Spill your blasphemous opinions on CRPGs here

[Guest Slinky]

I liked the mass effect response wheel, and it always said something along the lines of what I intended it. I didn't get everyone's whining about it.

 

I have no problem with the wheel when it really does give the response along the lines what I was looking for, which is most of the time, but when it doesn't it's not pleasant.

 

When I can pick the full dialogue line what will be said, it's not that bad even when there isn't something I'd like to say. I just pick the best one/least bad for me and continue. But when I pick the option that sounds the best to me from a dialogue wheel and the character proceeds to spurt out something I really did not intend, it's much worse. It's a very unpleasant surprise and has a very negative effect for me.

 

[Grigori?]

"I'm looking for a man. But not in that way"

 

Yeah. Not a fan of dialogue wheel.

[IndiraLightfoot]

I thought DAO represents a lot of the bad things in RPGs, namely everything running on for too long and a grindyness and sluggishness in the combat.

 

 

Nepenthe, this is head on as far as CRPGs go. Most of them, even the ones we put in our top ten lists, suffer from this. I'm lucky, I guess, since I have a huge tolerance for and patience in a grindy environment. I even like grinding in itself. I do play ARPGs, and we're speaking hundreds of hours, sometimes, but is this CRPGs, as in games continuing the legacy of PnP RPGs? Nope. The Holy Grail for game devs making a CRPG, is solving the problem above, and giving us a long, but still varied and engaging game, including combat mechanics, inventory item flipping, conversations with NPCs, the lot. I've yet to see it happen. To me, the NWN2 trilogy tried very bravely all sorts of approaches, and I think combat was perhaps the weakest part in those three games. If Obsidian takes the best things from those games, rework the awful D&D mechanics into something that work smoothly in a computer RPG, then they have a nice starting ground for something legendary.

[Monte Carlo]

I really liked Dragon Age 2, I found it to be the best fantasy rpg since Bg2.

 

And verily, it came to pass that the surgeons of the Torturous Extractus were busy, long into the nyte.

[Sarex]

Not necessarily. It just depends on whether or not the advantages of aiming for a market subset are considered worth it.

 

I liken it to some places requiring a credit card for purchase, for instance. Those that will only pay cash won't go there, but if the business finds it benefits from the decision then it works.

 

(You could probably also make arguments for things like computer hardware and how it inevitable goes obsolete, whether console or PC)

 

Well you are not going to do something if it doesn't make you money. What I meant is, that the online game design is possible for large developers who have the funds to bankroll "stable" servers and continued support for the game (online games tend to require a lot of patching). Now the continued support for a game is possible for small studios provided that the game is successful enough that they see a return on their investment soon, where as large studios can afford to support a game in hopes that it will make a profit down the line (like Bioware with The Old Republic). But that still leaves the servers and until the internet starts to be more common and servers start being more affordable, I don't think that everyone is going to go for these games.

[Greensleeve]

DA:O is better than NWN2. 

[Monte Carlo]

Srsly, it's only a matter of time before someone 'fesses up to shooting JFK in this thread.

[Nepenthe]

I was the man on the gassy gnoll!

 

 

 

I really liked Dragon Age 2, I found it to be the best fantasy rpg since Bg2.

And verily, it came to pass that the surgeons of the Torturous Extractus were busy, long into the nyte.

You haven't played it! Edited February 21, 2014 by Nepenthe

[Monte Carlo]

Saw five minutes of DA2 on YouTube. There was pirate with giant **** and the sort of dialogue that makes your eyes bleed.

 

T'was enough for this callsign to pass judgement.

[Monte Carlo]

Look, I said t1ts. Did the sky fall in?

[IndiraLightfoot]

I'm in the same boat. I've dismissed DA2 purely from videos, trailers and hearsay. And that: Look who's talking now! A darkspawn leader that looks like Sauron's mouthpiece's cousin, well, let's just say it didn't help. I went from the NWN2 trilogy and directly into DAO before that, and in my opnion, DAO was decent to quite good, but still no where close to the NWN2 games.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Look, I said t1ts. Did the sky fall in?

Yes. Giant breasts pushed the sky down several miles.

[Marky]

...

* Star Trek would be the best licensed RPG setting

...

Yes! A dream game of mine would be if Obsidian made a Star Trek game in Alpha Protocol style, but with less emphasis on shooting and an engaging ship to ship gameplay system like FTL. And also some ability to explore new worlds and go on lots of optional away missions.

