On the Familiarity of Settings

[bhlaab]

What surprises me is that even the indie hobbyists cling to Whats Been Proven(tm)

 

[ARZ]

I don't know if I would enjoy a modern-day RPG. I imagine it could not quite re-create the escapist experience you get from fantasy and sci-fi RPG's.

 

[Micmu]

Clicked the third one.
I want my new setting surreal. I'd kill for one great, bizarre, twisted and "mental" setting in a great cRPG or action/adventure (preferably survival horror).
I'm also fine with *different* fantasy settings and sci-fi as well. There's a certain variety with sci-fi settings, but fantasy settings are usually way too Tolkien-ish in crappy AA(A) titles.

 

[bhlaab]

I don't know if I would enjoy a modern-day RPG. I imagine it could not quite re-create the escapist experience you get from fantasy and sci-fi RPG's.

Well I guess this all depends on you, but don't you get a sense of escapism from watching... I dunno, Die Hard? Or the Sopranos?

 

[Lesifoere]

A lot of shitheads like to say "well it's just escapism, it should be fun, not PRETENTIOUS ARTFAGSY, just play it and not think!" regarding both fiction and video games. You know what? The boring elves-and-dragons shit isn't escapism. It's a chore. You go through the same enchanted forest and the same medieval city and the same tribe of elves for the thousandth time and tell me how fun it is. Oh, sure, some people still find it "fun," like mondblut here--but then, some people also think Harry Potter, Twilight and Eragon are great literature. What's escapism to me is being surprised at some amalgam, bizarre monster, or ducking and weaving your way through the Hive, discovering pregnant alleyways and a "brothel" that aims to stimulate the intellect instead of the libido. That's not pretentious--it's just shit that is actually, you know, cool. VanderMeer and Mieville and Valente are escapism for me, not Tolkien rip-offs (or Tolkien, for that matter) and the truckloads of D&D fiction.

Fantasy like TWitcher does have its merits, though.

 

[ARZ]

Well I guess this all depends on you, but don't you get a sense of escapism from watching... I dunno, Die Hard? Or the Sopranos?

I'm not sure. Some movies have definitely that effect on me, but I usually play a game or read when I want to 'go away'. For movies I like to have a good story, and if it's a comedy to make me laugh, if it's an action to impress me, etc.

 

[bhlaab]

a "brothel" that aims to stimulate the intellect instead of the libido.

You gotta admit, that's a little bit pretentious (also something only a game designer or science fiction/fantasy author would dream up)

 

[Hobo Elf]

Why is it pretentious? Because it's different?

 

[denizsi]

In Arena and Daggerfall they were just a Drizzt cash-on completely with white hair and red eyes

Originality of dark skin or red eyes or white hair, and especially the red eyes above all else, isn't exclusive to Drizzt. And Daggerfall had only one or two white hair selections which weren't exclusive to Dark Elves at all. Try again, or pay more attention the next time.

 

[Naked Ninja]

I like 2 & 3

SoW is fantasy but the next few games I work on won't be. Quite frankly, short of expansions, SoW is the only pure fantsy setting I will do for the next decade or two.

The next game I work on will be a Shadowrun-like cyberpunk fantasy.

After that I will decide based on what I most feel like, but the pool of concepts so far are :

- mystery/survival pure sci-fi
- Steampunk.
- PA scavenger/survival RPG.
- Zombie apocolypse/I am Legend style RPG.
- Messiah figure RPG. Basically, you, a peasant, are chosen as a divine savior figure who will determine the fate of the world. From the outset you have miraculous powers and invulnerability, it isn't difficult to convince people or make dramatic changes. The interesting gameplay will be exploring what that would be really like, with every person on the planet looking to you to save them or fix every problem. To make it more difficult, your ascendance coincides with the start of the Apocalypse.

The challenge wouldn't be acquiring power or surviving combat, it would be using your power correctly. Your success would be measured in how the world is faring. The whole "it's hard to be a God" style concept.

What surprises me is that even the indie hobbyists cling to Whats Been Proven(tm)

Well, speaking for myself, it's not a matter of clinging to "what is proven". I work on what I want to work on, based on my preferences. I like fantasy, a lot. So it was the style I wanted to take a stab at first. After I'm done there I will move onto the other settings that interest me, simple. If there is a call for an expansion to one of the games I'd revisit them, but I don't plan to be making SoW 6 : Revolution!.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Why is it pretentious? Because it's different?

Didn't you hear? Different is the new pretentious!

