What can change the nature of Role-Playing Games?

[Axolotl]

There have been quite a few threads about RPGs here recently and I want to ask the other escapists a question.

What would you like to see the RPG genre do in the future? Where do you want it to go?

Do you want more FPSRPGs like Deus Ex or would you prefer a classic isometric perspective? Do you want tactical combat or would you prefer a simple intuitive system? Turn-Based or real time? Do you want choice and consiquences or do you want more epic storlines? Or do you just want a NetHack style game thats all about the loot/build? How dialogue heavy would you mlike future RPGs?

I'm curious as to what the answers are.

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

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.

 

[Carnagath]

I'd like to see more inspired, challenging, memorable RPG's with slick real-time combat,emphasis on online coop and an awesome story. Basically I want Demon's Souls but with Planescape's dialogue and characters. Yes, that is all.

 

[dreadedcandiru99]

Somebody on one of the other threads posted this the other day: http://insomnia.ac/commentary/on_role-playing_games/

This seems like a pretty good direction to me.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I'd like to see a western game that focussed more on tactical turn based combat and puzzle solving.

 

[Radeonx]

I'd love to see a game that is like Fire Emblem, except with more choices you can make, and set in the future.
I've been thinking about making something like that myself, if I can find the time.

 

[Spectrum_Prez]

I'ld like to see top-down isometric RPGs officially buried and rudely eulogized so I can dance on their grave. At the same time, I would like to see more first person RPGs that focus on realistic interactions with NPCs and the environment. More varied sandbox games with good stories that focus on creating highly detailed and highly interactive worlds that aren't one or two dimensional, but with overlapping and interconnected themes and plots. I would like to see a good FPS/RPG finally made someday, with solid combat but a fully fleshed out RPG background.

More voicing of characters would be nice (like in Mass Effect) even for characters played from a first person perspective. Graphically, I don't think RPGs really need to improve much except as far as developing new engines that can render vast worlds without significant performance hits (most engines nowadays have huge bugs or problems, see Bethesda's or Rockstar's). More meaningful than graphics, however, would be an increased emphasis on thoughtful art design that actively helps to create new game worlds rather than being the product of an unthinking reaction to developer requirements.

Also, I would like to see a game without a clearly morally guided main plot, but with a neutral story and set in a world full of moral opportunities. It would take a brave developer, but how about a game where there is no good and evil dichotomy, just varying conceptions of 'good' that are explained equally well.

Finally, I would like to see a game that explores new XP/levelling systems and a trend away from the grindfests that typify most current gen RPGs. Perhaps a move towards more quest, achievement, or monetary based xp could be feasible.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Love can change the nature of RPGs. Can I leave the maze now?

On topic...I don't care all that much, really. As long as WRPGs can keep their character creation and customization complex and fun and JRPGs can keep their stories and characterization well-crafted and fun (or better, they can start borrowing from each other in greater quantites), and both possess systems of combat, exploration, and economy that are intuitive yet deep, I'll be happy.

 

[sighmoan]

Finally, I would like to see a game that explores new XP/levelling systems and a trend away from the grindfests that typify most current gen RPGs. Perhaps a move towards more quest, achievement, or monetary based xp could be feasible.

This. Many an FPS has moved away from the typical health-point system into something more morphed into the GoW/Halo/CoD-style health regeneration, where the same kind of behaviour is rewarded vs punished, but without the ridiculous side effects of HP and all that follows. Why can't RPGs start to move away from skills, abilities, attribute points etcetera?

 

[Jenova65]

What I definitely DON'T want is FPS/RPG hybrid! I suck at FP perspective and it bears no relevance to the genre, there is no reason for it, so less crazy talk, thanks! ;-)
Keep first person simply for shooters!

 

[Jenova65]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

 

[NeutralDrow]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

They secretly want to LARP, but they want to play video games at the same time.

 

[Jenova65]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

They secretly want to LARP, but they want to play video games at the same time.

You might be onto something there!

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

Also I hope Alpha Protocol does well and ushers in a golden age of RPGs that have settings other than fantasy or sci-fi. You know what I want? An RPG where you play as an Indiana Jones-style adventuring treasure hunter and his band of talented misfits as you go to exotic locales all over the world searching for a treasure of unspeakable power.

 

[Jenova65]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

Also I hope Alpha Protocol does well and ushers in a golden age of RPGs that have settings other than fantasy or sci-fi. You know what I want? An RPG where you play as an Indiana Jones-style adventuring treasure hunter and his band of talented misfits as you go to exotic locales all over the world searching for a treasure of unspeakable power.

But I like gaining experience and levelling up, that is why I play RPGs and not wrestling games or FPS or any of the other genres you might care to mention.
There are enough games and enough genres to keep us all happy, why do non RPG'ers have to constantly point out the futility of experience and skills? Iygwim?

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

Also I hope Alpha Protocol does well and ushers in a golden age of RPGs that have settings other than fantasy or sci-fi. You know what I want? An RPG where you play as an Indiana Jones-style adventuring treasure hunter and his band of talented misfits as you go to exotic locales all over the world searching for a treasure of unspeakable power.

