Maybe I should clarify after mentioning in my long HTML reply why I said Console RPGs aren''t "real" RPGs. One of my friends pointed out several years ago that FF, Ultima, Might and Magic, etc. weren''t real RPGs because there is only so much you can do. You couldn''t suddenly decide you want to throw the spiked mace you''re carrying--in the AD&D Gold Box games, you could only throw daggers and hand axes. Several computer magazine and pen''n''paper game magazines cite their linearity and term them adventure games rather than RPGs.

More replies now that I''m getting to read the thread...

quote:
The only thing I really hate of magic is Magic Points. They are used to limit spell casting during battles, but usually battles don''t take much time so you can use as much magic as you want. I like the way it''s done in FF8 (the idea), but it''s way to easy to get magic, and in the end you don''t even want to use it, because it''s easier to kill enemies by using limit breaks. In a MP-less magic system, spells need to have charge up times or you need items (like herbs in previous example) to cast a spell, so that battles require more strategy.

I don''t know what you''ve been playing...at least at the beginning of all games using MPs, you''re not going to be able to use as many as you want, because eventually you''ll run out, and at the beginning, you can''t afford potions or tents enough to keep your MPs high.

To deal with separation between battle and the rest of the game, just use a system like Secret of Mana. Heck, even use the sprite system. Surely we can find a good way to do detailed sprites now...