Quest: Bring me an RPG with non-combat emphasis.

[astuarlen]

Astuarlen [NPC]:
Hail and well met, Adventurer. You look like just the man I need.


Adventurer:
Can I help you with something?


Astuarlen [NPC]:
Why yes. You see, I'm looking for a particular item--a rare piece of treasure--and I think I can make it worth your while if you could bring me this special trinket...


Adventurer:
Go on.


Astuarlen [NPC]:
Alright, here's the thing. I'm in search of an RPG, but not just any old RPG, sir. The one I seek places as little emphasis as possible on fighting (don't much care to get my hands dirty, you know), with lots of possibilities for other forms of interaction. Now, I realize this may be a tall order, but as I said, there's gold--and a special treat--in it for you if you can produce. I'm willing to give you this Heart of Astuarlen in exchange for this RPG. What do you say? Can you do it?


Adventurer:
Sounds fair to me. I'll do it.


Astuarlen [NPC]:
Fantastic! Meet me back here when you've obtained the item. I'm counting on you.

*A new quest has been added to your journal!*

Quest: The Search for the Holy Grail of Time Wasting
Reward: Heart of Astuarlen, 500 GP
Bring Astuarlen the name of the Legendary RPG of Non-Combat Action to earn your reward.

:3

[Weeaboolits]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o68/hulda2753/animalcrossing.jpg

[Umberger]

Harvest Moon.

[astuarlen]

O rite I forgot to mention Peasea only. o;

[Weeaboolits]

On 2007-06-10 22:43, Umberger wrote:
Harvest Moon.I thought about posting that too. ;]

[Ether]

Ultima Online, 6 years ago

[Solstis]

Second Life? But the Village Voice has told me that it has a large sex industry now.

Arcanum had boat-loads of combat.

The Sims? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[astuarlen]

On 2007-06-10 22:49, Ether wrote:
Ultima Online, 6 years ago



*A new quest has been added to your journal!*
Quest: Time Machine
Reward: Pot-holder of Might +2
Retrieve a time machine from the mad scientist's lair.

[Weeaboolits]

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s164/skept13/BTTF.gif

[Nani-chan]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Didi510/The%20Game%20Zone/Games/DS/ds_chocobotales.jpg

90% mini-games and 10% card battling.

[Sinue_v2]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/21/Qfg3_cover.jpg

Quest for Glory I - IV.

You can play as a fighter and just slaughter everything if you wish - but you can also play the game almost completely non-violently. As a mage, you can get spells like Calm or Dazzle to get past enemies, or if you're a theif you can just sneak past them. I think there like, a grand total of maybe 10 enemies you HAVE to kill throuughout the entire series. V was more combat oriented and forced you to fight. You raise skills and stats like you do in Morrowind/Oblivion - so you have to practice them.

Plus - QFG III was set in an African/Egyptian land, and featured the Awful Waffle Walker! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8UPN6km0jA) (the combat in QFGIII sucks, you'll want to avoid it anyhow)

Though Quest for Glory II (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFRJAlMg6P0&mode=related&search=) and Quest for Glory IV (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siA3GgCgGUY&mode=related&search=) seem to be the most popular.

Oh and yeah - I hope you like corny jokes. It's got a lot of bad puns, and Monty Python/Douglas Adams style humor.

So do I win?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2007-06-11 04:34 ]</font>

[Nitro Vordex]

Phoenix Wright...?
Or Trama Center?
lol yugioh

[astuarlen]

Curse you, Sinue! Now I must have waffles (with strawberry goo, because butter and syrup is so overdone). But since I don't have any waffles...

*A new quest has been added to your journal!*
Find a waffle maker and some batter and get cookin'.

Bah.
In a sea of DS offerings and in lieu of a time machine, I am awarding the victory to Sinue, even though that game looks mighty unappealing (tastiness of the waffles excepted).
I guess what I actually want is a pretty traditional fantasy experience that isn't more action than RPG. In my experience, I generally dislike the first-person active battle type of thing. Been playing Oblivion, and while it can be rather fun, I just have no desire to engage in most fights, especially with dimwitted NPCs around that kill any chance of tactics or sneakiness. Maybe I just don't like games? o;

[Weeaboolits]

Don't want DS?

http://www.gametab.com/images/ss/gcn/1016/box-l.jpg
Gamecube for the win! ;]

[astuarlen]

On 2007-06-10 22:46, astuarlen wrote:
O rite I forgot to mention Peasea only. o;

[Weeaboolits]

Peasea?

[Dre_o]

Sorry my man (man right?), but the gaming industry is full of violence, skimpy clothes, and your occasional pacifist.

Little more :/

But if I come across anything, I'll let you know.

@Cooper- Say PeaSea fast.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dre_o on 2007-06-11 09:41 ]</font>

[astuarlen]

Sure, I'll be the man if you'll be my bitch.

