episodic RPGs?

[stevesan]

Yeah, but there are a bunch of perks too. You'd pay a lot less to try out the first couple of episodes, and if you decide you like it then you just buy the whole season (which would be cheaper than episode by episode).

Plus the developers could actually write follow-up episodes in the game towards how people in the community were playing it. If most people playing the game beat episode 3 by not shooting some villain in the head, then it becomes canon and you write the next couple of episodes around that. It'd be a fun way to incorporate feedback and actually make the game up as you go.

Many games all ready have free demos that allow to check out the game before putting any money. As for the developers listening to the fan community maybe they would, maybe. However, even if they did, this means one of two things. One, the game environment and story would suffer because it takes longer to put that together than you think. Two, players would have to wait much longer between games which unless it was really good would lose many of them. If that's the case, why not just put out a sequel and make good use of newer technology. Episodic games always seem half assed in my experience.

What you are asking for is really only possible in tabletop RPGs or video game RPGs that have a world builder like what monodiabloloco is doing. I constantly write story arcs for tabletop games and find that daunting enough without the added difficulty of programing and livelihood placed on top of it to be done on a weekly basis with at least a decent amount of drama and entertainment. I even write my stories episodically. I have found you have to leave a lot of area open in the episode to keep the players happy and give them the illusion of free choice. To have to incorporate that in a video game that has any chance of a major market seems almost insurmountable. Hate to be a buzzkill, but that is how these things have worked themselves out over the last decade. There's a reason RPGs largely aren't done this way. All of the games mentioned in this tread are examples closely in not actually resembling what you ask. Few of them are well remembered and don't have much of a fan base (for the later episodes at least).

If you really want one of these kinds of games, perhaps you can get together with like minded folks and make a Flash based one. The current ones you can find on the internet make it seem possible to allow the makers to put out additional material episodically allowing to peicemail and larger and larger world the more you develop. Your ideas seem prime for that sort of video game that relies more on good ol' storytelling than technology.

FLASH would be a pretty ideal platform for this, i think! everything about flash is conducive to the casual/midcore audience you'd aim for with an episodic RPG.

as for adapting stories, i think it's a great idea that can be done. you wouldn't write each episode "on the fly". you would probably have the whole story worked out before EP1 was ever released, but then, tweak it a little as you see how ppl react to it. so maybe you re-order some things, de-emphasize a certain character, etc. etc. just make minor tweaks to the story as you go along. for TV shows, i doubt they write each episode the week before release. on the flipside, i doubt they just write a story and impose lock down through the whole season either. they probably look at focus groups and listen to viewer feedback, adjusting things accordingly to maximize enjoyment.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

Yeah, but there are a bunch of perks too. You'd pay a lot less to try out the first couple of episodes, and if you decide you like it then you just buy the whole season (which would be cheaper than episode by episode).

Plus the developers could actually write follow-up episodes in the game towards how people in the community were playing it. If most people playing the game beat episode 3 by not shooting some villain in the head, then it becomes canon and you write the next couple of episodes around that. It'd be a fun way to incorporate feedback and actually make the game up as you go.

Many games all ready have free demos that allow to check out the game before putting any money. As for the developers listening to the fan community maybe they would, maybe. However, even if they did, this means one of two things. One, the game environment and story would suffer because it takes longer to put that together than you think. Two, players would have to wait much longer between games which unless it was really good would lose many of them. If that's the case, why not just put out a sequel and make good use of newer technology. Episodic games always seem half assed in my experience.

What you are asking for is really only possible in tabletop RPGs or video game RPGs that have a world builder like what monodiabloloco is doing. I constantly write story arcs for tabletop games and find that daunting enough without the added difficulty of programing and livelihood placed on top of it to be done on a weekly basis with at least a decent amount of drama and entertainment. I even write my stories episodically. I have found you have to leave a lot of area open in the episode to keep the players happy and give them the illusion of free choice. To have to incorporate that in a video game that has any chance of a major market seems almost insurmountable. Hate to be a buzzkill, but that is how these things have worked themselves out over the last decade. There's a reason RPGs largely aren't done this way. All of the games mentioned in this tread are examples closely in not actually resembling what you ask. Few of them are well remembered and don't have much of a fan base (for the later episodes at least).

