Indie turn-based RPG survey - help out an indie dev

Hey there!

I'm the co-founder of an indie dev team working on a turn-based RPG. Our team worked together at a major AAA studio and branched out on our own to make the games we’d want to play as gamers.

We are looking for people who have actively played games in the turn-based RPG genre to help inform our development. The purpose of this survey is to better understand your preferences in storytelling, exploration, and combat systems in the genre.

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/zcrPHABDV2dpTPfy5

This survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and feel free to post any questions/feedback on the survey here or through a DM.

We really appreciate your help!

 

Leave this place and never return.

 

Yeah, should have been Jar Jar Binks.

 

They all died out. We still mourn their passing

 

Rob Thompson
name the names, and ask questions here.

 

It's utterly moronic to use a survey for this. If you don't have a good idea what kind of game you want to make, maybe you should stop making games.
Surveys are good to evaluate feedback once you have a beta or demo.

Hope this helps

 

Yes. Start making the game you want to make, then show us, then ask for feedback and make adjustments. Don’t just try to make a game to please everyone, that’s how popamole games are made.

 

I told them to make the game they want, but I also told them what game I want. I hope Mr Thompson takes a hint.

 

So what you wanna do is make everyone taking their turns at once and make turn length 1 frame long. It'll look like real time but you'll know in your heart it's turn based.

 

That said, don't make the combat card-based.

 

As an indie developer, you should already know everyone has thousands of other potential games to play at any given moment. Don't piss them off by making them take a quiz first. Just tell us what you're planning and we'll tell you if we think it has the potential to be good.

 

I've posted the questions here in case anyone wants to chime in, but honestly after reading them, the authors appear to be in way over their heads. The question about card-based nonsense (referencing three games I've never heard of) is a huge red flag.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What turn-based RPG have you played the most?

SSI's Forgotten Realms: Unlimited Adventures

What turn-based RPG(s) are you currently playing?

Pathfinder Kingmaker

What do you feel is the ideal length for a turn-based RPG?

60 hours+

How do you prefer the main protagonist?

A custom character

Which type of exploration do you most prefer?

Linear exploration

What is your preferred party size?

5+

Please rank from most to least preferred the following settings for the next turn-based RPG *

High Fantasy (varied races with magic) 2
Science Fiction 3
Post Apocalyptic 4
Low Fantasy (realistic medieval) 1
Horror 6
Western 3

A new turn-based RPG should try to introduce new gameplay elements into the mix *

Disagree

How much do you enjoy gameplay that requires careful decision-making? *

Enjoy a great deal

How often do you explore the game world just for the sake of exploring it? *

Sometimes

How important are compelling characters? *

Somewhat important

In many turn-based RPG's, I often feel the combat can quickly become formulaic *

Agree

Which turn-based RPG has your favorite combat system? *

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands

(optional) What made that combat system great?

Objectively, nothing. It's place in my heart comes from the the time and circumstances under which I first played it.

(optional) What problems do turn-based RPG's face with their combat systems? How do you think they can be improved?

The number one problem is the same with all combat systems; pointless and repetitive encounters. If you've faced one pack of six identical wolves, the 2nd such encounter isn't going to be very interesting.

How would you feel about a card-driven combat system in a new turn-based RPG? *
References: SteamWorld Quest, Gordian Quest, and Baten Kaitos

I'm against it

How old are you? *

36-45

What is your gender? sex *

Male

How do you spend the majority of your gaming time? *

Playing solo

In a typical week, about how many days do you spend at least 30 minutes playing a video game? *

4-5 days

What is your preferred platform to play turn-based RPGs on? What is the only acceptable gaming platform? *

PC

Please tell us what you want for your next turn-based RPG. Or tell us what mistakes to avoid. Or tell us your favorite foods? Favorite animal? Want to join our team?
(We read every response)

No system is perfect; what distinguishes most games from a mechanical standpoint is encounter design. From a content standpoint, most teams don't have the writing talent to pull off much in the way of plot or character, but novel settings can do wonders on their own.

 

Maybe he can take a hint, but I doubt it. I really don't get why devs like card-based systems, they are all retarded

 

I didn't know how to answer this. I ended up going with open-world, but I mean Fallout/Arcanum style open world, not TES/nuFallout style.

 

It's called market research. Chill out. It's a smart thing to do, especially before you start sinking in time + money.

 

I'm not sure what the question was asking either but modern games have taught me to associate the term "open world" with SpeedTree/SpeedVillage/SpeedNPC/SpeedWorld garbage.

 

Me too, that's why the question hard to answer for me.

 

I think the first question for them to ask themselves should be, why are we making a turn-based rpg?

 

Market research is a tool, and like most tools has to be used in the right situation. A survey to evaluate what kind of turn-based game you want to make is stupid, and most professional market researchers, if they don't just want to take your money (and most do) will tell you this is the wrong approach. Even then it would have had more on point questions and not be as vague as fuck as this

 

Don't make games at all. Get out while you can and learn a trade so you can be useful after The Collapse. Also buy guns and land.

 

I stress the importance of letting (or not) political correct things in: Go Woke, Go Broke.

You never know, maybe this time devs would follow.

Devs never seem to learn that games are MASSIVELY political. It just doesnt show that brazenly.

Dabbling in Woke movement just get your customers run away silently. Note Mass Andromeda.

 

My gun shooting liquid, not bullets so I really can not choose that gender.

 

Note that Bloodlines, one of the Codex All Time Favorites, has all of two (2) black people you can interact with and only half a dozen Commies you can tell to fuck off.

Arcanum has zero ethnics and a quest line about a Jewish Gnomish conspiracy.

 

Hey, that's Diablo!