The RPG Essentials Survey
Here's a fun project for everyone. I'm planning to host an event for a convention I regularly attend about the RPG Genre and I'm collecting some info and testing out other things I might test the audience on.
Basically I am going to write out a few elements that are commonly found in RPGs and trying to determine what people consider most important and what elements are necessary for someone to actually consider it an RPG. I will do my best to define these elements as specifically as possible. Also expect several overlapping elements. This is not some secret survey, so feel free to post your results.
What I wish from you is to split these elements into three categories: Essential, Non-Essential, and Irrelevant, with Essential representing what you feel is absolutely important for an RPG to be an RPG, Non-Essential means you enjoy it but its absence doesn't hurt the overall experience, and Irrelevant being extraneous elements that don't need to be in an RPG.
After you have split the elements into there categories, I would then like you to rate them between 1-10 (or how many there are in each category) with one being your favorite element and 10 and higher being your least favorite.
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RNG Mechanics - Mechanics from how much damage you deal or take in battle, to the success rate of picking a lock or persuading someone in conversation are based on mathematical equations done under the hood with an RNG modifier taking the role of dice as if playing a table top RPG.
Turn-Based Combat - player characters and their enemies take turns doing actions in combat with turn order determined by speed stat. Actions are always commands given from a menu so even attack or item has to be selected from the command menu. This will include variations of the system like ATB, CTB, and any system that requires selecting all actions from a menu and characters taking their turns within a certain order. Example: FF series, most SRPGs
Action Combat - While the player can use the menu to select specific commands or give orders to party member, major actions like attacking, using items, or even specific commands are mapped to specific buttons. The player also often has direct control of the characters movement in battle and actions are taken based on the enemy and players speed of input instead of stats. Games will often incorporate elements of action games, FPS, or third person shooters. Examples: Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect; Tales Of franchise
Resource Management - A game which places heavier focus on managing limited resources. Dungeons tend to be designed to be long and feature high rates of or difficult combat to wear the player down and force them to utilize their resources more quickly. Thus gameplay is often about utilizing skills and resources in the most efficient way possible.
Choice System - Player has the option through actions or dialogue to alter the game in some way whether minor (taking an alternate path in the dungeon) to major (affecting the game world in a significant way like joining a new faction or changing the ending). The important thing to note is that these are one-time deal choices, once the player makes the choice they cannot take it back without returning to a save file before the choice or replaying the game. This includes simple morality systems or a faction system.
Puzzle Dungeons - Dungeons that are built into giant puzzles where exiting will require the player to interact with the environment in some fashion and to perform tasks in a specific order in order to complete it. Combat may happen but is not required. Examples : Cloister of Trials, Amala Network, Phoneix Caves
Puzzles in Dungeons - These are dungeons that often break up dungeon monotony by inserting a puzzle into the middle of all the action. While the puzzle is not the entire point of the dungeon, it is something must be completed before finding the exit of the dungeon. The dungeon can be filled with multiple small puzzles that may or may not be connected. Examples: Lufia 2 dungeons, Wild ARMS dungeons, Shin-Ra Building
Exploration dungeons - Dungeons that are usually quite large and can either be maze like (multiple paths) or labyrinth like (one complex path) but a major feature is that the dungeons are large and often focuses on exploration. These dungeons tend to be combined with resource management style gameplay though not always. Examples: Most Early RPGs, Xenoblade, FFXII
Atmospheric Dungeons - Dungeons that focus more on visuals and mood. These dungeons are primarily concerned with setting specific tone or adhering to a build up of the story. Most Final dungeons are these type of dungeons. They may be combined with the other versions of dungeons but the major emphasis is on atmosphere so other elements tend to be secondary and only used when appropriate with the atmosphere. Examples; Most final dungeons, MMO style dungeons, 3D dungeons.
NPCs - Do you enjoy chatting up NPCs? Even when you are not required to? These are the nameless people you chat with who at most may have a job description or characteristic title like Shop Keeper or Old Lady but not necessarily a real name. They sometimes give useful information for the quest but often exist to fill in world building requirements like backstory or make the town feel like it has a decent sized population. Sometimes they give quests.
