20 réponses à ce sujet

[Celtic Latino]

This survey mainly focuses on wrpgs/crpgs such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout, Baldurs Gate, DnD and so forth. Might be a lengthy list of questions but hey, its worth the discussion. Keep in mind many of the questions tend to be geared towards fantasy settings since its the most common type, generally speaking.

 

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 

I look forward to the answers

[OdanUrr]

My head hurts.

[Dominus]

01. Anything but Post-Apocalyptic. RPG or not, I've never been able to enjoy them much.

02. That depends. Is it within a completely different fantastical universe and going by a different set of rules than ours? As long as it obeys its own rules, I'm okay with that. I get kind of iffy with games that try to merge fantasy with our current reality.

03. Don't need no magic.

04. Cool with me.

05. One that hasn't been done a bazillion times. I wouldn't mind chinese mythology i.e. Jade Empire.

06. Most of the overdone RPGs tend to be Medieval Knights and Wizards stuff. Basically eveything Chris Avellone and Obsidian tried to reverse in Planescape: Torment.

07. The absolute sexiest elves would have to be more alien ones. As long as tentacles aren't involved with the Snu-Snu.

08. I'm not a big fan of dwarves in general. :| They're blunt, stubborn, and pretty much everything that turns me off.

09. Surprise me.

10. Yep.

11. Argonians. I'm a reptile fan.

12. Yeah, I wouldn't mind a change of pace.

13. Don't matter to me. They're changing the PC's name, not my own.

14. It was fine for the time.

15. Now there's an interesting question. Some yes, some no. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma may not necessarily have apparent physical changes on your body. Strength, Endurance, and Agility may be one way to go. That'd make for a very unique take on player progression. Good idea.

16. I think it's a great idea, and why people still talk about Troika games to this day. Playing as a half-orc in Arcanum is like playing a Nosferatu in V:tmB. Good luck with that... >.>

17. I like dark creatures, so go for it.

18. They've been portrayed as both mindless fighters(LotR), freedom fighters(Warcraft 3), and places in between. They've represented them okay.

19. I'm up for it.

20. Yep.

21. Funny you mention that. A long, long while back the question was thrown as to whether a christian(or other religious belief) would make for a workable role-playing game. I do think it's very possible. Not necessarily as just a "Jesus RPG" or whatever. I wouldn't mind a side-story that connected to parts of the scriptures. And naturally, Apocalyptic Rapture scenarios are possible.

22. Badass 1h + Shields. Penetrator Sword and Adjudicator's Shield from Demon's Souls. Fighting style? Turtle tactics. Look for an opportunity, and stick them with the pointy end.

23. Bow & Arrow, + Daggers or a 1h. Thief 1&2 is as close to my ideal rogue game as possible.

24. Shadow Magic. Shadowformed Priest class from World of Warcraft is absolutely perfect. I can consume the life of another one moment and renew my allies in another. It's practically overpowered if you're clever enough. They dealt out some serious damages in raids, back in the day.

25. Depends if the setting is realistic or fantastical.

26. I'll always, always prefer going solo. I don't mind have friends along for the ride, but a lot of the party games either take a hit on immersion or end up feel like a babysitting game.

27. Waifu4Lyfe

Nah.

28. Now that's a juicy question, isn't it? Troika offers some of the best Player-Character options. Magic/Technology meters, History/Lineages, Effects of Various Classes in terms of conversation options.

For combat, Dark Souls. I'd like to succeed via my own skill instead of picking options and hoping the imaginary dice being rolled don't kill me off. Not that all games with said systems are frustrating, but it's a preference that likely wont dissapear. Level requirement to continue through the game absolutely blows, and fortunately that's dealt with well in this game. Leveling helps your character, but not to such an overpowering level as other RPGs.

29. The same of any other character. If you can't relate to them, and spend more time muhahahaing than actually trying to complete their plan, you have a lame villain. Or at least one I'm not engaged with.

30. I'll let the medic field this one.

[Beerfish]

 

 

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

 

I have no huge preference, the quality of the game will win me over.  From your game examples I guess I would choose Sci fi and Dark Fantasy.

