Whatever happened to Turn Based RPGS?

[Relent688]

I have been thinking about this question for a long time and I am very curious as to why there aren't many turn based games anymore. Is it because when the first RPGs came out that the processors couldn't handle them? Or is just that developers are trying to make games even more like reality?

If the second is true, and I hope it isn't, what the hell are they thinking? I play RPGs to get AWAY from reality. I do not need or have any want to throw myself into a real time battle game. If I had a desire for that, I would take up boxing or go out and beat the hell out of some random person.

I have always preferred turn based because it lets you think of how you want to execute a plan before actually putting it into practice. That is why I love tactic style games. Disgae, Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced, and the Fire Emblem series to be more specific. I just hope that someone can help me figure out why this genre of games is damn near extinct.

 

[RYjet911]

Have you not seen how long Final Fantasy has been going on for?

I personally hate turn based RPGs... The tactics normally boil down to summoner, potion *****/curer and brute force swordsman. And even then I just have all three do summoning if given the option (FF8 was SO broken in that respect.)

 

[Sampsa]

Have you not seen how long Final Fantasy has been going on for?

So you're saying that they're just looking to change their gameplay once in two decades? But I like turnbased combat for the reasons Relent stated above.

 

[Kurokasumi]

Thats why I bought a PS3... Disgaea 3, Valkyria Chronicles, Cross Edge, all fun turn based JRPG's with more on the way.

 

[Relent688]

FF VIII was broken in almost every sense of it gameplay in my opinion, hence why I really was not a fan of VIII. But the problem that I have with real time is that I like to plan everything out on a case by case basis and real time does not really let me work the way I like to. I have been playing Fallout 3, Oblivion, and games like those, and I just miss the way RPGs used to work. And Final Fantasy was around on the NES, and if you haven't noticed, all the way up until Final Fantasy X, they stuck to the same formula of game play. Random encounters, turn based fighting. And I can guarantee you that Final Fantasy is probably the greatest selling game series of all time. So they must have been doing something right.

 

[Demonicfox]

If you ask me it's because most gamers are hating having to wait for things to happen in gameing they want instint gratifaction.

Turn based RPGS take a while to get going and to most gamers they don't like that, they want to just jump in and play straghtaway no having to wait for a chariters turn to popup while your guys are getting attacked and killed they want to just go stright away without the need to plan ahead.

Planing ahead is also a reason as to why they have nearly died out, because they make you think and plan out your moves carefully because one messup and you could lose a fight while in realtime you don't really need to worry that much because you can just wait 5 or so secands and just do something while the enemy waits aswell.

Gamers are becoming inpatient with having to wait for things to happen which i find sad they want to just go in and do things stright away which is why FPS games have taken off so much because they are stright forward action run and shot while RPS are ment to be games that take a long time to play and get going because of there storys.

That is the reason turnbased RPS are nearly all gone.

 

[Kruxxor]

FF VIII was broken in almost every sense of it gameplay in my opinion, hence why I really was not a fan of VIII. But the problem that I have with real time is that I like to plan everything out on a case by case basis and real time does not really let me work the way I like to. I have been playing Fallout 3, Oblivion, and games like those, and I just miss the way RPGs used to work. And Final Fantasy was around on the NES, and if you haven't noticed, all the way up until Final Fantasy X, they stuck to the same formula of game play. Random encounters, turn based fighting. And I can guarantee you that Final Fantasy is probably the greatest selling game series of all time. So they must have been doing something right.

The Sims is the best selling series of all time. It worried me, too...

 

[Sampsa]

FF VIII was broken in almost every sense of it gameplay in my opinion, hence why I really was not a fan of VIII.

You too were longing for manapoints? I don't remeber that there were many spells castet through 4 cds long game since every spell had to be drawn from an enemy or draw point. GFs with turbo were good enough to compensate lack of use in magic.

I also disliked the graphic desing. While moving on the world map it looked like messy compared to FF VII. I had also problems with Squall. I just wanted to shout him to take of that jacket of his...

 

[Relent688]

seriously, the Sims? That highly disturbs me as to what gamers are really willing to waste money on.

 

[Samcanuck]

I don't know man. I realize they are on hand held consoles such as the DS (mainly games like Dragon Quest), but they seem a more dumbed down version of their predicessors. I mean, they remake games like FF2 and Chrono Trigger, but I know what you are talking about. New Gen consoles. Epic games with turn based mechanics that take from the greats of the past. Epic unfolding stories, character development that motivate you to level grind and fun job classes...etc.

I don't know man. I'd love to see a turn based game with a shape shifter character, or monster rider. Perhaps a Chrono Trigger re-imagining. Anything.

 

[King Kupofried]

It's probably because people who like turn-based gameplay aren't as wide an audience as people who like very 'action' based gameplay. This along with the fact that big name titles are now so horribly money bloated and at risk of toppling over with every release that it's not safe or efficient to market towards anything but the very biggest audiences, so companies would rather make gameplay that appeals to them, or at least gameplay that gives the illusion of action.
Which is why most turn-based RPGs are now DS/PSP titles, ports, or remakes. Which isn't a 'terrible' thing, since they are cheeper, but I do miss them quite a lot..