 

I hope I don't get hanged for these:

- The Mass Effect series was the best thing ever since Baldur's Gate 2, until that ending ruined it.

- Saint Row 3 and 4 are really fun RPGs. Sure you can't pick dialogue or change the story much, but the way it lets you customise your character and encourage silly imagination is a great form of role-playing.

- It can be great when an RPG assumes several things about your character, and then let you role-play in more detail.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Marky

[Keyrock]

Here is another blasphemous confession:

 

• I've only ever played through Baldur's Gate 2 once, and likely never will again.  I've played through NWN: Hordes of the Underdark at least 5 or 6 times (I've lost count at this point).  HotU is more fun, and therefore better than BG2. (Though BG2 is still a better game than NWN since the OC and SotU bring the overall quality of that game down).

[Humanoid]

How would Obsidian be able to do a Star Trek game if they're opposed to having the captain romance anyone?

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Play a redshirt.

[Marky]

I don't think Picard really bothered much with romance.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Marky

[Keyrock]

I don't think Picard really bothered with romance.

Oh come now, did you not see the longing glances he and Dr. Beverly Crusher would share?  

[Marky]

 

I don't think Picard really bothered with romance.

Oh come now, did you not see the longing glances he and Dr. Beverly Crusher would share?  

 

Of course, but it never really went beyond friendship (unless I missed some episodes), and I think Obsidian wont have problems writing that sort of thing.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Marky

[Orogun01]

 

 

I don't think Picard really bothered with romance.

Oh come now, did you not see the longing glances he and Dr. Beverly Crusher would share?  

 

Of course, but it never really went beyond friendship (unless I missed some episodes), and I think Obsidian wont have problems writing that sort of thing.

 

I don't normally french kiss my friends; normally.

[HoonDing]

How would Obsidian be able to do a Star Trek game if they're opposed to having the captain romance anyone?

Riker is protagonist. He even managed to romance someone of a sexless race.

 

[Keyrock]

Riker would definitely be the choice for protagonist if BioWare or CDPR were to make a Star Trek game.  Number one hooked up more often than even Kirk.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Keyrock

[Marky]

 

 

 

I don't think Picard really bothered with romance.

Oh come now, did you not see the longing glances he and Dr. Beverly Crusher would share?  

 

Of course, but it never really went beyond friendship (unless I missed some episodes), and I think Obsidian wont have problems writing that sort of thing.

 

I don't normally french kiss my friends; normally.

 

I don't remember that, I guess I have some episodes to catch up on.

[Monte Carlo]

 

How would Obsidian be able to do a Star Trek game if they're opposed to having the captain romance anyone?

Riker is protagonist. He even managed to romance someone of a sexless race.

 

 

 

Riker even has the blocky, slick-backed hair and vacant looks of Bioware animated characters.

[Meshugger]

1. When I can see my protagonist constantly i'm far more connected to him, thus isometric and third person games are far more immersive to me than first person.

2. Games should never cater to the individuals who do not finish them, they should tell the story they wish without any constraints.

3. Accessibility is destroying the genre, constant pandering to the lowest common denominator destroys the game for anybody wishing for a challenge or cohesion.

4. On the whole games have devolved over the last twenty years, and the masses have cheered on this slide into mediocrity and championed degenerate design decisions, feature stripping and lack of content.

5. There can never be enough choice and consequence, my every playthrough should be different and unique. For instance Bioware's three different answers leading to the same result is truly degenerate design, easily discerned and making a mockery of interactivity, which should be the greatest strength of this medium.

6. The tyranny of loot collection is destroying good games, more need to have a viable and balanced economy.

7. Turn based combat is far more thrilling and involved than real time, the playing out of tactics, the wait for the results, the cruel fall of the dice and your enemies response, exhilirating.

8. Blank slate characters remain blank if the game does not acknowledge their actions, you may invent histories, habits and personalities for them but if the game does not acknowledge that then you may as well quit the game and use your imagination.

9. There is far too much combat in almost every game ever made, the thousands you kill on your quest do not empower the protagonist, they simply rob the foe of any potency and make them fodder. Ramp up the difficulty and make combat a gruelling deadly puzzle to be avoided at all costs, rather than a time sink and artificial barrier.

10. Apathy is death.

 

That's not blasphemous, that's the ten commandments.

[Keyrock]

Are there any Star Trek games out there that let you play as a Ferengi?  That would potentially be highly entertaining.