[roygbiv]

Hmm... this is a really interesting request... In some ways I would say that the QFG/HQ series doesn't quite deliver, since there are many times when avoiding combat is unavoidable, and to survive combat one must at least be semi ok skill wise, which means more combat?

If you were to take the combat out of QFG, though, you would have a pretty awesome adventure game.

I wish you could extract the basic idea of a role playing game, adventure + character improvement, and somehow condense it into a different form, more abstract and less involved around combat.

There have been a lot of interesting takes on the whole RPG though, Persona 2 (Not for PC) was really focused around talking with creatures you encounter instead of forcing you to fight them (even though the game is still heavily combat centered).

I like the ability of certain games, such as the space sim Freelancer, to let you to basically go wherever and get a lot out of the game by just exploring or trading.

I feel like a game needs to be made that takes into account those things: more combat evasion, alternative combat resolution (i.e. talking/negotiating), + alternative of being able to focus on exploration or trading,

In some ways I feel oblivion is one of the better games about this right now, since progress (character level) isn't tied with combat...

...but still a lot of work could be done etc.

[Weeaboolits]

On 2007-06-11 09:40, Dre_o wrote:
@Cooper- Say PeaSea fast.Ah, Spanish classes made me want to pronounce it "Pay-ah-say-ah". http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[AlexCraig]

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb137/Faedeur_Onarcius/Photos/100_0192.jpg
All you need to do would be not setting up monsters and battles.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: AlexCraig on 2007-06-11 10:10 ]</font>

[astuarlen]

On 2007-06-11 09:58, roygbiv wrote:
Hmm... this is a really interesting request... In some ways I would say that the QFG/HQ series doesn't quite deliver, since there are many times when avoiding combat is unavoidable, and to survive combat one must at least be semi ok skill wise, which means more combat?

If you were to take the combat out of QFG, though, you would have a pretty awesome adventure game.

I wish you could extract the basic idea of a role playing game, adventure + character improvement, and somehow condense it into a different form, more abstract and less involved around combat.

There have been a lot of interesting takes on the whole RPG though, Persona 2 (Not for PC) was really focused around talking with creatures you encounter instead of forcing you to fight them (even though the game is still heavily combat centered).

I like the ability of certain games, such as the space sim Freelancer, to let you to basically go wherever and get a lot out of the game by just exploring or trading.

I feel like a game needs to be made that takes into account those things: more combat evasion, alternative combat resolution (i.e. talking/negotiating), + alternative of being able to focus on exploration or trading,

In some ways I feel oblivion is one of the better games about this right now, since progress (character level) isn't tied with combat...

...but still a lot of work could be done etc.


Yes, yes, yes!
Why must we always fight, dear Evil Ones? Can't we settle this like adults? Compromise and negotiation! Here, have some ice cream, Master of Darkness, and everything will be all better.
Sneaking is good, yeah, but it would also be nice to have the opportunity to work things out verbally.

Now, I remember reading of some game which promised players they could complete it without fighting, but I can't remember its title--and it probably didn't deliver anyway, I'm guessing.

As for Oblivion... yeah, I like several aspects. However, I'm kind of iffy on the level scaling thing, 'cause if you raise your levels by becoming good at things like speechcraft and other non-combat skills, the enemies still get tougher but you still can't find the proper end of a blade. Actually, my character is getting pretty good at sneaky shootin', and that's ok if I'm alone, but other dudes spoil it.
Eh, maybe I am just really bad. No, I know I am really bad at first-person, real time fighting. :v And I'm afraid to "break" my character, as I've done in the past, by not raising the best attributes.
Oh man, and I really hate the plane of oblivion, but that is something else entirely. It's just... ugly and no fun? Maybe I should just ignore the main quest entirely. Can she do that?! Screw you, MQ, I just want to run around and do silly quests for people. I am such a side-quest whore. Oh, so umm, where was I?

Well, I think it's not that I hate combat period. I just don't prefer this actiony type of combat or something, and I just don't know of any reasonably recent games that don't take that approach.

Post to long for FKL? Yes.

[Sinue_v2]

In some ways I would say that the QFG/HQ series doesn't quite deliver, since there are many times when avoiding combat is unavoidable, and to survive combat one must at least be semi ok skill wise, which means more combat?

Not really. The instances where you MUST kill an enemy are few and far between. It's usually better for a Theif or Mage character to avoid combat anyhow since their HP and Stamina is so low. Being part Adventure game, many of the spells for the mage are completely non-violent such as Fetch, Open, Levitate, Trigger, Juggling Lights, Glide, ect. Even offensive spells like Force Bolt and Flame Dart have non-violent uses. Such as the Ice Test in the Mages Guild where you have to cast Flame Dart to melt the permafrost on the ice wall blocking your path, and then cast Force Bolt several time to push the ice to the side.