But I like gaining experience and levelling up, that is why I play RPGs and not wrestling games or FPS or any of the other genres you might care to mention.
There are enough games and enough genres to keep us all happy, why do non RPG'ers have to constantly point out the futility of experience and skills? Iygwim?

I'm a huge RPG fan and have been since I was a kid, and I'm not saying they're futile, but myself like a lot of miserable old bastards used to play a lot of pen and paper RPGs in the days before they really existed as videogames, and we enjoyed them not because of the gaining experience and leveling up, but because we were taking part in an interactive story.

 

[NeutralDrow]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

"Nowadays?" That's been the defining trait of video game RPGs since day 1. Hell, it's even a defining trait of some of the less interesting PnP games I've played (and some awesome ones, as well).

 

[Jenova65]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

Also I hope Alpha Protocol does well and ushers in a golden age of RPGs that have settings other than fantasy or sci-fi. You know what I want? An RPG where you play as an Indiana Jones-style adventuring treasure hunter and his band of talented misfits as you go to exotic locales all over the world searching for a treasure of unspeakable power.

But I like gaining experience and levelling up, that is why I play RPGs and not wrestling games or FPS or any of the other genres you might care to mention.
There are enough games and enough genres to keep us all happy, why do non RPG'ers have to constantly point out the futility of experience and skills? Iygwim?

I'm a huge RPG fan and have been since I was a kid, and I'm not saying they're futile, but myself like a lot of miserable old bastards used to play a lot of pen and paper RPGs in the days before they really existed as videogames, and we enjoyed them not because of the gaining experience and leveling up, but because we were taking part in an interactive story.

But Bioware (as a perfect example) give you all that, my ONLY issue with Bioware is they are very fond of either level capping or making it so that there might as well be a level cap, they taunt you with skills you will never get.
I understand what you are saying, but when RPGs moved to the consoles from the notepad, gaining experience and skills and the whole levelling up concept has been a staple for the average Roleplayer!

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

And why do people want to take RPG elements away from RPGs? That's daft, if you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of us who do like it, and if you don't stop trying to spoil our fun maybe we start looking at your games and implying that they need stats to make them better....
OK? OK!

The problem with "RPG elements" is nowadays instead of meaning "a story driven by the choices of the player and their character" it means "getting experience and leveling up".

"Nowadays?" That's been the defining trait of video game RPGs since day 1. Hell, it's even a defining trait of some of the less interesting PnP games I've played (and some awesome ones, as well).

That's the problem with RPGs when made as videogames, that's the only part that truly translates. The choices you have in a videogame RPGs are the ones the developer chose for you to choose from, where you are unable to do anything they didn't already think of. There's no GM running the game who can react to and implement your crazy, inventive, and often brilliantly stupid solutions to the problems you face. No videogame RPG will allow you to do something like a friend of mine thought to do in a game of Rifts: get through a locked, reinforced, high-security gate in the wall of a military complex by kidnapping the dumbest person in the nearby town, giving them a massive dose of hallucinogenic drugs, putting on a robe and fake beard, telling them that you are god and then commanding them to drive a stolen semitruck with a dozen armed missiles poking out of the grille at full speed into the gate. A videogame would just have you steal a key or bribe a guard.

 

[achilleas.k]

Well, to add to the discussion, I think the leveling system in Oblivion sucked. If you're a mage with 100 in skills such as swords and bows and heavy armour and you're still at level 1 because they're secondary skills then something isn't really working out properly is it? I always felt that system was broken that I was relieved when they went back to experience-based leveling in Fallout 3.
So, in this case, dropping experience really broke the system, though maybe it's because they stuck to skills and attributes regardless.
I see where Jenova is coming from though: XP, skills, attributes etc. are characteristics of RPG games, even though they may distract from the "interactive storytelling" portion that Morgan wants to keep (and is rarely achieved). So if you remove those and keep the story you end up with old school adventure games really.

That's the problem with RPGs when made as videogames, that's the only part that truly translates. The choices you have in a videogame RPGs are the ones the developer chose for you to choose from, where you are unable to do anything they didn't already think of. There's no GM running the game who can react to and implement your crazy, inventive, and often brilliantly stupid solutions to the problems you face. No videogame RPG will allow you to do something like a friend of mine thought to do in a game of Rifts: get through a locked, reinforced, high-security gate in the wall of a military complex by kidnapping the dumbest person in the nearby town, giving them a massive dose of hallucinogenic drugs, putting on a robe and fake beard, telling them that you are god and then commanding them to drive a stolen semitruck with a dozen armed missiles poking out of the grille at full speed into the gate. A videogame would just have you steal a key or bribe a guard.

Here's a thought:
Imagine a game that's not really a game but an RPG scripting language with a massive world builder. The GM would require basic programming skills and would control the plot through scripts written on the fly (or prepared beforehand) to cover alternatives. Basically this would be exactly like P&P RPGs only with a graphical world to go with it and perhaps some realtime combat with an automatic rolling system (I can already hear the old-school GMs screaming that the new guys have it easier). The only problem is, how fast can the GM build new places and script new interactions? If it's not too flexible it'll just be like today's story-driven RPGs only slower and if the scripting requires skill and time then the story would be way too slow to be interesting.