Let's face it. All new, non-independent RPGs created going forward are going to continue eliminating the written word in favor of the spoken, are going to eschew non-visually-oriented complexity and depth in favor of higher quality graphics and appearance, and they're generally never going to resemble some of the classics that we here at Codex all -- or almost all -- know about and love.
That may not bother some of you, since you may figure that the high budget AAA titles aren't worth your time or money. But that indisputably limits your potential library of new RPGs going into the future, and that can't be considered a good thing. Variety and choice are always desirable with any kind of creative consumable content.
My question is, if one accepts that the approach towards RPG design will never again veer off the visual and more "immersive" track, will or can RPGs ever be intellectually stimulating how they use to be? Would you ever be willing to sit there and listen to every sentence present in, for example, PS:T if it were fully voiced? That's just not practical from a budget standpoint, I believe.
I'm not necessarily advocating for going back to all text-based dialog. I like new things, including quality VO and graphics. They add the eye candy that provides the initial stimulus and that's not a bad thing. But at the expense of my noodle and its health? Can I accept that the mental capacity needed to digest most RPGs made today is that of a child? No. I cannot. All sugar and no meat makes Crispy a dull boy.
So what can be done? Is there any hope for the RPGs of the future?
That may not bother some of you, since you may figure that the high budget AAA titles aren't worth your time or money. But that indisputably limits your potential library of new RPGs going into the future, and that can't be considered a good thing. Variety and choice are always desirable with any kind of creative consumable content.
My question is, if one accepts that the approach towards RPG design will never again veer off the visual and more "immersive" track, will or can RPGs ever be intellectually stimulating how they use to be? Would you ever be willing to sit there and listen to every sentence present in, for example, PS:T if it were fully voiced? That's just not practical from a budget standpoint, I believe.
I'm not necessarily advocating for going back to all text-based dialog. I like new things, including quality VO and graphics. They add the eye candy that provides the initial stimulus and that's not a bad thing. But at the expense of my noodle and its health? Can I accept that the mental capacity needed to digest most RPGs made today is that of a child? No. I cannot. All sugar and no meat makes Crispy a dull boy.
So what can be done? Is there any hope for the RPGs of the future?
