• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Someone shed some light on Wrpg's for me.

A

AKingNamedPaul

I am Homie
I SHOULD be able to enjoy Oblivion and fallout 3. I love the idea of being dropped into a world with exploration and loot. I don't hate these games, I just never allow myself to get passed the learning curve. For example, I recently got fallout 3 and I feel like I'm playing side quest the game featuring bad gameplay and broken A.I. I explore for a good amount of time and find a few bland weapons and armor, but the story is barely there so I find myself in that gta killing spree sort of aimlessness. I try to follow the quest markers, but eventually I get myself caught up in a battle with a small amount of ammo and terrible weapons to boot.

Last night I found some bad ass group of guys by the citadel with amazing guns and armor and I managed to kill 3 or 4 of them thanks to downing drugs and then it says that they are unconscious so I cant steal their gear... I think that one event pushed me from wanting to be crafty enough to not get some cool weapons and go from there, to feeling like the games rules just lied to me and went "you have the freedom to loot anyone! oh wait except those cool guys." Someone tell me that if I just push a little further it will all be ok.

I know it isn't a wrpg but I love demons souls to god damn death for what it's worth.
 
Well, do some main quest stuff to level up, I guess. Too much just walking around can get quite aimless at times, so spice it up with the main quest and/or any quests on your pipboy.
 
Check out Planescape:Torment.

It is well written, and it conveys a logically presented world, that has some depth and life.

For what it's worth, I also hate when games are so big that their failings as a cohesive universe are glaring and all over the place.
 
Solution: mod the hell out of Oblivion, and play Fallout New Vegas instead of Fallout 3
 
Yeah, I didn't really enjoy Oblivion or Fallout 3 either. Not sure if I want to drop down more money to see if I like New Vegas better so I'll wait till one of my friends gets it to give it a shot.
 
KEEP PLAYING FALLOUT 3 IT IS THE GOTG

also FNV is better but i only got a few hours into it before my Xbox broke.

but if you want maximum entertainment hours play Fallout 3 then play New Vegas.
 
Skip Fallout 3 and start with New Vegas, imo.

And you picked the two worst games to get into wrpgs with if you value good story and plot.
 
Bethesda RPGs are full of shitty rules, like invincible characters, so play something like New Vegas instead.

Or grab The Witcher or an old WRPG. The ones that are infinitely better written and deeper in gameplay.
 
oracrest said:
Check out Planescape:Torment.

It is well written, and it conveys a logically presented world, that has some depth and life.

For what it's worth, I also hate when games are so big that their failings as a cohesive universe are glaring and all over the place.
Click to expand...

lol which is funny since the whole world is based on things like faith and belief and thought.
 
water_wendi said:
Skip Fallout 3 and start with New Vegas, imo.
Click to expand...
Fallout 3 wins if I do this. I have to figure out whether the games aren't for me, or if I just need to get passed the beginning to get to the potential that I see in them.
 
If you want a cohesive, good story or good writing, Bethesda is not the developer to look at.
 
FootNinja said:
Fallout 3 wins if I do this. I have to figure out whether the games aren't for me, or if I just need to get passed the beginning to get to the potential that I see in them.
Click to expand...
that won't prove that wrpg's aren't for you, just that fallout 3 isn't.
 
FootNinja said:
Fallout 3 wins if I do this. I have to figure out whether the games aren't for me, or if I just need to get passed the beginning to get to the potential that I see in them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but you picked an action adventure with RPG-lite elements as a representitive of WRPGs. Bethesda have for a long time now being simplifying the complexity of their RPGs in favour of shit like this.

If what you want is something a bit more complex and robust in gameplay options, and all round more polished, pick a different WPRG. The Witcher is a great start, and as mentioned older stuff like Planescape: Torment have phenominal writing.

Oblivion/Fallout 3 are fun if all you want to do is wander around the world exploring every nook and cranny with minimal reprecussions, but the rest of the gameplay is clunky, and the writing is always terrible.

Play better WRPGs if you want to get into WRPGs.
 
If you're playing fallout 3/new vegas on the pc just put godmode on and have fun running around punching deathclaws in the face, I find the experience hilarious.
 
EviLore said:
Solution: mod the hell out of Oblivion, and play Fallout New Vegas instead of Fallout 3
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. I don't even know why this thread saw fit to continue. It should have stopped right here.
 
