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Genres and Game Design Elements
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Author:  FinalWarrior [Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
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I definitely agree with everyone here about the removal of grinding. I also think factions are a VERY appropriate system to add to uplink.
Adding factions without the grind sounds like an interesting challenge to me.
You could do it like MW/OB, where you advance in rank only through completing faction-specific, unique missions (and/or also have a stats/skill prerequisite).

You could do it like Dungeons and Dragons' mechanic for belonging to a faction - you join a faction and gain a static "fringe benefit(s)" simply for belonging to the faction (and probably exclusively to that faction), but can then advance your rank (through some method - the above MW/OB style, for example) and thus take up both more power and more responsibility within the faction.

@OP: My favorite genres:
  • Role-playing games: Either "Western" CRPGs or Japanese RPGs, or anything in between. I both enjoy immersing myself within a game world and putting my more analytical/mathematical mind to use (so I can abuse the game mechanics to create a mechanically superior character). It's even more fun when I have to combine the both (so that I can somehow justify how I became such a badass). Neverwinter Nights is still one of my most beloved games, even though I bought it back in... '04? Except, I don't really like MMORPGs, not because of the grinding, but because of the social nature of the game. I like to be self-dependent and not have to rely on others for mechanical advancement.
    • Yeah, I even play table-top RPGs. I currently own the core rule books for 3.5e DND, 4e DND, GURPS 4E, and Exalted 2E. They... don't get much use, save the 3.5 DND books, as I'm currently part of an online game.
  • Shooters, in the first person, third person, and them up styles. Growing up I would spend days at a cousin's, playing Raiden on his SNES. Then when he got an Xbox, I'd be over there playing co-op on Halo with him (speaking of which, fuck "343 Guilty Spark". That level was fucking terrifying when you were 11). I like my shooters with a blend of RPG nowadays, though (games like Deus Ex, System Shock, Mass Effect). Shooter games aren't much fun to me without them.
  • Arcade flight sims. I can really only think of one game franchise that fits this genre: Ace Combat. It combines the realism of flight physics with some really fun arcade combat (namely, a stupidly obscene amount of missiles, bullets, and also infinite fuel so you don't have to worry about logistics) so that the game is both realistic (flight mechanics-wise) and fun (in that the majority of your mission involves blowing shit up, not going from waypoint to waypoint, dropping a load, and then RTB'ing).
  • Steel Battalion. I don't know what genre to stuff this game in. The best I can think of is "first-person humongous mecha war sim". It's an Xbox game that came with a unique controller (that was required for play): two joysticks, 40 buttons, a radio dial, a gearshift, and a three-pronged pedal set. I never should've sold it...
  • What genre would you call The Sims? Yeah, I'm man enough to admit it: every so often I get this terrible urge to play The Sims.
  • Turn-based grand strategies - basically, the Total War games (Shogun, Medieval, Rome, Medieval 2 - yeah, I've played all of those), campaign mode, auto-resolved battles only. Also the Civ games and GalCiv2. I love the micromanagement, but my wrist sure doesn't...
Like Tycho, I like the "Conducts" gameplay element. Self-imposed challenges are fun, partly because they're self-imposed. When they're required... /headdesk

Here's a gameplay element I don't like: escort missions. Why? Because almost always, whatever the fuck it is you're escorting is more mentally deficient than a rock, about as sturdy as balsa wood, and slower than molasses sitting outside on the coldest Thursday of November in New York City at two minutes past 1AM. The last two are excusable, because they're probably reasons why you're escorting the object in question. The first one though? No. If you are being shot. Fucking take cover. No, MY LINE OF FIRE IS NOT GOOD COVER. FUCK.

-- Griffinhart

ETA: Since I see people citing literary genres as well, how about a little post-cyberpunk or even, dare I say it... Transhumanism? (Why yes, I am a fan of Dresden Codak, why do you ask?)

ETA2: I also saw a post along the lines of "have things other than hard/software to be bought" and I'd just like to say that, IMO, moneysinks are a bad idea. Everything in the game should have some sort of use, even if it's as obscure as, say, an amputated mutant sixth toe. (Yeah, I'm also a believer in Chekhov's Gun.)
Author:  Tycho [Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
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  • Role-playing games: Either "Western" CRPGs or Japanese RPGs, or anything in between. I both enjoy immersing myself within a game world and putting my more analytical/mathematical mind to use (so I can abuse the game mechanics to create a mechanically superior character). It's even more fun when I have to combine the both (so that I can somehow justify how I became such a badass). Neverwinter Nights is still one of my most beloved games, even though I bought it back in... '04? Except, I don't really like MMORPGs, not because of the grinding, but because of the social nature of the game. I like to be self-dependent and not have to rely on others for mechanical advancement.
I should've mentioned NWN in my original post. It's great fun, though I find NetHack to be a never-ending source of joy and I tend to get bored of NWN after a while.