Skills go up based on how much you use them. A weapon skill or blocking ability generally means you will have to enter combat to raise them - but they're useless if you don't plan on engaging in combat. For an offensive spell like Flame Dart - you can simply cast it at targets or into the sky. It's like Oblivion, where skills are raised on how much you use them and how effective they are. Casting Fetch on a door knob to swing the door shut, and then Force Bolt to knock the door bar in place will gain you the same, or more, skill than you would just waiting for enemies to enter the room and cast spells at them.


If you were to take the combat out of QFG, though, you would have a pretty awesome adventure game.

It's one of my favorite games, even above Phantasy Star. So I'm curious Astu, what doesn't seem appealing about it to you?


Why must we always fight, dear Evil Ones? Can't we settle this like adults? Compromise and negotiation! Here, have some ice cream, Master of Darkness, and everything will be all better.

That's actually one of the central themes around QFGIII... You have to stop two tribes from going to war and dragging Rakeesh's kingdom into the battle. Each side is missing important relics that they claim the other side stole. You have to get them back, and then negotiate a peace treaty between them.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2007-06-11 13:03 ]</font>

[Sgt_Shligger]

Non-combat oriented? You could start a DnD campaign.

No video games really come to mind here...

[Ryoki]

On 2007-06-11 10:09, AlexCraig wrote:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb137/Faedeur_Onarcius/Photos/100_0192.jpg
All you need to do would be not setting up monsters and battles.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: AlexCraig on 2007-06-11 10:10 ]</font>

That sword is suggestive.

[TalHex]

xenosaga or fire emblem path of radience both have cutscenes long enough to make you forget how to battle before they end, fire emblem has enough text to sink a huge battle ship!

[Tykwa]

800 hours on harvest moon and my cottage 9000000000 dollaz l8r http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

Really, i got the cottage, i didnt cheat either trust me

[Mixfortune]

I suppose the general issue is that 'non-combat' RPGs usually just end up becoming other genres. It's difficult to come up with a system that'd have some kind of personal character progression without beating on baddies for experience points, or to get those experience points elsewhere, but all for beating up baddies anyways.

Now, if there was some kind of game where you're a peasant and work your way up through deals and investments to become a lord or something else, focusing more on charisma and negotiations and helping out over eliminating opposition, that could be pretty cool.

There was a program in particular that comes to mind from years past which allowed an individual to create their own text based adventure games (in that whole north-south-east-west-get item-use item style). I had made a few that focused more on puzzles and interaction than straight damage and hit points, but I'm not sure how far its progressed since then. Obviously still, it's not necessarily graphics intensive (or featuring graphics at all), and you'd only find a few scattered games with good scripting and interactivity/immerson from the great writers. Most are just average Joes trying to make a 7 minute game full of randomness and "u beat up the dude an take the mony".

For more the puzzle/exploration side, there's always the Myst series, but I've always been so bored with them that I can't necessarily recommend them. They aren't very deep on the person-to-person interaction either.

I'll keep checking out other options, but you may want to consider other genres as well, such as puzzle, simulation (The Sims, Evil Genius, etc.), mystery, and all that good stuff in the mean time, since those genres can become pretty expanse.

[Solstis]

Mix reminded me of something. Maybe Astuarlen needs to be playing adventure games?

Pick up some of the Monkey Island games, enjoy!

[Mixfortune]

On 2007-06-12 13:23, Solstis wrote:
Mix reminded me of something. Maybe Astuarlen needs to be playing adventure games?

Pick up some of the Monkey Island games, enjoy!



Ah, in turn this reminds me of Grim Fandango. Certainly more within the adventure/puzzle genre, but it's quite entertaining with its own brand of humor. It'd occupy for a while at least.

[astuarlen]

Well, well, well, dear reader.
Hmm, I really enjoyed Myst, Riven, and Exile back in the day, which prompted a little affair with puzzle games, I guess you'd call them. But I don't think I could get into that again, nor do I particularly want to. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif
I downloaded The Longest Journey demo and Dreamfall trial last night. I did not get very far before I got bored. I remember being rather unimpressed by my super-brief experience with one of the Monkey Island games at a friend's house... doesn't mean I wouldn't like it now, I guess.

But! I think I figured out what the problem is--or, at least, a large part of the problem. I am evidently a fan of party-based, real time with pause cRPGs. That would be games like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, etc, basically. (<3) For some reason I just find that 1000x more enjoyable than the sort of combat you get in something like Oblivion or Dungeon Siege (while I am sure some people might stab me on sight for saying this, Oblivion reminds me of DS a lot in the way combat and exploration feel, though of course Oblivion has a lot more going for it, IMO... cities, for instance; I love cities much more than wilderness areas, etc). I guess I like managing a stable of diverse characters a lot more than relying on my really fucking horrible ability to aim straight and block. I, umm, end up losing my enemies behind me half the time in Obl. Oops.
But I heard about this game, Drakensang (?), slated for sometime next year that was described by the folks working on it as being similar to BG but in 3d. That sounds fairly promising (unless it dies like so many other promising titles). I wish I could, like, erase all memory of having played BG/II and do it again.

:v