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Meh modern RPGs are too focused on tits and graphics. Older ones had feeling, decent music and something called a plot and character development.

Also modern games seem clunky and slow to progress though, almost as if they want to stretch out how long it takes you to play them. (looking at you NWN radial menu!)

Phototoxin wrote:Meh modern RPGs are too focused on tits and graphics. Older ones had feeling, decent music and something called a plot and character development.

Also modern games seem clunky and slow to progress though, almost as if they want to stretch out how long it takes you to play them. (looking at you NWN radial menu!)

Exactly. I thought TSL's graphics were fine, why exactly do we need to ramp them up? Focus on developing the AI, focus on coming up with better ideas, stop jacking around with the damn graphics!

And DA:O was a pretty crappy spiritual sucessor to BG. That game pretty much went through the generic fantasy checklist and made sure to fit everything in. Along with forcing you to group up with your own enemies...

Phototoxin wrote:Meh modern RPGs are too focused on tits

This can never be true of any genre or medium.

What is actually lacking are co-op RPG's, especially non online. Baldur's Gate (PC and Console), Icewind Dale, Champions of Norrath, hell, even Diablo are great games made better by being able to play with friends. The only current gen game is Ultimate Marvel Alliance. The guys who made Champions and Baldur's Gate on the consoles have a 3 player LotR game coming out but is only online multiplayer. It is like the idea that people visit each other is a thing of the past.

That and the fact everybody is obsessed with making online games now. KotOR 3 got scrapped for an TOR. WoW killed any chance of getting a Warcraft RPG and it probably hindered the development of Ghost.

Amaya wrote:That and the fact everybody is obsessed with making online games now. KotOR 3 got scrapped for an TOR. WoW killed any chance of getting a Warcraft RPG and it probably hindered the development of Ghost.

I don't know what Ghost is, but the scrapping of KOTOR 3 really got to me, that would of been amazing on this generation of consoles/PCs. I was really exited for TOR when I saw that first trailer, where the ship crashes into the jedi temple, but then I found out it was to be an MMORPG and my heart sank.


@Ahtman,

They don't want you to go round to other peoples houses because SHOCK! you might only buy one game between you, then they can't squeeze as much money out of you

Starcraft Ghost was a canceled FPS where you would have played as a Ghost Operative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGoUsd-RHqU&feature=fvst

Right. Online co-op is about selling individual copies of games.

Well, I finished Mass Effect and despite having already read the story, I have to say that the in game conclusion and second was very good. There's really only two major issues that I see with the game, 1) too much time is spent in the mako and 2) the MQ is very short, I completed the game in under 10 hours. KotOR runs at least 20 hours for me if I remember correctly and KotOR runs about 20-25. Of course both of those games had very tedious parts, which I can't say Mass Effect had after achieving Spectre status. I think the characters are the strongest part of the game.

I didn't like the ending too much for Mass Effect... It reminds me of Heroes Season 1... big buildup but the end is kind of a dud... great game though. I might give it another play through to try to bring Shepard to one of the extremes (paragon/renegade)... my first game of mass effect had me pretty much finishing up with half on either.

The initial premise is unfair.

First there are only Seven plots in literature, so a strong degree of repetition is inevitable.

Secondly, a lot of the comparison strength is based on nostalgia. People compare with the games they were introduced to, myself included.

Third we are name-dropping the same games for the most part whereas there are other perhapsd better benchmarks. There is more than Dragon Age vs Elder Scrolls, with a nod to Planescape Torment and old Fallout. You can experience quality RPG with titles such as Baldur's Gate, Gothic and Darklands. Baldurs Gate deserves independent look because it was broadly non linear and concealed its main plot line very well. While the Gothic series does a very good job of making an immersive world different to yet contemporary with Bethesda's work.
Darklands originated the isometric RPG genre, partly evolved from the yet older text adventures, its a half evolved ancestor that still holds up a a quality benchmark.

Fourth as technology increases and has neared a plateau of what is feasible for gaming games become similar. I the past developers had to choose between isometric 3D sprites 3d with flat overlay etc, now only 3d high definition graohics will do, so no matter how you sculpt pixel your orc its essentially the same as everyone elses and moves in a 3d plane with a similar game AI. The smaller games of yesteryear had no choice but to use more widly different presentation techniques to account for the limitations of the technology. For example compare Betrayal at Krondor, Elder Scrolls Arena and Stonekeep which all used a 3d 'first person' viewpoint but handled completely differently.

Yeah RPGs are just about dead. I know this is the truth when I see games like Final Fantasy XIII and Demon's Souls being referred to as RPGs.

Also the ending of Mass Effect 1, how could you think that was a dud djphranq? I thought it was Epic. I actually felt like a hero making those calls regarding the fleet.

I can't even remember the last RPG I played that I thought was really.. good.

Well, yes I can, Fallout 2 and Summoner... So.. that means nothing proppa good since 2001?

