What you would like to see in a game?

[Aemoh87]

I have recently begun the project of creating a video game at my college. It will be a RPG. I have to keep details of it under wraps but I was wondering what GTIP values in a video game or role playing game in general?

One thing we are trying to push is video games as an art form so there will be a vibrant story and multiple art styles at play. So bring on the suggestions. Also if you have references of your ideas (from any kind of game or medium, not just a video game), let me know, what better way to see what you mean by showing me!

[polity4life]

I have wanted to see an RPG where an event is experienced through various points of view but from differing perspectives. The player would have control over multiple, distinct groups of individuals who are all reacting to something but in ways that may cause conflict amongst the other parties. Control of all will not be simultaneous but all parties would be present in the same storyline. For example, the player uses party A to do activity X. At some point, the player then controls party B who must do activity Y. X and Y may have mutually exclusive outcomes so conflict would inevitably arise between A and B, forcing the player to choose which party he will use to continue the story.

Just a thought.

[Mewtarthio]

Well, what is it you want to make? That's the important thing here.

No, I'm serious. I have a lot of things that I'd like to see in a videogame, but I certainly don't want to see them all in the same one. I'd like to see a complex story with branching outcomes. I'd like to see episodic content done well. I don't think it's possible to do episodic content and branching outcomes.

I want freedom to explore, whether is be a Bethesda-style open world or a Metroidvania-style world where new powerups give access to new areas. I want a tightly focused, fast-paced narrative. I don't want a game to try both (by, for example, giving me a huge map where I can wander around, but the only thing I can really do is go from plot point A to plot point B; that's the worst of both worlds).

I know you've said you have to keep details under wraps, but if I don't even have a teaser to go on, I'm not sure how much help I can be.

[factotum]

One thing I like to see: no scaling of enemies to your level (assuming you have the concept of levels in your RPG). If a monster is too hard there should be other things to do that will allow you to level up and face them without necessarily grinding...

[dromer]

I have recently begun the project of creating a video game at my college. It will be a RPG. I have to keep details of it under wraps but I was wondering what GTIP values in a video game or role playing game in general?

One thing we are trying to push is video games as an art form so there will be a vibrant story and multiple art styles at play. So bring on the suggestions. Also if you have references of your ideas (from any kind of game or medium, not just a video game), let me know, what better way to see what you mean by showing me!

For the love of anything holy do not include random battles.
Honestly, it depends on what you plan to make. A Bethesda style FPS-RPG or a JRPG?

[elpollo]

Believable, three-dimensional characters with realistic goals and motivations, like in... uh... pfft...

An engaging story.

RPG meaning more than "choose what stats you increase". I'm still not convinced it needs to mean that at all.

The art style, music, dialogue, etc. being appropriate for the style and tone of the game.

No black and white morality.

Rewards for reacting to situations like an actual human being (and this can be other characters treating you as an actual human being).

Less important, although still nice, a kickass soundtrack and voice-acting.

Every element (whether this be character deaths, love interests, combat mechanics, weapon choice, dialogue system, whatever) being in the game because it adds to it as an experience rather than because it's the norm, another successful game did it, or you think people want it. We can tell.

And absolutely always forever: if you give me fifteen different ways to not go into a radiation bathed zone, don't arbitrarily stop me from using them. Especially don't then treat me as a bad guy when the bloody immune super-mutant won't go in either (a.k.a. don't set up a situation which I've already surpassed and then stop my solution from working just because you were too lazy to think up anything else. If you use the same problem I can damn sure use the same answer).

[Eldan]

Exploration. No matter the genre, I love exploration in my game. If you give me a pretty landscape to look at, and a way to walk through it, I'm happy.

[Aemoh87]

I have wanted to see an RPG where an event is experienced through various points of view but from differing perspectives. The player would have control over multiple, distinct groups of individuals who are all reacting to something but in ways that may cause conflict amongst the other parties. Control of all will not be simultaneous but all parties would be present in the same storyline. For example, the player uses party A to do activity X. At some point, the player then controls party B who must do activity Y. X and Y may have mutually exclusive outcomes so conflict would inevitably arise between A and B, forcing the player to choose which party he will use to continue the story.

Just a thought.

You hit the nail on the head! We have 4 separate groups moving through less than 8 hours of events.


Well, what is it you want to make? That's the important thing here.

No, I'm serious. I have a lot of things that I'd like to see in a videogame, but I certainly don't want to see them all in the same one. I'd like to see a complex story with branching outcomes. I'd like to see episodic content done well. I don't think it's possible to do episodic content and branching outcomes.

I want freedom to explore, whether is be a Bethesda-style open world or a Metroidvania-style world where new powerups give access to new areas. I want a tightly focused, fast-paced narrative. I don't want a game to try both (by, for example, giving me a huge map where I can wander around, but the only thing I can really do is go from plot point A to plot point B; that's the worst of both worlds).

I know you've said you have to keep details under wraps, but if I don't even have a teaser to go on, I'm not sure how much help I can be.

