General problems of RPGs

[Googolplex]

I'm very interested in playing RPG's, but most of them have generally problems to represent a believable world.
So let's begin with things like "character choice" in Skyrim for example. How can I get part of a story when there is no certain character? Instead I can create my own hero where's absolutely no regard of it?
I mean when I have the choice to create my own character this will avoid the binding which is a very important thing of immersion. When I choose who I want, then it feels not real, because I am who I am and not someone I want to play with. This also means a pull down in story telling, because you are someone "self-created" and not a person who is part of a story and the world.

In addition of this there's a further problem in most of RPGs. Let's continue with the skilling feature, where I totally dislike to open a "skill-tree" screen by pressing a key where you can "unlock" new skills by spending XP points or something like that.
That's so unattractive for the gameplay. I mean, such things should happen by player's first hand directly into the game world. No need to open a character screen with tables of numbers and skills! Instead there should be NPCs as "teachers" which can train you in sword fighting or crafting for example.
And this is the next problem. Crafting skills are often made in the inventory screen, where you can modify an armor or brew a mana potion etc. There is no "interaction" with the world. Most modern games have really nice graphics, but objects are just static and this will cause a too linear game with less exploration. This means instead a crafting screen there should be objects in the world on where I can do that. Sharpen a sword by using a grinding stone, brew a potion by operate an alchemy station etc. And even just chairs where I can sit down and relax, doors to open, levers to operate, wash my face at a barrel with water etc. Such possibilities are useless, but are always part of a believable world.
The world design is an other problem. Most developers just copy and paste computer generated stuff. This is the reason why games like the Gothic series, where EVERYTHING is drawn by hand, feels so different in every single location. You will never see the same things on an other place again, everything is different each other and unique. I never saw an other game which has more love on details than Gothic 3 by Piranha Bytes (with Community-Patch of course) and I found a video which shows how you are learning skills in this game:





A further problem in most RPGs is the fact that most of creatures are designed to be "enemies". Monsters with ugly floating life bars and bad appearance what seems like they were just placed there to get fight. Why the hell must everything be some kind of a boss? I prefer the way when monsters were more like well designed "animals" with realistic animations, acting together in a swarm (depending of the animal type), go for sleep at night and doesn't attack directly to provoke a fight. Here are two short examples of great animal design:









That would mediate a feeling that is more decent and not just an other bad "game". It's traditional for a RPG to play the hero who kills monsters and most of the story is just fighting something and get even more points to skill the charater.
This just feels like to play a fun game, which is designed to play when you come home after a hard day of work and just wanted to play something with simple action stuff. Where you just have to walk around, do some simple quests, kill monsters and get even stronger. This is how most RPGs are.
And the word "quest" is a totally no-go, because it only exists in a game and this means an immersive harm! When I help someone in real life, it is not a quest for me, it's an exercise. A to-do list would be fine, where the player adds all new entries. Out of the game, it's OK when saying "quest", but ingame it is a RPG-typical no-go.

What I also dislike is when a game has surreal fat armors, heavy weapons and a lot of magic. This just looks like a "game" and nothing increasingly serious.
In addition most of RPGs have a very ugly HUD, which pulls me out of the immersion by avoid the possibility to enjoy the environment and focus on the world in which I am in.

Now let's come to the music. Music of RPGs always is very good epic, but the problem is that good music does not automatically fit into the scenario. Most tracks are very pompous, but I don't want to play a hollywood movie. Here I can say that less is more. Music should represent the location and that's what a simple composer often does better than a high-budget orchestra. Like this track here, composed by Kai Rosenkranz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1qzncugwT4

Let's continue with the gameplay. A generally problem. Games often started very fast, you will get couples of armors and other inventory items very quickly - without let the game build up the atmosphere first.
I always dislike it when games are too fast. I prefer the way when you first have to "earn" your equipment which is very weak and unwieldy at the beginning. Later in the game other NPCs should react differently to your equipment. A good example here is Risen, where you stranded as a shipwrecked nameless guy on an unknown isle, no weapons, no armor. The only thing you find is a weak bough which is your first "weapon". It takes a time until you got better equipment, because the game first wants to build up atmosphere and this will make the location more dangerous and you feel like a normal helpless guy. When seeing other NPCs with a strong armor, you'll think it's better not to mess with him. Gives a plus of feeling weak. But you will get better equipment very slowly, so that you are very praised to every new armor you'll get until you are like here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeYv8waTqBE

This means that Piranha Bytes have pursued only the very highest standard. PB stood for incredible quality and ambition. It was this underdog story of the hidden player in the industry, mopping up the floor with a fraction of the funds with the competition. Gothic 2 was as ambitious , recall to the monastery . And with Gothic 3, PB surpassed themselves first The first screenshot where the naked orc grabbed the scavenger , caused a huge hype.



There was no doubt that PB will not be technically on par time. It is important to say that fans of PB just still have these requirements in it, because we have followed and experienced this condition. Why should we settle for less to us now ? This expectation is part of PB.

The world design was consistent, terrific, various and thoughtful. Flora and fauna were credible despite fantasy. Chased the wolves molerats outside and inside, as for example in the old camp , you had to live with its consequences. The NPCs had a daily routine , Digger peed and washed themselves and each responded to theft . But the immersion of Gothic goes much further in depth than what is offered here . I can only speak for myself , but the following has taken me under its spell.

Have recently FF14 ARR ( Mmo ) bought and played , but I could not simply be regarded as a part of the world . Found the game really bad. What is the attraction of Gothic ? For me, first of all , that it is displayed in 3rd -person perspective. Many Rpgs had at that time a Isoansicht . And this view was used to, but I could accept it anyway if it were not for the following. What I've always hated the iso that it had no or little effect on the exterior of my avatar's what I was wearing because for equipment . Ocaraina of Time in Zelda you saw every sword and every plate. My equipment decision had a direct impact on my visual experience. Sure the avatar changed in Diablo 2 as well, but not strong enough. Everything from the iso was far too small and insignificant.

