What is truly left to us RPG gamers?

[Galacticdefender]

I hope Fallout 4 will have more varied terrain. A mutated forest would be so awesome.

 

[Warren_Paul]

EA does not have horrible games. Mass Effect is an amazing RPG.

I wasn't saying that EA didn't have good games. They do. What my problem is, is that they force their developers these days to rush most jobs in time for a Christmas season.

Quote for truth, what Karn says is right. EA have a track record for buying out development studies and ruining them. Westwood Studios and Origin are two perfect examples.

The most recent perfect example is Dragon Age 2. They forced Bioware to rush it and the game was a disaster.

EA only think about the dollar signs, they don't care about the quality of games. At the moment Bethseda is our only hope really for quality RPGS.

CD Project RED did well with The Witcher 2. They are working on a third one.

Richard Garriot (Lord Brittish), the creator of Ultima, is returning to the scene as well, working on a new game. Not sure on it yet though, I think he wants to make it online, browser based or something. New Brittania he is calling it. Can't call it Ultima because EA still have the rights to the name.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Well, that does sound nice....


But as a SNES generation kid, what I truly mourn are the good old battle menu turn-based RPGs. I swear, if an independent developer, even if it's one working on their own using something like RPG maker, can create one with a good story to it, I would play it. Because we all know that no mainstream company is ever going to make one like that ever again.


Gone, I suppose, are the old days. Games like the Nintendo Final Fantasy games, Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden....*sigh*


Come to think of it, at this point, I'll settle for being able to name your party. As far as I've seen, FFIX was the last game to do that....

 

[biodroid]

I would say Bethesda is the leading force in RPG with the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. I don't think EA owns them either. At one stage BioWare was the leader in RPG games like Neverwinter Nights etc. But then again EA is a franchise destroyer.

If you have a PS3 try the Demon's Souls and Dark Soul's games. Those are supposed to be some of the best, most difficult but fair games on the market.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Gone, I suppose, are the old days. Games like the Nintendo Final Fantasy games, Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden....*sigh*

I know aye, I loved all those games. And the Sega competition, to date, Phantasy Star 4 is still one of my favourite all time RPGs.

Most companies are producing games just for money, gone are the days where making a "good" game was more important than profit.

Silly thing is that years ago, when the penny pinchers cared about quality, they still made good profit, because the game was worth buying. and because of that they had a loyal fan base.

I would say Bethesda is the leading force in RPG with the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. I don't think EA owns them either. At one stage BioWare was the leader in RPG games like Neverwinter Nights etc. But then again EA is a franchise destroyer.

Yeah, on PC it started as Origin, then it was Bioware, now its Bethseda. There is only one reason why... EA.

If you have a PS3 try the Demon's Souls and Dark Soul's games. Those are supposed to be some of the best, most difficult but fair games on the market.

Those two are very brutal, almost too hard.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Dragon Age 2 had some good points, but, as has been said, it was clearly rushed. I really like the game world and general approach, but copy and pasting umpteen dungeons (100% copies as well, not just features) and the strangely disjointed storyline was a great shame after Origins.

I'm hoping DA3 actually gets enough time to be properly developed. And that it has a lady Qunari.

 

[James Coote]

Interestingly, the guy from spiderweb studios wrote an article just recently at http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6698/principles_of_an_indie_game_bottom_.php?page=1 talking about how indie developers can make a living off the more neglected genres in video gaming

 

[biodroid]

The problem with indie developers is that it seems their games lack quality or polish. Anyway they would need to acquire the rights right? How many millions would that cost?

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

I know aye, I loved all those games. And the Sega competition, to date, Phantasy Star 4 is still one of my favourite all time RPGs.

Most companies are producing games just for money, gone are the days where making a "good" game was more important than profit.

Silly thing is that years ago, when the penny pinchers cared about quality, they still made good profit, because the game was worth buying. and because of that they had a loyal fan base.

Exactly. I was a loyal FF fan in the early days, until the game was ported to the Playstation. And in terms of good games of any genre, not just RPG, I was a loyal Mario fan, but the last Mario game I played was 64. I checked out others like Mario Galaxy and whatnot but none of them seemed to hold any appeal to me anymore.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Interestingly, the guy from spiderweb studios wrote an article just recently at http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6698/principles_of_an_indie_game_bottom_.php?page=1 talking about how indie developers can make a living off the more neglected genres in video gaming

This is what has led to the rise of Indie Developers, their little market has become very popular, especially since there are IDE's such as XNA that are free to use, have a platform to easily promote and sell their games (Xbox Live, Steam), and the support community to go with it.

The problem with indie developers is that it seems their games lack quality or polish. Anyway they would need to acquire the rights right? How many millions would that cost?

rights for what? If they are making their own RPG they already own the rights. Who says they have to make a sequel to another studio's games to be successful or good. There are good indie games out there that are very polished.

In fact, one particular indy game is very, very successful at the moment, Minecraft. Just because it doesn't have eye-catching graphics, doesn't mean its a bad game. (that's what texture packs are for )

 

[devilsgrin]

Dragon Age 2 had some good points, but, as has been said, it was clearly rushed. I really like the game world and general approach, but copy and pasting umpteen dungeons (100% copies as well, not just features) and the strangely disjointed storyline was a great shame after Origins.

I'm hoping DA3 actually gets enough time to be properly developed. And that it has a lady Qunari.

