What do you want to see in future RPGs?

I am doing a little bit of research because I would like to design a game. Unfortunately I will only be able to write the script and design the characters and things, but I am hoping that in a couple of years I will have the ability to actually turn it into a game.

And yeah, basically, all I need to know is what do you all want to see in RPGs in the future? Would you like it if the main character was a female instead of male? Would you want to see a bit more romance? Would you want an interesting and different plot? Just really anything that you can think that you would like to see that is different, or just better from the RPGs that are around now. It would be a huge help!

Female protagonists. And not some girly childish thing either. A serious game with a serious female lead :D

That is actually what I was planning. I am sick of the female characters always being the healers and weak, so yeah. That is already a definite. A strong female protagonist.

Something just popped in my head. I've always loved the gimick in certain RPGs where you play different people at different times. Sometimes the group splits up and you have to play groups seperately. Or like in Wild Arms you have to guide them together to start. It keeps it varied and awesome. I think a game would be great if it abused that gimmick masterfully. Like having two or three people independantly unfolding the series of events that make the story. Though that'd be really hard to pull off

Hmmm... so, do you mean something like, being able to play the game through two different character's points of view? What I think would be interesting would be to have two different characters that you can play as, the main female character and the main male character.

What I was talking about is at a certain point you switch. Not like two different games, based on different perspectives. But two alternating perspectives within the same playthrough. Who you take control of keeps changing as you progress

Sounds like ARc teh lad, twilight of the spirits. You start of with Karg, and after a while you take control of Darc, and you switch between the two groups most of the story. There are times the groups cross paths, until you finally get them all under your control in the end. Good fun it was.

Great and flawless plot twists, superior overall gameplay and battlesystems, excellent music, super cool creature designs, interesting characters, different difficulty levels, and insane amounts of challanging super bosses and bonus dungeons.

Yeah, that's basically what I would like to see in future RPGs. :cool:

I've always been more interested in a family tree idea in an RPG. Charcter A (excuse my typos) meets Chacter E have kids get older die but Chacter K has abilities of both parents or Grandparents or so on. But the story kind of keeps goin on. That would be rather complcated. But it is an interesting idea. :D

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Originally Posted by Tama2

I've always been more interested in a family tree idea in an RPG. Charcter A (excuse my typos) meets Chacter E have kids get older die but Chacter K has abilities of both parents or Grandparents or so on. But the story kind of keeps goin on. That would be rather complcated. But it is an interesting idea. :D

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I think that would be able to work if you were playing an online RPG. It probably be the only way for it to keep on going on and on.

I'd like to see more games like Dark Chronicle(Dark Cloud 2) or Dark Cloud without some crappy characters like Monica and Robopod(or whatever its called). So basically a game like DC but more serious and giving the characters a really deep story behind them. Oh and by the way, what are you using to create the game?

As I said, I am only going to be coming up with the script and the concept seeing as though I am hopeless at artwork and grapgics and things like that.

1) I want characters to die, permanently, and for it to mean something, from both the story perspective and gameplay.

2) I want a normal RPG (Not SRPG like FFT or Vandal Hearts.) where you don't get more characters than you can have in your party.

3) A fully branching plot would require insane amounts of work, but having places where the plot can take different routes with different outcomes would be nice. Especially if it affected #1.

4) A game with challenging, interesting bosses. There's an idea I've been idling with, it will serve well here. Let's say there is a certain boss who is (For whatever reason) vulnerable to a certain tune. You can't really take him down otherwise. So let's say you have a party of six characters in the fight, and you have to have some break off the attack and go to an organ or something. Well, the enemy's henchmen are on the way there, and the area is designed for a party of six, but so is the boss. So do you split the party in half? Or do you just send two people off to the organ, while four stay in the fight to survive?

So when you split you take control of the organ party. Speed is of the essence - once you get there and play the tune, you switch back to the other party, but at the point where the characters just left. Now you have to survive against the boss until the music plays - which is as long as it actually took for your party to get there.

4b) Boss fights somewhere other than dungeons, castles, forests, and enemy bases. Hell, adventures in other places, period.

5) If a character you fight later joins you, they should be at least as strong (Barring plot reasons) when they join you as they were when they fought you. Not uber-awesome during the fight and then lamesauce on your side.