I thought Dragon Age was fine, and didn't focus on tits despite the marketing division practically drooling over Morrigan...

But then, whenever I used her Morrigan was wearing platemail.

Melissia wrote:I thought Dragon Age was fine, and didn't focus on tits despite the marketing division practically drooling over Morrigan...

But then, whenever I used her Morrigan was wearing platemail.

And there is your problem. You should have had her in Chasind robes.

And why would I do that? The class that allowed for armored casting was so overpowered it was hilarious.

What class was that? I would like to know so I can use it when I get the class. I am only about 30 hours into it.

Arcane Warrior.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/920668-dragon-age-origins/faqs/58247

Will help you get it if you don't mind a few spoilers.

Thanks! I will be on the look out for it.

Whatever the definition of RPG is or whatever now-obscure games came out ten years ago, I am only excited about Bethesda games looking forward. IMO, BioWare crashed on DA:O and burned on ME2. Similarly, the Gothic franchise faltered with Risen and then . . . ugh . . . Arcania. Also, keep in mind that Japan is making rpgs and some can be quite good. If you want a steep challenge leaning more toward action, there's always Demon's Souls -- which can be really rewarding, unless you're looking for storyline. If you want storyline, head's up on the Square Enix press conference coming up next week regarding FF.

For me, the hope is still Skyrim.

Manchu wrote:IMO, BioWare crashed on DA:O and burned on ME2.

Funny, I thought those were FAR better than either Morrowind or Oblivion...

There's no accounting for taste:

Manchu wrote:There's no accounting for taste:

One could say that, yes. A glass to you, Manchu, and your lack of taste

Haha, you win in the end, either way -- you get BioTrash games far quicker than I get the beautiful, thoughtful, and amazingly fun Bethesda ones -- plus you actually like them! Good luck dealing with EA if you ever have a problem running them, however. I spent three weeks on the phone/online complaint channel trying to get DA:O DLC to work (hoping that the DLC might make it fun) to no avail. Not only could they not help me (and spent most of their effort trying to dodge me) but they only compensated me with EA online store credit in three non-stackable $20 gift cards -- i.e., an invitation to buy three $60 games for $40 each. Great: since I wasted fifty bucks on their crappy products so far, they'll make it up by inviting me to spend $120 more on their other crappy products.

I never said I didn't like the Bethesda ones. I quite enjoyed Daggerfall, but the series has gone downhill since then...

IIRC, you couldn't even move backwards in Daggerfall. Still, good for it's time. But, as I said, looking ahead I am not expecting much out of ME3 (or "ME2: The Rest of the Game") and the next Dragon Age.

Manchu wrote:Haha, you win in the end, either way -- you get BioTrash games far quicker than I get the beautiful, thoughtful, and amazingly fun Bethesda ones -- plus you actually like them! Good luck dealing with EA if you ever have a problem running them, however. I spent three weeks on the phone/online complaint channel trying to get DA:O DLC to work (hoping that the DLC might make it fun) to no avail. Not only could they not help me (and spent most of their effort trying to dodge me) but they only compensated me with EA online store credit in three non-stackable $20 gift cards -- i.e., an invitation to buy three $60 games for $40 each. Great: since I wasted fifty bucks on their crappy products so far, they'll make it up by inviting me to spend $120 more on their other crappy products.

Dragon Age: Origins - Metacritic rating: 91%

Mass Effect 2 - Metacritic rating 94%



So they compensated your $60 in 3 seperate gift cards... seriously? complain! get back to them with that exact sentance and get your money back thats way out of line, get them to credit it back to your card, at the very least it should of been one gift card.

also whats wrong with mass Effect 2?

And I'm not expecting much out of Skyrim I have DoW2 Retribution and Homefront as my next two purchases, whenever I get the money.

Manchu wrote:Haha, you win in the end, either way -- you get BioTrash games far quicker than I get the beautiful, thoughtful, and amazingly fun Bethesda ones -- plus you actually like them! Good luck dealing with EA if you ever have a problem running them, however. I spent three weeks on the phone/online complaint channel trying to get DA:O DLC to work (hoping that the DLC might make it fun) to no avail. Not only could they not help me (and spent most of their effort trying to dodge me) but they only compensated me with EA online store credit in three non-stackable $20 gift cards -- i.e., an invitation to buy three $60 games for $40 each. Great: since I wasted fifty bucks on their crappy products so far, they'll make it up by inviting me to spend $120 more on their other crappy products.

How was the DLC not working?

What's bad is I do not consider games like ME2 or DA:O to signify the decline in RPGs. I consider games like Demon's Souls and Final Fantasy XIII the games that have made rpgs a dying breed.

Lord Scythican wrote:What's bad is I do not consider games like ME2 or DA:O to signify the decline in RPGs. I consider games like Demon's Souls and Final Fantasy XIII the games that have made rpgs a dying breed.

Final fantasy to me has always been where you waste a day's worth of play time and get absolutely nowhere