MinorityReport
Banned
- Joined
- February 10, 2014
- Messages
- 372
This thread is about you and cRPGs.
By the time you finish this article, you should have a clearer understanding of why you like the cRPGs you do and why you may, or may not, feel represented by any cRPGs which may or may not hit the market.
For this article I shall use the 1998-2006 D&D Bioware/Black Isle/Obsidian Bell Curve of Forgotten Realms games which peaked with the release of Neverwinter Nights in June 2002. I use this era and these games as this grouping is now widely accepted as the Golden Era of Western cRPGs, possibly of all cRPGs ever made to date.
While other games and other eras can be argued to have produced better or more true RPGs, there has never been a better selection than these games with which to write an article such as this. It is as if the mere existence of these games and their associated Bell Curve of creativity practically writes this article itself, without me even having to stretch or labor any minor point.
The chronology and the game variety:
1998/1999 - Balder's gate is greeted with enough popularity to garner an expansion and enough profit to turn enough heads towards greater creativity in a similar direction. The curve begins its assent.
Late 1998 - Development meetings. Agenda: "So what shall we do next? What sells the best or what is artistically right?" There follows arguments and discussions and coffee and sandwiches. Result: "Let's find out what sells best, we have enough money to properly test the market, so... let's go for it."
During 1999 - Three very the same but also very different cRPGs are in motion while the expansion to Balders Gate satiates the now expectant new followers.
Version A: December 1999 - Planescape: Torment
Strengths: Massively plot-driven, massively choice-driven in an open world setting, intellectually stimulating, absolutely original.
Weaknesses: Small choice during character creation, low on strategic action, not really sword and sorcery, a bit buggy.
The critic's favorite, the specialist RPG'ers favorite, an example of the good that can come from creative thinking and profit be damned, the 9.8er... which doesn't seem to bring in the mass crowds. The Oscar winner rather than the box-office smash. Spawned no expansions or sequels.
I've played this game once, all the way through, and I liked the experience generally. I had quite a few moments of extreme frustration during the game, some bug-related, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon completion was positive. But I haven't played it again, but retain a copy in case I ever get in the mood again.
Version B: June 2000 - Icewind Dale
Strengths: Massive choice during character creation, Massive on strategic action, full-on sword and sorcery, very quickly virtually bug-free, unique ice-world setting with amazing musical score and delightful writing.
Weaknesses: Low on plot and has very limited choices defined by a completely linear adventure, some sections will tire you by their lack of intellectual stimulation as you have to kill so many monsters before your next plot-point.
The simple man's favorite, the traditional gold-box RPG'ers favorite, an example of the good that can come from keeping it stupidly simple with classy undertones, the 9.0er... which doesn't seem to bring in the mass crowds. The popular action movie that the boys lap-up but the girls find 'boring'. Spawned two expansions (one unofficial but now considered official) and one sequel.
I've played this game four or five times, all the way through, and I grew to love the experience. I had quite a few moments of extreme frustration during my first game, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon completion was very positive. The second time I played it I felt completely at home and I now seem to play it once every year, most likely during winter.
Version C: September 2000 - Balder's Gate 2
Strengths: Generally plot-driven within a massively open-world setting, massively choice-driven via a plethora of interactive companions, a stable mix of strategic action versus dialogue. Eternal questing. Has that sword and sorcery backdrop. Very quickly generally bug-free. You can learn something new about the game every time you play it, even if you've played it loads of times.
Weaknesses: limited choice during character creation, a confusion of plots and quests, too many irritating forced companions, easy to miss/fail one little (non-dying related) thing that upsets your adventure/plans in the long-term. You don't completely feel like you're ever in full control of a situation.
The people's choice, the summer blockbuster, an example of the good that can come from trying to appeal to both males and females in equal measure, the 9.4er... which brings in the mass crowds and endless forum threads. The total box-office smash which leaves the intellectuals curious and cynics wondering what's happened to humanity. Spawned an even more popular expansion.
I've played this game once and I didn't get very far (I think? About character level 6/7ish?), and I didn't really like the experience. I had many moments of extreme frustration during the game, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon quitting was "that's enough of that". I haven't played it again, but retain a copy in case I ever get in the mood to try again. I just couldn't get to grips with companions gallivanting off left-right-and-center whenever they walked passed a building or spoke to someone - I got quest-dizzy.
The grand finale:
So... you're a games developer who now has to decide which model will best fit the next great RPG adventure. The players have been spoiled with choice during a hiatus of experimentation - now it's time to make the big decision, "what shall we take from each game and apply to our masterpiece?"
Version D: June 2002 - Neverwinter Nights
A game which was designed by a committee - neither good nor bad. Neither brilliant nor dumb. Just a nice game. Does the job.
I've played Neverwinter Nights twice from the OC to the end of the second expansion, and though grueling in places, and though I couldn't do it every year, is still one of my favorite all-time RPGs.
But it did mark the peak of the era and signal the slide back to the bottom of the Bell Curve for the golden era of D&D Forgotten Realms cRPGs.
Neverwinter Nights 2 was a whopping 4 years wait for fans (2006) and the next Bioware project didn't turn up until a massive 7 years later with Dragon Age in 2009.
But... does it now make sense to you why all the big cRPGs made since 2005 have tried to do nothing more than emulate Balder's Gate 2. Even when they are not even tied to a D&D rule-set. Management will always just stick to what they know, and they know the BG2 formula is the winning formula...
No matter how much minorities such as myself object.
So, to all those of you who are, like myself, much more of a Version A, B, D'er, let us just join together for one brief moment and lament the fact that we are not market viable, and let us rejoice that, for one brief moment, someone was allowed to give us some truly GREAT games to play.
Games of the like we may never see again...
(Or will we... )
((as for you poor PoR and ToEE dudes, I can't even begin to sympath...))
