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I always wondered where Western veterans of JRPGS like you guys would have gone with JRPG game design.
On forums like NeoGAF, I have read threads like 'What is the best battle system'. And that stuff really intrigues me. The mechanics in general, exploring, and combat, and conversations. Or how some of those elements are put together.
So...
What JRPG, had your favourite mechanics ever?
and
How would you make the your ideal JRPG mechanics?
Will add my two cents after i see people like the topic. It's rude to answer you're own question in my opinion.
Mass Effect type conversation trees with even more options would rule!
I see western RPG's as tending place the player in the role of the protagonist. Whereas Japanese RPG's tend to create characters that the player can relate to and care about. I prefer the Japanese approach if only because the characters (mostly in design) are often so amazingly well developed.
So yeah, if an FF# had a conversation system like Mass Effect I'd probably obsess over the different turns the game would take with the characters that I care about. But creating an epic FF story arc that is a the same time interestingly flexible would be tough.
As far as battle system and exploration goes I think JRPG's already have me set for life. Because the western creators seem to want to place the player as the main character, they tend to play in a solo fashion. Japanese RPG creators seem to have an eye for putting the player in control of a team. Of course, JRPG's are picking up on the "improvements" of WRPG's and are experimenting with ways of increasing the user's tactile control. But I still prefer the Japanese multiple character team/experience a story approach. I do not see MMORPG's or having a team through online party play as a better alternative to team solo play. I wanna control everybody (not necessarily directly) and customize them the way I want.
Last edited by finalmattasy; Jul 14 2009 at 05:44 AM..
I'd just like to see JRPGs get out of the rut they are in. Almost every one of them now caters directly to the Dragon Quest/Final Fantasy demographic. When you look back at the SNES and PSX eras when JRPGs were in their prime, many of the favorites from those eras were the games that did things differently than the big name games.
Again, it's one of the consequences of rising development costs. Like most blockbuster games fall into the general "action/shooter" genre that fills most of gaming now, most JRPGs follow the same tried-and-true story elements and character archtypes.
Final Fantasy X's Conditional Turn Based Battle system. Absolutely loved it. If only the rest of the game wasn't so linear and had more depth other than the monster arena. Since the system was completely tactical and turn-based, by casting Haste/ga on my party at the beginning, then casting Slow/ga on the enemy party, then using Quick Hit with Tidus & Auron (I learned him it with a Skill Sphere) I could literally annihilate the entire enemy party (or most of them) before they even took a single turn. I love being able to kill monsters and have them not even given the chance to retaliate. This comes in handy especially if you can kill the Malboro before he gets his turn, because if he does, he'll use Bad Breath and pwn your party. I was also able to kill Omega Weapon in the Omega Ruins by using Quick Hit. The dude got two or three turns in at best. Thus, even the most dangerous boss or enemy would be rendered moot if due to my speed, the CTB gave me more turns than them.
How would you make the your ideal JRPG mechanics?
• Inspired by classic commercial RPGS such as Final Fantasy XI®, World Of Warcraft® and Diablo II®
• Revolutionary 10 character Real-Time/Turn-Based™ (RTTB) battle engine system! Where else can you fight (in single-player) with ten people active in your party at once?
• Let the AI fight for you with easily programmable scripts (Combits™), or control your strike force as efficiently as in an RTS like Starcraft®
• Complete with fun mini-games and a card-based mini-battle system (Card Rapture RTTB), packed with quests, such as the Main Quest, Sub-Quests, Side-Quests, and the Master Quests!
• Store charges and fire magical card-elemental energy blasts with the Gambitga™ command! (Totally not related in any way, shape, or form to a certain Marvel® character’s superpowers).
• Easy to learn but challenging to master. Contains helpful tutorials. Combines strategic depth with fast-paced action!
• Flexible control options! Utilize console commands, or, if you prefer point-and-click, use your favorite mouse or gamepad. Compatible with most peripheral devices!
• Featuring a non-linear, open-ended, massive, convoluted storyline in classic RPG milieu, but with eventual endings (including cinematics). Experience MMORPG simulation mode without the monthly fees!
