Why must games (particularly RPGs) be so fast-paced?

[Vanilla_Druid]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

 

[Vegosiux]

Because most gamers can't be bothered to think tactically, they just want to blow up stuff with big guns so they can feel awesome about themselves.

Or because publishers/devs think most gamers are that way.

I do not know which option is sadder.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Mainly because the old turn based systems don't appeal to a larger player base. With development costs where they are these days, you need to appeal to more than the number of people who would tradtionally like your game so you make comprimises or alterations.

Personally, I actually like faster paced RPG combat systems and I've been playing RPGs since the first Dragon Warrior. For me, more RPGs having more action heavy systems has actually made a genre I already liked even more appealling.

 

[Zhukov]

Supply and demand.

More people demand fast-paced fun over spreadsheet plod-a-thons. (Which, as everybody knows, is totally a sign of inferior intelligence and a lack of moral fibre.) So the market supplies them.

Turn-based RPGs are basically a niche group at this point.

 

[hazabaza1]

In many cases it's hard to grasp one's full attention with the "Threat" being covered up by menus and sitting around thinking.
Honestly, I think Persona 3+4 (Particularly 4) do TBC well. The attacks are all fairly fast, and if you so desire, the NPCs will decide their own actions. All of the actions lead on awfully quickly so there's little downtime.

 

[Epona]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

Look to the handhelds for turn based RPG's.

 

[Hal10k]

Supply and demand.

More people demand fast-paced fun over spreadsheet plod-a-thons. So the market supplies them.

Turn-based RPGs are basically a niche group at this point.

This man speaks the truth. It really doesn't get much more complicated than that. It's a pretty basic case study of the effect of widening the consumer base on comparative demand for particular products.

That being said, it wasn't as if every "oldschool" RPG was a magnum opus of game design that modern consumers are just too dumb to appreciate. The combat in Planescape: Torment was universally considered to be the worst aspect of the game. I wasn't very fond of the combat in the original Fallout games and their ilk either; I personally don't think turn-based systems really work when you can only control one unit.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

There's always Disgea (I think that's how it's spelled.)

 

[Ordinaryundone]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

Just wondering, which games are rushing you? Most RPGs I can think of are turn-based, or allow you to pause the game and issue commands while still working on a turn-based system.

 

[DementedSheep]

Whoops! wrong thread, ignore this.

 

[Vanilla_Druid]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

http://www.gog.com/en/page/promo_buy1_get1

They have a special going on, Buy 1 Get 1 Free e.g. you could say buy Planescape and add Baldur's Gate to your cart and you'll get both for the price of one and they'll give you Temple of Elemental Evil on top for free

There's also a lot of great RPGs there in general, much better than anything coming out nowadays, maybe you've missed something xD http://www.gog.com/en/catalogue#rpg/

Also make sure to support the upcoming Wasteland 2 Kickstarter: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/02/16/brian-fargo-turning-to-kickstarter-for-wasteland-2/ by InXile that should be up in ~2-3 weeks and Obsidian Kickstarter for another isometric RPG in the style of Planescape or similar: http://forums.obsidian.net/blog/1/entry-158-if-obsidian-kickstarter/

"Dead State" is another one to look forward to: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/08/25/a-blood-red-state-dead-state-revealed/

If they're profitable and/or work out without Publisher intervention we might just get a Renaissance of good RPGs while the publishers can go fuck themselves and make more Hack&Slash and First Person Shooters they call "RPG" nowadays.

So, do I just need to download these games to my computer and load them to play them, or there some other tinkering I have to do? Of course, I would have to load up a charge card in order to pay for these games (I do not have a credit card). I like the optumisim, by the way.

 

[ms_sunlight]

Look, if you feel that way, play Angband. It's free, and I've yet to encounter a turn-based dungeon-crawler that was as satisfying. (NetHack devotees may disagree, but screw them.) You don't have to like everything out there, you know, and there's always something somewhere for everyone to like.

 

[Vanilla_Druid]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

Just wondering, which games are rushing you? Most RPGs I can think of are turn-based, or allow you to pause the game and issue commands while still working on a turn-based system.

Well, the recent Final Fantasy games have really increased the speed, and the Elder Scrolls games have been somewhat of a hack-and-slash. Summon Night: Twin Age and Legends of Exidia allot little think time. I would also like to mention some of the Tales games. (I do not consider Fallout a true RPG). Oh, lest not we forget Super Paper Mario.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

I have nothing against action games, and even find some to be quite fun. However, why has the turned-based RPG become such a rare breed? Is it too unfashionable to be able to take one's time? I may sound like an old man, but I like to go slow and not be forced to make a quick decision.

Just wondering, which games are rushing you? Most RPGs I can think of are turn-based, or allow you to pause the game and issue commands while still working on a turn-based system.

Well, the recent Final Fantasy games have really increased the speed, and the Elder Scrolls games have been somewhat of a hack-and-slash. Summon Night: Twin Age and Legends of Exidia allot little think time. I would also like to mention some of the Tales games. (I do not consider Fallout a true RPG). Oh, lest not we forget Super Paper Mario.

Well, The Elder Scrolls and Tales of games have never been turn based, so I find it kind of hard to find fault with them in that regard. As for Final Fantasy, you always have the option of playing turn-based in those; in fact, that's the whole purpose of ATB. You can set it so that the game pauses when you input your commands.

I really think you are overblowing the issue, or have a far too strict definition of turn based.

 

[Vanilla_Druid]

Look, if you feel that way, play Angband. It's free, and I've yet to encounter a turn-based dungeon-crawler that was as satisfying. (NetHack devotees may disagree, but screw them.) You don't have to like everything out there, you know, and there's always something somewhere for everyone to like.

I do like some some of the more popular genres. It is just that I have to go on my hands and knees at Gamestop, which is about a 40 minute drive from me and quite small, and thoroughly scan the shelves in order to find turn-based RPGs (I am a year younger than the SNES, so I missed the heyday of the genre. Thankfully, there is Virtual Console). I also do not have a credit card, so online shopping is not an option. Living in the rural Midwest sucks. As for Angband, Do I have to have some powerful computer, or can I just play it on a Windows 7? I also would like to know if I have to have a better firewall.

 

[Vanilla_Druid]

I am sorry if I appeared to be whinning. It is just that I am kind of frustrated with Japanese companies not releasing these types of games to the US (I am looking at you, Nintendo). I am also wondering why the Western companies are not dabbling into this genre very much.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

go play Mount & Blade... it's really the longest game i haven't stopped playing.