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SmoothCriminal on 13 March 2010
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Ssenkahdavic said:
SmoothCriminal said:

jobs: although they are in many FF games (Let it be known that FF1-6 do have a place in my heart, although not a very large one) what I meant to say was side-quests. I realize that some JRPGs do have them, but they are rarely as well fleshed out, and often of little consequence. For example, in Mount and Blade, if you aid a city in a certain nation, that city likes you more. Therefore, the country likes you more. Therefore, their enemy hates you more. This can lead to a full-scale war, in which you can decide who wins or loses.

 

Trade: What I mean is a fluctuating econemy, caravans (some JRPGs may have these), limited supply. Take (here we go AGAIN) Morrowind for example. The shop keepers only had a certain amount of money per day, so you would have to find another shop or wait for a day that the shop keeper had more money.

Exploration: Take (guess which game!) Morrowind for example. In Daggerfall (the second in the series) the world was LITERALLY bigger than the British Isles, but it was boring as crap. The world was empty (at least relative to Morrowind). In Morrowind (third in the series), every dungeon was unique, there were hundreds of books to find and read (I believe that Morrowind still holds the record for most text in a game, ever), and new spells, weapons, armor, and items to find. I won't say that JRPGs don't have exploration, but just not on the level of WRPGs.

(Notice that there are exceptions to every rule, and JRPGs are no different. But, as a general rule, I believe my statements to be *mostly* true. Does that mean I hate all JRPGs? No, I love Fire Emblem and the Zelda games (if those are even RPGs).)

 

P.S. I am the kind of guy that sits down by himself and plays Dungeons and Dragons for three hours (yes, I do need a life). I love the mathmatical side of RPGs, the story is just an added bonus for me. Everyone games for a different reason, I game primarily because I want to get inside a game, figure out how it works, and then beat it. Some people game for stories, and that's fine too. Like I said, stories are secondary to me.

P.P.S. No disrespect meant towards any JRPG fans, even if you're all stupid (Kidding!!). Even though I sometimes convey myself like an asshole, I really just have very strong opinions.

There ya go.  Spelling things out works much better.  Daggerfall is my favorite Elderscrolls game, period (as well as probably the buggiest game that actually works ever created, it is in my profile).  

With the DnD comment it all comes into focus.  You seem like the type that enjoys "Create Your Own Adventure Games", or "Choose your own Path Adventure Games" (IE a good portion of WRPGs), where some others enjoy Novels (here is the world, you do not change it but enjoy the RIDE! JRPGs).

That is where a good deal of the resentment towards JRPGs comes from.  They are different and that is a GOOD THING.  Variety is good, even if you do not like it (some people will).  I personally enjoy RPGs, all manner of them (but that does not mean ALL of them)

 

I agree that variety is a good thing, however, I feel that many JRPGs are stuck in the past. In the 80s, we HAD to have random battles and turn-based combat, but in the modern day, I feel that we can look past that. Like I said, there are exceptions to every rule. There are many JRPGs that I love, but only the ones that abandon the old ideas and innovate.

On the subject of "choose your own adventure" versus "novel", I really do enjoy both, in both the literal sense and the figurative one. For example, Half-Life 2 is my favorite game of all time, and in it you are basically shoved from point-of-intrest to point-of-intrest. However, the story is presented in a way that I enjoy. I really think that that is where games should head, because they can't be done in a movie. JRPGs however, seem too pre-occupied with being "cinematic". Another prime example is Braid. It is the first game I've ever played that the story could absolutely NOT be told in a movie.

However, I do very much prefer making my own story, as then I am the character, and that's what role-playing is about to me. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate good stories, Half-Life 2 for example, but even in Half-Life you're role-playing because you ARE Gordan Freeman. He never talks, so you can just imagine what he said.

If I really wanted a great example, I would say Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It had a very linear story, but it was very well told and kept me interested, something JRPGs don't often do.

 

After all that I've said, I'm glad that we can discuss it like civilized human beings, even if we don't agree. I'm so used to hear "SHUT TEH F*K UP F*G NERD, FF7 IS TEH GREATEST GAME EVAR!!!!"  Thanks for not being a huge dick about it.