The only real criticism you seem to have is that people aren't going to be into it and it would be too hard. People who aren't quite as close minded might be a bit more open to the experience and as far as being too hard to write...that's a pretty weak reason to not try. Someone else could.

Still, RPG's might not be the best spot for this medium until people get more used to the idea of waiting a week or two before the plot continues. Adventure games should be picking up steam again with Sam & Max's continuing success so hopefully there will be more games like this. Maybe something along the lines of Quest for Glory could shake things up.

 

[Yan-Yan]

So let me get this straight, so I understand the concept:

Episodic Gaming is where you buy the game, play through it, then 3 to 4 months later, more content arrives (which you then have to purchase as well) to continue the story line, right?

If that's the case, then I would suspect that any MMORPG would qualify, right? At least, so long as there was a constantly growing story line. I'll use City of Heroes for my poison of choice to elaborate. A while ago, one evil faction you fought against was replaced with another. There were events, missions, even comic books that came out to elaborate on the story behind the game. And now recently, that evil faction has begun to return, with more missions, events, and comic book goodness.

And not just that one group, but every time there's a sizable update (once every 3 to 4 months) the story is progressing as well all over. Zones are updated and the story there continues. New classes are added, and the story continues there. And really, you can buy it, play it for the free month, stop payments, then buy a month every time a new major update shows up to continue your story.

 

[Iori Branford]

Continuity problems? Loosen the continuity. Make each a separate story arc or even a separate story focused on a unique cast of characters, related only tangentially if at all until perhaps the explosive finale, though who knows if your save files will be around that long.

 

[stevesan]

Continuity problems? Loosen the continuity. Make each a separate story arc or even a separate story focused on a unique cast of characters, related only tangentially if at all until perhaps the explosive finale, though who knows if your save files will be around that long.

w0rd. just like how TV shows do it. and it's how Sam & Max is doing it as well. i've only played the free Abe Lincoln episode (EP4), but i was able to enjoy it without playing any other episode.

the point is, don't force players to play through episodes 1 through N when they only want to check out episode N. it's not that episodes 1 to N suck - though some of them probably do - but many ppl (let's call them the 'midcore') just may not have the damn time! and if you force them to do so, which most MMOs (you still have to grind up) and single player games do, they just won't bother. why not allow them to enjoy your game piece-meal so you at least get SOME money as opposed none at all?

it's a damn shame when developers spend so much time on an awesome part of the game, but most players will never see it. but if you developed it with episodic structure in mind, meaning keep each section stand-alone and allow players to "drop in mid-way", ppl are a lot more likely to see it and appreciate it. and that could well mean more money for developers!

 

[stevesan]

So let me get this straight, so I understand the concept:

Episodic Gaming is where you buy the game, play through it, then 3 to 4 months later, more content arrives (which you then have to purchase as well) to continue the story line, right?

If that's the case, then I would suspect that any MMORPG would qualify, right? At least, so long as there was a constantly growing story line. I'll use City of Heroes for my poison of choice to elaborate. A while ago, one evil faction you fought against was replaced with another. There were events, missions, even comic books that came out to elaborate on the story behind the game. And now recently, that evil faction has begun to return, with more missions, events, and comic book goodness.

And not just that one group, but every time there's a sizable update (once every 3 to 4 months) the story is progressing as well all over. Zones are updated and the story there continues. New classes are added, and the story continues there. And really, you can buy it, play it for the free month, stop payments, then buy a month every time a new major update shows up to continue your story.

that is very true, but i have one big problem with MMOs: they still require grinding up to get to the cool stuff. ok, you can buy a character on ebay, but that's like paying $30 (i think that's how much a WoW character costs) everytime you want to get back into the game.

i know that many ppl (at least 10 million) enjoy the grinding and feel that if there was no grinding, the game would be pointless. that's cool - you guys are taken care of.

but i think there are people like me who don't want to grind to get to the cool stuff. i give you $5 or $10, you give me a cool RPG experience. end of transaction.

