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[Dark_castle]

This question is fairly meaningless. Real time, turn-based, and real-time with pause are not combat systems, they're just paradigms under which combat systems are built. Both Divinity: Original Sin and Dragon Quest are turn-based, and yet could not be more different from each other.

True. I think they should be labelled as combat framework instead of system, because system made it sound like the core mechanics are included, which isn't right because most turn-based games have vastly different mechanics in place even if they are fundamentally turn-based.

 

[Durante]

Note: I base all of this on the premise that

1. You are controlling an entire party of characters
2. The battle system in question features meaningful tactical positioning

Because if those two are not given, the rules change

Spoiler

for the worse

and the whole distinction becomes much less important.

That said, I strongly believe that in principle RTwP is the best possible time-progression mechanic for a tactical RPG of this type. Why?
Because

• It allows you to have the same level of control as a turn-based system, or the speed of progress of a real-time system, depending on the encounter and even the current progress of each individual battle.
• Similarly to the first point, where you have full control over granularity in the time domain, it also gives you control over the granularity you want to operate at in the character domain: you can spend a lot more manual "turns"/actions on some specific characters compared to others, depending on the situation.
• It has an advantage in terms of simulation: it much more closely models an idealized "realistic" battle progress than a turn-based system does.
• It eliminates a rather big issue with most turn-based systems, where very minor actions (e.g. moving 10 centimeters) can take up an entire turn, or at least an action point or equivalent per-turn currency.
• Since playing RPGs in coop is awesome, an important point is also that it allows players to act simultaneously rather than in turn, where with a larger player count you end up spending most of each battle waiting rather than acting.

 

[ResourcefulStar]

It allows you to have the same level of control as a turn-based system, or the speed of progress of a real-time system, depending on the encounter and even the current progress of each individual battle.

One of my biggest gripes with RTwP is that it can actually be slower than turn-based, particularly in smaller scale early game encounters. Sometimes, the only thing a player can do is wait for 2-3 seconds while absolutely nothing happens because all party members and enemies acted recently and are now on a cooldown. In turn-based systems, gaps like this simply can't exist. The pace of an encounter is only limited by animation speed (which, admittedly, can be far slower than necessary and can't be adjusted in many games) and the player's own ability to input commands quickly.

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

real time > turn based > turn based with pause

 

[Mephala]

I like them all and it really depends on what I want. There are definitely fun systems in each and every one. As time goes on I think I'm leaning towards RTwP but I often wonder if it is because many of the turn-based I've been playing have been feeling lacking in depth and strategy.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Baldur's Gate 2 is probably my favorite game ever, but I would still go with turn based.

 

[xVodevil]

I must say Turn-Based, but I can't state it's an easy choice... but as a TBS fan, I really loved Original Sin and Fallout 1 back in the day.

 

[Resident4t.]

I love real time with pause. The tactical turn based games(where you can actually move around) would be my second favorite.

Real time rpg combat systems are meh compared to those two.

Real-Time with pause is some good shit. I love the micromanagement.

 

[GoldenCrow]

Seeing how few fully fledged RPG's that focus on much more than just the combat have failed to do real-time combat well I would go for turn based. I do prefer ARPG's, it's my favourite genre but they are always lacking in other aspects outside of the combat and pick them up usually just for the combat. If I pick up an RPG I'm getting it for other reasons and turn based often suits stories with depth because you can give equal attention to multiple characters in gameplay as well.

 

[Nottle]

Personally speaking I enjoy turn based the most if it has some of the following,

Action commands like the Mario Rpg games, or Lost Odyssey. For whatever reason I love timed button presses in rpgs, it's also why I'm excited to play the first Witcher.

The other thing I love is a game designed a variety of the game play mechanics, I don't want to feel like 1 thing is overpowered in combat and the answer to every situation. I love Final Fantasy 5 because you can create insane parties that are overpowered, but they are overpowered because I thought to myself, "if a ninja had haste cast on it, then used the ability to attack 4 times but was also dual wielding it would just melt a boss."
I also love persona because I feel like I'm always planning for the future, and I love that.

Need to play Divinity and Grandia, heard they had good gameplay.