RPGs; Eastern vs. Western

[Skythe]

I'm tired of Eastside rehashing their stories.

[NeoMaster]

I'm tired of Eastside rehashing their stories.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But you like the same old medival wizards and warriors that westerns always use?

[Gryph]

I'm tired of Eastside rehashing their stories.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But you like the same old medival wizards and warriors that westerns always use?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dungeons and Dragons IS wizards and warriors so you can't really deviate from that in those games. But my favorite RPGs are those that either use that formula well (BG 1 and 2 and NWN) or avoid it all together (Fallout, Deus Ex, System Shock, KOTOR). But Western RPGs don't put as much focus on the stories (they have decent stories though KOTOR is a great example) as their Eastern counterparts do, it's more about the role playing experience. It's easier to make a story for game that has little or no gameplay variation. In Western RPGs they have to balance factions and attitudes towards the player that can change depending on how you play.

[Daeval]

I'm tired of Eastside rehashing their stories.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But you like the same old medival wizards and warriors that westerns always use?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dungeons and Dragons IS wizards and warriors so you can't really deviate from that in those games. But my favorite RPGs are those that either use that formula well (BG 1 and 2 and NWN) or avoid it all together (Fallout, Deus Ex, System Shock, KOTOR). But Western RPGs don't put as much focus on the stories (they have decent stories though KOTOR is a great example) as their Eastern counterparts do, it's more about the role playing experience. It's easier to make a story for game that has little or no gameplay variation. In Western RPGs they have to balance factions and attitudes towards the player that can change depending on how you play.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You forgot the category of "stubtly different" - Those that DO deviate in their own way. There are those rare western fantasy settings that take the standard tolkienesque wizards and warriors and put them in an environment that is considerably different from the usual mock-middle-earth. Planescape and Morrowind (I don't know about the other Elder Scrolls games) come to mind. Planescape more for its physical setting, and Morrowind more for its social environment. Ravenloft too, as I think someone mentioned a video games in that world. All three of those are unique as compared to the Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk D&D settings, the most common and generic D&D worlds.

[Gryph]

Yeah, Forgotten Realms has been done to death.

[Wizard]

There needs to be more Greyhawk D&D games, ToeE doesn't cut it enough.

[Skythe]

Fallout has nothing to do with wizards and warriors.

 

The thing I love most with Westside's is the fact you create yourself and mold yourself anyway you see fit. With Eastside, you're pretty much restricted. Characters generally have the same personality and all that other bullsh!t.

[NeoMaster]

Fallout has nothing to do with wizards and warriors.

 

The thing I love most with Westside's is the fact you create yourself and mold yourself anyway you see fit. With Eastside, you're pretty much restricted. Characters generally have the same personality and all that other bullsh!t.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah right. Storyline is what makes each of the eastern characters stand out from each other, everyone of them having a main conflict and history. With your Western games you are giving a Barbarian and can change his clothing. Whip dee doo da day.

 

Because of your ability of being able to choose different classes and skill trees, the story of your games become most linear since the developers neither have the time to make alternate endings for every choice available. In a sense it seems you are giving an objective and hack and slash your way until you get to the end, just to kill the boss.

 

Eastern games are repetitive in that sense as well, but from the occasional hack and slash you go into depth of the characters feelings and emotions creating a strong bond, even though you cannot do the same thing with character creation.

 

Finally, saying that being unable to make your own characters in an RPG ruins the strengths of Eastern RPG's is stupid. RPG's in essence is a story. You read through the story and are given certain restraints for playing the game. You experience and enjoy it. It's almost like saying that "Choose your Own Adventure" books are superior to masterful works of literature because you don't define cast and characters.

[L.S.D]

Is Vampire : Masquarades settings come from Ravenloft?

[Gryph]

Yeah right. Storyline is what makes each of the eastern characters stand out from each other, everyone of them having a main conflict and history. With your Western games you are giving a Barbarian and can change his clothing. Whip dee doo da day.

Have you even played Fallout? If you have then you wouldn't something like that. Also, I could care less about the story of a game if it played like crap (like your Eastern games do). You can give me the most cliched "unknown hero must save the kingdom" story and I won't care if the gameplay is great and I enjoy playing it. Also, with our Western RPGs we are given a nice character creation system where we can build our character how we want to. If I want to be stealthy, I'll give more points to skills that help me there, if I want to be a mage, I'll put points to help magic. Also, if I'm not mistaken isn't it in your Eastern RPGs where you are just given a character (who is usually some kind of fighter with a big head and a faggoty haircut) to play as with no way to personalize him? I think you should think before you speak.

 

Because of your ability of being able to choose different classes and skill trees, the story of your games become most linear since the developers neither have the time to make alternate endings for every choice available.

Again with the story...I already took care of that above. But that's the style of Western RPGs, they are usually a whole bunch of quests (that you may or may not chose to do if they are not part of the main quest) that eventually come together to drive the main plot (however "lame" you may find it to be) forward. Atleast in Western RPGs the gameplay is not linear as it is in your Eastern games. I don't play a game and go "Oh boy I hope the ending the good!" I play the game for the game itself and what it has to offer. Ofcourse, I do like a good resolution to a game, Fallout 1 has one of the best endings ever.

 

In a sense it seems you are giving an objective and hack and slash your way until you get to the end, just to kill the boss.

So wait...what exactly do you do in your Eastern RPGs? Do you stick your dick into the socket and have sex with it? If I'm not mistaken (2nd time I've said that) isn't that what you do in those games too? Don't you fight a whole bunch of little enemies and level up your character and then fight a big boss. Wash rinse repeat. Also, don't most games have a "just to kill the boss" thing going for them? I sure as hell think they do. How do you Eastern RPGs resolve your game?

 

Eastern games are repetitive in that sense as well, but from the occasional hack and slash you go into depth of the characters feelings and emotions creating a strong bond, even though you cannot do the same thing with character creation.

That's something I don't really care about in games to the same degree as Eastern RPGers do. I have never felt any emotion to any character within a video game. The most a game has done to me emotionally is made me laugh or just made me happy because I'm enjoying the experience. But hey, that's just me, I'm pretty emotionally detached from most things especially video games.

 

Finally, saying that being unable to make your own characters in an RPG ruins the strengths of Eastern RPG's is stupid. RPG's in essence is a story. You read through the story and are given certain restraints for playing the game. You experience and enjoy it. It's almost like saying that "Choose your Own Adventure" books are superior to masterful works of literature because you don't define cast and characters.

Saying that all Western RPGs have to offer is what you stated above is stupid. RPG stands for ROLE PLAYING GAME (of course it can be argued that ALL games are role playing games but let's not get into semantics). To me the essense of a role playing game is to create create role and to make decisions in the game which guide that character to greatness.

 

Literature and moviews are completely different from video games because it's not an interactive experience. That's what makes video games so special, the fact that you are actually doing it which is precisely the reason I like Western style RPGs. If I want a nice story with deep characters and great plot, I'll go to the bookstore and get a book. I play RPGs because they allow me to interact with a different world and where my character can have meaninful growth.

 

Is it so hard to grasp that some people just don't like the games you do? These are all just opinions, it's what makes being human a good thing. We all have our own tastes.

 

Damn, my longest post in a while.

[Gryph]

Is Vampire : Masquarades settings come from Ravenloft?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, it comes from the Vampire the Masquerade pen and paper role playing game made by White Wolf.