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The problem with most RPGs is that you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, but it’s entirely unclear what items you’ll actually find do

by setr 3y ago

The problem with most RPGs is that you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, but it’s entirely unclear what items you’ll actually find down the road to support it, and what consequences could potentially exist. And of course unless the game is trivial difficulty-wise, you can always build yourself into a dead-end (though many rpgs are trivial to avoid this). Ultimately though you usually have two classes of player — min/maxers and role players — and it’s generally pointless to argue solely towards one side or the other; they will inevitably conflict, and the game generally must find its balance between the two

gnulinux 3y ago
This is why the only way to play RPG -- in my very very humble opinion -- is via permadeath. Each death tells you a unique story as to why you optimized your character poorly.
- setr 3y ago
  Agreed — Roguelikes, and AD&D, are the one true path towards good RPGs. The obsession with grand narratives and long-running unkillable parties corrupts the genre into all sorts of poor decisions in the name of role playing. Roleplay through play is the correct system — not through decision trees
- jowea 3y ago
  That only sort of makes sense if the part of the game where you can die is the main one. Who would play an RPG that is 50% walking around, talking to people and appreciating the plot with permadeath, meaning you have to redo all this every time and 90% of players will never see the ending?
m463 3y ago
> you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, So, the sneaky archer? (sorry, I remember reading a snarky guide to either oblivion or skyrim, where it said everyone always ends up a sneaky archer)
blitzar 3y ago
> you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, but it’s entirely unclear what items you’ll actually find down the road to support it, and what consequences could potentially exist Sounds a bit like life.
- setr 3y ago
  Conveniently the goal of most, if not all, video games of course — to simulate reality precisely as we commonly experience it.

by setr 3y ago

gnulinux 3y ago

This is why the only way to play RPG -- in my very very humble opinion -- is via permadeath. Each death tells you a unique story as to why you optimized your character poorly.

setr 3y ago
Agreed — Roguelikes, and AD&D, are the one true path towards good RPGs. The obsession with grand narratives and long-running unkillable parties corrupts the genre into all sorts of poor decisions in the name of role playing. Roleplay through play is the correct system — not through decision trees
jowea 3y ago
That only sort of makes sense if the part of the game where you can die is the main one. Who would play an RPG that is 50% walking around, talking to people and appreciating the plot with permadeath, meaning you have to redo all this every time and 90% of players will never see the ending?

m463 3y ago

> you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, So, the sneaky archer? (sorry, I remember reading a snarky guide to either oblivion or skyrim, where it said everyone always ends up a sneaky archer)

blitzar 3y ago

> you end up specializing towards a certain goal, from the get-go, but it’s entirely unclear what items you’ll actually find down the road to support it, and what consequences could potentially exist Sounds a bit like life.

setr 3y ago
Conveniently the goal of most, if not all, video games of course — to simulate reality precisely as we commonly experience it.