Poll: RPG Mechanics in non-RPG games.

[Rangaman]

Okay, story time: so playing through GTA III, San Andreas and V again I noticed that III lacked any sort of RPG elements, whereas SA has you constantly working out and eating pizza and V has you leveling up.

I also noticed that I preferred GTA without these RPG mechanics. It seems to be an unnecessary time sink (in San Andreas) and a way of arbitrarily limiting the user's options when it comes to shit like weapons buying (in GTA V).

That got me thinking: do people even want these RPG mechanics in their games? I personally think it adds nothing to the experience, but I know their are people out there who might think differently.

[EDIT]: Apparently one cannot edit the title of a poll once they have posted it. So can you please just imagine the word "want" in between the word "you" and the abbreviation "RPG".

 

[Chanticoblues]

'RPG mechanics' almost always translates to 'spend more time to make the game easier', which is something I rarely agree with.

 

[Zhukov]

I'm fine with good RPG mechanics in my non-RPGs.

Basically, good RPG elements are the ones where a upgrade/unlock/level-up changes the way you play or use a particular mechanic in some way, either great or small. For example, making a certain skill have an AoE or spread to nearby targets.

A bad RPG element just makes your numbers bigger. +10% damage. +50 HP. Whoop-de-do. It's boring and doesn't change shit, just keeps you up with the difficulty curve or gets you over the next You-Must-Have-This-Much-DPS-to-Enter hurdle.

 

[Kae]

I'll go back to your San Andreas example, as I consider SA to be the worst GTA I've played mainly because of the shitty RPG mechanics, grinding driving skills with multiple different kinds of vehicles is the worst idea they could have come up with and they make leveling it so damned slow, what fucking shit game ugh... That killed the game for me.

In any case, generally no, I don't think it's particularly fun or that it adds anything to the experience to slowly level up in action games, it's honestly a bore.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

It isn't about what players want, it's about creating a more addictive experience. Having numbers that go up is a direct, quantifiable reward the game hands out at set intervals. Spend X time doing Y activity and get Z exp points/dollars. It isn't itself gameplay, but a meta game that convinces the player of forward progression, gaining something, a reward for their action.

The most important part of an RPG IMHO, is the RP part...the ability to play the role of a character of the player's choosing. Since, from a storytelling perspective, that may not always be strictly possible, levelling up, picking abilities/specialisations is in its own a way a form of role-playing. Although I cannot choose to play someone good or evil, cynical or optimistic, shy or outgoing, etc, etc, I can play a strong swordsman, nimble thief or wise wizard. Either way creates investment in our characters and thus to the game.

The same trick is employed in action/sandbox games to try and inspire the same investment in what is otherwise a flat character without depth. The character doesn't actually change and the player doesn't have any actual choices, but by levelling shooting or driving +5% we have the illusion that our character is a crack marksman or instead, an expert wheelman. It is an illusion of depth that carries no weight within the game, but increases our investment in the character and thus the game.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Any mechanic can be used well or poorly. You should not include any in your game without proper consideration i.e overall does it make the game more enjoyable or/and does that mechanic have a place in your game.

Its no use just adding something because `thats what the chart says gamers want` if the game you are making does not facilitate this into its core design in some way.

 

[G00N3R7883]

I think the main one that would annoy me is a mechanic that artificially worsens my aim in an FPS. I like to think I'm pretty good with mouse aim, so I'm not really a fan of missing shots just because my stats are bad.

Example: the first Deus Ex.

 

[CaitSeith]

Only when they are badly implemented or used for padding unenjoyable gameplay.