1eyedking Do JRPG's do anything well?

[eric__s]

I was playing this Japanese strategy RPG recently called Fire Emblem and I thought it was kind of neat. There was some kind of dumb and goofy stuff, like the general aesthetic and this weapon hierarchy where swords are better than axes, which are better than lances, which are better than swords, but it also had some interesting and surprisingly hardcore ideas too. If a character dies in Fire Emblem, they die for good. There are no second chances. I'm trying to think of Western RPGs that do that and I can think of very few. Also, the stats you gain as you level up seem to be completely random, which means that you could get characters that were great or terrible depending on how they fared in the random number generator, which is pretty neat.

Basically, I think you need to approach JRPGs, or maybe RPGs in general, like a watch collector approaches watches. Do they collect watches because they want a billion devices to tell time, or because they're interested in the inner workings and mechanics of the watch? Analyze how JRPGs do things, contrast them with how WRPGs do things, and modify the best ideas they have.

JRPGs focus more on character development and WRPGs focus more on choice and environment interaction, but I don't believe the two are mutually exclusive or even exclusive to their particular genre. I would like to see a game that combines the two without watering down either or being flagrantly awful.

 

[PorkaMorka]

Fire Emblems 4,5,6,7 are definitely games that do a number of things well.

Combat is significantly more thoughtful than many Western RPGs, especially since in many of the games there is a ranking system. Striving for a high rank allows you to measure how well you did (beyond just "I won") and ranked runs discourage certain types of grinding/scumming/abuse (because you are ranked on number of turns).

Permadeath and a huge cast of characters makes for an interesting dynamic, although in most cases you're strongly discouraged from accepting character deaths, it's still a positive step.

Save load spamming is heavily discouraged in several of these games by limited/no in map saving. On the other hand, restarting the map over and over until you get it right is heavily encouraged... still, that's a big step up from save load spamming.

The majority of important combat formulas are simple enough that you can use them to figure out your chances ahead of time, although only a few of the formulas are actually given out in the game.

Your (androgynous, anime) party members are fleshed out through support conversations, although since this is Japan these conversations are unlocked by autistic behavior and a significant number of them are about incest. (yes, really)

But yeah Western RPGs could learn a lot from Fire Emblem... However, Fire Emblem isn't a JRPG, Fire Emblem has nothing to do with the JRPG formula and Fire Emblem is arguably a game that fits more comfortably in a genre other than RPG.

 

[damicore]

They're good at inspiring players of moddable western RPGs to turn them into cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests.

With tentacle rape.

Tell me moar about things that are gay with your narnia avatar man.

EDIT: In before bash because the avatar is from wiz8.
Wiz1 for the NES owns wiz8 (at least in what's manhood related).

 

[felicity]

I used to like playing SRPG but eventually it gets old that in order to keep your team even levels you have to micromanage who to get the last hit of every kills then it became fucking tedious. If you don't keep your team even levels then the game could fuck you up because some defend/rescue missions require you to use a character who you never bothered to train. It should be standard for every SRPG that xp earned in missions are pooled and can be distributed freely among characters.

Nowadays I prefer SRPG that rewards you more or at least not penalize you for faster stage clear than dragging on and grinding to the last turn.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

That's a thing I liked about Valkyria Chronicles: XP was put into a common training pool which you then used to train CLASSES, not individual troops. Similarly how only unique weapons were limited, and the weapons you research were available to all those who could use them.

Similarly, the largest amount of XP and cash in VC was given for clearing the stage as fast as possible. Another thing that was great was that grind was optional, but beneficial and pretty fun (it usually allowed you to figure out how you could have best handled many missions).

 

[Raghar]

Fucking aspies.

What's wrong with asperger?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Fucking aspies.

What's wrong with asperger?

It got too mainstream.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

"It got too mainstream."

 

[malichaixx]

They're good at inspiring players of moddable western RPGs to turn them into cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests.

With tentacle rape.

Tell me moar about things that are gay with your narnia avatar man.

EDIT: In before bash because the avatar is from wiz8.
Wiz1 for the NES owns wiz8 (at least in what's manhood related).

Didn't say anything was gay

U mad, bro?

 

[damicore]

They're good at inspiring players of moddable western RPGs to turn them into cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests.

With tentacle rape.

Tell me moar about things that are gay with your narnia avatar man.

EDIT: In before bash because the avatar is from wiz8.
Wiz1 for the NES owns wiz8 (at least in what's manhood related).

