qaz156

We've all seen the so called "action/rpg" where a lot of us who enjoy the obsidian/black isle/bioware games sigh, because we know we're not really getting a "hardcore" rpg with a good story, characters etc... Instead we get a hack n slash/shoot em up fest, with rpg elements combined with a bland storyline. Unfortunately a lot of rpg companies feel the need to make it an "action" rpg to appeal to the more casual gamers. My query though, is whether the hardcore rpgs could play up the romance and possibly sex instead, thereby attracting other gamers, and not having to resort to the "action rpg." Many gamers would be attracted to this idea, because the game wouldn't be known for its romantic/sexual content, but they would know that it is in it. Now I already hear you all saying that that will never happen, that the market demands "action" as opposed to romance and such, but personally I'd rather have a more depthful rpg that has blatant sexual/romantic content than a bland rpg that is blatantly trying to appeal to the action gamer. What do you all think?

I agree. The first part did remind me of some of the old black isle game. But when they did the whole repetitive combat with repetitve music forever, with impossible enemies from time to time, that made the game take something even faster than a nosedive. A nosedive with full jets on.

Sometimes an RPG will include wit, sarcasm, situational comedy or just plain old jokes. I 'm wondering what are some of your favorite moments in any RPG that amused you or made you laugh, (even if it was just on the inside.)

Lionheart for sure. The graphics sucked. The music sucked. The gameplay sucked. The monsters sucked. Okay, you get the picture. That company who developed that game (it wasn't black isle, I think they just oversaw it), actually that ONE GUY who developed it sucks, and headed that company that made brick out games. I got Lionheart for 5 bucks and I still trashed it.

So I guess project New J, and Mass Effect by Bioware are going console, Jade Empire already was. This unfortunately, feels like a growing trend among companies who have games I like to play. Thus the question is whether or not to dish the money to play those darn games that will ONLY be on console... and if so then which? Xbox360? PS3? The new Nintendo system (although doubt the companies I like: Obsidian/Bioware etc will be making for Nintendo). I think I'll just wait to see if these games turn out to be any good, THEN buy the darn console if I feel a severe drought of pc games. Hopefully the RPGs pretty much all go to one system like xbox, (Jade is already on it I think) so I don't have to consider choosing one console over another. I dunno. This situation really sucks I think. I will always have a computer, thus it's easy to play pc games. But buying a console just doesn't feel right. What do you all think?

Since Troika went under, how about Obsidian does Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 for the pc? That game was awesome and I definitely think a lot of the designers at Obsidian would agree that that game was great. I would personally like to see Chris Avellone take a crack at it, since he likes the darker stuff anyway. Also if anyone knows the status of a sequel please let me know. But Obsidian, I would be pleased if you somehow found yourselves doing that project in the near future. IN fact I would be rather excited.

Whatever I would do, and this is maybe the theater major in me, I would make it deep/rich/intricate and especially artistically on par with any novel. But of course the first goal would be entertainment. That would be the number one goal. It has to be fun and interesting and most likely comedic, (but not over the top.) One comic book that comes to mind is Neil Gaiman's Sandman, which, even if you don't get what he's getting at artistically, the characters and story are so interesting that you read it until the end. Now my game wouldn't look or be anything like Neil Gaiman's Sandman, but it would be a deep and rich artistically IF AND ONLY IF THE GAMER CHOSE TO ANALYZE IT. The main thing would be fun, and excitement of course. This approach would be similar to the playwright Jean Anouilh, who primarily wanted to entertain the audience and hated having characters spew forth contrived philosophical discussions. Instead he entertained his audiences with hilarious dialogue and plot. But his endings were often contrived denouements which even he alludes to the fact that they're hard to accept. As in the play ends and for the lazy, they might think it's just some fluff that's funny. But the ending to those who think about it later, doesn't fit, and when they analyze the play they realize there was some real artistic integrity behind it. With RPGs there's often some real art going on there. Even in horror games as well. Silent Hill 2 is an excellent example of an adult game. Adult, not in the raunchy way, but how it dealt with very adult themes and material. A pro game guide writer did an analysis of the game based on documents he got from Konami, and that really opened my eyes as to what the game was getting at. There's some serious thought going on behind it, despite the minimalist dialogue. I guess I just sound like a Chris Avellone afficionado, which I am. The question is how I would deviate from his style. I think it would be through more comedy, which would help to mask the philosophy more, so gamers wouldn't complain that there was too much of that. Morte for instance was essential to Torment, otherwise the philosophy would have been even more obvious. I know that this still doesn't say anything about what the GAME WILL ACTUALLY BE LIKE. But this is just my starting point. What I want for my game will come soon.