Full party creation in CRPGs - prestigious or popamole?

[fantadomat]

It is a shame that they went for the full party generation thing,it would have been better as optional gimmick and well written companions. Full party making is pretty shit when it comes to story and then it is pretty shit to gameplay because you just make an optimal party and make combat meh. I would rather build up a premade companion and work around his flaws than just make another generic optimal character.

 

[Tacgnol]

It is a shame that they went for the full party generation thing,it would have been better as optional gimmick and well written companions. Full party making is pretty shit when it comes to story and then it is pretty shit to gameplay because you just make an optimal party and make combat meh. I would rather build up a premade companion and work around his flaws than just make another generic optimal character.

Full party generation is pretty common in combat focused CRPGs. It's better for this type of game as you don't have to fuck around with badly optimised dev premade characters.

It's also refreshing to play games like this and IWD on occasion where you don't have silly teenage level party squabbles and drama going on.

 

[Bara]

It is a shame that they went for the full party generation thing,it would have been better as optional gimmick and well written companions. Full party making is pretty shit when it comes to story and then it is pretty shit to gameplay because you just make an optimal party and make combat meh. I would rather build up a premade companion and work around his flaws than just make another generic optimal character.

If you want to avoid optimal/munchkin party just roll 4d6 drop lowest with some actual dice and adhere to the results. Or 3d6 strict even.

 

[CryptRat]

Games with "full" (additional optional and/or temporary pregens to an already big created party are fine) party creation are the only ones worth playing. Pregens and single character are by far the worst trend of post 95 RPGs.

 

[NJClaw]

Full party creation is necessary to have Lilura, Ontopoly, and Lacrymas in the same group, therefore I think it's pretty clear that's the best option by a mile.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Full party creation is necessary to have Lilura, Ontopoly, and Lacrymas in the same group, therefore I think it's pretty clear that's the best option by a mile.

Achievement unlocked: Suicide Squad.

 

[fantadomat]

It is a shame that they went for the full party generation thing,it would have been better as optional gimmick and well written companions. Full party making is pretty shit when it comes to story and then it is pretty shit to gameplay because you just make an optimal party and make combat meh. I would rather build up a premade companion and work around his flaws than just make another generic optimal character.

Full party generation is pretty common in combat focused CRPGs. It's better for this type of game as you don't have to fuck around with badly optimised dev premade characters.

It's also refreshing to play games like this and IWD on occasion where you don't have silly teenage level party squabbles and drama going on.

It is an old mechanic that bring nothing of value to the game. Companions are clear evolution on the full party creation thing. Generally i don't mind the party making thing because it is an optional thing for oldfagz. I think that it would a better game if there was companions. Not every companion is about muh teen drama,there is plenty of well written ones. Honestly you sound like guy that haven't played an RPG in 30 years. Also lets not forget that it is only 4people team,which is pure decline lol.

Full party creation is necessary to have Lilura, Ontopoly, and Lacrymas in the same group, therefore I think it's pretty clear that's the best option by a mile.

A depressed self eject,screeching bitch and a raving mad homosexual......yeah keep them.

 

[Tacgnol]

Not every companion is about muh teen drama,there is plenty of well written ones.

Name one in a recent game.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Name one in a recent game.

Durance.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Not every companion is about muh teen drama,there is plenty of well written ones.

Name one in a recent game.

D Dog.

 

[CryptRat]

Companions are clear evolution

As much as quest compasses.

 

[Abu Antar]

Complaining about full party creation. What the actual fuck am I reading? Calm your tits, Abu. Go out, take a breath of fresh air.

 

[Tacgnol]

Name one in a recent game.

Durance.

Edgelord, well written, but still an edgelord. Also written by MCA who will never write again due to nonsense accusations.

D Dog.

Dog with a knife. Literal edgelord.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

well written

This was the part you asked for, no? I didn't realise you would add more conditions later.

I'd add Greiving Mother too. And I don't really remember Pallegina's story, but I remember liking her a lot. Wolgraff from D:OS was pretty cool too

 

[Lacrymas]

I liked Gor in Spellforce 3. Maybe the demonologist as well, but I haven't played with him much.

 

[Tacgnol]

well written

This was the part you asked for, no? I didn't realise you would add more conditions later.

I'd add Greiving Mother too. And I don't really remember Pallegina's story, but I remember liking her a lot. Wolgraff from D:OS was pretty cool too

I specifically called out drama. Durance is the walking embodiment of drama.

If you paid attention to my original post, you'd see I didn't completely denounce companions I just stated it's nice to occasionally have games like IWD where we focus on gameplay and combat without silly companion interjections and drama.

Not every game needs to focus on companion drama and Mary Sue life stories.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

a lot of people on this site don't know the difference between wargaming and RPGs

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Not every game needs to focus on companion drama.

I agree with that, and I like making a whole party, but if we're going to be picky about it, fanta said they're not all about teen drama, there are well written ones. Durance is both well written, and decidedly old and crotchety. I wouldn't even call him dramatic, but regardless, he's certainly not some fucking angsty teen.

 

[NJClaw]

Not every companion is about muh teen drama,there is plenty of well written ones.

Name one in a recent game.

Asleifr, Gunnarr, Roskva, and Morcant in Expeditions: Viking. But yeah, the fact that the best examples I can think of are characters who barely have any writing at all is depressing.

 

[Bara]

Also lets not forget that it is only 4people team,which is pure decline lol.

This is 5e and PC's are much more powerful than older editions. Going above 4 or 5 is asking to make the game really easy.

 

[Tacgnol]

Not every companion is about muh teen drama,there is plenty of well written ones.

Name one in a recent game.

Asleifr, Gunnarr, Roskva, and Morcant in Expeditions: Viking. But yeah, the fact that the best examples I can think of are characters who barely have any writing at all is depressing.

Most of the examples in this thread so far have been either minimally written characters or characters written by MCA.

I'll amend my point thusly, if you can't write good characters (which is 99% of writers thesedays), it's better to just have full party creation. Full party creation should also be offered as an option in any combat focused CRPG regardless of whether the game contains fleshed out characters.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

if your game has full party creation just get rid of the other characters and make it a game with a single player character

 

[NJClaw]

if your game has full party creation just get rid of the other characters and make it a game with a single player character

How do you propose to recreate the experience of a F/M/C/T party with a single character, rusty?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

if your game has full party creation just get rid of the other characters and make it a game with a single player character

How do you propose to recreate the experience of a F/M/C/T party with a single character, rusty?

stop trying to adapt a system intended to be played by multiple people to a game being played by one person?

 

[CryptRat]

Half of the companions created by MCA are typical harem stuff, his games are in no way good examples to support companions. The more items, villains, etcetera written by himself the better, but give me full party creation especially in his games.