Bioware founder says JRPGs "lack evolution"

[MeshGearFox]

I think there's a general stagnation issue any time you start getting a set of codified... "classics." When an inarguable canon develops, it sort of becomes the standard by which all new games are judged.

Case in point, if you make a 4x-in-space game, it's going to be compared to MoO2, no matter what approach you're taking to developing it. It leads to a stupid situation where you can't actually develop *past* those games because you have to match their paradigm and features point-by-point

With JRPGs, in particular, you have games like CT and... I don't know. Fuck, what JRPGs are popular?

This is why, mentally, I have an iconoclast-by-default mentality

Also I generally think most small-time game devs don't have any fucking idea what they're doing when they're making RPGs. That sort of... stems from a similar issue. The notion of a go anywhere, do anything game has been given an inappropriately inflated level of importance. so, again, stuff being unable to really progress because it's being held to a stupid and thoroughly arbitrary standard.

[Dice]

Makes me sad the people are disliking FF13 based on its lack of "traditional" elements.  But that may be a different matter.

I'll admit I've taken a bigger cozy with Western games...
The rehashing and butchering of the genre (c'mon.... who the fuck would buy "My World, My Way?") has made it tiresome and in dire need of a lift.

I also kind of blame the Japanese-hard-core-anime culture that's sort of weeded its way in to their presentation.  Hell, you can't get a young talk show hostess to be entertaining without being all "kawaaaaii" in some way.  So many of their games have their heroes come to some sort of revelation; which is followed by a speech about saving the world, protecting friends, being strong.  Can't say this appeals to Westerners much; the ones who say anime is crap, proceeding to play anything but.

I can see games facing a decline because the last few years of Japanese gaming have had a strong emphasis on young heroes (whom NO ONE WANTS) wearing figure-skating-like outfits, saving the world, and winning the day because of friendship and love.  Its tiresome, and not appealing.

[Dincrest]

And once again, I'll post the obligatory link to RPGFan's Roundtable Discussion from 2007 about JRPGs vs. WRPGs.  It's a good read. 

http://www.rpgfan.com/features/roundtable2007/index.html

[Datastorm]

Are you fricking kidding me, uhhh apparently they haven't played their own game's lately....

Dragon Age Origins isn't anything different then what they have been delivering over the years....and is a just an epic fail in the graphics category....

I'm surprised no one has posted about this yet.



http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-co-founder-jrpgs-suffer-from-lack-of-...

"The fall of the JRPG in large part is due to a lack of evolution, a lack of progression," Zeschuk said. "They kept delivering the same thing over and over. They make the dressing better, they look prettier, but it's still the same experience

Um - while I will be the first to admit that this gen's console RPGs have been terrible overall, this seems incredibly one-sided and overly simplistic from a guy that sticks exactly the same dialogue trees and moderately different endings in every game. (See? I can generalise too! It's easy!)

In all seriousness, console RPGs this gen have been weak, but the DS RPGs (and PSP to a lesser degree) have had some genuinely interesting games.

And, in part, there is a sense of "those stupid Japs can't do anything right - USA! USA!" in gaming this gen that really rubs me the wrong way. (Including Keiji Inafune's "Everything in Japan sucks - except for Capcom of course! LOLZ!"

Basically, this an incredibly gross oversimplification on the part of Bioware - and I think WRPGs can be accused of exactly the same faults that JRPGs have, if you're determined to find fault like he is.

Oh and is holding back content from the game and then charging ridiculous amounts for it (like Dragon Age Origins) the kind of evolution that JRPGs are lacking? Because I'll be happy if they stay stagnant if that's what he means.

[Booboo]

Dragon Age Origins isn't anything different then what they have been delivering over the years....and is a just an epic fail in the graphics category....

I agree with this post 100%.

[Parn]

Spoilers:

Code:

Mass Effect 2 will be RPG of the year for 2010

[Lord Scottish]

Spoilers:

Code:

Mass Effect 2 will be RPG of the year for 2010

Code:

There will be no game of the year in 2010 because of the apocalypse.

[WildArms]

Well, i would also say something like this if is something that would "hurt" my rival on the game's scene

[bigdeath]

Bioware claiming that JRPG don't evolve. Thats what I call IRONY.

Hell, you can't get a young talk show hostess to be entertaining without being all "kawaaaaii" in some way.

That just Japanese culture PERIOD. They are obsessed with cuteness for some god forsaken reason.

And Mass Effect 2 will be the first person shooter of the year. Dragon Age has made me quite happy though.

[Eusis]

And Mass Effect 2 will be the first person shooter of the year.

Seeing as how it's not even first person that's a grotesquely stupid statement.

[bigdeath]

And Mass Effect 2 will be the first person shooter of the year.

Seeing as how it's not even first person that's a grotesquely stupid statement.

Indeed, that was a joke. I'm just going to enjoy mass effect 2 more than any first person shooter coming out but it certainly not going to be my favorite RPG in 2010.

Going to be fun with both Mass effect 2 and Dragon age out. Bioware is going to be swimming in money. Can't say either will be my favorite RPG though, definitely going to enjoy FF13 the most in 2010.

[Eusis]

I do think it might be my favorite RPG, but honestly it's a tough call at this point. I'm expecting to like ME2 more than FFXIII, but that can easily be reversed, and DQIX will hit the sweet spot neither of those will.

[Hoshino_Kid]

I think I'll have fun with 3D Dot Game Heroes more. :P

and Star Ocean 4 International

[Parn]

This is pretty much why Bioware games are better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESOPPP5YEQ

[Hoshino_Kid]

This is pretty much why Bioware games are better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESOPPP5YEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p4uoeimMEM#movie_player