How much do these thing mean to you when you are playing a computer RPG? Could you actually play a RPG where your character isn''t just described by numerical stats, which are improved by slaughtering half the world? What would you say about an adventure game where your character develops as you solve the problems and the action in the game is limited to only a couple of fighting scenes? And what about not playing on a silicon boosted super-hero, but a normal person whose boyfriend cheated her and who is arguing with her mum? Not saying that every computer RPG (or a game in general) relies on these, but this seems to be the trend. There have been discussion on this subject before, but are there actually people who are interested in playing characters that don''t save the world but get fired from their job instead. Max Payne was a man with a more normal life, with personal problems and goals, but again the game ended up being one man''s mission to beat the underworld. I''m interested in hearing your opinions or thoughs...

Less blood, less gore, more sex!

(That''s the 25-yearold in me speaking ).


Seriously, I''d like to see more important social interaction in role-playing games, even single player. I''d like to see suspense, mystery. I''d like to play lovecraftian worlds, where you don''t see the strange monster until the end, and even then you''re left wondering if you really saw it at all, or if you really defeated it.

There are more than enough exciting things to do in an RPG that don''t come down to "whack the goblin" or "jump across the stones in the proper order".

tell you what: if I want to play real life I can go back to real life.

most gamers are not interested in pure everyday scenarios. some real-life stuff can give added realism and depth, but the hero of a game HAS to be something special and DO something special. I´m not saying it has to be slaying 5 different dragons.

all in all (personally): more of everything, as long as it fits the gameplay (Fallout had all of those - great game).

First of all, I agree that Fallout is the god of computer RPG''s.

That''s correct that the character has to do something special to make the game interesting, but what is concerned as special. What if he does something that has very much meaning to himself but the rest of the world doesn''t give a ****?

And with an example that just came to my mind...

Would it be interesting to make a RPG where you have to seduce someone you are interested in? You could define your player by choosing things he/she likes and dislikes, what her hair looks like etc. Then the first mission would be to find a target (by that I mean another person) and ask him/her to date or so...
Okay, we have Sims, but that concentrates more on other things.

(Now if you are thinking should you start your game developing career with pong or tetris, why not to try the idea above instead

I agree with MKV. There is plenty to do other than whack-a-goblin. I would love to see some good Lovecraft inspired games, especially some games set in the dream world.

I''ve currently got a project simmering on the back burner where the player plays an explorer/espionage agent for the British Empire in the early 19th century. The reason it''s on the back burner? I''m putting the setting through it''s paces through Theatre Style LARP and tabletop games, before completing a translation to cRPG. The LARP forces a focus on social interaction, and gives someone else a go at fleshing out character concepts, while the tabletop variation focuses more on the exploration/infiltration aspects in a more flexible environment. Maybe this path will work, and maybe not - it''s purely an expirement at this point.

As far as playing John Smith, who has an apartment in Lake City, Florida, a cat, and an overbearing girlfriend - and has just lost his job and must find another... I agree that this could potentially be rather boring. Since the setting won''t act as a draw, then something else should. Perhaps treating the situation with a strong dose of humour could work - poor John has to jump through all sorts of hoops, deal with deranged individuals, and everything seems to go wrong for him as he looks for a new job.

You might also want to check out "Interactive Fiction". Yes, it''s all just a bunch of small typey stuff, but there is at least some showing of "a day in the life" scenarios. Might be good for inspiration.

For Mother GameDev!

I just got a brainwave for a new type of game reading that..

SimDilbert

( dealing with moronic management on a daily basis )


I kinda like Mindseye Theatre LARP... I used to do that every now and then on the streets of Antwerp by night. The whole World of Darkness setting really appeals to me because the system forces you to think about setting and events, rather than skill checks and combat.

The japanese love this type of games; have a look at Season of the Sakura, Three Sisters Story etc for examples.

Most "western" RPG games out there are targetting the US market, which has a really interesting attitude to sex in general. Europe (normally much more free-roaming on this topic) has sadly sensured itself to fit the american dominated market. As such games are either "cleaned up" (even Fallout''s sex-scenes are sensured), or totally hardcore (usually meaning devoid of actual gameplay). A game that actually focuses on social interaction (all inclusive) could be interesting, but the Mature rating would put of most publishers (maybe you can sell it to Rockstar ? .

Ah, well.. good luck on your plans.


Allan



Fe doeyr, Frender Doeyr,Ein sjoelv doeyr paa sama vis.
Eg veit et som aldri doeyr, dom over kvar ein doed.
Cattle die, Friends die, You yourself will also die.
I know something that never dies, the memory of every dead.

I think that Fallout handled the sex-scenes very well. You knew that the character had sex, but the game didn''t turn into a B-class porno-movie.

Now when I came to think about it both Fallouts did have a goal where the point wasn''t to save the whole world but a miserable Vault 13 and it''s habitants. And it was quit logical that the character didn''t have time to start relationships, when he was hurried onwards. But still (although it is a great game) the plot was a bit too cliche. Luckily they did it with humour

What if the whole adventure would have happened inside the vault and the point would have been to find ways to survive. And then there could have been some more depth between the characters.
- Another interesting game idea...

quote: Original post by MadKeithV
I kinda like Mindseye Theatre LARP... I used to do that every now and then on the streets of Antwerp by night. The whole World of Darkness setting really appeals to me because the system forces you to think about setting and events, rather than skill checks and combat.

Ah, a vamp I''ve gothed it up a few times before, but always as a Malkavian since the setting didn''t really appeal to me. Theatre style LARPs usually have a much more varied setting (where the players play more "normal" people). I''ve played in settings ranging from a Bob Dylan song, the French Revolution, a conversion of Space 1889 (Victorian space travel/sci-fi) to a Dinner Party and Seance in modern day California. Some have mechanics roughly equivalent to the White Wolf offerings, really hardcore Theatre style has no mechanics at all.

Sim Dilbert would be cool, but might be a little too close to what many people have to go through everyday.

For Mother GameDev!

quote: Original post by panu_dead
Would it be interesting to make a RPG where you have to seduce someone you are interested in?

I know a guy that''s working on that exact thing. I think it''s a good idea. The problem with most japanese dating sims\hentai games is that there''s very little gameplay, even though the idea is kind of right. The sims adds some more gameplay to it, but like you said, it focuses on other things, and a game about picking someone up or seducing someone only could get into a lot more detail. Whether or not you actually engage in the act and how much the game shows is depending on your target audience and what kind of rating you want. True Love, and some other flash game I played a while ago are both kind of like "love rpgs." You work building up your appearance\physique\intellect\skills and getting money in order to impress girls. Personally I think games that involve social interaction (making friends, seducing people, winning an election, etc.) are a good alternative to the standard combat\puzzle solving style gameplay you see in most games.