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rpg design

  1. Tyranicon

    So how hard is RPG solodev? An AMA thread

    Since I've been doing this gig fulltime for five years now, with 3.5 games under my belt and more than 30k copies sold, I figured I'd offer an AMA here if you guys have questions. Besides, I like most of you more than reddit anyways. If you want an answer to the title question, this image is...
  2. Saldrone

    Underwhelming Character Builds

    A thread talking about RPGs with specific character builds that are pretty cool and fun in theory but are actually frustating in practique. Specific examples include: Making a Bruiser Chosen One who is technically a human gorilla but is slow like slug (And you even get that STR bonus once you...
  3. Saldrone

    "Role-Playing" Games that are an Example of the Illusion of Free Choice

    RPGs that, despite being about decisions they all lead to the same path giving an artificial sense of choice. Whetever the game itself or some particular quest.
  4. Robotigan

    While branching narratives are a good roleplay mechanic, they're an underwhelming game mechanic.

    For all this talk about choice & consequence, the degree to which you can manipulate the game state and the depth of their consequences just pales in comparison to essentially any non-narrative game element. You know what game is more "replayable" than Planescape Torment? Tetris. I'm not saying...
  5. MerchantKing

    Vapourware Injecting new characters

    It seems something is missing in many of the so-called rpgs in the last 20-25 years. That is everything is designed that your character will see the storyline from beginning to end with either reload or restart. Very few games short of a party wipe allow you to inject new characters into the...
  6. Robotigan

    Isometric CRPGs feel like someone tried to jerry-rig a campaign out of a strategy game's devkit.

    This is probably because I grew up playing Age of Empires and Zoo Tycoon instead of Fallout and Baldur's Gate, but still. If I'm supposed to be playing as the characters, why am I staring down on them from the throne of Zeus? I command thee to build a lumber mill, damnit.
  7. Where do they poop?

    I've heard many people ask the question "what do they eat?" in regards to RPG area design. But I never heard anyone seriously ask the question "where do they poop and where does it end up?" For Todd Howard specifically, why isn't a bathroom routine for the radiant AI in elder scrolls games so...
  8. Harthwain

    We need more RPGs like Baba Is You

    The title is a clickbait, but I think there is something in Baba Is You [BIY] that game designers could use to make RPGs more interesting than they usually are. Here is a very short video on BIY (yes, I consider 15 minutes video to be a short one): Why do I think there is something that can...
  9. DJOGamer PT

    Vapourware Wich of these progression models to a Skill Tree do you favor?

    Since this is a specific question I'll give a specific example. Say your ARPG has a sword/axe/etc. skill tree that with each node/level it expands the range of attacks the characters can perform with the respective weapon said skill has control over. Would it be better for the Skill Tree to...
  10. Princess Maker style games and other Non-Combat mecahnics

    What ideas you have for RPGs that are not your usual combat or pseudo-combat( Griflands "Diplomacy", Thea's card based "Skill Checks") And that aren't just CYOA scripted branches with skill checks( Disco Elysium) You have survival games and base management games(Rimworld) but they aren't...
  11. Vapourware Sandbox RPG Design Analysis

    Google Doc form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1spks8Yi3e4_uw1ZyM-Kvff5bbxfh-4m3cd1fXu7D0G4/edit?usp=sharing Note: This Document isn't going to be about All Sandbox Games, although there will be similarities and common elements and mechanics. It isn't going to be about Sandbox MMORPGs or...
  12. luj1

    Evaluation of various trends among KS and post-KS-era isometric RPGs

    (e.g. the wave of fantasy titles that capitalized on nostalgia such as PoE, DOS, PK, TToN, Tyranny, etc.) Rich visual presentation (Neutral) Feature bloat (cooking, fishing, sailing, camping, other minigames, etc.) (Bad) Comprehensive voice overs (Bad - waste of time, energy, resources) QoL...

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