By the time you finish this article, you should have a clearer understanding of why you like the cRPGs you do and why you may, or may not, feel represented by any cRPGs which may or may not hit the market.
For this article I shall use the 1998-2006 D&D Bioware/Black Isle/Obsidian Bell Curve of Forgotten Realms games which peaked with the release of Neverwinter Nights in June 2002. I use this era and these games as this grouping is now widely accepted as the Golden Era of Western cRPGs, possibly of all cRPGs ever made to date.
While other games and other eras can be argued to have produced better or more true RPGs, there has never been a better selection than these games with which to write an article such as this. It is as if the mere existence of these games and their associated Bell Curve of creativity practically writes this article itself, without me even having to stretch or labor any minor point.
The chronology and the game variety:
1998/1999 - Balder's gate is greeted with enough popularity to garner an expansion and enough profit to turn enough heads towards greater creativity in a similar direction. The curve begins its assent.
Late 1998 - Development meetings. Agenda: "So what shall we do next? What sells the best or what is artistically right?" There follows arguments and discussions and coffee and sandwiches. Result: "Let's find out what sells best, we have enough money to properly test the market, so... let's go for it."
During 1999 - Three very the same but also very different cRPGs are in motion while the expansion to Balders Gate satiates the now expectant new followers.
Version A: December 1999 - Planescape: Torment
Strengths: Massively plot-driven, massively choice-driven in an open world setting, intellectually stimulating, absolutely original.
Weaknesses: Small choice during character creation, low on strategic action, not really sword and sorcery, a bit buggy.
The critic's favorite, the specialist RPG'ers favorite, an example of the good that can come from creative thinking and profit be damned, the 9.8er... which doesn't seem to bring in the mass crowds. The Oscar winner rather than the box-office smash. Spawned no expansions or sequels.
I've played this game once, all the way through, and I liked the experience generally. I had quite a few moments of extreme frustration during the game, some bug-related, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon completion was positive. But I haven't played it again, but retain a copy in case I ever get in the mood again.
Version B: June 2000 - Icewind Dale
Strengths: Massive choice during character creation, Massive on strategic action, full-on sword and sorcery, very quickly virtually bug-free, unique ice-world setting with amazing musical score and delightful writing.
Weaknesses: Low on plot and has very limited choices defined by a completely linear adventure, some sections will tire you by their lack of intellectual stimulation as you have to kill so many monsters before your next plot-point.
The simple man's favorite, the traditional gold-box RPG'ers favorite, an example of the good that can come from keeping it stupidly simple with classy undertones, the 9.0er... which doesn't seem to bring in the mass crowds. The popular action movie that the boys lap-up but the girls find 'boring'. Spawned two expansions (one unofficial but now considered official) and one sequel.
I've played this game four or five times, all the way through, and I grew to love the experience. I had quite a few moments of extreme frustration during my first game, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon completion was very positive. The second time I played it I felt completely at home and I now seem to play it once every year, most likely during winter.
Version C: September 2000 - Balder's Gate 2
Strengths: Generally plot-driven within a massively open-world setting, massively choice-driven via a plethora of interactive companions, a stable mix of strategic action versus dialogue. Eternal questing. Has that sword and sorcery backdrop. Very quickly generally bug-free. You can learn something new about the game every time you play it, even if you've played it loads of times.
Weaknesses: limited choice during character creation, a confusion of plots and quests, too many irritating forced companions, easy to miss/fail one little (non-dying related) thing that upsets your adventure/plans in the long-term. You don't completely feel like you're ever in full control of a situation.
The people's choice, the summer blockbuster, an example of the good that can come from trying to appeal to both males and females in equal measure, the 9.4er... which brings in the mass crowds and endless forum threads. The total box-office smash which leaves the intellectuals curious and cynics wondering what's happened to humanity. Spawned an even more popular expansion.
I've played this game once and I didn't get very far (I think? About character level 6/7ish?), and I didn't really like the experience. I had many moments of extreme frustration during the game, some plot-related and some mechanics related, but the overall feeling upon quitting was "that's enough of that". I haven't played it again, but retain a copy in case I ever get in the mood to try again. I just couldn't get to grips with companions gallivanting off left-right-and-center whenever they walked passed a building or spoke to someone - I got quest-dizzy.
The grand finale:
So... you're a games developer who now has to decide which model will best fit the next great RPG adventure. The players have been spoiled with choice during a hiatus of experimentation - now it's time to make the big decision, "what shall we take from each game and apply to our masterpiece?"
Version D: June 2002 - Neverwinter Nights
A game which was designed by a committee - neither good nor bad. Neither brilliant nor dumb. Just a nice game. Does the job.
I've played Neverwinter Nights twice from the OC to the end of the second expansion, and though grueling in places, and though I couldn't do it every year, is still one of my favorite all-time RPGs.
But it did mark the peak of the era and signal the slide back to the bottom of the Bell Curve for the golden era of D&D Forgotten Realms cRPGs.
Neverwinter Nights 2 was a whopping 4 years wait for fans (2006) and the next Bioware project didn't turn up until a massive 7 years later with Dragon Age in 2009.
But... does it now make sense to you why all the big cRPGs made since 2005 have tried to do nothing more than emulate Balder's Gate 2. Even when they are not even tied to a D&D rule-set. Management will always just stick to what they know, and they know the BG2 formula is the winning formula...
No matter how much minorities such as myself object.
So, to all those of you who are, like myself, much more of a Version A, B, D'er, let us just join together for one brief moment and lament the fact that we are not market viable, and let us rejoice that, for one brief moment, someone was allowed to give us some truly GREAT games to play.
Games of the like we may never see again...
(Or will we... )
((as for you poor PoR and ToEE dudes, I can't even begin to sympath...))
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 372