I've been working on an idea for a single player epic RPG. I've made a list of the top twenty things I'd like to see in my game. Here they are: The Must Haves: 1) A huge, full and detailed gameworld that is different every time you play (procedural generation) 2) Freeform, non-linear gameplay. Complete the main quest at your own pace, or ignore it entirely 3) Open skill tree for maximum character customization 4) Materials-based item crafting. If it can drop, it can be crafted 5) Quests are different every time you play (dynamic, scripted procedural quests) The Wants: 6) Dynamic gameworld that changes based on the player's actions 7) Emergent quests (unscripted quests, see #6) 8) Guilds 9) Crafting mini-game that's short but fun 10) Mutiple main quest endings 11) Potion Crafting 12) Scroll Crafting 13) Pets 14) Allies 15) Diplomacy 16) Mounts and mounted combat 17) Player owned houses and ships 18) Player owned businesses 19) Other 'heroes' that complete quests, sometimes joining you; sometimes fighting you 20) Paperdoll That's it. I've thought about it for a while and there isn't really anything else I want in a single player RPG. What about you? What would you want in your dream RPG?

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Original post by Theodore Fuhringer What about you? What would you want in your dream RPG?

Complex real-time twitch-based combat.

It's always tactical turn-based or simple real-time. It's always boring, and it's always clunky. Real-time RPG combat should be comparable to the most enjoyable action game combat. Being an RPG is not an excuse to wuss out on the actual gameplay. Typical action games are starting to include RPG elements. You need to do the opposite. You can't hide behind those quests and dialog boxes anymore.

People can think on their feet. Simply orienting your character towards an enemy and pressing slash repeatedly isn't very engaging. Neither is aiming a ranged weapon and pulling the trigger repeatedly. There needs to be much more depth. I want to see a great many options in every situation. Enemies that learn and react to the abuse of those options. Etc.

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Original post by Kest Quote: Original post by Theodore Fuhringer What about you? What would you want in your dream RPG? Complex real-time twitch-based combat... Simply orienting your character towards an enemy and pressing slash repeatedly isn't very engaging...

I agree about it not being very engaging. Although I think it's possible to have fun turn-based combat if it's tactical and there's a lot of options. Temple of Elemental Evil had terrific turn-based combat, probably the best implementation of D&D in a PC game ever.

If I were doing my dream game first person, I would definitely go the way you're suggesting Kest. I'll probably end up going 2D tile based though.

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The Must Haves: 1) A huge, full and detailed gameworld that is different every time you play (procedural generation) 2) Freeform, non-linear gameplay. Complete the main quest at your own pace, or ignore it entirely 3) Open skill tree for maximum character customization 4) Materials-based item crafting. If it can drop, it can be crafted 5) Quests are different every time you play (dynamic, scripted procedural quests)

I like the idea of a procedural world, if you've got the skills to make it work. Maintaining both variety and believability is key.

Apart from that, it seems like you're trying to do too much. For example I would rather see a good potion crafting system (say), than five crafting systems for different kinds of items, since the latter won't receive the individual attention they deserve.

I was thinking for a RPG combat system controlling a party in real time either through a RTS like interface or giving the player the ability to pause the game whenever they want to give new orders. The main motive is that I like having a team of characters but I want controlling X characters in combat to have more strategic depth than having one character with X times more attack power and hp. This is where the simplistic final fantasy style combat actually shines over something like never winter nights.

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Original post by Geoffrey Quote: The Must Haves: 1) A huge, full and detailed gameworld that is different every time you play (procedural generation) 2) Freeform, non-linear gameplay. Complete the main quest at your own pace, or ignore it entirely 3) Open skill tree for maximum character customization 4) Materials-based item crafting. If it can drop, it can be crafted 5) Quests are different every time you play (dynamic, scripted procedural quests) I like the idea of a procedural world, if you've got the skills to make it work. Maintaining both variety and believability is key. Apart from that, it seems like you're trying to do too much. For example I would rather see a good potion crafting system (say), than five crafting systems for different kinds of items, since the latter won't receive the individual attention they deserve.

Very true Geoffrey. The first five are key, the rest are just fantasy really. Things I'd add if I had time or resources. Good point for sure.

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Original post by Theodore Fuhringer Quote: Original post by Kest Quote: Original post by Theodore Fuhringer What about you? What would you want in your dream RPG? Complex real-time twitch-based combat... Simply orienting your character towards an enemy and pressing slash repeatedly isn't very engaging... I agree about it not being very engaging. Although I think it's possible to have fun turn-based combat if it's tactical and there's a lot of options. Temple of Elemental Evil had terrific turn-based combat, probably the best implementation of D&D in a PC game ever. If I were doing my dream game first person, I would definitely go the way you're suggesting Kest. I'll probably end up going 2D tile based though.

I was responding to your inquiry of my personal dream RPG. You can't be both turn based and real time, so I would choose real time. But not if we go with RPG standard real-time combat. I've never seen a full-fledge RPG with real-time combat that rivals an action game. Never is a very sad word [sad]

By the way, tile based gameplay isn't a big restriction. In fact, the most enjoyable real-time RPGs I've played were tile based, with Alien Shooter 2 being my favorite. It was slightly mindless, but highly interactive.

First and foremost, I want a RPG which would boast a proper DM (dungeon master) interface and features related to easy creation of content. NWN attempted this, but it's still rather crude and difficult to do in a full 3D environment.

Alternatively, lots of emergent and random content, as long as the algorithms are well designed and results make sense (in context of the game world).

Finally, in a role playing game, I do not wish to have to kill more than 20 creatures of the same type in a span of 5 or less minutes, unless it's a damn good mass battle scene. I do not wish to carry 20 longswords in my inventory or do other nonsensical things that became a standard in computer rpgs by getting away with terrible excuses for not making sense. RPGs should make sense. Witcher was nice in that respect.

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Original post by Theodore Fuhringer Quote: Original post by Kest Quote: Original post by Theodore Fuhringer What about you? What would you want in your dream RPG? Complex real-time twitch-based combat... Simply orienting your character towards an enemy and pressing slash repeatedly isn't very engaging... I agree about it not being very engaging. Although I think it's possible to have fun turn-based combat if it's tactical and there's a lot of options. Temple of Elemental Evil had terrific turn-based combat, probably the best implementation of D&D in a PC game ever. If I were doing my dream game first person, I would definitely go the way you're suggesting Kest. I'll probably end up going 2D tile based though.

I agree with this. I like the idea of twitch-based and realtime, but i have yet to see it implemented well.

Oblivion did it, badly, as have others. I agree also that the depth of play for realtime combat is lacking. But its often the case for turn based also.

Simple attack combinations are just not enough to make a game interesting.

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Original post by Talin Finally, in a role playing game, I do not wish to have to kill more than 20 creatures of the same type in a span of 5 or less minutes, unless it's a damn good mass battle scene.

True, but one thing thats lacking in many modern MMOs is the swarming hordes of weak creatures, the kind of thing where a lvl40 is swamped by hordes of lvl5, sure theyr weak but en mass they are deadly and it exciting if its done right.

You have to dispatch them efficiently, use the right skills or be out of power (stamina) and defenceless. You get to use area skills and strengths otherwise underused.

Its always one or two roughly equal foes, or one overwhelming behemoth. Yawn.....