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

 

Not very important, Sci fi and Fantasy are based on the unbelievable.

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

 

Yes I would play such a game.

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

 

Yes I would play such a game.

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

 

I'm open to anything, Egyptian stuff is pretty interesting.

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

 

None that I am aware of though the pirate/buccaneer kind of thing seems to be cropping up a lot.

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

 

More human like.  The whole lost immortality thing kind of bugs me.

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

 

I like dwarves and how they have been portrayed for the most part.

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

 

Spirit/Ghost

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

 

Yes they can, it would be rather tough to be a good game imo without some real world like identifiers.

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

 

Orcs, geth/machine concept.

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

 

Yes.

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

 

Yes.

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 

 

Not a huge deal either way, I don't worry too much about my looks because in games I am not often looking at my face much.  As long as I have a few decent looking options.

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

 

No though it would not stop me from playing such a game.

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

 

This is fantasy/sci fi so that is one thing we do not need but it is relevant and would not bother me if it was in a game.  It is simply more realistic but wouldn;t be more fun to play.

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

 

Yes they have a place if their presence is properly explained.

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

 

Yes they are a common mook foe.

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

 

I don;t know what two out of three you are quoting are.  I would play a game with such characters though.

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

 

I would have no problem with this.

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

 

I would have no problem with this.

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Not enough space to properly detail this.  Give a lot of combat talent options, give a lot of weapon choices, make combat easy to do.  Encounters can be hard but the combat dynamic needs to be easy.

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Same as above.  I would like games to have sections where you need to send the scout/rouge of on his own to actually be able to scout and sneak around.

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Not worried at all about mages with weapons, a wide variety of spell types is important including more non combat spells such as divination, telekinesis, see through walls etc.

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

 

Realistic, I like them to be customizable but hate the huge, garish, oversized things we have gotten recently.

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

 

Companions are pretty important to me.  I would and have enjoyed games that are solo or with creating a party but I like BioWare games because of the companions.

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

 

Nice to have but not a must.  I would like to see these things develop in a better fashion in multi game series.

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

 

Most of the recent BioWare type games.  I am past turn based those though can still be fun.

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

 

A good one is one that you can hate but can relate to and his actions are at least semi logical.  The poor ones are simply RAWR!

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 

A good horror rpg with companions would be cool.  I like sci fi so I probably can't get enough of that. 

 

 

So, when are we going to see the crowd funding announcement for the game you are thinking of making?

 

[Cyonan]

1. Fantasy, Sci-FI, Post-Apocalyptic, and Steampunk

 

2. Only moderately. I'm okay with a few things being explained away by "space magic" and stuff having a sense of mystery is good, but some things should still be explained.

 

3. Don't need magic, although I do enjoy using magic based classes.

 

4. I tend to not play as a human already when given the option, so yes.

 

5. Asian. I also wouldn't mind seeing the 18th century era used a bit more.

 

6. Medieval European tends to be done the most. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't be interested in seeing as long as it had a good game built around it.

 

7/8. Any way works for me for both Elves and Dwarves. The main thing I dislike is when a game gives everybody of the same race the same personality trait(ie all Dwarves are miners/crafters and drink heavily).

 

9. I would say spirit and playable dragon races.

 

10. They can be, but I prefer to minimize that kind of stuff in games.

 

11. Draenei(World of Warcraft) and various elemental races from stuff like Pathfinder.

 

12. I would be

 

13. I would find it a bit strange, but I would go for it.

 

14. It worked well enough back then, but I think in 2014 if there is going to be character customization it should be the full thing.

 

15. It would be an interesting thing to see

 

16. Arcanum is the only game I can think of that used it, and I did like how they used it.

 

17. I'm fine with Dark Elves, and they're one of my most played races in Elder Scrolls. I don't know that I would say they should be a staple of RPGs, though.