Didn't say anything was gay

U mad, bro?

"Cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests, w/e", there.
The thing is your avatar is way more repulsive than that.

 

[Azrael the cat]

"It got too mainstream."

I'm sure he was about to explain 'The word's been aspie ever since that film called...nah, nevermind you wouldn't have heard of it anyway .'

 

[Andyman Messiah]

"It got too mainstream."

 

[malichaixx]

They're good at inspiring players of moddable western RPGs to turn them into cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests.

With tentacle rape.

Tell me moar about things that are gay with your narnia avatar man.

EDIT: In before bash because the avatar is from wiz8.
Wiz1 for the NES owns wiz8 (at least in what's manhood related).

Didn't say anything was gay

U mad, bro?

"Cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests, w/e", there.
The thing is your avatar is way more repulsive than that.

So, I take it that by your offense taken at my words, that you suck the cocks of JRPG devs.

Good to know.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

sound highbrow logic all around gold star

 

[eric__s]

But yeah Western RPGs could learn a lot from Fire Emblem... However, Fire Emblem isn't a JRPG, Fire Emblem has nothing to do with the JRPG formula and Fire Emblem is arguably a game that fits more comfortably in a genre other than RPG.

Could you explain this? I don't really understand, what part of Fire Emblem doesn't meet the criteria for being a JRPG?

 

[Clockwork Knight]

It doesn't play like one, for starters. It's like Shining Force, Vandal Hearts and the Super Robot Wars series.

 

[eric__s]

I guess, but Realms of Arkania doesn't play similarly to Wizardry, which doesn't play similarly to Ultima and there are two entirely different systems for Arcanum. I don't think combat is the single qualifier for JRPGs. I think it's a lot of stuff, including presentation.

 

[mondblut]

"Cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests, w/e", there.
The thing is your avatar is way more repulsive than that.

No.

 

[damicore]

"Cutesy-poo weeaboo anime shitfests, w/e", there.
The thing is your avatar is way more repulsive than that.

No.

Yes, it looks like narnia shit and motherfucking SMT 1 is way more virile than most WRPGs.
If you haven't seen a single SMT1 pic then shut the fuck up.

 

[FeelTheRads]

If you haven't seen a single SMT1 pic then shut the fuck up.

Please provide virile pictures of whatever the fuck that is, newfag.

I hope for your sake it's not that game with pokemons for enemies.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

In before people hating on Michelangelo.

edit: oh ffs, of the 500 or so monsters, most looking kinda-normal, you just had to post the penis guy

 

[damicore]

If you haven't seen a single SMT1 pic then shut the fuck up.

Please provide virile pictures of whatever the fuck that is, newfag.

I hope for your sake it's not that game with pokemons for enemies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKUQlUg4Y78
Waht can hold more manhood than a penis demon?
There's also a pussy one
In before somebody comes with an obvious joke about me liking cocks.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

edit: oh ffs, of the 500 or so monsters, most looking kinda-normal, you just had to post the penis guy

Well, Wizardry 8 was originally a game based around hideous penis monsters penetrating walking anuses while the player fetches sex toys for children or something.

According to Cleve, anyway.

And it's not like he has a track record of games only existing in his head heehehehehhooohooohooo

 

[kingcomrade]

So a mod doesn't like discussion so this will go in every thread:

I came to the forum because I like Fallout. I like New Vegas, too. I like the Mass Effect series.
So, is there anything to discuss here? I can't think of anything.
I do sometimes feel like I should post more in RPG Discussion. I read the threads, but honestly what is there to discuss? PS:T was great. Arcanum was flawed but great. New Vegas was good. Fallout was good. Two out of those three games are a decade old. Mass Effect 1&2 were fun unless you don't like video games then it was BSB.

What else is there?

I should feel bad for not posting here enough, except that's wrong and really I should not because there's nothing to talk about. The only thread I found interesting was a thread about powergaming Fallout, an ancient game, rofl.

 

[laclongquan]

kingcomrade, kingcomrade, kingcomrade, whatever we shall do with you?

You have no opinion about any and all the games that devs are hatching around here? Granted, they are mostly not even formed yet, but since when that stop us offering our two cents?

You have no opinion about the tits, the asses, the faces that are getting people screaming?

Politics? Maths? Algebra, muthafuka?

Music? Electronic? Rap?

Books? Novels?

Bashing jRPG in LP threads?

What? Are you even alive here?