6) Tons of additional stuff to do, if you want to, aside from the main quest. But some of them should be able to influence it. Ok, think of FFVII. If you do the Fort Condor minigames, sure you get some extra items and the Phoenix materia - what if it actually affected the numbers and positions of Shinra troops in later encounters?

6b) Random-ish events based on what you do. Again in FFVII, if you're always there protecting Fort Condor Shinra might dispatch an elite strike team who will attack you when you're out in the field. Don't help them out and they won't bother you as often or with as strong a force.

Different paths. It can be done with several main arcs, but highly nonlinear games are in somewhat short supply. I would much prefer the ability to choose my overall path, preferably with several "good", "neutral", and "evil" paths that you can take your character.

Generally though you will define the main character's personality through your choices. A Baldur's Gate-like system'd probably work best in this, where you get to choose from several different dialogue options, some wildly different.

Hmmm... so many interesting ideas.

Also, I just have a small question for you all. Would you like a game where there are just two characters and you aren't the chosen one, but instead you are a character that is there to help the chosen one? Also, you wouldn't really be involved with battle monsters and things. The game would be more focused on the storyline than the gameplay (there wouldn't be much of it).

The whole "chosen one" thing is way overdone. The only time I've been happy to see it show up in recent years was when it was parodied really well in the Bard's Tale.

I'd say the characters should be somewhat out of the ordinary in that they're adventuring for whatever reason, but not because of some preordained fate. I dislike the concept of "Fate" and "Destiny."

Turned based combat. Not enough of that these days.

And almost everything "I'm my own MILF" said.

A main protagonist over the age of 21.

More RPG's taking place in the modern day.

According to Shiny_Griever, no random battles, the main protagonist who's not a loser who has issues we actual care about to an extent, higher detailed graphics, new innovative music, everyone dies in the storyline EVERYONE (even you once you play it), female characters who don't dress like hookers, more interactive options that determine the storyline as a whole, and more diversity.

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Originally Posted by EverVine

I am doing a little bit of research because I would like to design a game. Unfortunately I will only be able to write the script and design the characters and things.

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That's pretty much where I'm at in the game design area. What you need is what I need . . . a staff. An individual can't create a kick-ass game on their own. You need a team. If I could only find people who were willing to join me in an effort to create an earth-shaking, world-rocking game, then I would. But yeah, that's your one missing key ingredient.

I'm working on quite a few stories where the main character is a crazy-awesome young WOMAN like something out of Ultraviolet (except with better editing). And I'm a guy.
Games are boring when they focus too much on romance. But if you could create a fling that was NOT typical of RPGs, then I'd like to see that.
Of COURSE I'd like the plot to be interesting and different. **Uh, NIO, I want the same bland gruel I've been force-fed like an orphan in a . . . okay OT, forget it.**
Personally, I'd like to see religion. Real religion, not something that an evil dictator creates to usurp the world like Yu-Yevon in FFX. I'd like to see a real, thriving religion. I don't care what it is. As long as it dictates basic principals like not harming yourself or others. That's what I'd personally like to see.

All I would be able to help with is the script writing for the storyline and character backgrounds.

Tying in slightly with what Shiny_Griever said about a character with issues we care about: a setting which has issues we care about. Not just the good underdogs (Possibly supported by usurped royalty) against the evil emperor, minister, or enemy force (Who aren't evil, but who have been influenced by an evil emperor or minister.). A game where there are shades of grey. Where neither side is right or wrong - both sides commit atrocities, for example. Where the governments are elected, and how people face up to the repercussions of who they elected. Heck, maybe even one where you can defect to the other side if you think your own is too excessive with their methods.

By the way, everyone dying at the end doesn't always make a good ending. Actually, it usually makes quite the opposite of a good ending. Not that it can't be done right, but it's hard and usually should be avoided, especially if its done just to do it.

Furthermore, if you must make the RPG turn-based at least make it an innovative system. Turn-based RPGs are slowly going out of style because eventually people get bored of it. RPGs aren't generally known for their utterly exciting gameplay style, and I would hope that a more action/skill/strategy-based system would work out better than just the standard everybody-line-up-wait-for-bar-to-charge-then-start-slashing style.

I was going to speak on things that Behold the Void brought up earlier, but we actually have good games like that available. BioWare broke that mold more than once, and passed the torch onto other companies while continuing to keep it burning themselves. Granted we could always use more of their ilk. But I think the typical Japanese style RPG needs to be re-defined.

