Incline What would have to happen for a 2nd cRPG Renaissance?

[Tyranicon]

That being said, the much bigger evolutionary step when it comes to software tools, especially when it comes to cRPGs, is a rather underutilized (not really utilized by anybody really) idea: the AI DM.

Having an intelligent DM that can change story beats, introduce unpredictability, and react to a player's decisions is one of my ultimate goals as a dev. When was the last time you were actually ambushed? Or betrayed? Or had been the victim of a plot against you that isn't totally scripted?

Unfortunately, this kind of technology is not exactly something you can download off the unity store, and I'm stuck scripting it by hand.

Some poor dude actually animated this entire clip.

 

[JarlFrank]

I'm personally looking forward to when software becomes increasingly easy to use and solodev/small team RPGs become even more prevalent. Yeah, we'll undoubtedly be flooded with utter shit, but it'll be worth it if we get a few gems.

Hell, maybe we'll even get auteur games with interesting and novel ideas.

We're already somewhat in that era. Just look at the flood of shitty RPG Maker trash flooding Steam... which usually sucks ass because of RPG Maker's inherent limitations which make it hard to create something decent, and the audience of the program being mostly consolefags who think Final Fantasy is the best RPG ever. But we also get some really interesting unique shit on Steam that gets overlooked by the masses but offers hidden gem goodness.

Age of Decadence, Atom RPG, Underrail, Disco Elysium... those are the big names of the indies. But there's also Knights of the Chalice 2, Settlements: Evolution of Ages, Theseus: Journey to Athens, Titan Outpost, Space Wreck, Memoirs of a Battle Brothel , Brigand: Oaxaca, etc etc. And overly ambitious eternally Early Access projects like Project Zomboid, Exanima, etc.

The new golden age will be a secret one, for the gems will be swimming in a sea of shit and you gotta dive in deep to find them.

 

[ItsChon]

There will never be another cRPG "renaissance" in the way most Codexers are hoping for. There is simply no market for such games, so please put the idea of large scale video game publishes throwing money at development studios to make old school cRPGs. Best case scenario will the continued development of indie games by small studios such as Stygian, Iron Tower, or ZA/UM.

JarlFrank sniped me but he's right. If we're lucky, we'll get an Underrail Infusion and an Underrail 2, another game by ZA/UM, Colony Ship will be finished and be good, and maybe some one or two other studios will manage to distinguish themselves with good games (Archaelund looks promising for example). That's the best we can hope for.

 

[Kev Inkline]

That being said, the much bigger evolutionary step when it comes to software tools, especially when it comes to cRPGs, is a rather underutilized (not really utilized by anybody really) idea: the AI DM.

Having an intelligent DM that can change story beats, introduce unpredictability, and react to a player's decisions is one of my ultimate goals as a dev. When was the last time you were actually ambushed? Or betrayed? Or had been the victim of a plot against you that isn't totally scripted?

Unfortunately, this kind of technology is not exactly something you can download off the unity store, and I'm stuck scripting it by hand.

This was better than most modern comedy for sure, unironically.

So many good oneliners.

"Life is not earned by begging. Life is earned through doing puzzles."

"i'm sorry your coworker died" "It's ok, it's a big company"

 

[Orud]

I'd say Divinity : Original Sin 2 already caused that to happen, the problem is that it's not the revolution that several people on the codex wanted.

 

[Tyranicon]

This was better than most modern comedy for sure, unironically.

So many good oneliners.

"Life is not earned by begging. Life is earned through doing puzzles."

"i'm sorry your coworker died" "It's ok, it's a big company"

There's probably already a market for AI-powered outsider art.

 

[octavius]

A well aimed solar flare.

 

[Erebus]

Owlcat could have started a new Renaissance all by themselves, just by releasing a second good CRPG.

Unfortunately, all we got was Wrath of the Righteous.

 

[pomenitul]

Studios pumping massive amounts of money into experimental RPGs of all kinds, with little to no regard for ideological fault lines.

Spoiler

It's not going to happen.

 

[ItsChon]

Owlcat could have started a new Renaissance all by themselves, just by releasing a second good CRPG.

Unfortunately, all we got was Wrath of the Righteous.

What was the first good RPG? Ponecfinder: Cuckmaker was shit.

 

[deem]

A nuclear apocalypse. Maybe something better could be built from the ashes.

I've heard that Nolan wants to film a real nuke for his Oppenheimer film so be careful what you wish for.

 

[vortex]

I believe Obsidian will come henceforth with Pillars 3 only in style of BG3 but incline in every way.

 

[RIT_SKUA]

Better writing. Other aspects such as improved cinematography,, AI-assisted programming, AR/VR, improved hardware, and so on are all definitely good and important, but the core issue is that (perhaps because video games are a much younger medium?), compared to those of the written word, TV, and film, both our general standards of what is considered to be good writing, as well as the overall capacity of our average writers to construct strong, original works is clearly much lower than it could and should be.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Does the period of the last several years have a name? CRPG Revival? CRPG Ressurgance?

