Western RPGs dying out?

[Craigboy2]

We'll I know what you're all thinking (okay maybe not) "but more games are starting to get RPG elements". So what? I really don't care about Grand Theft Auto or Pariah or any other shooter for that matter. What I mean is I think Western RPGs are dying out. How many RPG companies are left Bethesda and Obsidian are pretty much the only ones. It seems like Bioware seems to have completely sold out, especially now that they joined up with Pandemic. And please don

Edited November 5, 2005 by Craigboy2

[Meshugger]

Nah, while the current situation isn't bright, there will always be someone with a great vision of an RPG and publisher that believes in them.

[Gabrielle]

Yep they'll be around. Ideas from devs and the fans who want it to happen, it'll be around.

[Darque]

For some reason I thought this thread would be about that new game called Gun

[Pidesco]

No.

[Gabrielle]

Are there any Western RPG games?

[Kaftan Barlast]

RPG are not dying out bu the single player CRPG has been largely replaced by the MMORPGs which is

 

 

1. A bad thing because it means less developers make CRPGs

 

2. A good thing because it forces the remaining developers to go beyond simple hack and slash games and implement more of the elements that a MMO can never truly have: story and characters.

 

 

Game industry pundits claim the MMOs have reached their peak and will decline over the next few years.

[GhostofAnakin]

For some reason I thought this thread would be about that new game called Gun

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Are there any Western RPG games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My thoughts exactly.

[Krookie]

For some reason I thought this thread would be about that new game called Gun

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Are there any Western RPG games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My thoughts exactly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Seconded.

[Gabrielle]

Nobody knows??

[Darque]

If by "western" you mean "yeehaw cowpokes"... then the answer is no.

 

There was a game based on the deadlands setting (western/horror) being made.. but I'm not sure if it's being produced still.

 

There is a game called Gun soon to be released.. but I think it's a GTA-style western if I'm not mistaken.

[Fairplay]

I'm not sure what you mean by Western. I like the Gothic series, and I think they're made by Germans. Silent Storm's made by Russians, I think.

 

I think there are some indications that some Japanese companies that develop console games might be flirting with ideas gleened from PC games. Radiata Stories (for PS2) uses a 24-hour schedule system, much like Gothic. But maybe not.

 

In any case, I don't remember a time when there actually were a lot of good RPGs on the market. In fact it's kind of incredible that Troika, Bioware, and Obsidian all existed at the same time in the recent past. All three companies were pretty much exclusively devoted to making big, expensive RPGs. That's not even counting companies like inXile or Black Isle or Bethesda or "non-Western" RPG makers.

 

 

So, in summary and in conclusion...I think there are comparatively lots of RPGs available now... but still not enough.

[Joseph Bulock]

I think it should also be clarified what definition of RPG is being used. To me, an RPG is any game that lets you change the game world and interact with the inhabitants in a meaningful way. By that definition, there are plenty of RPG's being made, both in the Western World as well as in Japan and Korea.

[metadigital]

1. I don't like the apostrophe in the last option, otherwise I would endorse that as my choice.

2. Isn't this poll a repeat of one from about a month ago?

3. The whole point of a truly democratic medium like the PC is that as long as one person, somewhere, wants to play an RPG then they can make it themselves (in soem form). It will never truly die, not if we hold it dear to us, deep inside the c

[Gorth]

It really depends on your preferred "flavour" of crpgs.

 

For me, games of the kind I prefer died with Jefferson and Van Buren :'(

 

Kotor 1&2 were nice games without having the stuff classics are made off, leaving pretty much only VMBL to truly excite me, flaws, bugs and firstperson perspective included...

 

Ah well, perhaps in 10 years time again

[Kaftan Barlast]

I think the "classics" thing is just a case of the old rose-coloured glasses again. K2 is perhaps the best CRPG Ive ever played, it was without a doubt the most immersive playing experience and no other game rival the depth of its story and characters.

 

Of course, seeing a characters face whilst hearing a real actor say the lines makes it seem a lot deeper than if youre staring at a sprite and reading text

[Gabrielle]

Western as in the American west of the late 1800's, gunfighters, cows, horses, deserts, big hats, stuff like that.

[Gorth]

I think the "classics" thing is just a case of the old rose-coloured glasses again. K2 is perhaps the best CRPG Ive ever played, it was without a doubt the most immersive playing experience and no other game rival the depth of its story and characters.

