--- David Schweinsberg <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> When people say they want an RPG for the 2600, what
> are they asking for? Ultima? or Final Fantasy?
> I'm asking this because Erik commented that he
> couldn't get into the American style RPGs. Is the
> Japanese style now predominant?
>
> Anyhow, what game elements to people want to see?
> What would make it "fun
> to play"?
Well, take my response with a grain of salt. I've never played Ultima.
My experience with RPG's is a bit limited, since many of them bore me
and only a few turn my crank. So here's my idea.
First up, I'm an aspiring writer, so I'm a sucker for a good story.
Lunar is king in my book here, with Sega's Phantasy Star running a
close second. I know it's difficult to put many words on an Atari
cart, but maybe if you have the characters act. For example, Gunstar
Heroes for the Genesis. Some of the plot points are conveyed by the
characters in the game, like when the M. Bison wannabe points the gun
at the woman and Red or Blue, depending on your character, sweat
profusely before giving up the power gems, done with the character
making his throwing motion and the gems flying over. Maybe if you
watched a few silent films, where dialogue was kept to a minimum since
it disrupted the flow, it can help you convey the story without much
wording.
So anyway, story is paramont in my mind. Many RPG's I've been
introduced to mainly consist of "wander around until you build EP and
get a high enough level to take out the bad guy." Admittedly, most
RPG's follow this to a point, but it can get boring if that is all you
are doing for thirty hours until the next plot element. The story
helps you slog through the monotony of moments like this because you
want to know what happens next.
I like games where you explore with no real plot, like in "Myst", but
the imagination drives during those moments. I guess my point is to
keep it interesting, and it'll draw people in, whether it's through
story, imagination, or whatever. Please, don't make "Princess Tomato
In The Salad Kingdom."
As far as the technical aspects, here is my list of pros and cons.
Foremost, please put the clues needed to complete the quest in the
game. My biggest problem with Legend Of Zelda is that, unless you know
precisely what to do, you don't have any chance of seeing the end
(silver arrows on Gannon? When did they mention that?) Likewise, the
Super Mario RPG, where you can only get to the secret area of one
castle the first time you enter it. On subsequent visits, you're cut
off. While I didn't much care for Star Tropics, I did like how they
handled the clue for playing the organ, with the parrot saying "Do mi
so fa do mi," or something like that. Even if I didn't know it was a
musical clue when I saw it, I would have been able to figure it out
once I saw the organ. As Rodney Dangerfield's character says in
Caddyshack, "Keep it fair. Keep it fair."
I have to say I love the "memory" feature for commands in Lunar. This
way, if you have a particular attack that is effective, you don't have
to keep selecting it when your turn comes up.
In short, I think making an RPG is like making a mystery story. Don't
make it a chore, make it worth the trip, and everything will turn up
aces.
My $0.02.
Sincerely,
Pete Holland Jr.
"Save a plant, eat a cow!
"I want beef! I want it now!
"I'm gonna eat it 'cause it's red,
"I'm gonna eat it 'cause it's dead!"
--Reel Big Fish
"Say Ten"
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