 

18. Generally fine with Orcs, as long as they aren't Thrall from World of Warcraft(otherwise known as Green Jesus).

 

19. I like the idea of the bestial races and would go for it.

 

20. It would be an interesting system to see fleshed out, and have your heirs inherit some of your stat distribution, attributes, etc. like Fire Emblem Awakening does.

 

21. I frequently already play characters that rely on divine powers, so yes

 

22. I tend to favour the tanky types here. Slower paced and doesn't do as much damage, but incredibly durable. I'd like to see more abilities that lets me block stuff for my allies rather than just increasing personal durability.

 

23. My Rogues are mainly for going around and stealing everything that isn't bolted down and on fire. Fighting style is usually very mobile and quick but fragile.

 

24. I generally like to have spells with unique and creative uses. This usually comes into play a bit more in pen and paper stuff as it simply just allows for more freedom than anything on a computer.

 

25. I would say a bit more on the fantastical side, although it depends on the art style of the game as a whole.

 

26. I'm okay with either, but prefer having companions.

 

27. Okay with them being in there as long as they fit. In general I feel like most romantic sub-plots could stand to have better writing though(even in BioWare's stuff).

 

28. I like the freedom of roleplaying and just general creative use of game mechanics that you can get in pen and paper games.

 

As far as video games go, I like to have game worlds that react to my choices and have choices that legitimately matter.

 

29. Same thing that makes any other character good or bad. I don't think there's really a checklist of items that I could list off to say "this makes a character good/bad". In general though, the antagonist not being a 1 dimensional evil mcobvious type of person is a great place to start.

 

30. I would say more customization, and more freedom to roleplay when it comes to video games.

[ShadowSwordmaster]

01. High Fantasy , Dark Fantasy , Sci-Fi , Superhero, and Steampunk 

 

02.I think it's half and half for me

 

03.I would still play the game if they have little or no magic in it.

 

04. Sure , it would be a cool experience to see play out.

 

05.Chinese 

 

06. Medieval Knights and Wizards or Norse stuff.

 

07. I like the look of the elves but they should look a bit more human but have that alien feel to them.

 

08. They should be more likable but a little be stubborn.

 

09. Spirits for sure , they have a story in themselves that you could tell.

 

10.If it's done well then sure,

 

11. Insectoid or machine people

 

12. Yeah , I'm down with that.

 

13. Yes I would be okay with that choice .

 

14. I did not like that but it works.

 

15. Well , maybe.

 

16.If they can do it right and not make it so it effects your combat then I'm okay with it.

 

17. I think that the dark elves are a cool idea for a race but they are different from game to game.

 

18. Orcs are usually the bad guys in most fantasy game but they are few that are heroes.I'm okay on orcs are used in most rpg games.

 

19. Yes and they should.

 

20. Yes I would.That idea should be more used in games that are long.

 

21. For sure if open up where you can choose a deity then sure.

 

22. That can be different depending on the weapon that they use.(Two handed or single handed.)but they need to be the tank in general.

 

23.I think that Rogues need more focus on speed and stealth because that is what they are good at and of course stealing stuff.

 

24. Spells that are creative and multi use then just combat.

 

25. A little bit of both actual.You realistic stuff and then some crazy looking stuff. 

 

26. There should be important as the PC and yes I would be cool with that.Heck, Star Trek Online does that in a way.

 

27. I think there should be a sub plot for romance but only when the PC chooses to do it.  

 

28.What Bioware does but with a a hint of Fallout 3/Skyrim .

 

29. I would the reason behind there choice and code.

 

30.Better customization and better roleplaying mechanics. 

[Eurypterid]

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

All, although if forced to opt for only one, it would probably be dark fantasy.

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery?

Depends what you mean by 'believability'. If you mean some sort of internal logic and consistency, then it's very important (Dwarves can't use magic? Fine, then DON'T give me a boss battle against a Dwarf Mage, thanks). Otherwise, as noted by Beerfish, the setting is based on the unbelievable and that's fine.

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

If magic is involved, I tend to prefer low magic; but no magic, low magic, or tons of magic: it's all good. Just don't make it game-breaking.

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

Yeah, sure. As long as the game is fun, I don't really care.