CRPG Hemi-Semi-Demi-Renaissance, 2012-2018

 

[Bruma Hobo]

One thing to consider is that for old-school gamers of the 90s it wasn't Renaissance but steep decline dominated by Diablo-clones and popamole shooter wannabes. So if another Renaissance happened, the Codex would likely be the last place to acknowledge it. It might very well be that old-school gamers of late 2020s will lament the golden age of such classic RPGs as Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Breath of the Wild.

The indie and AA boom of around 2013 was more of a renaissance than what 1997 ever was, and the Codex hasn't recognized it yet.

Grimrock 2
Expeditions: Conquistador
NEO Scavenger
Heroine's Quest
The Age of Decadence
Dungeon Rats
Underrail
Grimoire
Kenshi
Battle Brothers
Atom RPG
Legends of Amberland
A Legionary's Life

Among many, many others.

 

[karoliner]

Ah so this is something I can actually talk about since I play around with AI VOs. The technology isn't there yet, but I fully anticipate it being viable within the next 4-7 years. You can see an example of AI voice acting below (it's not great, but somewhat passable):

Spoiler

That being said, the much bigger evolutionary step when it comes to software tools, especially when it comes to cRPGs, is a rather underutilized (not really utilized by anybody really) idea: the AI DM.

Having an intelligent DM that can change story beats, introduce unpredictability, and react to a player's decisions is one of my ultimate goals as a dev. When was the last time you were actually ambushed? Or betrayed? Or had been the victim of a plot against you that isn't totally scripted?

Unfortunately, this kind of technology is not exactly something you can download off the unity store, and I'm stuck scripting it by hand.

Most of the time i play with the voices turned off.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I'm personally looking forward to when software becomes increasingly easy to use and solodev/small team RPGs become even more prevalent. Yeah, we'll undoubtedly be flooded with utter shit, but it'll be worth it if we get a few gems.

Hell, maybe we'll even get auteur games with interesting and novel ideas.

We're already somewhat in that era. Just look at the flood of shitty RPG Maker trash flooding Steam... which usually sucks ass because of RPG Maker's inherent limitations which make it hard to create something decent, and the audience of the program being mostly consolefags who think Final Fantasy is the best RPG ever. But we also get some really interesting unique shit on Steam that gets overlooked by the masses but offers hidden gem goodness.

Age of Decadence, Atom RPG, Underrail, Disco Elysium... those are the big names of the indies. But there's also Knights of the Chalice 2, Settlements: Evolution of Ages, Theseus: Journey to Athens, Titan Outpost, Space Wreck, Memoirs of a Battle Brothel , Brigand: Oaxaca, etc etc. And overly ambitious eternally Early Access projects like Project Zomboid, Exanima, etc.

The new golden age will be a secret one, for the gems will be swimming in a sea of shit and you gotta dive in deep to find them.

There were a few good ones like Black Cat and

btw, that smiley

Almost made me think it was about to do this:

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

One thing to consider is that for old-school gamers of the 90s it wasn't Renaissance but steep decline dominated by Diablo-clones and popamole shooter wannabes. So if another Renaissance happened, the Codex would likely be the last place to acknowledge it. It might very well be that old-school gamers of late 2020s will lament the golden age of such classic RPGs as Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Breath of the Wild.

The indie and AA boom of around 2013 was more of a reinassance than what 1997 ever was, and the Codex hasn't recognized it yet.

Began in 2012 with Legend of Grimrock, an homage to Dungeon Master, showing that the way forward, out of the CRPG Wasteland era of 2004-2011, was to look backward to the Age of Incline and the Golden Age of CRPGs, rather than to the so-called "CRPG Renaissance" era.

 

[Glop_dweller]

What would have to happen for a 2nd cRPG Renaissance?

An enlightened audience.

 

[perfectslumbers]

I don't think there will be a renaissance in the same way there was one in the very late 90s/early 2000s. CRPGS are doing well, and will continue to be released, but instead of a wave of really good ones in a few years the best ones will be spread out. We've already had games like Kingmaker and AOD and Underrail and Grimoire and I think more great crpgs will inevitably come.

 

[thelegend]

Dark Sun needs to be remastered

 

[NerevarineKing]

Once Escape from Mt. Drash 2 releases it will start the CRPG Platinum Age.

 

[Grotesque]

so... I don't know how the second crpg rebirth will look like but for sure the third "c"rpg rebirth will be made on abacuses ==> aRPGs

 

[luj1]

what would have to occur for you to consider a 2nd cRPG Renaissance at hand?

We would need to hit rock bottom

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Who's to say we're not in one right now? In the past 8-10 years we've had at least 10-20 major titles that had some money behind them and were actually RPGs, which is just as many as they were during the 1996-2002 era. Perhaps they haven't made as big of an impact as those original titles, but those titles have had time to cement themselves into their positions. Plus we don't speak of the games that were shit from that period as much as we speak of games today that were shit.
Otherwise, you'd have to persuade big-time publishers to produce RPGs, even just with their C-teams. In order to do that you'd have to shift the kind of game away from the titles that have bloated budgets and a million DLCs. Competition from other forms of media or the video games of other countries; Government regulations screwing over lootboxes or DLC. Things that are unlikely to happen in the near future, unfortunately.