 

[RYjet911]

FF VIII was broken in almost every sense of it gameplay in my opinion, hence why I really was not a fan of VIII. But the problem that I have with real time is that I like to plan everything out on a case by case basis and real time does not really let me work the way I like to. I have been playing Fallout 3, Oblivion, and games like those, and I just miss the way RPGs used to work. And Final Fantasy was around on the NES, and if you haven't noticed, all the way up until Final Fantasy X, they stuck to the same formula of game play. Random encounters, turn based fighting. And I can guarantee you that Final Fantasy is probably the greatest selling game series of all time. So they must have been doing something right.

The Sims is the best selling series of all time. It worried me, too...

Well, if Wikipedia is correct, Super Mario Bros. is. 40 million copies sold in total or something. And that could technically be increasing further with the Wii virtual console. But I digress...

Personally, turn based games for me died out around the time the hardware had the capabilities of actually performing a story based game within real time gameplay. Final Fantasy was on the NES where you either had story or gameplay. Unlike a lot of the shooters of the mid to late 80s, FF chose to have a level system for character development and focus on story far more greatly than having much in terms of gameplay.

I really hate the use of phrases like 'Oh, players just want instant gratification these days' since if you play most real time stuff, you'll find there's still a lot of hard work to be done. If you blindly shoot around in STALKER, CoD on higher difficulties than Normal, Rainbow Six series, ANY primarily 'stealth' based game, you'll find that you simply won't win unless you happen to be very good with your triggerclicking finger, and in that case it's likely you happen to be good at and enjoy shooter games.

Turn based games haven't died out at all. Nearly all are strategy games, and for this you have Final Fantasy tactics, Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles, Advance Wars, the Total War series, Metal Gear Ac!d (Which was awesome, don't care what anyone else thinks about it! XD). Hell, if you're still into it, Pokemon games are being 'developed' (Read: Copied and pasted twice) pretty much yearly these days.

Unfortunately, as the hardware develops, the way games are played will also develop. Developers generally find that turn based games don't have anywhere near the overall appeal they used to have, now gaming has changed from the bedroom dweller/DnD nerd demographic to a vastly more general and broad demographic, partially due to the way the hardware is simply too good to waste all the processing power on fixed line movement and menu-selected attacks.

While I would seriously love a new Metal Gear Ac!d game, I'm pretty sure there won't be one since I don't think the second game (Or the PSP in general to be honest) did all that well. Oh well. There's a whole range of other genres I could play, rather than complaining that a single genre seems to be dying out, even though it really isn't. (Despite my wishes... >_<)

 

[PinkCrayon]

they're gone because they suck. well actually i love fire emblem and golden sun but that's it.

 

[Flour]

Turn based games are fucking slow.

A single 6v6 battle in Pokemon can take up to 15 minutes, in that time most FPS single player levels are finished, you could have played one half of an online football match or one or two maps of MW2.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Resonance of Fate just came out a couple of months ago, and that's one of the best turn based RPGs ever.

(Though do be prepared for epic grinding, because it's fucking brutal at times.

 

[Arcticflame]

The way I see it, it's not so much that they are slow. Moreso that they are repetitive, however lack any form of skill beyond experience. FPS games keep our adrenaline going, and require us to maintain skill to keep playing, however turn based games usually pan out to be the same series of skills over and over again.
Mario party is an example of a successful turn based game, however it is once again a game that is in fact a skill game when it comes down to it.

FF is the big exception, however perhaps I am biased in this opinion, but It's kind of just getting by on it's story and cinematics. Most people I've talked to find it insanely boring combat wise.

 

[Relent688]

The thing I do not think most people get is that RPGs are MEANT to be long games. That is the issue I have with shooters, sports games, and every other genre. I play Madden and other EA Sports games, but they normally tide me over for a few minutes to an hour, depending on how long I decide I wish to play. Great RPGs are a MINIMUM of 40 hours. So games like MW2, which only took me 5 hours to beat my first play through on the middle difficulty, are not good games to me. And the arguement of "Play MW2 online, its so much better." is complete bullshit to me. I want a game that the main aspect of it, which, if people remember, is normally the campaign mode, would hold me over for more than one sitting. So, yes, people who love shooters are going for instant gratification in my opinion. Play the campaign of MW or even Rainbow Six, which R6 is one of my favorite shooters, for a minimum of 40 hours. Most gamers nowadays refuse to do that.

 

[Relent688]

For some reason, my laptop is having problems with the quote feature, currently working on solving that problem, when I do, I will edit the post to better illustrate my point.

 

[Dexiro]

I'd imagine it's because most people are finding turn-based boring, so devs are trying to spice it up slightly.

I sort of agree. Like i was playing pokemon the other day and it dawned on my how dull the combat is. Unless you're going against some big opponent you just spam 1 attack.
Maybe it's just that game though, they're not exactly known for variety.

 

[Auric]

Whats wrong with real time?

You get into the game alot more if your controlling the player as opposed to telling him what to do.