Is it possible to be "good" at RPGs?

[-N-]

What consitutes a "good" RPG player? Obviously other genres have easy parameters to create a ranking system (Halo, Metal Gear, etc.), but RPGs don't really. Anyone can level, anyone can beat it fast, I dunno. I've played a bunch of RPGs, but I'm still confused about whether I have "skill" at playing RPGs. Any thoughts?

[Spammerman]

Im stumped.This is why I like hack and slash games with kill recorders, its easy notice skill.

[Necronopticous]

Well, I'm definately good at RPGs, so I suppose so.

[Tama2]

I tihnk it is. Certain people are good at certain genres of games.

[Rase]

You have to have patience, plus be able to read. Then your good.

[Spammerman]

LOL

[Necronopticous]

If you beat Final Fantasy VI with a party of level 7 guys then you're good at RPGs, man!

[Chris]

I think I'm fairly good at playing RPGs. Although I do get a bit frustated sometimes.

[PhoenixAsh]

I assume we're talking turn-based, where there is a fair drop in manual skill required, but I definitely think you can be good at them. I guess you just learn to know how systems work, tactics and the such. Think about how much of a challenge your first RPG was compared to later ones.

Its like maths I guess. Learning how to draw the little symbols is the only really physically 'skillful' task, but thats not where the difficulty lies.

[Lindy]

If you beat Final Fantasy VI with a party of level 7 guys then you're good at RPGs, man!
I did it with an average party level of 8.5, does that mean I'm bad? You just need luck, tactics, and AI abuse.

[ZeZipster]

Every played an MMORPG? That'll answer your questions real fast.

From what I can tell it depends on the game. In FFXI, it's how much of a life you lack/organization mixed with a bit of strategy in higher levels. In unbalanced RPGs it could be strategy (in Runescape a prayer beast does a billion times better than any other character and levels much much faster).

[Destai]

If you can pass an RPG with a low level party I guess.

[Lindy]

Every played an MMORPG? That'll answer your questions real fast.

From what I can tell it depends on the game. In FFXI, it's how much of a life you lack/organization mixed with a bit of strategy in higher levels. In unbalanced RPGs it could be strategy (in Runescape a prayer beast does a billion times better than any other character and levels much much faster).
GW is like, skill in finding a good party, and then skill in actually playing it once you have one.

I'm not sure which part requires more skill, but I'm edging on the party side.

[Yamaneko]

Being a good walkthrough reader.

[ljkkjlcm9]

A good RPG player varies, I'm considered good among my friends because I beat bosses on my first try when it commonly took them 5-6 times or something. Pretty much knowing the battle system, knowing when to do what, planning attacks in advance and stuff...

Now for a game like Fire Emblem, it's easy to see who is better, there is character choice, combat choices, where to set up defensive lines, or offensive fronts. However, no matter how good you are, this game seems to screw you over occasionally. Like this one time I fought an enemy, which really pissed me off. It was in a colloseum, cause I needed money, now I have a 90% chance of hitting and killing this guy, and I can survive at least 2 of his attacks, however, he has a 1% chance of hitting me, and a 1% chance of doing a critical hit... I miss, he gets a critical hit, and I die.... think about that, that's a 1:100000 chance of him getting a critical hit, it's a 1 in a million chance of that exact event happenining, where I miss and he gets a critical hit... damn, i really hated that day...

THE JACKEL

[Ultima Shadow]

It all depends on the RPG itself. RPG's can be very different.

In Super Mario RPG, there's a lot about skill since your "timing" effects just about every singel battle. The power of almost all the moves in the game can be boosted in some way, for example: A few moves can be powered up by rotating the directional buttons and others by pressing a button at the right moment. Mario's Super Jump and Ultra Jump can do insane amounts of dammage if you're good at using it. Every singel phsycical attack in the game can also be defended against by pressing a button right before you're hit for either half dammage or no dammage at all. Many instant-death moves can also be guarded against this way, leaving the character with 1 HP left instead of being KOed etc. The fact that different phsycical attacks and instant-death moves are done in different ways, makes some of them harder to guard against than others. For example, it's very easy to guar against a phsycical attack from a Goomba for many reasons, but incredibly hard to guard against thos of Culex since Culex phsycical attack is instant and he won't even make any sign that he's going to use a phsycical attack etc.

In games like Golden Sun, it's all about tactics and absolutely nothing else. "Skill" doesn't really matter in those games.

In games like FF, there's usually not that many moves like those in SMRPG. But in a few FFs, there's moves that can be powered up very much by "timing" correctly and being fast. Zell's Duel is a good example.

And also, the ATB system makes "time" become another skill to master. In battles like the "no status effecting junctioning Omega FFVIII challange", you may get a game over if you're a half second late with choosing a command. This, too, makes your "timing" play a big part in the battle.

And it's, of course, a lot about tactics. Knowledge about your enemy and its weakness and what strategy to use in order to beat it. And also your judgement in different situations. If something in your stragedy goes a bit wrong, then you'll have to find a way to get back on track quickly etc.

And finally... having patience and never give up could be considered a "skill". :p


Knowledge, tactics and timing. Those are RPG skills.

