In a game....

[Mogi]

What are some serious features or story plot devices that you'd like to see in an RPG?

Go ahead with the not-so-serious features, if you must.
:D

[Dynast-Kid]

Red Herrings.

[Araciel]

amnesia....ohwait they do that all the time.

[Markus. D]

Killing off the main characters, all of them B]

They did that in Drakengard :]

[KentaRawr!]

Well, if it's a Mana game, I'd like the "Good" factor to be around.

For general RPG's though, I think an interesting feature would be rather than having a battle system of sorts, more of a 3rd Person Action thing going for it. Not like a top-down Action RPG, though. Like, RPG elements such as stat raising will help you out and so such, but you still require skill in classic shooting games to progress.

[Bunny]

Plot twists that I cannot predict.

[Captain Maxx Power]

I'd really like to see them covering the idea of death more seriously in RPGs. In general a character is either ressurected, not actually "dead dead", or just becomes a ghost. I want to see someone die, and the characters struggle to come to terms with it in a way beyond a simple "O noes they are of the dead...o wells, wes are needings to be savings world, lol!"

[Mogi]

Oh the death one's good.

Oh yeah, this is for informational purposes, not just something random that popped into my head.
:D

[Vermachtnis]

Enemies becoming friends. Even if that means picking them up and chucking them into your home square. Seriously though, I like it when an opponent joins you. Even it is just for one story event and then your on opposing sides again. It makes the future battles with that character deeper and more engaging.

[Mogi]

Oooo What about a character that's undecided? I haven't seen anything like that, but I don't have much experience. Like, they've got reasons for helping both sides, but they're mainly neutral. So sometimes they're in the party and sometimes they're fighting AGAINST the party, or just watching from the sidelines.
Then something could be implimented where, after the first time you get him and he is introduced, you can choose whether or not to let him help you.
Of course, this could be expanded on forever, like everything else.
Just wandering what you think?

[Araciel]

yes, your choices actually changing the story would be excellent, but it' s hard to implement.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Baldur's Gate and several other American RPGs do a fair job of that. You need a basic plotline, but with established variable paths and endings it is quite doable.

[Mogi]

Ah. I've never played Baulder's Gate, so I wouldn't know. It's definitely doable though, like you said.

Hmmm.
What if one of the mainest of the main characters switched sides around the middle of the game? Of course, it wouldn't be as wonderful unless it was unexpected or hidden from all of the other characters.

Also, what do you think about games where there are many many characters you can get, but you can't get all of them, and some have preconditions?
Do you prefer that over the classic 6-8 main characters and perhaps a few secret characters?

Or what about a twist off of both of them. Like, where you could get a certain amount of characters, but you could find them in numerous different places? As an example: Jennah first appears in Dorgandotte's manor, the first main part of the game. However, you don't HAVE to get her there. Instead, if you miss her, you have another chance to get her later on where your paths cross once again. Eventually you would automatically get the character, but having them earlier would give you more customization with that character, because they develope in their emidiate class as long as you don't find them and get the ability to customize them.

Good?
Bad?

[Araciel]

'why i love D&D.

[Gnostic Yevon]

Both sides are trying to achieve some goal, but one person is doing so in an evil way
missions that involve solving a puzzle but not necessaritly a boss battle
side quests that aren't fetch quests or hunts
base the game off of something other than "save the world"
a karma meter of some sort, so that if you act evil, you'll pay for it later on
have two threats at once
null


Also, I want moogles.

[The Ceej]

Also, what do you think about games where there are many many characters you can get, but you can't get all of them, and some have preconditions?

You mean like in Chrono Cross?

My answer would have to be some I wouldn't expect anyone else to come up with before I announce it, and then have everyone go, "hey..."

I would like the story of an RPG to be told from the point of view of the villain. Something like a guy trying to take over the world. But he's not evil. He's just misunderstood. People don't understand that he's trying to take over the world for the good of the world. Kind of like if someone were planning a coup d'etat in the United States of America under the Bush administration. Such a thing would be admirable, but highly misunderstood and surely the person leading said coup would be considered a villain. So, you follow the villain in his attempt to take over/improve the world while the "good" armies and whatnot attempt to stop him. Actually, I've been thinking of writing said RPG for some time.

I'm surpised such an RPG has never been made. Correct me if it has.

[Ramza Beoulve]

Also, what do you think about games where there are many many characters you can get, but you can't get all of them, and some have preconditions?

You mean like in Chrono Cross?

My answer would have to be some I wouldn't expect anyone else to come up with before I announce it, and then have everyone go, "hey..."

I would like the story of an RPG to be told from the point of view of the villain. Something like a guy trying to take over the world. But he's not evil. He's just misunderstood. People don't understand that he's trying to take over the world for the good of the world. Kind of like if someone were planning a coup d'etat in the United States of America under the Bush administration. Such a thing would be admirable, but highly misunderstood and surely the person leading said coup would be considered a villain. So, you follow the villain in his attempt to take over/improve the world while the "good" armies and whatnot attempt to stop him. Actually, I've been thinking of writing said RPG for some time.

I'm surpised such an RPG has never been made. Correct me if it has.It sounds much like FFTA, but you actually are trying to destroy the actual world because you want to return to reality, but yeah, pretty much. But I know I have seen your exact idea in a game, but I need to do a search for it.

[Monol]

Heh I want a good "Elemental" game...(Basic four elements of nature of course being fire, wind, water, earth) I dont know I just love that idea in RPGS but I want a good game based on the four...I hope to make an RPG someday based on this

I would also like a zombie fighting game (Hopfully wanna work on that too)

But more importantly (Besides basicly everything everyone said already :D especially the death and villian thing...very nice) I want an RPG thats not afraid to take risks like having a character be like "Oh hey everyone I'm gay"

Just simple stuff I suppose

[Shoeberto]

'why i love D&D.
Seconded.

[Eiko Guy]

Death that causes the party to split up. then someone has to become the secondary leader and reunite the party.

[Odaisé Gaelach]

amnesia....ohwait they do that all the time.

Do they? I can't remember. :)

Mine would be levelling up. Especially if it's done in a way that you can actually see the benefits of levelling up. Like the cybernetic modules in System Shock 2 - if a console requires a level 5 hacking skill, I can't even try to break into it without a level 5 hacking skill. It gives me targets to aim for when I'm levelling up.