Game genres: why do they divide us?

[cliffbo]

i've noted many arguments on genres and whats best. lets put away whats best for a moment and consider how each could be improved. i myself like RPGs and any game that encourages you to explore (its our natural instinced) there are many argument about RPGs on whether they should be realtime or turn-based. i'm undecided on this but i kinda like turn-based menu driven affairs, but i also like Kingdom Hearts. the only thing i would like to see end is random battles when you can't even see what your running into until the screen shatters and that music...oh that music... plays yet again. it was exciting the first time, it made me smile the second time but on 100,000,000 time i muted my TV. so i suppose diversity in music would be a good idea. animation in turn-based could change too. it makes me giddy when the character just keeps moving in and out in and goddamn out. i'm hoping with the forthcoming PS3 that some great innovations change all this. oh, i just love the RES series too.

[Infernal]

One idea I had for a next-gen RPG was a co-op RPG. Each person could grab a controller and each could control a different character. That way one person could be the mage, one the fighter, and so on, and commands could be issued much more rapidly in active time battles. Another thing would be when you start the game you could decide say a 1,2,3, or 4 player game. Then again in the days of online this isnt too nessacary but you could use the same concept online instead of an MMO just make a few players running through the storyline.

[cliffbo]

One idea I had for a next-gen RPG was a co-op RPG. Each person could grab a controller and each could control a different character. That way one person could be the mage, one the fighter, and so on, and commands could be issued much more rapidly in active time battles. Another thing would be when you start the game you could decide say a 1,2,3, or 4 player game. Then again in the days of online this isnt too nessacary but you could use the same concept online instead of an MMO just make a few players running through the storyline.

i like this. what if you had four characters one on PS3 the other three contributing through PSP mmmmm.... would that be possible

[xbdestroya]

Infernal I'm a fan of that sort of gameplay. I agree online sort of moots it, but for the record back in the day Secret of Mana, Star Ocean Second Story... both these games and I'm sure others allowed for multiple players to join in on the action. But of note, their fighting systems were not turn-based.

[raVen]

Lord of the Rings the third age allows 2 players in a turn based battle system

Id like to see multiple players in a battle system like star ocean or kingdom hearts so its not just AI... it would be easier to set up special attacks and what not.

[xbdestroya]

EDIT: Ok the third age, may bad. Haven't played it; I'll have to check it out.

[cliffbo]

Infernal I'm a fan of that sort of gameplay. I agree online sort of moots it, but for the record back in the day Secret of Mana, Star Ocean Second Story... both these games and I'm sure others allowed for multiple players to join in on the action. But of note, their fighting systems were not turn-based.

there are co-ops out there but i think he's refering to off-line turn-based RPGs. as far as i'm aware i don't think there are any at all. i still think this is a sound idea and who knows coupled with the PSP this could become quite an innovation. i'd love to sit with my son and be the mage, while he plays the barbarian, it'd be fun

[senas8]

i've noted many arguments on genres and whats best. lets put away whats best for a moment and consider how each could be improved. i myself like RPGs and any game that encourages you to explore (its our natural instinced) there are many argument about RPGs on whether they should be realtime or turn-based. i'm undecided on this but i kinda like turn-based menu driven affairs, but i also like Kingdom Hearts. the only thing i would like to see end is random battles when you can't even see what your running into until the screen shatters and that music...oh that music... plays yet again. it was exciting the first time, it made me smile the second time but on 100,000,000 time i muted my TV. so i suppose diversity in music would be a good idea. animation in turn-based could change too. it makes me giddy when the character just keeps moving in and out in and goddamn out. i'm hoping with the forthcoming PS3 that some great innovations change all this. oh, i just love the RES series too.
LOL maybe we were never meant to play it that many times...but I would like to see rpg games more movie like...not meaning scripted, but for example I would like to see events taking shape even if you just sit there and not do much that has an effect on the whole of the game. Thus no matter what you do or don't you will have to face cause and affect in a more realistic/meaningful way.

[xbdestroya]

I agree with that - that would make things a little more 'real' for me when playing the games if there was some air of urgency.

[cliffbo]

Lord of the Rings the third age allows 2 players in a turn based battle system

Id like to see multiple players in a battle system like star ocean or kingdom hearts so its not just AI... it would be easier to set up special attacks and what not.

da... showed my ignorance here. i've got Star Ocean and now i can recall my son asking to play co-op. oh well i was wrong but i would like to see more... queue a list from you to make me feel even more stupid :(

[Infernal]

Yah I was talking about offline, such as having 1 person control Cloud, 1 Barret, and 1 Tifa in a Final Fantasy type game. This would work extremely well with FF12's battle system where there are already computers controlling two of your characters and you could just have another person swap in by pressing start or something.