[Lindy]

Killing Omega Weapon in a single duel with Zell = skill

1 million damage in one hit, pow.

Needs max stats Zell on highest limit break level though (16 second Duel, maximum damage possible), and you need god-like reflexes.

[Alucard188]

I'd say learning to exploit the system (junction, materia, etc.) and making right decisions (when to heal, what attacks not to use, etc.) can make a player "good" at RPGs.

[crashNUMBERS]

This is the thing about RPG's. They are usually the same which makes them good. What I mean is that the items and way to get weapons and crap are obvious once you play at least two RPG's. My friends Johnnathan and Martin (Two Brothers) once borrowed a game from his friend which was "Tales Of Symphonia". Thing is my friends dont have much exp. in with Role Playing Games. So What I do is help them. I help them through some of it to which they reply "Oh CRASH you sure know your RPG's.". It kinda gives you a good feeling to help. Thing is thats the good thing about RPG's. So yeah there is a way to be a good RPG gamer...


P.S. To why I put 'crash' there is because Im not revealing my name... (Though some people on this web already know my real name)

[Aphelion]

Pretty much making good decisions and being able to beat normal bosses on the first try (which means no retry experience)... To be skilled is totally different of having knowledge... That comes from playing a lot of RPGs and/or focusing on one or more RPGs, knowing a lot about its system.

[Lionx]

FFXI is all about a good party. There are bad parties at every level, however at higher levels everyone at least gains a decent ammount of skill that lets them become either good or godly. I have seen some decent Dragoons and amazing Dragoons and you can definetly tell which ones are the better ones and which ones are not as well especially when they keep up their TP with others for weapon skill combo attacks. That and Ballista is really getting better in FFXI (the PvP) its more refined and many people are addicted to playing that mini-game and it definetly requires skill and teamwork(maybe even teamspeak) as well as vs HNMs(godly super monsters) and certain CoP(expansion) boss battles..

[omnitarian]

The ability to decipher the metagame and use it to your advantage is what makes you good at RPGs.

Take a look at the Pokemon games. Anybody who's anybody has figured out how to exploit in-game mechanics that most noobs don't even know about.

[Mirage]

Yeah, skills in RPG games are more about knowledge and tactics. To be able to build your character in the best possible way, to be able to figure out what an enemy is weak against depending on how it looks and moves, knowing when to be offensive and when to be defencive, setting up a well-balanced party, and "exploiting" game mechanics to a certain degree.
I would believe almost anyone can become good at RPGs if they want to, it's different from for example first person shooters or driving games, where you must have good reflexes and stuff. You sometimes get "hybrid RPGs" though, like Star Ocean and Tales of Symphonia, where skills at fighting games count too.

[Meat Puppet]

I consider myself quite the "master", if you will, of RPGs - one time I made it past the start menu by myself.

[crashNUMBERS]

XD LMFAO!! :lol: :laugh: :lol: :lol:

Oh really??

[Lon611]

i think a "good" rpg gamer can be ne1 really. all it takes is an intricate understanding of the game's system,and a creative approach to battle especially wiht bosses.

[crashNUMBERS]

Yeah create your own strategy. Like should I be creative and do this or should I do the experiment here or there till I kick his ass??

[edczxcvbnm]

Being able to do low level runs with out strategy guide help makes you a good RPG player. Being able to do that means that you understand the game you are playing and can develop stratgies around what few options you have to choose from when making an attack. Not everyone can do that.

Getting to level 99, collecting every item in the game, doing everything does not make you good at RPGs. ANYONE can spend time out the ass an accomplish that.

[crashNUMBERS]

Never bothered to ever beat ruby weapon in FF7... :cry: :cry:

[edczxcvbnm]

He isn't that hard. You could be at level 40 and still beat his ass through the fucking ground. W-Summon + Hades + Knight of the round + MP Absorb + HP Absorb + Mime=Invincible!

[Yuffie514]

when ur better than ur older bro, then that means ur the champ. i always train more, have lots of Gil/items, and bosses are pushovers. i can't help but to savor the memory of my brother fighting Edea in the Deling City parade and dying to her like 7 consecutive times :hahaha: .

[nik0tine]

What constitutes a good RPG player?

Why, this (http://eyesonff.com/forums/member.php?u=10802) constitutes a good RPG player.


And no, Neel, that isn't this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v380/nik0tine/DSC02557.jpg) picture. :p



i can't help but to savor the memory of my brother fighting Edea in the Deling City parade and dying to her like 7 consecutive times . Wow, your brother must really suck, because as far as I know, it's impossible to get a gameover from Edea at the Deling City Parade. :p

[Erdrick Holmes]

Being good at RPGs? You might as well say you're good at eating soup.

[Yuffie514]

What constitutes a good RPG player?

Why, this (http://eyesonff.com/forums/member.php?u=10802) constitutes a good RPG player.