Character NPCs - Similar to the above except they have names and tend to have some backstory to them. There tend to be fewer of them in towns but they often are used for multiple quests or connections to the plot. Some may even become temporary party members. They have a bigger role in the game story.
Characters Driven Plots - The game is focused on exploring the characters themselves and their roles in the story whether they be NPC, party members, or various antagonists. The story is usually simple in these games and instead the focus is on the desires and actions of the games characters to provide conflict, intrigue, and action. Examples: Most JRPGs, Mass Effect 2
Story Driven Plots - The game is focused on the story and its themes with the actions of the plot being more important than the characters reactions to it. Most political stories in the RPG genre tend to be more focused on the major events of the world. There may be some character reaction and thought but it is always secondary to the bigger world changing events of the game. Examples: Most of the Suikoden franchise, Dragon Quest, Most of the Ivalice titles
World Driven Plots - Games that often feature an unfocused plot and characters tied to certain events rather than the overall narrative. These games are more interested in getting the player invested into the world itself and may feature multiple plotlines connected to various places and characters who are often indirectly connected to each other. In these games the most important element is exploring the world and learning it's history and meeting it's inhabitants. Characters do not adhere to traditional story hierarchy as often their tales are each considered valuable with none being more important than others. The main plot largely serves to kick start the player to begin the journey and gives a definitive conclusion but it's relevancy is not treated any larger than some of the other various plot threads in the game and often the story it told in a very non-linear fashion. Examples: Elder Scrolls, Fallout
Functional "Towns" - These are locations that serve as a "break' from the combat and exploration segments of the game. While story does usually take place in these location their real purpose is to supply a centralized place to purchase new equipment, restore health and mana, pick up information about where to go next or optional content. The town exists primarily for the necessity of the gameplay.
Story "Towns" - These are locations that primarily serve the purpose for being connected to the story. They are not necessarily hubs though many of them can be but instead the next section of the story/world building/character drama. Basically they are towns where a majority of the time spent there and its connection to the world is primarily for the necessity of the story.
Mini-Games - Non-RPG related games, often taken from other genres but simplified to make them accessible to anyone. These are games that may either be part of a sidequest or even part of the story but they serve to break up monotony from the typical gameplay and when used in a story section, to create better immersion.
Fetch Quests - Whether they are MMO style "collect x amount of y from enemy z", finding rare items to be used for some form of item crafting, or a chain of deals type of quest. These are quests that involve the acquiring and distribution of items as a quest. Feel free to specify your reasoning.
Hunt Quests - Quests that primarily deal with hunting down a specific enemy. Whether they be concerned with killing a particular number of a specific enemy, hunting down a rare enemy, or hunting down a special optional boss type enemy. These are quests that deal with the killing of monsters that are causing problems with the locals. Optional Super Bosses are also part of these deals.
Dungeon Quests - Quests that involve the exploration of an optional dungeon that serves no purpose in expanding the overall narrative or current quest-chain but are usually one shot dungeons with rare items and powerful enemies. They may be connected to expanding a characters story but the main element is that the dungeon is optional and not important to the overall narrative.
Guild Quests - Quests involving various factions or guilds of specific attributes. These quests are about bolstering ones own reputation within the guild to unlock equipment or abilities. Sometimes utilizes Hunt, Fetch, and Dungeon quests but all of them are flavored in a way that makes it relevant to the guild, sometimes the quest involves using attributes not normally used in the other types of quest such at item crafting or pickpocketing.
Item crafting - Whether it's using some game specific item to bolster equipment stats up, or actually forging new weapons and armor through blacksmithing, alchemy, or tailor work these are quests that involve finding suitable items and using crafting skills to create new items. Often the crafting ability is tied to character stats or can be improved.