Being raised on Japanese RPGs and getting into western ones, it was really overwhelming for me. The inventory systems are way more complex, there is much more freedom in where to go which allows for more confusion, the stories are usually very bare with scenes being limited to a close up of a guys face for a minute or two, characters are almost always pretty ugly, enemies never really react to being hit with a weapon and you're usually alone most of the game.

I'm still getting used to them and I did enjoy Fallout 3, Oblivion and am pushing through Dragon Age. I don't think I'll ever get into the ones that have the twenty bajillion icons all along the top, bottom and sides of the screen though. That's ridiculous.
 
*points to above answers*

There's a legitimate case to be made that their games aren't very good.
There's an airtight case that universal review acclaim caused poor explanations of mechanics and creative failures to people who don't immediately take to them.
There are many, many types of western RPGs, including some made before 2005! Many of them are excellent.
 
HK-47 said:
Didnt you hear? WRPGs are all the same.
Click to expand...
I'm the first to admit that I have absolutely no insight on the genre. I was under the impression that these were amazing WRPG games, going by everyone else who has played them and spoken out with impressions.
 
Dark Octave said:
Being raised on Japanese RPGs and getting into western ones, it was really overwhelming for me. The inventory systems are way more complex, there is much more freedom in where to go which allows for more confusion, the stories are usually very bare with scenes being limited to a close up of a guys face for a minute or two, characters are almost always pretty ugly, enemies never really react to being hit with a weapon and you're usually alone most of the game.
Click to expand...

This are pretty much staples almost exclusive to Bethesda's games, which dont represent the WRPG genre as a whole. And on that note, many will argue that the traditional design of the WPRG, in all its glory, is long dead.

Again, if you want a good representation go play one of the better WPRGs; Fallout, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Knights of the old Republic, Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Temple of Elemental Evil, Bloodlines, and countless others.

Most of these represent the kind of quality in story telling, characters, and gameplay that can be found in the genre.
 
Morrowind.
Dragon age Origins.
Knights of the old republic.
WRPG master race

i also enjoy jrpgs, but it's harder to get through them
 
That sounds like it might just be a Bethesda RPG thing. Their games pretty much live or die by environmental exploration; if you don't have fun by just having a metric crapton of (reasonably well-done, but ultimately pretty pointless) places to find and collect stuff from, they're pretty weak games without a lot compelling character or plot writing, they tend to put the boot down on methods of play that don't directly fit one of the ways they expected/wanted you to handle things, and they have pretty piss-poor gameplay mechanics.

Try some of the more recent Bioware games, as they're a good deal more directed, have much better main story paths, and tend to have characters that are very personable, if not especially well-written. VtM: Bloodlines is another good pick if you're not too well-versed in the way WRPGs work - I know a lot of people who didn't really get into the genre until they played Bloodlines. I'd be a little wary of any suggestions of older, 'classic' WRPGs unless you manage to get a handle on enjoying modern ones and/or are pretty much at the end of your rope and desperate to try something you might like; a lot of older ones are pretty damn obtuse or just kind of user-unfriendly unless you already know what you're doing going in.
Fallout: New Vegas is also a much (much) better use of the basic formula behind Fallout 3. I don't know if I'd rush out to play it immediately if you're already feeling burned by FO3 (as it is the same basic engine, regardless of improvements), but it does do a much better job of being compelling, on just about all fronts (highly improved combat, decent writing, more/better content, more intelligent ways of integrating your character stats into dialogue during quests, etc). If you really, honestly feel like you're almost there and you'd really enjoy FO3 if it were the same thing but just better, though, I'd strongly consider it.
 
EatChildren said:
This are pretty much staples almost exclusive to Bethesda's games, which dont represent the WRPG genre as a whole. And on that note, many will argue that the traditional design of the WPRG, in all its glory, is long dead.

Again, if you want a good representation go play one of the better WPRGs; Fallout, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Knights of the old Republic, Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Temple of Elemental Evil, Bloodlines, and countless others.

Most of these represent the kind of quality in story telling, characters, and gameplay that can be found in the genre.
Click to expand...
I'll admit to being pretty ignorant to western RPGs, especially on PC. :lol The only PC western RPG I've ever played is Septerra Core.

I'm making a list of the games you mentioned right now and I'll try them out. Thanks.
 
