I think every designer, future designer, and especially people interested in RPGs should take a look at this. It doesn''t need a description, just read it. Don''t cheat, read all of it. http://project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html

Wow. I wasn''t designing an RPG per se, but one of the game ideas I was toying with has already more hits from that list than I''m willing to admit!

I''m just glad that story, premise and theme is absolutely the last thing I design so that such superficial changes can''t affect the fidelity of the gameplay.

Many are good, but as soon as they come off the topic of characterization and hackneyed plot pieces, they lose steam. Some are a bit benign:

quote:
IDKFA
The basic ammunition for any firearms your characters have is either unlimited or very, very easy to obtain. This will apply even if firearms are extremely rare.
Indestructible Weapon Rule
No matter how many times you use that sword to strike armored targets or fire that gun on full auto mode it will never break, jam or need any form of maintenance unless it is critical to the story that the weapon breaks, jams or needs maintenance.

These two are surely in the domain of the game''s mechanic design, and their lack of versimilitude is intrinsically required for the game to not absolutely fucking suck?

To say that the overall aim of the design and art of games is to simulate reality is a total misnomer.

I like the list, but it needs weeding.

-Bezzy

Thankfully, I break most all of those rules with my RPG. EDIT: I'm, uh, thanking myself... I think...
Except for the rules which are cliched for a very good reason, as AP#2 pointed out. Some things would just suck otherwise unless you're doing a reality based game... and then it would still suck.

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MSN: nmaster42@hotmail.com, AIM: LockePick42, ICQ: 74128155
"It's all part of the conspiracy of conspirators conspiring to conspire their own conspiracies..."

[edited by - LockePick on January 10, 2003 7:42:06 PM]

I''ve seen this page before, didn''t like it. Half of the things are alright, but the other half I disagree with. The single parent thing for example. I''ve played many many rpgs where you had 2 parents, many with 0 parents, and many with 1 parent. With only 3 possible options, of course there is going to be repetition. That''s no cliche. Hehe.

Of course, half of the things are good too. The way your characters don''t stick out in a crowd for example.

That list is so pathetically... [INSERT INSULT HERE WHICH CLARIFIES ONE''S CONTEMPT].

I''m sorry, but I saw few things, if anything, on that list that parallels my thoughts, desires, experiences, as related to my life, my fantasies, or my goals in creating something enjoyable for others.

Weapons that jam or can be broken ?
Well, anyone played System Shock 2 ?
Excellent game and it worked ! Though I have to add that I wouldn''t want such things happen in Q3

From Anonymous Poster

quote:
These two are surely in the domain of the game''s mechanic design, and their lack of versimilitude is intrinsically required for the game to not absolutely fucking suck?

These apply to japanese RPGs,

most where true, but FF3 (ff6 jp) (which was one of the games alluded to), the lead character is a lead female.

Good ol'' fashioned American RPGs break most of these rules.

Yep, in my game, i still think I have original ideas and things that have not been done before.

Well I know I actually got interested in RPGs via the Japanese ones (FF7 and Breath of Fire 3). I understand that the D&D world inspires most of the current RPGs in the American side of the market but I still think this list is pretty valid and notes some good points that people should look out for in their own games.

I also understand that many of these points on the list are basic game mechanics that would make the game intolerable to a certain point, in which case you''ll have to overlook that considering this document wasn''t made as a guide for designers but rather to humor the public while pointing some valid, well, points.

95% of those rules are story related and have very little to do with gameplay