I don't want to turn this into a debate, so I'll just agree to disagree. Different options for story arcs, yes. But I kinda like to get to know the main character. Not define them. So I guess it would all depend on if you're aiming to mimic a western style or eastern style RPG.

1. Memorable music that fits the mood of the moment well.

2. Bashing away stereotypes, like women=healers+crappy attack power

3. Truly astounding boss fights that are hard enough to provide a challenge, but easy enough to prevent you from screaming and hurling your controller against the wall.

4. More status ailments.

5. Having characters that actually change appearance depending on what they have equipped.

Probably the main thing that turns me off of most RPG's is the turn-based combat. Maybe it's because I'm more into FPS's and Action/Adventure titles, but I often feel bored and sometimes like I don't have enough control in the turn-based style. I'm more partial to the system used by the Tales series, especially Tales of Symphonia. Also, I wouldn't mind a setting that wasn't medieval. Don't get me wrong, I like fantasy, but there are so many other options that could work as opposed to the standard fare.

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Originally Posted by Vyk

Female protagonists. And not some girly childish thing either. A serious game with a serious female lead :D

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That, and less emo protagonists.

And maybe more colorful uncliched worlds.

With a turn based RPG you could try this system I just barely though up. For PHysical attacks at least designate a certain style of attack, such as rushing, attacking defesively, balanced attack and such that will effect your actually defense, if you rush it goes down but your attack goes up, if you fight defensively its the opposite. Magic could be gaged by putting more power into the spell, but in turn it takes longer to cast, possibly more MP. But just a guess.

I like a variety of different styles of game play. That's one of the good things of Suikoden -- you have three types of Battles (duels, random normal battles, and wars). That way, you aren't always doing the same old thing. All types should be strategic as possible, so that mashing X or whatever button attacks. Nothing is more boring than battles that never require thought.

Another thing is that I'd like (within reason) to be able to choose HOW I play. If I want to rob houses, let me -- just have a consequence (townspeople hate me, fights with guards, jail, whatever). Or let me be Mother Theresa on Niceness pills. It's my game, let me choose.

I want a complex storyline. Everone should have their own agenda. Not just black and white Cloud vs Sephy. I want to spend 3/4 of the game wondering which side is the "right" side. I'd love it if I wasn't exactly trusting of the rest of the team. The story itself should be dark, not like horror movie zomg everybody dies dark, but it should be serious. And take the characters seriously they should be individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses.

>>> Everything you have mentioned here has been already done..:p

I would like to see the next rpgs more challenging (almost impossible to beat), the ones i`ve played recently are too easy..

Anti-Heros. And I'm not talking 'lone wolf emo warror' types, I'm talking insane 'rape the innocent' badasses. Why the hell do we always have to have ‘fundamentally good’ protagonists. Why can’t we play as ‘The lesser of two evils’? You’ve got to admit; evil is always more fun. And who when playing RPGs wished that they could just kill that overcharging bitch of a shopkeeper and take her goods?

That, and non-linear game play.

b00bs.

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Originally Posted by The Devourer Of Worlds

Anti-Heros. And I'm not talking 'lone wolf emo warror' types, I'm talking insane 'rape the innocent' badasses. Why the hell do we always have to have ‘fundamentally good’ protagonists. Why can’t we play as ‘The lesser of two evils’? You’ve got to admit; evil is always more fun. And who when playing RPGs wished that they could just kill that overcharging bitch of a shopkeeper and take her goods?

That, and non-linear game play.

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In both Disgaea and Makai Kingdom you play as the king of the Netherworld. Laharl goes all wussy towards the end (Stupid Flonne), not sure about Makai Kingdom though.

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Originally Posted by The Devourer Of Worlds

Anti-Heros. And I'm not talking 'lone wolf emo warror' types, I'm talking insane 'rape the innocent' badasses. Why the hell do we always have to have ‘fundamentally good’ protagonists. Why can’t we play as ‘The lesser of two evils’? You’ve got to admit; evil is always more fun. And who when playing RPGs wished that they could just kill that overcharging bitch of a shopkeeper and take her goods?

That, and non-linear game play.

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>>> yeah, but lone wolf emo warrors sell better..
The best evil anti-hero ever is GoGo Ackman, but that wasnt an rpg game..