And I don't find the social nature of MMORPGs to be much of an issue. There are times that I have a single player game and think how great it would be if it was multiplayer. Playing with friends can be good fun. The social aspect becomes a problem when people start complaining that you weren't online when you should've been. Because then the game becomes a job. Another problem with it is that you will always have total douche bags who just want to ruin the gameplay for everyone else via player-killing or thievery, or whatever.
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  • Yeah, I even play table-top RPGs. I currently own the core rule books for 3.5e DND, 4e DND, GURPS 4E, and Exalted 2E. They... don't get much use, save the 3.5 DND books, as I'm currently part of an online game.
I've got the 3.5e and 4e DND books, but they're in PDF format. I haven't touched them yet, but that's only because I don't have anyone to play DND with. :)
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  • Shooters, in the first person, third person, and them up styles. Growing up I would spend days at a cousin's, playing Raiden on his SNES. Then when he got an Xbox, I'd be over there playing co-op on Halo with him (speaking of which, fuck "343 Guilty Spark". That level was fucking terrifying when you were 11). I like my shooters with a blend of RPG nowadays, though (games like Deus Ex, System Shock, Mass Effect). Shooter games aren't much fun to me without them.
Shooters tend to get boring quickly to me, unless they do combine RPG elements, as you mention. For instance, I really get bored of Counter-Strike Source quickly. The only time I ever play it anymore is at LAN parties and PAX. Which is probably why I'm so bad at it, but I can't stand to play it any other time. It also doesn't help that Counter-Strike players are the type that spawn on damp locker room floors.
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[*]Turn-based grand strategies - basically, the Total War games (Shogun, Medieval, Rome, Medieval 2 - yeah, I've played all of those), campaign mode, auto-resolved battles only. Also the Civ games and GalCiv2. I love the micromanagement, but my wrist sure doesn't...[/list]
Also good. I play Civ4 occasionally. FreeCiv is good to, but the AI there is far more cutthroat than I'd like.
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Like Tycho, I like the "Conducts" gameplay element. Self-imposed challenges are fun, partly because they're self-imposed. When they're required... /headdesk
And sometimes, you can get conducts unintentionally, too. So it's kind of a bonus on occasion.
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Here's a gameplay element I don't like: escort missions. Why? Because almost always, whatever the fuck it is you're escorting is more mentally deficient than a rock, about as sturdy as balsa wood, and slower than molasses sitting outside on the coldest Thursday of November in New York City at two minutes past 1AM. The last two are excusable, because they're probably reasons why you're escorting the object in question. The first one though? No. If you are being shot. Fucking take cover. No, MY LINE OF FIRE IS NOT GOOD COVER. FUCK.
I think I laughed so loud that my parents woke up. ¬¬
Author:  sentinel [Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
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I've got the 3.5e and 4e DND books, but they're in PDF format. I haven't touched them yet, but that's only because I don't have anyone to play DND with. :)
Wait 'till vacation time and you have your first player! :classy:
Author:  gamers2000 [Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
Cyber (punk or not, it's cool), simulations (Yes, I do run Flight Simulator (play doesn't do it justice) and play Dangerous Waters), real-life RPGs, sandboxes (I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT FOR SUBVERSION TO COME OUT WOO). And for god's sake, please no fantasy RPGs, or fantasy anything. I hate being stuck in a medieval world filled with weird monsters. (Perhaps it's the medieval thing, IDK.)

Which is why I loved Freelancer.

MULTIPLAYER. Nuff said.

Sorry this isn't as nicely laid out, I CBA to do it.

EDIT : OH. I forgot to add. I absolutely love having a huge world to play in (think GTA), but not those that are "if you want, you can walk to that cave and find the golden tongue of doom so that you can get a golden spear." Side-missions are fun, but give me a living, breathing world that I can do random stuff not related to missions.
Author:  FinalWarrior [Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
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Which is why I loved Freelancer.
Gods yes. In addition, Freelancer is a perfect example of "it doesn't have to model real life to be fun".

@Tycho & sentinel: I have no problem with running a game of 3.5e or 4e DND. :D (You'll have to excuse me on GURPS or Exalted, though - I'm still trying to wrap my head around how much freedom GURPS tosses at you, and my experiences with playing Exalted, much less running it, are... subpar, to say the least.)

-- Griffinhart
Author:  Tycho [Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
Neat, maybe we can do a play-by-post on this forum.
Author:  sentinel [Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Genres and Game Design Elements
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Neat, maybe we can do a play-by-post on this forum.
Me likes idea! :classy:
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