware. Other than Mass Effect's shooter aspect, they haven't done anything else. They all play the same, in my opinion.

 

[StriderShinryu]

While on the topic of love in RPGs, I'd have to belive that it won't be appearing much in them, and even if they do feature it it isn't going to be that well developed or engaging (I have not played Dragon Age: Origins, so I wouldn't know anything about the level of NPC interaction in the game) because there is not really much of a demand for it. Right now gamers want to see more blood splatter than romantic chemistry in gameplay.
And to address the rest of the large white box hovering over my typed characters: combat is moving away from turn-based fighting.....unless you include FF games which will never truly abandon it's turn-based roots. Moral decisions are an area that I'd rather not get into because while they seem interesting, I'd rather not think about whether I should shoot the random dog or give him a treat (Dogmeat has alot of health)

It's there in DA:O, and it does open up a few more doors than just selecting what "sexy cutscene" you'll see, but it's still not a very full implementation. It is, however, done better and more thoroughly than anything else I can recall playing recently. You're probably right though in saying it's probably pretty low on the priority list of most devs... which is a shame seeing all of the doors it could open.

 

[Contextualizer]

Eye contact and other forms of non-verbal communication detection as metrics for a character's performance.

That's about it.

 

[Axeli]

RPGs are headed in the right direction thanks to companies like Bioware. Adding the element of actual "role playing" as it is defined traditionally and continuing to build on that can only lead to better RPGs in the future.

Choice-playing, not role-playing.

If it were actually role playing, I could design at least the personality of my character beforehand. But alas, you can't do that, because you can only choose from the 2-4 different personality options that get repeated over and over in many dialogues. Usually you have to be happy if those options are at least consistent, so that a deadpan snarker character doesn't suddenly run out of sarcastic remarks half-way into the game.

Well so far that's about as good as the gaming industry can deliver unless you happen to be playing an MMO on an RP server.

Doesn't change the fact that these games are much, much closer to a make-your-own-adventure (one that doesn't allow you to really change the adventure that much mind you) than any real role playing.

I don't see why insist on defining the genre by something that the genre will inevitably fail to achive in any foreseeable future.

It seems to be what people want, however, it appears the challenge is balancing open ended character exploration and good story telling. So I suppose I agree with your point. The genre itself was never well defined... so people associate it with stats and game play mechanics while others believe it has everything to do with the traditional definition of "role playing".

If people want open ended games (ones that actually allow real role playing), they are better be ready to wait a while. And like you hinted, "open ended" is far from synonymous with good story telling. It might open new possibilites for it though, one day, but there's a reason for narrative and direction.

And RPGs is actually a pretty well defined genre, minus the semantic babble about the literal meaning of "role playing game". But as always with categories and definitions, it's easy to push the limits.
In the end it does not matter though. There's no point changing a genre to better fit its definition when the definition existed in the first place only to explain what certain games are about. They are not rules, just rough explanations, and if the genre no longer fits the explanation, it's not the genre that needs to change back.

 

[(whitty name here)]

Online co-op real time RPG has been something I've always wanted and got a (very small) taste of it with Crackdown. Haven't seen another Real time co-op rpg since, but Crackdown 2 is coming hopefully that will help.

 

[Dahni]

I want a new game like Planescape: Torment, where you pretty much never fight. Sadly, in this day and age with budgets as high as they are and focus groups and target demographics and all that malarkey that keeps developers from taking risks anymore means a game like this will never come out.

I enjoy RPGs that are about survival and whatnot. Not so heavily focused on questing and fighting. So pretty much this.

That said, I loved Fallout 3 on the PC with a mod that made it a proper survival game. You had to find clean water, food, etc. It added a new challenge to the game for me, adding to the fun I had. I love playing games like that. Games where you can play for several in-game days in a row without sleeping, eating or eating doesn't feel like Role-Playing to me. I used to play World of Warcraft on Role Playing servers and people would make their characters eat food at appropriate times, drink when they "needed" it, etc even though there was no call for any of those things in the game apart from during fights. I would love to see a game like this where its more of a life-simulator than what Peter Molyneux shat out. I like a certain degree of realism in games. I prefer my characters to be an extension of myself, so having to actually look out for my character beyond button mashing during fights involves me in the game.

I'm a very very very small demographic, I'd imagine, since I do get ridiculed a bit for enjoying proper role-playing. So I doubt this type of game would ever happen.

 

[funksobeefy]

every should play a round of pen and paper before getting online. Teach these kids the roots of all RPGs.

 

[Ham_authority95]

I want a new game like Planescape: Torment, where you pretty much never fight. Sadly, in this day and age with budgets as high as they are and focus groups and target demographics and all that malarkey that keeps developers from taking risks anymore means a game like this will never come out.

Yeah pretty much my idea except when you do go into combat, its smooth and extremely immersive.

And a huge epic story that leaves you humbled after you are done with it....

 

[Axolotl]

A new Deus Ex would be epic.

They're set to release Deus Ex 3 this year. However they're using the aesthetics from Invisible War and have replaced RPG combat with rainbow six combat. Yeah I raged a lot.