(This concept will probably rile a few of you RPG fans). I think that it would be good (maybe) if there were to be some games which combined the two styles of play. What are the benefits of Console RPG style (Final Fantasy 7 etc), -the simplicity/ accessibility, the critical path + rapid story progression, the well balanced (?) battle systems, clear objectives (you have a good idea of where to go next, even if you choose to go somewhere else). What do I think are some of the benefits of the PC style (Fallout, etc). There are multiple solutions to many quests, you get a range of choices in dialogue (although sometimes too much choice??). So the design that I would envisage would be a mixture of the two styles of game, reducing freedom that is available in the PC RPGs, and replacing it with a "tighter" design. But at the same time keeping the multiple solutions, and options that the PC presents. So you would always have a choice of the way to deal with the next objective. Do you want to sneak into Ganondorf''s castle at night, or impersonate a guard to get in? And instead of having lots of subquests at once, you would have maybe 5 to 10 in each area. Thoughts?

I think the closest answer to the type of RPG you''re envisioning is Deus Ex -- you''re guided through the (very good) storyline, but there are multiple ways to handle any situation, and your actions early in the game can change things that happen later.

I personally am tired of the console "formula" (of course, this could also have to do with the fact that almost every console RPG in the past few years has pretty much recycled the same "tough loner" storyline made popular by the FF games), and tend to like PC RPGs and their open-endedness a lot more, but I see how a hybrid, if done correctly, can be interesting. I DO like the fact that storylines are very prevalent in console games -- I just don''t like having to fight through 4 billion random pop-up battles to get to it.

-Chris