Now you can't even be bored of something lest you'll be qualified as pretentious. Just shut up and take it! It's good because it's recognizable, but I'll be damned if that's mainstream! No way!

 

[denizsi]

I also like 2 & 3, but can always enjoy a 1 as well, if it's done good.

Clicked the third one.
I want my new setting surreal. I'd kill for one great, bizarre, twisted and "mental" setting in a great cRPG or action/adventure (preferably survival horror).
I'm also fine with *different* fantasy settings and sci-fi as well. There's a certain variety with sci-fi settings, but fantasy settings are usually way too Tolkien-ish in crappy AA(A) titles.

We could use a Sanitarium RPG.

I don't know if I would enjoy a modern-day RPG. I imagine it could not quite re-create the escapist experience you get from fantasy and sci-fi RPG's.

Bloodlines. Quoting myself from "I want console" thread:

Personally, I've always wanted a Bloodlines-style story-heavy RPG around various musical scenes, getting in and out of lots of scene places of all kinds of music; rock, metal, alt rock, disco etc. Bloodlines really captured that night life feel (minus the social interactions) in a very familiar way to relate to for me, and I've wished that more of the game was centered around that kind of thing.

Then again, the real thing is a lot better, and pretty easy to live. Still, I'd rather play such a game than any game with filler, grind-fest combat.

edit:

Re-read the above paragraph. Assume there's one such title in development. Combat is mostly non-lethal -regular alpha-male fights over trivial shit in clubs etc. or drunk fights, bum fights, filthy street thugs etc.-, and serves to adjust parameters in your reputation, social standing etc. and is almost entirely circumstantial. There will be maybe 10 or so situations where combat will be critical and deadly, though avoidable/escapable. Lots of social skills. Basically the antithesis of a regular RPG where you get easily 15+ combat skills and a few social and rogue skills.

After that I will decide based on what I most feel like, but the pool of concepts so far are :

- mystery/survival pure sci-fi
- Steampunk.
- PA scavenger/survival RPG.
- Zombie apocolypse/I am Legend style RPG.
- Messiah figure RPG. Basically, you, a peasant, are chosen as a divine savior figure who will determine the fate of the world. From the outset you have miraculous powers and invulnerability, it isn't difficult to convince people or make dramatic changes. The interesting gameplay will be exploring what that would be really like, with every person on the planet looking to you to save them or fix every problem. To make it more difficult, your ascendance coincides with the start of the Apocalypse.

The challenge wouldn't be acquiring power or surviving combat, it would be using your power correctly. Your success would be measured in how the world is faring. The whole "it's hard to be a God" style concept.

Nice to see. I've always wondered what kind of specific settings some Codexers had in their minds for potential game projects they may embark on at some point in future.

For me, it goes like this, in order of priority:

- Alternate time line in a real world suspended in little ice age circa BC 500 where most skills, including the combat skills, are more about the social/story choices than actually what the skill covers. So low fantasy, you wouldn't even know it's fantasy at all until it hit you. No races. No magic. No grinding.

- Bloodlines derivative as explained above. Again, emphasis on social interaction of various kinds where there are more ways to "lose a game" than being killed in combat and combat to death isn't frequent.

- Zombie apocalypse (but not <i>post</i> apoc like "I am Legend" style at all. I'd like to explore and depict living through the chaos, witnessing before and after of the shit hitting the fan first hand, finding yourself in all kinds of conflict). Somewhat opposite of the other 2 above.

edit: I forgot 3 more:

- An X-com inspired tactical management with a story adventure, explained further here

- STALKER RPG, except more faithful to original source (ie. A Roadside Picnic).

- A spiritual remake to Daggerfall.

I'll probably be able to make only one or two, though

 

[bhlaab]

Why is it pretentious? Because it's different?

Because it's the sort of thing you need to create a hyperintelligent alien race for (they're the only ones stupid enough to keep library whores in business) and that will inevitably result in long-winded Lore Conversations you can't click through fast enough

 

[Double Ogre]

My dream RPG would be set in a real-life setting, so that it's easier to relate to. Imagine a Fallout/Arcanum style RPG in Mafia's setting with pseudo-isometric perspective.

 

[ARZ]

Yea, I meant a setting that takes place in our world with no fantasy characteristics at all. Sorry bout that.

 

[Mystary!]

I chose the third one. But it doesn't have to be fantasy or sci-fi. I'd love a private eye/film noir rpg, there is so much plot potential, and character customizing would be centered on different types of information gathering (breaking bones-type interrigation, forensics, bribing cops etc).
Another favourite would be a stone age rpg. Focused on survival. Skills could range from hunting, herbology, shamanistic rituals, research (to produce new technologies like bows perhaps).