• Finally, a mature RPG with massive blood, guts, gore, and gibs (optional if you’re squeamish)!
• Finally, an RPG where you can kill the NPCs in Town (don’t worry, they’ll revive eventually)!
• Fully developed and strong female characters with unlockable (and scalable) costumes!
• Supported with patches, downloadable content, and more.
• At least one or two fat Black characters instead of the entire party being skinny, annorexic, White, and blonde.
Last edited by Kuja Las Vegas; Jul 14 2009 at 01:13 PM..
What JRPG, had your favourite mechanics ever?
Baten Kaitos I, (not BK II: Origins): Some hate the battle system, others love it!
I loved it. It has a card based battle system which was awesome. You had a deck with a lot of cards, each card had a number from 1-9. There were thousands of combinations of cards who fused together in powerfull combos. And when your attack had a special number order, like 1-2-3, your attack was much powerfull. Each battle was different. I really hope they make a Baten Kaitos III sometimes.
The game was very good itself, my #2 of favorite RPG's (#1 is FFX - for now...). Unfortunately it didn't sell wel... But for me it had the best battle system ever created in a JRPG.
How would you make the your ideal JRPG mechanics?
- Battles with a lot of characters
- Innovative character growth system
- Every equiped thing is viewable and moves when you walk around
- seeing the release of a fullly old school 2D RPG game like FFI, FFII, Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger
in 10 years, when each game is in 3D.
- A RPG where you can create your own worlds, similar to Elder Scrolls construction set, but simplified like Little Big Planet.
My favorite JRPG happened to be my first one. My friend was trying to introduce RPGs to me, and let me borrow his copy of Lagaia II. This game was amazing! If I can remember right, the first battle was actually with the final boss. It showed just how powerful he was, and the story built up to you eventually having to face him, again. The gameplay was turn based, and during your turn you input a combat move for each slot (kinda like XIII will be). Sometimes you'd get lucky and input a series of commands that unlocked the character's special attack (like high, low, high, left, high would initiate a special attack). It was fun trying to unlock all the special attacks as you grinded to level up. And instead of the character executing the turn right after you input their commands, you'd input commands for the entire party first, then they would take their turns in order all at once. The graphics and camera angles were similar to a game like Soul Calibur's. Really great game!
I would say Demon's Souls battle system is great. Extremely difficult, unforgiving but fair. I also loved the way they made Valkyria Chronicles.
Other than that, The Last Remnant had an interseting idea with unions that could be improved upon in another game if they ever make it. I'd like to see TLR2 on the same engine as FF13.
Vagrant Story also had an interesting battle system. It was turn based and you could chose the body part you wanted to attack.
There are many different ways you can handle a battle system and they are doing it fine. Modern JRPGs lacks in story and english voice acting + graphics hasn't always been good. Their battle systems re the only thing that saves them.
I have NO idea what I am talkign about when it comes to battle systems, but I have also heard people loved Grandia's battle system.
I woulds also like to see some Western sensibilities come to JRPG design, perhaps more contemporary thematically (why I love the look of Versus) and with more freedom and less of those things that make the games SO Japanese. Odd paradigms, like moving to an arena to fight, and the enemy you are up against, turning into 3 enemies, and you as a group being represented by one person.
Again, makes me excited about Versus.
Anyway, thanks a lot for your posts everyone, I will continue to read this thread and comment on cool ideas.
My favourite JRPGs are probably Final Fantasy 6,7,8 and Chrono Trigger.
I think the only way for JRPGs to evolve are through their battle system, any other changes like non-linearity and advanced dialog systems would just slowly turn them into WRPGs.
As for what I like in a battle system:
*Characters moving around a lot like in FFXIII and The Last Remnant, it makes the battles look a lot better then each party lining up.
*No random battles or battle transitions. Chrono Trigger did this great, so did FFXII.
*Real Time or Turnbased, I love both.
*Battles that rely more on strategy then just your stats/level.
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FINAL FANTASY XII HAD THE BEST WRITING AND VOICEWORK IN THE SERIES.
JRPG Game design - Where would you innovate?