A lot of this stuff has been done in Western RPGs. I don't think it'd be wise to expect Eastern games to adopt a Western premise. It needs to be revolutionized, not assimilated. So I think I have to ask straight up, are we talking western style, or are we trying to re-work eastern style? 'Cause there's a lot of great ideas here, but I really wouldn't want to see a lot of them in an Eastern-origin RPG

Well, trying to rework the western RPG, seeing as though I am from Australia. Basically, I am a westerner with the mind frame of an easterner. I hate all the western RPGs, most them turn out to be boring for me, so yeah.

RPGs need more cats. :cat: Whether they be main characters who fight, or NPCs, (Like the kitty village in Suikoden IV!) we need more kitties.

Kitties. :love: :cat:

1. A pure silent protagonist like in the suikoden and Dragon Quest games.
2. A girl/girl love scene
3. Battle music made up of mostly electic guitars and drums, like in the Guilty Gear Soundtrack.

They seem to already be on the right path IMO.....

Look at Suikoden V and you'll see what I want. :)

A lot less bitchys I mean bishies.

Fewer minigames. More Amano.

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Originally Posted by Raistlin

Look at Suikoden V and you'll see what I want. :)

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Does it have a kitty village too?! That's probably the only reason I played Suikoden IV, for the kitty village. Kitties...:love: :cat:

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Originally Posted by Darth Holmes

1. A pure silent protagonist like in the suikoden and Dragon Quest games.

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NO!
NO!
NO!
BAD JOEL!

(You are Joel, right? I'm not sure.)

Silent protagonists are terrible! The only game to ever do it with the remotest of good was Half-Life 2, and that was only because the gameplay itself is so awesome.

I agree. I like to get to know the person I'm playing. I'm glad they did away with silent protagonists

If the main character is a silent protaganist, that means that the main character represents you. I personally miss that in RPGs, it really helps you get into the adventure, IMO.

Hmm, interesting concept. The progtaganist IS you. That gives me an idea. What if they updated RPG's with the ability to make the characters look like you.? I dunno, just a thought.

See, the thing about silent protagonists is it makes the game more of a 'role playing' since it's easier to relate the character to the player it makes the player feel more like he actuall IS playing as himself. I mean why do you think in ALL of the Zelda games link never has a single word of dialouge?

Joel's hit the nail, we feel more like part of the game rather than viewing it if we have silent protagonists

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Originally Posted by Tama2

I've always been more interested in a family tree idea in an RPG. Charcter A (excuse my typos) meets Chacter E have kids get older die but Chacter K has abilities of both parents or Grandparents or so on. But the story kind of keeps goin on. That would be rather complcated. But it is an interesting idea. :D

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Phantasy Star 3 did something akin to that. Problem was the rest of the game was trash.

As for me, in future RPG's I'd like to see a lot more freedom. On-rails RPGs ala Japan are fun, but really the classics are things such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout et al of the Western World that truely push the boundaries of RPGs. I'd also like to see true moral/choice-based gameplay. For me an apperance change/added abilities for my alignment isn't enough. If I'm evil I want people to cower from me, for my exploits to spread across the land and be exhaulted/reviled. More importantly I'd like to see ever-expanding worlds. Spore has got me excited about the idea of procedurally-based worlds. Now if someone could apply that to an RPG...o my, the possibilities.

I never felt like I was Link, or any of the Light Warriors or Crono, or any of the Dragon Warrior heros. They were just silent personality-lacking leaders, which made no sense that they were leaders at all. The only time this worked for me for some reason was on Genesis with the Shining series. Shining Force two especially, but the reason that one worked so well is because you travel with your best friend who does the talking for you. In which case one would wonder, why can't the main character just speak for himself. And these days, I'm glad they do speak for themselves.

RPGs are there to tell a story. You're put in a role, but I don't think the role necissarily has to be your own. You're put in the shoes of the main character. Its an outlet for telling the story. Western games are better at actually putting you in the role. Like with Baldur's Gate where you can create your person from scratch however you like and choose all their dialogue throughout the game.

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Originally Posted by Vyk

I agree. I like to get to know the person I'm playing. I'm glad they did away with silent protagonists

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Just play em and toss em man. Don't hate the player, hate the game.


Anything good in the future of RPG's would be great.

bipper