 

[Imbecile]

Good thread.

I have a mate who much prefers the stereotypical fantasy universe. Its what hes comfortable with while hes hitting things with his +3 sword of maiming. To me, the setting is largely unimportant. What matters is the story told, and the characters created within that world.

A setting can make a good game a little better, or more interesting and a bad game a little less bad, but I've never been sold on it making a bigger difference than that.

 

[Lesifoere]

Why is it pretentious? Because it's different?

Because it's the sort of thing you need to create a hyperintelligent alien race for (they're the only ones stupid enough to keep library whores in business) and that will inevitably result in long-winded Lore Conversations you can't click through fast enough

I see you haven't played PS:T.

 

[SerratedBiz]

I like settings to be as original and weird as they can be, even if they do sometimes slip into the 'this is too fucked up' category. It's boring as hell when you try to get into a game only to find village A is the same as every other village A you have ever encountered, the people there are generic all the way to the stuff they talk about and exploring the world is a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. I find myself increasingly ignoring NPCs in recent games simply because there is nothing they have to say which is even remotely interesting.

A particular trope I enjoy, which I saw recently in Prototype but would love to see developed in a better game, is the 'world comes to an end in front of your eyes' idea. I've always loved the feeling of a particular place and people descending into chaos and madness, reality shattering and you trying to make sense of it all. Prototype didn't do this well so I cope with imagining all these things while I ride the subway.

 

[bhlaab]

Why is it pretentious? Because it's different?

Because it's the sort of thing you need to create a hyperintelligent alien race for (they're the only ones stupid enough to keep library whores in business) and that will inevitably result in long-winded Lore Conversations you can't click through fast enough

I see you haven't played PS:T.

Oh, I was thinking the blue cunt in the citadel in mass effect that people pay millions of astro credits to sit down and have her tell them theyre a good person

No, I haven't gotten around to PS:T yet, and I guess in that world's context it could work. But it still sounds like a spin on the same old "The prostititue is actually a genius with a heart of gold" cliche

 

[Freelance Henchman]

The poll is missing a "none of the above" option, which would be my choice. I don't care if the setting is yet again the Forgotten Realms or if it's the inside of a sun, with all characters being intelligent plasma vortices, all I care about is that the game is fun. Fun meaning good gameplay mechanics, an engaging story, interesting characters and so on.

 

[JarlFrank]

No, I haven't gotten around to PS:T yet, and I guess in that world's context it could work. But it still sounds like a spin on the same old "The prostititue is actually a genius with a heart of gold" cliche

No, more like "rich people pay those smart girls in order to get some intellectual stimulation, like playing chess"

 

[Serus]

A lot of shitheads like to say "well it's just escapism, it should be fun, not PRETENTIOUS ARTFAGSY, just play it and not think!" regarding both fiction and video games. You know what? The boring elves-and-dragons shit isn't escapism. It's a chore. You go through the same enchanted forest and the same medieval city and the same tribe of elves for the thousandth time and tell me how fun it is. Oh, sure, some people still find it "fun," like mondblut here--but then, some people also think Harry Potter, Twilight and Eragon are great literature. What's escapism to me is being surprised at some amalgam, bizarre monster, or ducking and weaving your way through the Hive, discovering pregnant alleyways and a "brothel" that aims to stimulate the intellect instead of the libido. That's not pretentious--it's just shit that is actually, you know, cool. VanderMeer and Mieville and Valente are escapism for me, not Tolkien rip-offs (or Tolkien, for that matter) and the truckloads of D&D fiction.

Fantasy like TWitcher does have its merits, though.

Actually, some people think GRR Martin is a great literature. And Spakowski for that matter.
You had to mention your hate for Tolkien, you just had to. You have a psychological trauma or something ? Your parents molested you reading Tolkien when you was a child ?

 

[Carceri]

Definitely the third option. Give me something surreal and I'll be happy. A hard to place in a certain era setting would be most welcome. When is this happening? In the past or the future? Well, you get the idea, something like this. I am aware though it is not so easy to come up with such a setting.
Oh, and even the slightest trace of post-apocalyptic would make it twice more enjoyable.

 

[Devadatta]

Third option is preferable however for the setting (and monsters, and weapons etc etc) to actually be good it takes a lot more effort to create than simply using a DnD setting so chances are these types of games will fail (both in the market and quality wise) unless they're worked on heavily and with a lot of love, something that devs don't seem to be too able to accomplish nowadays.