Classic was perhaps the wrong word, not sure what to call it really then. The kind of games you will still play in 1, 3 and 5 years time. There are games you play intensely when you get them for a while (and definitely gets your moneys worth, thats not the issue) and there are games that are just special somehow. Even after a long time, you'll re-install them and give them a go (or find a &^%$ emulator that will run them *cough*Tombraider*cough*)...

 

If we are talking about "old rose-coloured glasses", then Ultima IV is still the best crpg ever made :D

 

But it's all subjective.

[Volourn]

"It seems like Bioware seems to have completely sold out, especially now that they joined up with Pandemic."

 

You do not know what you are talking about, and logic is misisng from your post. Completely.

 

 

What does BIO joining with Pandemic have to do this? Perhaps, it's a sign that Pandemic will start make role-plkaying games; not the other waya round. Afterall, BIO is the bigger company of the two.

 

Besdies, BIO's continued support of NWN, and the devlopment of DA is more proof you ar ebeing silly. Let's not forget that fact that their latest game - JE - has the best role-playing of ANY of their games; it's even more proof you are illogical.

 

The fact you think KOTOR2 is the best RPG ever is also silly. Lots of games CRUSH it. BG series, PST, NWN, JE, FO, the Ultimas, and the list goes on.

 

Game over.

[mkreku]

Let's not forget that fact that their latest game - JE - has the best role-playing of ANY of their games

You might be right. But unfortunately that says a lot more about the quality of roleplaying in Bioware games than it does about Jade Empire. I mean, if a 'RPG' with crappy combat, shoot'em up sequences (which were crappy too), no real inventory and really meaningless skills are the best that Bioware can produce.. Not a good sign for the entire RPG market in general. I agree that Jade Empire had good dialogue trees, good characters and a decent (albeit overused) story, but that's just not good enough. I wouldn't even consider Jade Empire to be what I think the thread starter considers a western RPG. Jade Empire is just another decent (but overrated by reviewers) game that got decent sales.. which it deserved.

 

I still don't think the western RPG's are dying. They are in a deep slump, but sooner or later a real quality game will come along (one that will sell more than 600k..) and revive the genre, like has happened several times already throughout the short history of computer games. Who knows, maybe Obsidian will be the ones to do it when they get to work on their own project?

 

Personally I believe that western RPG's as we know them might be about to change. But I wouldn't call it dying; I'd call it evolving. Developers are experimenting by mixing genres, and some blends work, others don't. They'll learn from their mistakes though, and as they do, RPG's evolve into something else. I don't mind, as I prefer realtime combat, first- or third person view and a lot of the other things modern games have been blessed with. As long as I feel it's still a RPG of sorts, I'll adapt and be happy.

 

Edit: Changed the wording in a sentence.

Edited November 5, 2005 by mkreku

[Gabrielle]

<_<

[213374U]

OMGWTFBBQ!!!1! IT TEH APOCOLYPSE!!!!1

[Gabrielle]

DIE MAGGOTS!!!!!!!!

 

Andarial from Diablo 2.

[Volourn]

"You might be right. But unfortunately that says a lot more about the quality of roleplaying in Bioware games than it does about Jade Empire."

 

It measn they have improved in this department. And, BIO's games have better role-playing than the majority of 'old skool RPFs' except possibly Ultima.

 

" I mean, if a 'RPG' with crappy combat, shoot'em up sequences (which were crappy too), no real inventory and really meaningless skills are the best that Bioware can produce"

 

Combat in JE was awesome. And, I don't care for Rt combat much.

 

The shoot 'em ups wer eok; but I don't care about them really. Never even finished the quest for it either.

 

It had inventory. It just didn't let you have 80000 wepaons, potions, and crap. Besdies inevntory does not = role-playing.

 

What menaingless skills? Surely no more meaningles sksills than your average Western RPG.

 

.

" Not a good sign for the entire RPG market in general. I agree that Jade Empire had good dialogue trees, good characters and a decent (albeit overused) story, but that's just not good enough. I wouldn't even consider Jade Empire to be what I think the thread starter considers a western RPG. Jade Empire is just another decent (but overrated by reviewers) game that got decent sales.. which it deserved."

 

 

And?

Edited November 5, 2005 by Volourn

[Diamond]

Of course, seeing a characters face whilst hearing a real actor say the lines makes it seem a lot deeper than if youre staring at a sprite and reading text

 

It depends, though.

 

For me, hearing actors voice (dialogue voiceover) is somewhat... less enjoyable.

Classic RPG is like reading a book - poor visual character details and no (or little) voiceover makes me imagine, rather than observe, hence resulting in more comfortable picture in general.

I see what I want to see, I hear what I want to hear.