I'm trying to figure out some of the basic rules of gameplay I want in my RPGs based on avoiding the things that annoy me about RPGs that I play. So I'd like to ask anybody else to add what they dislike and how avoid it. Or if you don't like my ideas for solving these problems please suggest something better.
Here's mine so far:
Problem: Having to grind levels. It's slow and boring.
Solution: I plan to balance my games so that you can play through the entire game without having to purposefully gain many levels at any one time.
Problem: Random battles every few steps.
Solution: If I have random battles at all they will occur very infrequently or they will be restricted to optional areas.
Problem: Spending all my money on an item just to find it laying around in the next dungeon.
Solution: Items that you find in tresure chests or get from battles will not be the same ones available in shops, they also won't be far more powerful than what you can buy but will have added effects which make them useful without negating the regular items.
Problem: Games where you change party members because A) your main character ends up way more powerful than everyone else, B) You end up wasting money and equipment on chars you don't use half the time, C) If certain battles require a char's skill and they aren't with you it's needlessly hard to win.
Solution: A) Characters levels are adjusted to be comparable to (but somewhat less than) your main char when they join your party, B) If possible I'd have a char's items put in a bag or other char's inventory when they leave, C) No battles will require that you have a particular char.
Problem: The magic users with the extremely weak physical attacks and the warriors with little or no magic.
Solution: I want all my characters to be balanced. None will be only good for one thing. The magic users will of course be weaker but still useful. The warriors won't be able to learn the strongest spells but can get most of them and also will have lower MP.
Problem: The most annoying character being the love interest.
Solution: If you're going to do a love story (which is best avoided most of the time) let the player choose the love interest based on how they react to the others. And make it possible to create a jealous love triangle if they treat both/all well.
There's some more. I guess I'll add them later.
Here's mine so far:
Problem: Having to grind levels. It's slow and boring.
Solution: I plan to balance my games so that you can play through the entire game without having to purposefully gain many levels at any one time.
Problem: Random battles every few steps.
Solution: If I have random battles at all they will occur very infrequently or they will be restricted to optional areas.
Problem: Spending all my money on an item just to find it laying around in the next dungeon.
Solution: Items that you find in tresure chests or get from battles will not be the same ones available in shops, they also won't be far more powerful than what you can buy but will have added effects which make them useful without negating the regular items.
Problem: Games where you change party members because A) your main character ends up way more powerful than everyone else, B) You end up wasting money and equipment on chars you don't use half the time, C) If certain battles require a char's skill and they aren't with you it's needlessly hard to win.
Solution: A) Characters levels are adjusted to be comparable to (but somewhat less than) your main char when they join your party, B) If possible I'd have a char's items put in a bag or other char's inventory when they leave, C) No battles will require that you have a particular char.
Problem: The magic users with the extremely weak physical attacks and the warriors with little or no magic.
Solution: I want all my characters to be balanced. None will be only good for one thing. The magic users will of course be weaker but still useful. The warriors won't be able to learn the strongest spells but can get most of them and also will have lower MP.
Problem: The most annoying character being the love interest.
Solution: If you're going to do a love story (which is best avoided most of the time) let the player choose the love interest based on how they react to the others. And make it possible to create a jealous love triangle if they treat both/all well.
There's some more. I guess I'll add them later.
whelk...or mist dragon
for that matter.
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