Well DA3 has already taken longer to come out than DA2 did from the release of the epic Origins.
So thats promising. They need to take cues from Bethesda. We WILL wait for a fantastic game... but we will most definetely tear shreds out of underdone trash.

My problem with DA2 was of course the rushedness (its a word since I used it, which makes it so, lol ) - the dungeon thing actually sickened me. But the biggest problem is the actual LACK of choice and consequence, when we were promised both. Hawke always ends up Champion regardless. We always lose a sibling in the prologue, regardless, and we always lose the other to wardens/templars/the circle/death, regardles. thats not choice, thats going along for the ride.
Hawke is a spectator for most of the story. he/she is NEVER proactive, instead he/she spends the entire game reacting to your companions actions, or inexplicable NPC actions. The fact that a Mage Hawke can walk around with impunity for the entire game in a city renowned for both the fanaticism of its Templars and for almost megalomaniacal craziness of their Knight-Commander, is ludicrous.
The Qunari phase is perhaps the strongest part of the game. And i truly enjoyed the arguments for and against the Qun. The Arishok is a very interesting character. One, i feel, who won more players over than the actual Qun could ever, just through his pure awesomeness.
The rest of the game is The Anders, Varric and Isabella show, also starring: Aveline, Merrill and Fenris, with special guest appearances by Cassandra Pentaghast, Prince Sebastian, Carver/Bethany, Mother, Dog (aww much love for Dog!!!), Meredith, Orsino. And Introducing LadyHawke/BroHawke in an entirely forgettable and largely irrelevent performance.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I read that DA3 will be looking at Skyrim very closely for possible ideas, and that the game will take place over a larger area than Ferelden.

The Qunari were fantastic. Generally I'm not a fan of retconning (and wasn't taken with the darkspawn) but the Qunari looked and sounded great.

Some of the characters were good (Isabela, Aveline) but they never really hung together as a group. The cast of Origins was much stronger in that regard.

 

[devilsgrin]

I read that DA3 will be looking at Skyrim very closely for possible ideas, and that the game will take place over a larger area than Ferelden.

The Qunari were fantastic. Generally I'm not a fan of retconning (and wasn't taken with the darkspawn) but the Qunari looked and sounded great.

Some of the characters were good (Isabela, Aveline) but they never really hung together as a group. The cast of Origins was much stronger in that regard.

i read about skyrim being a strong influence. Fingers crossed.
Although, it only stands to reason, since DA:O (and the setting in Thedas) was very much inspired by The Witcher.
DA2 lacked such a strong fantasy inspiration. Dragon Effect just didn't work - at least not as rushed as it ended up.

 

[fxlive57]

it took me two years to get to the Mines of Moria (playing about an hour or so a day), and I don't even prevent myself from out-levelling content!

 

[Fairytale Jane]

Play Fate the game if you're looking for an RPG. I'm still looking for a game I once played back in 2000. It lets you play a dragon and you get to burn down villages and destroy forests. The graphics were cool as well. Unfortunately every time the map was activated it would crash my computer. It's developers have long since abandoned the game.

 

[The Procrastinator]

Lamenting bygone RPGs - I have to post a huge Vale for New World Computing, authors of my favourite ever series, Might and Magic. Party-based (none of this one character only rubbish) and turn-based, so you could slow down the action to allow spells (and thought) during fighting if you wanted to. The earlier games had huge scope, 2d graphics (as did all games back then), very Dungeons and Dragons in feel, but with a touch of SF added to the mix (usually late in each game). Might and Magic 6 brought the game into the 3D world, slightly limiting the multi-character options but still with huge scope for exploration. Unfortunately at that point New World Computing was eaten by 3DO, who then proceeded to make each sequel less satisfying - smaller, more restricted choices, faster to complete - cost cutting I guess. The series made it to M&M 9 before total death. I think 3DO itself is dead now...

But I still love this series and replay it now and then, and remember New World Computing and JVC very fondly.

 

[Miggy]

The only decent thing left for RPG gamers is of course...

RE RELEASING THE OLD ONES

Don't know if any of you have been following, but their releasing an enhanced version of Baldur's Gate - adding new content, a slew of fixes as well as mod support and updated graphical options.

Can't post link but just search for it.

Should be coming out pretty soon. I'll make sure my friend gets this because he recently started playing a little DnD so hopefully this awesome series will help him out and take 600 hours of his life away.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Releasing an "enhanced" version of Baldur's Gate? With Black Isle dead and gone?


I don't think it'll be the same, somehow...

 

[Gramm838]

I can't believe there are 3 pages of replies to this thread an no-one has mentioned the grandaddy of all MMOs - EVE Online.

It's a true sandbox game and there are plenty of RP corporations to join - and they seem to take their RP seriously - I play almost every day and there are usually around 40,000 players on in UK evening time.

It does however have a very steep learning curve and it's not for everyone - but for something to really get your teeth into, I don't think it can be bettered.

G

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Maybe so, Gramm, but I wasn't really talking about the slew of MMOs out there. I meant good, solid, single-player games. I've stated before that I, for one, never get a good experience out of player interaction because I always seem to wind up with immature idiots. Plus, even with MMOs with a story to them, that always seems to fade into obscurity with all the chat yelling and errand-running that they all seem to love to do, and tend to have to be forced to do as you're never given enough leveling through any decent amount of combat. Want to avoid these messenger-boy quests? Fifteen hours of tedious grinding!


Hmm. No thank you.