Character Classes - Games where players have the choice of a selection of clearly defined job roles. Roles have customization options but are often limited to staying within the confines of their selected job roles. Roles are usually a permanent choices and in some games the role is not obvious as it is simply the characters default ability. Examples: FFIV, Mass Effect, WoW, Sword of Mana
Skill Customization - Whether through equipment options are some other avenue, players customize the character based on individual skills and abilities allowing them the option to build character classes or to create mix and match job roles. Examples: FFVII, FFXII, Legend of Mana
Job Class System - Players have the ability to switch out their characters job roles on the fly, player may have the option to mix and match some skills but overall the focus is on switching job roles on the fly. Examples: FFV, Lufia: Ruins of Lore, DQVI
Stat-Based Customization - Games where the core deciding factor of character ability is based on manipulation of Stats. In these games, things like equipment and skills take a secondary role behind the characters stats or the players options of customization are in direct relations with the characters stats such as using magic requiring the character to have a minimum Int. stat or they get docked for wearing heavy armor if their STR stat is not high enough. Thought these games may have other customization options, it is the stats that largely prove to be the most important factor in character customization. Examples: Fallout 3, Persona series, FFX, Disgaea franchise.
Equipment-Based Customization - Games where the players abilities are largely defined by their respective gear more than just what skills they have equipped. Even with high stats the character is still weakened by not using high end gear or the main customization for skills and abilities are directly correlated by the gear they have equipped with. Examples: Most MMOs near end game, FFVI, FFVII, most of the DQ series
Traversable World Maps - World Maps that are separate in design from towns and dungeons that the player has the ability to manually move around with, may even gain access to various forms of transportation to get to different parts of the world map. Map may make heavy use of Random Encounters. Map can sometimes be linear but sometimes pretty open ended with ways to sequence break or at least minor diversions for the player to explore on the way. Examples: Most JRPGs before 2001
Gameboard Map - Indiana Jones style map where locations and paths are shown on the map but the player can choose where to go. Often unlocks new locations based on information obtained in towns or by following the storyline. Examples: Breath of Fire IV, FFTactics
Seamless Map - Worlds that seamlessly connect town and dungeon together with natural terrain creating a seamless world the player can travel. Often open ended, with tons of secrets and easy to get lost in. Simulates a more natural feeling world. Examples: Elder Scroll series, FFXII, DQVIII
Menu-Based Map - Locations are given to the player through a menu and selecting them will automatically send them there. Usually the player is in a central hub location and this is the only means to reach new destinations (this is not to be confused with games with menu based travel mechanics that may unlock after a certain point in the game). These games prefer to keep the player focused on the story and battle mechanics and thus skip out on the exploration aspect of the game. Examples: Most SRPGs utilize a system like this.
Random Encounters - Player encounters enemies either through an RNG or an invisible encounter tile. Exploration comes to a halt and the player must go straight into combat mode. Examples: Most RPGs from the 80s and 90s.
On-Screen Enemy Encounter - Players see enemies on the map that represent an enemy encounter. The player can choose to run away or engage, enemies tend to be aggressive and will chase enemies. Encounters always involves the player and enemies being taken to a the combat screen. Like the player, the enemies are represented by one type but may actually be a group of different types of monsters. Examples: Xenosaga franchise, FFXIII, Persona 3 and 4
Seamless Encounters - Enemies are present on the screen all the time and players can choose to engage them or ignore them. Combat is seamless with the character able to attack before the enemy knows they are there, there is no transition to a combat screen, and players can seamlessly switch from attacking to exploration mode with no transitions. Examples: Elder Scrolls, FFXII, Dark Souls.
Solo Party - Game primarily deals with a lone figure the player uses. It is possible to get guest characters but no direct way to actually change their equipment or combat strategies. Game is largely a solitary affair. Examples: DQ1, Dark Souls, Some Bethsada games
Full Party - Player controls several characters at once, each characters actions and customization is dictated by the player. Largely seen in menu-based RPGs Examples: Most 80s and 90s RPGs that are not solo games or action-rpgs
A.I. Party - Player controls one character with A.I. controlling other party members. A.I. is usually customizable or has limited learning ability. Player can control the customization of the other party members and may even be able to switch control between their starting character to other characters but there is always at least one character being controlled by an A.I. at all times. Examples: Tales of franchise, FFXIII, Persona 3, Kingdom Hearts series
Multiplayer Party - Party consisted of several character that are all controlled by different players. Similar to a cross between Solo and Full party where players have to work together to coordinate attacks and healing to survive. Examples: MMOs, Some of the Seiken Denetsu games, FF Crystal Chronicles
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I may expand or shorten this survey based on feedback, some names are stuff I came up with and may have another official name so please inform me if I am wrong. Are there elements you wish I explored more of? Stuff that felt extraneous? It would help.
