Role-Playing Games

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I may get Oblivion when my system's better (assuming the reviews are good), but right now I doubt it could handle it--at least not without seriously downgraded graphics and loads of lag. (I wouldn't want to get the Xbox 360 version because I don't want an Xbox 360 (this is even assuming I'd be able to find one to buy), and plus, the PC version has the construction set! That's half the reason to get it IMO--editing the living hell out of it.)

The main reason, though is that I'm worried that, like Morrowind, its characters/dialogue/plot will be too similar/dull. There are two reasons why I play RPGS: one, because in some you can effect the storyline and make it go in different ways (sadly you're never able to change the story enough and you usually wind up going through the same levels anyway, just with slightly different dialogue or something), and two, because the genre allows much more interesting characters, plot, and dialogue than, say, RTS or FPS. (Adventure games pretty much rely on good plot/dialogue/characters, however, which is why I wish the genre wasn't mostly limited to monthly $20 pieces of crap released by the Adventure Company.)

I know that Oblivion has Radiant AI, but just because its NPC's have detailed behavior as a whole it doesn't mean each individual NPC will be more interesting. Plus, the plot hasn't sounded too good: the King sees you in his dreams and thus concludes that you have to save the world from a demonic invasion by finding his heir. Wow, way to be original! Until somebody assures me that Oblivion will have great writing--something that is a necessity in the RPG genre for me--then my interest will remain mildly low. Higher than my interest in most games, but still low.

Being a fan of Morrowind I too will be looking out for Oblivion

My pc's CPU is only 400 mhz above the minimum specs but ive got a gig of ram and a ATI 9800 to make up for it, even then they still recomend the more recent ATI cards hmm....

Then again i find the minimum specs usally are BS ive ran Rome Total war on a 400mhz K6-2 with a GE-force 4 MX

For pencil and paper RPGs, I naturally know D20, but I also know HERO, BESM, GURPS, and World of Darkness.

For console RPGs, I've played Final Fantasy 4-6, 7th Saga, Star Ocean, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Lufia 2, Super Mario RPG, Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Calibur, Jagged Alliance 2, System Shock 2, Deus Ex, Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge, Wizardry 8, Tales of Symphonia, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Gladius, Golden Sun, and Freedom Force. I still need to play the original Fallout and Shining Force and Phantasy Star though...

Geez I've played lots, I've played secret of mana, secret of evermore, earthbound, breath of fire 1, mario rpg, paper mario K-year door, FF1-9 + tactics and tactics advance and Crystal chronicles, star ocean 2, azure dreams, Baldurs gate dark alliance, x-men legends 1&2, pokemon, tales of symphonia and phantasia, golden sun, fire emblem path of radiance and sacred stones, a smattering of harvest moon, megaman x command mission, and passingly played DND. *whew* that's a long list, and i'm not even sure that's all of it! I'd like to see someone top that list!

Okay, I'll take that challenge (I've played more then I can keep track of).

secret of mana, legend of mana, secret of evermore, earthbound, breath of fire 1-4, breath of fire dragon quarter, mario rpg, FF1-10 tactics/adventure(it was an old one) legend 3(I think that was it) and probably a lot I'm forgeting, star ocean 2, azure dreams, megaman x command mission, Suikoden 2&3, Xenogears, the first half of Xenosaga, a Fire Emblem Game for the Super Nintendo, Dragon Warrior 1-4, Dragon Warrior Legend of Torneko

Not sure if these count, but Soul Blazer 1/2 and Lagoon

Dang. I'm sure I'm forgetting more then a few. Bah. I came close at least.


I've gotten a little annoyed with the so called 'RPGs' these days (they aren't really roleplaying games, because you're not really playing a role so much as just building up stats). Most are pretty formulaic and filled to the brim with cliches. But then the same could be said of just about everything. Generally about the best that can be said about most of them is that they have interesting storylines, but that you're not really involved in them.


I'm a bit of a Shadowrun nut, but it's been years and years since I was in a group in person. I played on a MUSH for awhile and that was a situation that really deserves another thread. It ended when I got sick of the politics. Well a long time after that but after I figured there wasn't much point in staying. (It was fairly long and drawn out)

I've been programming a MUSH server for awhile. I'll probably use it for something.

I kind of want to make computer games.

All the SNES RPGs are good and are very easy to get hold of because of emulation. Post 16-bit RPGs I have include all the Final Fantasies (although 6 is my favourite) and Star Ocean 3, as well as other 'RPG-hybrids' like Kingdom Hearts and Dark Chronicle (the only dungeon crawl game I've liked). The Fire Emblem games for GBA are also great, even though they're as much strategy as RPG.

I'd like to get some more non-Square-Enix stuff just to see what else is available, but given the choice of Kingdom Hearts 2 and FFXII which will be here soon and another title, I'll probably go for one of the Square-Enix titles, because they're 'safe' and I know I'll get something I like. I'd also like to try Dragon Warrior VIII but I'm not sure about the 'old-school' factor, not because it'd be too old for me (cos I've played the older RPGs) but because it might have a sorta been-here-done-that feeling. Plus I hated FFIX, which was also supposedly 'old-school'. I've also tried computer RPGs like Diablo and Baldur's Gate but they didn't appeal to me as much.

I don't really get the criticisms that RPGs are getting too 'mainstream' now with more focus on graphics, story, etc. I've always thought of that stuff as just extra icing on the cake, and that over time the underlying cake hasn't changed in quality. There's good games and there's bad games. Always has been.

I don't get that, either, because from what I can tell, RPG's and just games in general have completely forgotten the importance of story. Granted, story was never the most important thing for most games, but it was always the LESS mainstream ones that had great stories. The mainstream ones never did. It's one of my main problems with the industry--I want great writing in games, not this cliche trash.

I've loved RPGs since the first Dragon Warrior for NES. It's my favorite genre. Right now I'm playing Oblivion for the PC and Atelier Iris 2 for the Playstation 2. I'd like to try my hand at tabletop RPGs, but the social aspect is too intimidating for me. Maybe someday.

The one thing I don't like about most RPG's today is the fact that they aren't as good as the old-skool ones. The aspects that must get better with time, like graphics, engines, and mechanics, have, but the aspects that don't automatically update with time, like character development and story, have actually gotten worse. Granted, some games have had really novel ideas lately, and I certainly haven't played them all, what I have played doesn't seem to be all the encouraging. One thing that is needed is consistenteffort into story throughout. In SO2, for example, the story was pretty good for disc 1, but on disc 2 it was like the writer got laid off for taking too long, and they got some GOOFBALL off the street to finish.