Gothic had this safe style that you noticed any decision visible in the game. Each armor changed me in detailed manner and contributed to immersion at . Each new weapon made ​​me a bit cooler and stronger. The main reason why I had started with G1 , it just offered this perspective and the armor and weapons looked so cool. But also contributes significantly to the gameplay and immersion. The weapons in Gothic 1 saw also really like guns. They bought it from them , that they carried a large two-handed sword (eg Flamberge ) . PB were in their style ( style design ) so sure that it contributed to the authenticity of the world . Remind yourself as you stood for the first time torus . It took no menus or paraphrases to teach the players that this NPC is stronger than you . His overall picture spoke for him, you ran around him, saw his blatant two-handed sword while I was wearing an old sword . The same with Gomez, he reflected for a lie. They saw innos anger and you knew his place . The NPCs had a material advantage in the game world , which was really believable. And the stylish style design support this well-developed game world.

Do you know that? You're playing a RPG like Dragon Age Origins e.g. and it makes absolutely no sub Scheid, if you now have 3 more starch or not . Distribute times just 5 points in the menu , sigh . Once again, the immersion of Gothic itself shines through the attribute system. Everything was credible and consequences. Not only had to aufzuschen teacher, but every attribute point had a direct and visible impact . With +5 strength more in Gothic I was clearly stronger. I could carry a new weapon , and even if not, decided 5 strength , if I could finally defeat a dragon in melee or not. It was so PB Stilsicher again . The whole implementation of increasing was immersive without end. PB made ​​use smaller numbers to explain the potential. Weapons began at 3 damage , went about 5 and when I arrived at 50 damage , so I was looking more than a 5000 dmg weapon in other games. Small numbers have a comprehensive beauty in itself , contribute to the fact that you understand it intuitively and the hero initially buys his Schwächlingsrolle . Are initially allocated 50 Str Schwierigkeitsscaling ago from a strength point , so I like it but prefer it when my character starts with a single point of strength . It helps achieve the illusion that I have actually created my character from the ground up .

Not only does the system improve the saying " less is more" , but this saying applies to the whole game . Gothic had no mini maps , small superfluous UI . No quest marker. Subtle and beautiful impressions of +15 experience points. But these impressions contributed to the success of Gothic . Imagine . Huge Xp messages like in other games or no XP displays. There are games where you have to look in the Journal , because how much is a single enemy XP, or is expected to yourself . I play so many games and no play hide my opinion so far received XP as beautiful as Gothic and yes , all contribute to a better match with . In Risen was obtained without the retro quest system Xp bottom left of the screen in orange (!) Font . This implies that the XP I've got part of another system. Namely the increase screens . It is the same font and color as used for journal ( quest) - posts. It is a design that the feelings towards the player and thus draws a menu outside the game experience . In Gothic had subtle white lettering directly above the heroes. Above his head. The Xp display contributed to the credibility of the world . After a serious fight this display was an indicator to the hierarchy of the world. It was known due to the fact that we have become stronger. The 125 XP, a monitor species showed me in any ranking of these opponents was and I said I was. Each Xp display was part of the player's immersive progression process. Xp appeared after a quest about my avatar head and I felt really at this moment it relates to my character and not some numbers in a far- away menu.

Maybe I sound pedantic, but in my opinion thoughts on the lowest level are the Gothic have done so well . PB would do well to realize how important are such small considerations for game experience and what standards and requirements feel they have already created .

Are you aware that Gothic has its own open-world structure? Not only is everything directly from life and the flora and fauna here, but the combat system is influenced by this philosophy. I can identify all the directions of the attacks. I always played with the keyboard. If I spectacular block , I almost had to really keep you feeling a sword in his hand. My hands took the position Ctrl + arrow button below , as each of Gothic plays the keyboard . The distance between my hands on the Tastaur corresponded almost block the movement or position of the hand nameless hero . But the criticized chest system was brought to the immersion , because I could not even just press E to as if by magic pick up everything , but I had to deal more with the items and so it was almost as if I would really loot a chest and I picked out the raisins . It was the daily life of an adventurer and not an activity the way, where you pressed e without even looking (G3, ahem).

But besides Gothic pursued in the design world a certain structure . Gothic was never really sandbox , the epitome of Open World . Where you could go anywhere you wanted, which is also good . I 'm just not a real Sandboxspieler . No matter what make or TES as well as it may be , more than 35 hours playing time are simply not there. Gothic was a common thread that guides the player through the world and freedoms but then they can make what they want . Dragons Dogma Capcom as an example. One can explore the map freely , but why would I do that ? The map is so big it is also limited . Why should I have to wander everywhere only seen at alll when I later discover that steers the Main Quest in these areas . I need a story , and I can decide for yourself how much I research then . And I do very much like and even . But I see no reason only of exploring the sake to have really seen it all . I enjoy being surprised . This decision has many Gothic freedoms. Not just where I'm going , but how do I solve something . I use violence or the monster shrink role? Lurkor on the dam I lure the guards and they do it when I 'm too weak . Or do I use ice magic etc. etc. Gothic offered this freedom . A freedom which clearly matched the rest of immersive game design .

I write this here because I would like to suggest game ideas or solutions to the problem PB (as a fan) to this discussion. Am convinced that PB could create with current modern games that come close to Gothic. This requires a few different point of view. It was important that you understand from what camp and what requirements I come. If you made ​​the topic fun, so I would like to make. Makes it good.

Would be nice to know what Thomas (our design specialist here) would think about my thoughts!

Googolplex