 

[Yan-Yan]

that is very true, but i have one big problem with MMOs: they still require grinding up to get to the cool stuff. ok, you can buy a character on ebay, but that's like paying $30 (i think that's how much a WoW character costs) everytime you want to get back into the game.

Well I hate to say it, but people don't grind a game because they like grinding, they grind a game because to them, it isn't a grind. For me and City of Heroes, I enjoy the stories, which involve reading the missions and background as I complete the missions, and I can assure you, it doesn't FEEL like grinding to me. Oh sure, I go in, defeat a bunch of evil jerks, then leave. Wash / Rinse / Repeat. But the story keeps me interested. That, and from early on I'm throwing explosive balls of fire.

I suggest a quick research about CoH before you lump it as another WoW, because that's an apples and oranges comparison. WoW is based around the end game where all the "fun" stuff happens once you reach the level cap. CoH is based around trying to make getting to the cap "fun" so you want to do it again.

 

[stevesan]

that is very true, but i have one big problem with MMOs: they still require grinding up to get to the cool stuff. ok, you can buy a character on ebay, but that's like paying $30 (i think that's how much a WoW character costs) everytime you want to get back into the game.

Well I hate to say it, but people don't grind a game because they like grinding, they grind a game because to them, it isn't a grind. For me and City of Heroes, I enjoy the stories, which involve reading the missions and background as I complete the missions, and I can assure you, it doesn't FEEL like grinding to me. Oh sure, I go in, defeat a bunch of evil jerks, then leave. Wash / Rinse / Repeat. But the story keeps me interested. That, and from early on I'm throwing explosive balls of fire.

I suggest a quick research about CoH before you lump it as another WoW, because that's an apples and oranges comparison. WoW is based around the end game where all the "fun" stuff happens once you reach the level cap. CoH is based around trying to make getting to the cap "fun" so you want to do it again.

well, i stand corrected there. i was mainly referring to WoW. the initial WoW quests are pretty grind-ish with almost zero story.

 

[Yan-Yan]

And that's why I couldn't play that game. I think I got to level 30 with one character before I decided it was enough. The leveling was too slow, the game didn't encourage people to create new characters, and it just felt like a lot of farming. I swear, Harvest Moon didn't have as much farming as WoW, though Harvest Moon had more story. Weird, eh?

But anyway, not all MMOs are equal to one another, it's really just a trick of finding the one you enjoy and works for you, right?

 

[stevesan]

And that's why I couldn't play that game. I think I got to level 30 with one character before I decided it was enough. The leveling was too slow, the game didn't encourage people to create new characters, and it just felt like a lot of farming. I swear, Harvest Moon didn't have as much farming as WoW, though Harvest Moon had more story. Weird, eh?

But anyway, not all MMOs are equal to one another, it's really just a trick of finding the one you enjoy and works for you, right?

lol.

that's true. the only MMO's i've tried are Lineage 1 (grind-tastic) and WoW. does CoH have a free trial? i didn't see one on their website.

 

[Tortured Liver]

Just give me some more .hack episodes. G.U. was addictive as hell for me, and the end payed off with the dual auto-pistols you finally get. They could have made them shorter, released more than three episodes, and I would have bought them all with no doubt in my mind at all.

 

[00exmachina]

There are some rpgs that are semi episodic,
most of them jut let you import data from the older episodes as a small boost to starting out on the next one.
Thought the only ones I can remember off hand are xenosaga and the arc the lad series for ps1.

 

[OMGlazersPEWPEW]

My main issue with episodic gaming is the time between releases. It hasn't blossomed (At least in the FPS market) into the multiple quick releases it seemed to promise. The 'episodes' are shorter than normal games and still waiting a year or more for the next release (HL2 series) makes it seem less episodic more like missing portions of the unfinished game you purchased.

If they could make turn around times faster, I would become interested in the episodic model.