Are there any true geniuses in RPG development?

[Tyranicon]

"The history of the world is but the biography of great men"

- some asshole history simp Famed Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle

So while the general "great men theory" has been largely left behind in modern discourse, I still believe that media (be it film, television or video games, etc) are largely shaped by the works and efforts of geniuses. These individuals possessed of exceptional intellectual, creative and leadership qualities are a gift to whatever they decide to devote their efforts to.

I believe the general decline of quality in media can be directly attributed to factors that promote "collaboration," design by committee, and appealing to the masses for financial benefit.

Thankfully, RPGs enjoy a niche status with a number of dumb uncompromising devs and writers. If glory is to be found anywhere in the gamedev industry, it will be found here.

But can any of these be considered geniuses? Why or why not? Discuss.

 

[KateMicucci]

Todd Howard

 

[anvi]

I doubt it, and even if there were they would be pawns to some commercial bs anyway so their genius would be wasted. But really, a genius would have figured out a better career. The games industry got shafted so hard. Megacorp1 vs Megacorp 2.

 

[perfectslumbers]

Hidetaka Miyazaki? His games are barely RPGS anymore but he writes a lot of content and designs some bosses and levels, does a little bit of everything. And DS2 clearly showed that From Soft games suck ass without him.

 

[Dorateen]

Cleve goes without saying.

Pierre Begue is the mad genius of encounter design.

 

[Tyranicon]

I doubt it, and even if there were they would be pawns to some commercial bs anyway so their genius would be wasted. But really, a genius would have figured out a better career. The games industry got shafted so hard. Megacorp1 vs Megacorp 2.

I dunno, successful solodevs are still considered something of a unicorn, but they do exist and seem to be growing in number.

Imagine if the industry sees an influx of Jeff Vogels, unbound by commitment to publishers. Sure, most of them will probably fall short in some way or another. But maybe a few won't.

Regardless of your opinion on the quality of Undertale (I personally don't like it, and was never able to finish it), I consider Toby Fox a top-tier dev in terms of skill. There's also Bare Mettle Entertainment's Madoc, who's leading Sui Generis/Exanima, Alessandro Roberti from a Legionary's Life, and many others.

 

[buffalo bill]

VD, Kornel Kisielewicz, Styg

 

[Anonymous Wife Scholar]

Hidetaka Miyazaki? His games are barely RPGS anymore but he writes a lot of content and designs some bosses and levels, does a little bit of everything. And DS2 clearly showed that From Soft games suck ass without him.

Thank you slumber anon! Good strong comfy sleeps friend anon! You are a good strong friend anon anon! You are!

Spoiler

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Great men in RPG development:

Spoiler

Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax

 

[Butter]

D.W. Bradley.

 

[Shaki]

Prosper

 

[mondblut]

Cleve goes without saying.

This.

Pierre Begue is the mad genius of encounter design.

Arbitrarily teleporting the party to the most disadvantageous position does not a good encounter design make. I did not walk there, Pierre, go fuck yourself.

 

[mondblut]

Imagine if the industry sees an influx of Jeff Vogels

Judging by the amount of "HD remakes" and "Definitive editions" they are churning out nowadays, the industry now consists of Jeff Vogels only

 

[curds]

Arbitrarily teleporting the party to the most disadvantageous position does not a good encounter design make. I did not walk there, Pierre, go fuck yourself.

KotC1 has my favourite encounter design of any RPG I've played. But, yeah, I remember those moments pissing me off a lot. And there were a few of them.

I still think Pierre is one of the few geniuses of CRPG design - well, he was the only one I could think of off the top of my head. Too bad his genius doesn't extend to marketing his games.

 

[NerevarineKing]

Hidetaka Miyazaki? His games are barely RPGS anymore but he writes a lot of content and designs some bosses and levels, does a little bit of everything. And DS2 clearly showed that From Soft games suck ass without him.

Well I wouldn't say their games before Demons Souls sucked since the King's Field series was great. Kings Field 4 level design is some of the best FS has done.

 

[Maxwell's Demon]

"The history of the world is but the biography of great men"

- some asshole history simp Famed Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle

So while the general "great men theory" has been largely left behind in modern discourse, I still believe that media (be it film, television or video games, etc) are largely shaped by the works and efforts of geniuses. These individuals possessed of exceptional intellectual, creative and leadership qualities are a gift to whatever they decide to devote their efforts to.

I believe the general decline of quality in media can be directly attributed to factors that promote "collaboration," design by committee, and appealing to the masses for financial benefit.

Thankfully, RPGs enjoy a niche status with a number of dumb uncompromising devs and writers. If glory is to be found anywhere in the gamedev industry, it will be found here.

But can any of these be considered geniuses? Why or why not? Discuss.

Games like Pac Man and Super Mario Bros. have shown that they don't even have to make sense to be good, so this idea that having some kind of genius directing the studio will make something good is a false start.

Really, what you need is someone who knows how to coerce and cajole his team so that they stop playing grab-ass with each other in a big circlejerk all the time and get some actual work done. Every good RPG needs a real alpha of a retard-wrangler at the helm, or they'll end up like Star Citizen.

 

[Tavernking]

Jeff Vogel
Pierre Begue

 

[Lady Error]

Cleve, Vince and Styg all qualify.

D.W. Bradley lost his marbles a long time ago, as Dungeon Lords demonstrates.

But he did create three great RPG's 20-30 years ago.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

nobody smart would waste their time making products for children

 

[Tyranicon]

nobody smart would waste their time making products for children

Children are easier to influence and mold according to your own ideals. Media they are exposed to in childhood will have a lasting effect on their lives.

Smart people should seek to spread their ideals and beliefs.

I would probably counter that nobody smart makes products for adults, especially not to adults who are educated and have discerning tastes.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Genius is a transient state in the life of a man.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

nobody smart would waste their time making products for children

Children are easier to influence and mold according to your own ideals. Media they are exposed to in childhood will have a lasting effect on their lives.

Smart people should seek to spread their ideals and beliefs.

I would probably counter that nobody smart makes products for adults, especially not to adults who are educated and have discerning tastes.

if you could influence kids through video games then there would be a lot more mass murders

 

[Tyranicon]

if you could influence kids through video games then there would be a lot more mass murders

More likely poor social skills and higher chance for obesity, if anything.

 

[Cryomancer]

if you could influence kids through video games then there would be a lot more mass murders

Yep. I was a child played Hexen, Heretic, Doom, Wolfstein and din't become a mass murder. In fact, very developed countries tends to consume a lot of video games.

 

[BlackGoat]

Greenberg, Woodhead