[cliffbo]

Yah I was talking about offline, such as having 1 person control Cloud, 1 Barret, and 1 Tifa in a Final Fantasy type game. This would work extremely well with FF12's battle system where there are already computers controlling two of your characters and you could just have another person swap in by pressing start or something.

getting you loud and clear my friend and still liking it. i think this will happen you know. its too good an idea to pass up on

[Kevin]

One idea I had for a next-gen RPG was a co-op RPG. Each person could grab a controller and each could control a different character. That way one person could be the mage, one the fighter, and so on, and commands could be issued much more rapidly in active time battles. Another thing would be when you start the game you could decide say a 1,2,3, or 4 player game. Then again in the days of online this isnt too nessacary but you could use the same concept online instead of an MMO just make a few players running through the storyline.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles? Gauntlet Legends?

[cliffbo]

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles? Gauntlet Legends?

stop it now... there aint no word stupid enough to describe how i'm feeling... i'm a beaten man... destroyed in fact... i'm not worthy. still think its a good idea to use a PSP though

ps: there are other genres that could be improved ya know :)

[cliffbo]

for me theres nothing better to tell a good story than a RES4 type game. its important to be able to see the character that you play because of extras like different clothes and it also helps you relate to them. cut scenes though should be intergrated into the scene smoothly with no difference in graphic quality and no indication of load times. there should also be a sense of open play even though there is a linear story underneath. GTA does a good job of this. replay value should also be rethought. wearing different gear or having more powerful guns doesn't cut it for me, so there should be extra content. again RES4 goes someway to address this issue... but not quite far enough. the story should evolve slowly over lets say three play throughs. lets say for instance that at a barrocks in MGS you couldn't enter first time around but near the end of the game you obtain a sergeants uniform and now you can access this area. you then find out what happened to character b. finding out what happened to character b, opens another area on playthrough two in which you play character b, who meets another character that only played a small roll in the first playthrough, and ties all the loose ends.

time isn't an issue here. i played MGS snake eater and it took me 20 hours, i then heard there was a bonus for completing it in less than 5 so i pelted through it and completed it in 3.34. sgments of around 6 to 7 hours would still make me think it was value for money.

[CARTIER90]

I think the type of games we play reflect our personalities, lets say a guy who likes FPS's, free roamer action and racing games is (on the whole) a (and ill try to be PC :) ) a 'Red Blooded male' ....ie conforms to society's image of masculinity...competitive, underlying agression

Those who like RPG's, strategy and stealth games are IMO probably a tad more cerebral....so a 'thinker' if you will.

This is perhaps an over -simplified viewpoint, but holds true to some degree when looking at the 'hardcore' crowd, eg, a really big GT fan, or a Quake fan, one only needs to see this vid to see what i mean :) http://www.thatvideosite.com/view/201.html

[Teh Roxor!]

there are co-ops out there but i think he's refering to off-line turn-based RPGs. as far as i'm aware i don't think there are any at all. i still think this is a sound idea and who knows coupled with the PSP this could become quite an innovation. i'd love to sit with my son and be the mage, while he plays the barbarian, it'd be fun

In Final Fantasy 6, you could set which characters would be controlled by controller 1 and controller 2. I used to play with my sister this way.

[Generic Wheaties]

there are co-ops out there but i think he's refering to off-line turn-based RPGs. as far as i'm aware i don't think there are any at all. i still think this is a sound idea and who knows coupled with the PSP this could become quite an innovation. i'd love to sit with my son and be the mage, while he plays the barbarian, it'd be fun

Tales of Symphonia?

[Sephiroth_VII]

I think most FF's from 3 to 6 could be played this way. Wasn't in FF VII, unfortunately.

[Viano]

I think it's we divided the types of games not games divided themself.
Anyways FF is a mater series.

[venomv]

To my knowledge any FF that had 4 characters fighting at once instead of 3 allowed for 2 player co-op, including FFIX if you guys didn't notice. FFI-II may be different but I haven't played them.

[Sephiroth_VII]

You're right venom. FF 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 allowed for two players. It just kept dropping in and out of the series. Weird...

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Howabout an RPG in the spirit of Shadow of the Colossus, where every battle matters and is completely amazing/overhwelming. No more 'normal' guys. Every hour should be an experience.

[venomv]

You're right venom. FF 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 allowed for two players. It just kept dropping in and out of the series. Weird...

Well what kept changing was the amount of characters fighting at a time, the co-op was only there when there were 4 characters at a time, it's almost like they make a desision on how many characters they want, then add co-op as an after-thought if the answer is 4.

[Mitri]

i was readind some of you guys ideas and i thought up something. i want to see a game that is an rpg like dragon quest where you can sometimes see the enemy and other battles are just random.(persinally i like the random battles for turn based and the ic the enemy battles for real time. i think i played too much PSO.) but one thing that i hate is that your always the only person with a group that can save the world. i want someone else to be going against me to save the world.(remember back in ff10 where summoners left from every city but you were the only one that ever did anything) much like a race against time. and i want more customization when creating a character(with the help of the eyetoy more than my name can be on the main character. and with the help of a headset they can say my name in voice overs. but i do like how DQ8 has your name in the box but they skip over it. its sorta funny). i think that is enough from me on improving the rpg genre. lol.