FootNinja said:
I'm the first to admit that I have absolutely no insight on the genre. I was under the impression that these were amazing WRPG games, going by everyone else who has played them and spoken out with impressions.
Click to expand...

The reasons people find Oblivion and Fallout 3 amazing are not the same reasons people find the likes of Planescape, Arcanum, Fallout, Baldurs Gate, and other titles amazing.

They're doubtlessly good games, but they dont represent what the WPRG genre can be.
 
Dark Octave said:
I'll admit to being pretty ignorant to western RPGs. I'm making a list of the games you mentioned right now and I'll try them out. Thanks.
Click to expand...

We'll see you in a few years, then!
 
KotOR is probably one of the easier ones to get into since it has pretty simple gameplay systems, a good story/writing, and is fairly linear.

In fact is the only "traditional" (not Torchlight, Fable, Mass Effect, etc) WRPG I've managed to play for more than a couple of hours.
 
EviLore said:
We'll see you in a few years, then!
Click to expand...
Ha. I'll just check out the demos and pick up the ones I really like of the bunch. They'll just be added in with the few old school Japanese RPGs I have yet to get around to, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy V, Lufia and Lufia II.
 
Manos: The Hans of Fate said:
Fixed!
Click to expand...

But Bloodlines is better and its funny without relying on horrible voice acting!

You really should play System Shock 2 over either though.
 
Dark Octave said:
I'll admit to being pretty ignorant to western RPGs, especially on PC. :lol The only PC western RPG I've ever played is Septerra Core.

I'm making a list of the games you mentioned right now and I'll try them out. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Septerra Core is a JRPG.
 
Arcanum
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate 2
Deus Ex
Fallout
Fallout 2
Fallout New Vegas
Gothic 2
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale 2
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Morrowind
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
Planescape: Torment
Risen
System Shock 2
Temple of Elemental Evil
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
The Witcher

There's 20 options for starters.
 
I'm trying to play New Vegas right now. I thought Fallout 3 was okay, and enjoy most of the Elder Scroll type games, but New Vegas isn't grabbing me at all. I don't know why.
 
EviLore said:
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate 2
Planescape: Torment
The Witcher
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
Fallout
Fallout 2
Fallout New Vegas
Morrowind
Arcanum
Temple of Elemental Evil
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale 2
Deus Ex
System Shock 2
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Gothic 2
Risen

There's 20 options for starters.
Click to expand...

Mass Effect, or more specifically Mass Effect 2, isn't really a good representation of what the WRPG genre is about though. I love the games to bits, and he should play them anyway because they're awesome, but if he's sold on Mass Effect it doesn't mean he'll be sold on WPRGs.
 
You forgot Betrayal at Krondor

Everyone forgets the riddle boxes...=(

Edit: And Divine Divinity!
 
EatChildren said:
Mass Effect, or more specifically Mass Effect 2, isn't really a good representation of what the WRPG genre is about though. I love the games to bits, and he should play them anyway because they're awesome, but if he's sold on Mass Effect it doesn't mean he'll be sold on WPRGs.
Click to expand...

He might be sold on other hybrids though.
 
HK-47 said:
He might be sold on other hybrids though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, true. I just hate the idea of Mass Effect 'representing' WPRGs. Almost as much as I hate the idea of Bethesda games doing it :lol.
 
EatChildren said:
Mass Effect, or more specifically Mass Effect 2, isn't really a good representation of what the WRPG genre is about though. I love the games to bits, and he should play them anyway because they're awesome, but if he's sold on Mass Effect it doesn't mean he'll be sold on WPRGs.
Click to expand...

Sure is representative of where Bioware is going with the genre.
 
Watching this thread like a hawk as a new convert to the ways of the western rpg. I've missed out on so much good stuff over the years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Lead Designer of Clive Barker's Undying sheds light on how rigid the AAA is
Opinion  2
64
1K
Gp1 replied
007 First Light: Hands on Previews
Hype  2 3
115
996
Tobimacoss replied
PlayStation Network hiring someone for PS5/PC voice chat
33
598
Simms replied
Red Light On - Official Gameplay Trailer
Trailer Indie 
1
137
IbizaPocholo replied
007 First Light on PS5 Pro: upgraded PSSR upscaling details
24
161
Venom Snake replied
Top Bottom