Triggers and Crosses, the wonderful and horrible universe of the Chrono series.

[PotRoast]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It is broke.

Only sometimes.

[Archendrus]

JRPGs are still my favorite.  I don't care if they're full of cliches, re-hashed story settings, or linear gameplay.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I see so many games bashed for not being innovative.  A game doesn't need to reinvent the wheel to be good.  In fact, I applaud Japanese developers for "keeping it real" (well, for the most part anyway).  In my opinion bad stuff happens when you start screwin' around with things that are already good.

Unfortunately, "evolution" in gameplay seems to mean more action, more action, and more action.  Which is ruining one of my favorite things about RPGs, that I can fire one up, kick back with a cup of coffee and a pack of smokes, and enjoy the game.   

Personally, I'd agree and disagree with this in a way. I don't mind the evolution of the genre, as I like it when games try something interesting and unique. I'm not particularly fond of cliches, but I don't mind them too much, either, provided I didn't expect more. I always try to enjoy a game any way I can, though I don't always succeed. I just find it better to judge a game on what it does rather than lament at what it lacks, including whether or not it has change.

With that said, I don't really care for action-RPGs much either. I don't dislike them, but I do prefer Turn-based RPGs, since not only do they not require you to have good reflexes and can be played in a relaxed state, but they also offer more strategy than most action-RPGs. Luckily, I've seen plenty of JRPGs stick to the old turn-based formula. It seems like action-RPGs are mostly popping up on Consoles, which doesn't bother me much since I prefer Portable games, anyways.

...And I can't remember why this conversation came up in the first place.

Anywho, I played Chrono Cross once and I recall it looking pretty pixelated and the text was hard to read, too. It may just be a problem with the game itself. Starmongoose and ZeronHitaro, what kinda TV were you using, as in the Ratio/size/SD-or-HD, etc?

I'll buy that.  I don't mean to say that all RPGs should keep the exact same gameplay as back in the day.  New things can be cool, but a game can still be an awesome game even if it does nothing new at all and it shouldn't be held against them.  I like "innovations" most when it's a new spin on an old idea.

As far as turn based not having much strategy, I agree, but I don't think it's a bad thing.  It's kinda like strategy lite lol.

Chrono Cross, when it first came out, I wasn't really feelin' it.  I was borderline Chrono Trigger fanboy when I was a kid, so I wasn't outraged that CC was different, just sorta dissapointed.  I'm gonna have to go back and give it another shot.  As much as I try to stay away from spoilers, I always end up seeing something.  Apparently the Schala thing is tied up in CC, which actually makes me want to try it again even more.  I remember hearing a rumor that Schala was hidden somewhere in Chrono Trigger and spent DAYS trying to find her, much to my dismay.

[Ashtrot]

More so than I've seen in an action-RPG, at least.

Turn based RPGs often devolve to just mashing the confirm button over and over. Only the best ones (such as, say, SMT) require strategy in any significant capacity.

Action RPGs require reflexes, skill, and a good handle on the abilities you are given. Mass Effect 2 on Insane or Kingdom Hearts BbS on Critical Mode require more skill and strategy than any turn based game I've played.

[Mickeymac92]

More so than I've seen in an action-RPG, at least.

Turn based RPGs often devolve to just mashing the confirm button over and over. Only the best ones (such as, say, SMT) require strategy in any significant capacity.

Action RPGs require reflexes, skill, and a good handle on the abilities you are given. Mass Effect 2 on Insane or Kingdom Hearts BbS on Critical Mode require more skill and strategy than any turn based game I've played.

...I guess. I suppose I just don't want to admit it since I'm stubborn and I used to insult RPGs for having no strategy before I got into them. I dunno why, I just find most Action RPGs to be mindless aside from the very best of them. Sure they require skill, but I just act on impulse and everything always seems to work out right. Even if Turn-based games don't require strategy, I still use it regardless. Maybe it's just to give me mind something to do?

[MeshGearFox]

So I've been working on some game engine intermittently for the past like year now. The goal is to come up with something on which I can write an RPG that basically removes most of the staples of the genre. My ideas:

What's out
---

- Stats. More often than not these are just a pointless abstract.
- Levels. If a game is well designed these mostly end up being irrelevant as well, since you should always be at the level you need to be at just through normal play. The actual ratios of your stats v. the enemy's stats remain more or less the same.
- Skills. These can be a good thing but skill trees are sort of lame and Daggerfall skill systems are just a bag of writhing dicks screaming silently into the night.

What do these things represent, though?
---

A sense of progression. You get more powerful as you go on. You get new toys to play with. And the stats make these toys of yours behave differently. At least, in theory. Mostly this just means the player gets bigger explosions but nothing really interesting.

I've also noticed that items sort of get the shaft in RPGs. Soooooooo...

My Idea
---

RPG that's entirely item based and focuses on discovering properties of items and using them in an emergent and often unpredictable but strategic and interesting way.

Additionally they game should place a BIG emphasis on forcing the player to make meaningful decisions such as about who they kill or what paths they take or what items they use.

[jrchang]

I miss gaming in the 90s. Maybe it felt better because I was younger back then, but I sure as hell remember being super stoked to open up a new game. Nowadays it's just open->beat->shelf forever...