Well first off we cannot afford a sand box nor do we want one. This is very linear. Our justification to the A to B is we give you a reason to do so and are attempting to hide it through multiple routes each with unique challenges. We want each route to feel like its the one we wanted you to take. As for details I can't let to many of them out. And I really just want open ended suggestions that I can review occasionally to see if something pops.


One thing I like to see: no scaling of enemies to your level (assuming you have the concept of levels in your RPG). If a monster is too hard there should be other things to do that will allow you to level up and face them without necessarily grinding...

We have avoided grinding and our enemies do not level. With that said some characters are stronger than others so what might be easy for one group is difficult for another. As for enemy difficulty, most of it is relative. Some foes would be better off avoided, and facing them is supposed to be a challenge because you failed to use stealth or some other aspect of the game.


For the love of anything holy do not include random battles.
Honestly, it depends on what you plan to make. A Bethesda style FPS-RPG or a JRPG?

Our battles are not random, linear story. It is much closer to JRPG than the Oblivion archtype. This is both due to finances as well as we wanted the old school feel.


Believable, three-dimensional characters with realistic goals and motivations, like in... uh... pfft...

An engaging story.

RPG meaning more than "choose what stats you increase". I'm still not convinced it needs to mean that at all.

The art style, music, dialogue, etc. being appropriate for the style and tone of the game.

No black and white morality.

Rewards for reacting to situations like an actual human being (and this can be other characters treating you as an actual human being).

Less important, although still nice, a kickass soundtrack and voice-acting.

Every element (whether this be character deaths, love interests, combat mechanics, weapon choice, dialogue system, whatever) being in the game because it adds to it as an experience rather than because it's the norm, another successful game did it, or you think people want it. We can tell.

And absolutely always forever: if you give me fifteen different ways to not go into a radiation bathed zone, don't arbitrarily stop me from using them. Especially don't then treat me as a bad guy when the bloody immune super-mutant won't go in either (a.k.a. don't set up a situation which I've already surpassed and then stop my solution from working just because you were too lazy to think up anything else. If you use the same problem I can damn sure use the same answer).

First no morality system or even a choice system. Choices are made without a speech bubble. Part of these choices is you can't sit and think (which creates an amazing contrast with turn based combat) as well as we don't want them to stand out as OBVIOUS MORAL CHOICE HERE moments. This is all about the characters, multiple art styles "different characters point of views result in dramatic changes in art", and we have a ton of music. Voice acting is something we haven't talk about yet. The general consensus is cut scenes are the easiest place to cut corners to us. We are instead going to use dramatic imagery. I played a game a long time ago where the blocky snes hero stood over his dead friend and sad music played as it faded to black. It did it for me, yet most of these current day cut scenes do not. Maybe this is a great place to cut.

Oh and I just checked my notes about voice acting, we have suggested narrating over these scenes but it's hard to keep the drama from getting cheesy.


Exploration. No matter the genre, I love exploration in my game. If you give me a pretty landscape to look at, and a way to walk through it, I'm happy.

This is a tough one, but we want to show you the same thing from multiple angles. One thing is you might wanna look at all the stories characters form each person's point of view just to see how they see them. Also we have very interesting game over screen ideas that show how each character reacts to the death of the character your playing. This may reveal some things you did not know (such as a well placed evil smurk).

[Mewtarthio]

Well first off we cannot afford a sand box nor do we want one. This is very linear. Our justification to the A to B is we give you a reason to do so and are attempting to hide it through multiple routes each with unique challenges. We want each route to feel like its the one we wanted you to take.

As I said: The only thing that bothers me is games that try to pretend it's about both exploring the world and a tightly-focused plot. You generally end up getting very sick of that beautiful world as you trudge from the Fire Temple to the Ocean Village to the Sand Dungeon back to the Ocean Village and then to the Fire Temple again...

That being said, you've mentioned the plot takes place within eight hours. That doesn't leave a lot of time for filler, so I imagine you've already tightened up the story.

[Aemoh87]

As I said: The only thing that bothers me is games that try to pretend it's about both exploring the world and a tightly-focused plot. You generally end up getting very sick of that beautiful world as you trudge from the Fire Temple to the Ocean Village to the Sand Dungeon back to the Ocean Village and then to the Fire Temple again...

That being said, you've mentioned the plot takes place within eight hours. That doesn't leave a lot of time for filler, so I imagine you've already tightened up the story.

Every story needs to be tight, if you leave to many open ends the characters aren't as round as they could be. There is 16 characters the player will control, and 5 of these will be very in depth but all of them will be rounded. One interesting aspect is no individual character knows what is actually happening in the story, but if you combine each of their view points you will form a general idea.

But there is no filler. If we complete the game early and with no hitches or major bugs we might think about adding some extra content but it's unlikely. Also we have removed grinding because lets be honest, if you can kill it once, you can prolly do it again and again. I am thinking about metal slimes right now and becoming very frustrated :)

We value your time, and realize that adult gamers don't have all the time in the world, so one way we can respect the time is by removing unnecessary play time. It's just a theory but if we can give you over 15 hours of compelling gameplay you will be just as happy as if we had given you 80 hours.