And no, Neel, that isn't this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v380/nik0tine/DSC02557.jpg) picture. :p



i can't help but to savor the memory of my brother fighting Edea in the Deling City parade and dying to her like 7 consecutive times . Wow, your brother must really suck, because as far as I know, it's impossible to get a gameover from Edea at the Deling City Parade. :p

nah, i just have more will to train, but he has more will to beat games, and he's beaten far more RPGs than me. sometimes he'll ask me to train his characters. next time i'm charging $5 per lvl up :drool: :goofy: .

[black orb]

>>> The guy who can revive Aeris is a good RPG player. :D

[Garland]

It is possible to be "good at RPGs", because not everyone can beat them. When I was younger, in the days when Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy were in their prime, I couldn't beat them. I wasn't good at RPGs. Now I can't think of an RPG I can't beat. Somewhere between Dragon Warrior 1, and the present, I got "good" at RPGs.

Unlike other genres of videogames though, RPGs reach a skill plateau. In an action game, you can always increase your high score. You can always improve your strategy in a RTS game. 1st person shooters have a definite capacity for infinite skill improvement. This isn't the case with RPGs. RPGs have only two levels of prowess: those who are good at RPGs and those who aren't. Dragon Warrior was insanely difficult, untill I beat it. Then I knew the rules. The rules all RPGs follow. And no RPG has been as great a challenge since.

[Dreddz]

People that are good at RPG's are people that do all those lvl 1 challenges and all, patience is key as well

[Lionx]

Being good at RPGs? You might as well say you're good at eating soup.


*chokes on soup*x_x

[ljkkjlcm9]

People that are good at RPG's are people that do all those lvl 1 challenges and all, patience is key as well
I don't think that makes you good, that just means you have a lot of time to waste...

THE JACKEL

[edczxcvbnm]

People that are good at RPG's are people that do all those lvl 1 challenges and all, patience is key as well
I don't think that makes you good, that just means you have a lot of time to waste...

THE JACKEL

I disagree. It doesn't take anywhere near the amount of time it does to get everyone up to level 99 and stuff like that. That takes zero skill. Being able to figure out boss patterns and maximize what you have and build stratagy around it takes skill and few can do that.

[Kakashi509]

to be a good at an rpg all you have to do is not suck at it

[KentaRawr!]

Well, if you mean in the Battle System, in some games there might be certain strategies you can find out. For example:

In FF1, my usual team is Fighter, Red Mage, Black Mage, White Mage. I then come across 3 Goblins. My Fighter and Red Mage can kill those in 1 hit, but my other Mages cannot. So, I do this:

Fighter kills Goblin 1.

Red Mage kills Goblin 2.

White Mage hits Goblin 3.

Black Mage kills Goblin 3.

I weaken the enemy with 1 of my weak characters, and then finish it off with the other weak character.


In the Maps, though, I suppose that to be good at an RPG you can try to solve all the extra puzzles and find the secret paths to get more items.

[CloudSquallandZidane]

When u beat the game at under level 45 then ur good. I hate it when people are like "oh, im lvl. 99 im soo good." i reply by saying "No ---- sherlock u kill everything in 1 freakin hit, that takes no skillz, killing all those bunnies to nickel and dime u experince up there really paid off didnt it?"

[crashNUMBERS]

I wonder. Is it possible to be a LV.40 and beat ruby weapon without KoTR??

[-N-]

I dare you to try it with Coin+Mime, and nothing else.

Would beating Ruby with something as ludicrous as this be considered "good"?

[Rase]

I think it'd be considered "insane luck".

[Captain Maxx Power]

It takes a special kind of insanity to do it. I personally have around thirty or so fully completed RPGs to my name, so I consider myself somewhat of an expert in how to complete RPGs effectively. The key is to shorten the time you spend backtracking/doing nothing constructive to a bere minimum.

[ljkkjlcm9]

People that are good at RPG's are people that do all those lvl 1 challenges and all, patience is key as well
I don't think that makes you good, that just means you have a lot of time to waste...

THE JACKEL

I disagree. It doesn't take anywhere near the amount of time it does to get everyone up to level 99 and stuff like that. That takes zero skill. Being able to figure out boss patterns and maximize what you have and build stratagy around it takes skill and few can do that.


Again, I disagree, because when you first play an RPG you play through just to play through gaining levels and doing it all regular, not really trying to be a a low level, or a high level. Then almost everyone their second time through tries to get everything and max out everything. Now standard RPGs now adays are at least 40 hours of gameplay, so that's already 80 hours on the game. Another time through maybe this time at a low level will be another 40 hours, possibly more due to many deaths at points in the game, which are bound to happen occasionally no matter how good the player. I'll admit I've done low level games before, my greatest accomplishment I felt was low-level FFVI with only three characters on Kefka, but still, it was a big use of time and I was younger and had nothing better to do with my time and could waste time like that.

THE JACKEL

[Rye]

Being a good walkthrough reader.

That's me. xD

[Zeldy]

Never bothered to ever beat ruby weapon in FF7... :cry: :cry:
I tried but it pwnz me :(
I also need a guide for Zelda games..

Im alot better at games like Donkey Konga and Super Smash Bro's Melee.
I admit it, Im a button basher :( :weep:

[Spammerman]

button basher/mashers are cool.Its teh only way i beat some people in games.