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

Hmmmm, maybe Aztec, Sumerian, ancient Greek. Pretty much anything though. Again, if the gameplay is fun, it's all good.

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

Personally, I don't feel any are over-represented. I imagine others have very different opinions on that though.

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

As far as alien or human-like, I don't really mind either way. I don't like the portrayal of elves as some mystic super-race that somehow either lost their ancient lore or are in decline. And the immortality thing makes little sense to me either, so I'd like to see that part of it ditched as well.

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

I love dwarves, but I would really prefer if they aren't always depicted as drunkards with Scottish accents. I'd far rather see them as someting other than comedic relief, which seems to be where they're pigeonholed most of the time.

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

Anything new would be refreshing. Again, as long as they're well thought out, it would be great.

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

They can, but there's always the danger of it being a heavy-handed presentation. If that pitfall can be avoided, then I see no problems with it.

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

Most of them that I've run across have been enjoyable/intriguing in one way or another. The biggest drawback is when they're either overpowered or underpowered.

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

Absolutely. Bring it on.

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

Sure. Not being able to choose a name of my own creation would be a minor disappointment only.

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against?

Don't really care that much. If it came to a vote though, I'd vote against. More options are always better.

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

Depends on the stat in question. How does high Wisdom affect one's appearance? A better avenue of approach would be to have an option to allow it. For example, the player could choose to have a character with very low DEX perhaps have a limp, missing fingers, or something like that.

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

This would totally depend on the way it's implemented in-game. I've no real beef against the idea as long as it's handled well (and sensibly).

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

For some reason this is probably the only race in RPGs that I can't stand. So I guess I'd have to say "No, I don't think they should be an RPG staple, thanks."

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

I like them, but don't always like the way they're portrayed, as they're generally portrayed very stereotypically. But the fantasy game genre is chock full of stereotyping as far as races go. I'd like to see that shaken up a bit more.

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

If it fits the lore of the game world. Yes, I've played them sometimes. But I don't like them being an option if they're actually a monster in the game setting. Makes no sense to me to play a monster.

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

Doesn't bother me, but a better approach for those that aren't heterosexual would be to be able to choose a same-sex spouse but choose a 'proxy' to bear offspring. In a sci-fi setting, why not use technology to produce the heirs? That way you can have a spouse of whatever sex you want.

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

Yeah, sure? It's a fairly integral part of many RPGs anyway (such as D&D).

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

I tend to enjoy the whole idea of dual wielding. But I also like a warrior that uses a two-handed weapon. As far as making warriors more appealing, the biggest thing in my mind is to make them competetive with respect to other classes.

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

Probably my favorite class type. Again, dual wielding. The biggest drawback with them is they often tend to be relegated to a lockpicking/trapfinding role. I'd like to see games where the 'traditional' skills of the Rogue would be an effective option in many more situations and where it wouldn't mean a 'penalty' of less XP or rewards if you go that route.

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

I like mind/crowd control the best, I think. I also like mages that can mix it up in melee combat either with spells or weapons.

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

Tough one to answer. I like the weapons and armor to not look ridiculous. Pretty subjective, I guess, but I don't like over-the-top weapons the size of small buildings, or armors that look like you'd need to have magical aid in order to move in them.

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

Not a must-have, but they can be cool if there's some interactivity and they're written well. If they're just mute companions that fill in a party slot, I'd rather just create them myself. I also love to solo (but that's often because the game AI is so annoyingly bad that the companions can be more hindrance than help).

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

Not important to me. In fact, I often tend to find them stilted/awkward/badly written. I won't avoid a game because of it, but I also won't seek out a game just because it has it either.

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

The first I ever played was D&D way back in the '70s and AD&D has been the one I've liked best throughout the years. I know there are better systems out there, but I'm most comfortable with AD&D.

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

It all comes down to motivation and actions. I hate villains that don't have a reason to act as they do and that do things that are blatantly idiotic and not in their own self-interest. Another thing that really bothers me are these highly intelligent villains that surround themselves with idiotic minions. Is it really that hard to recruit intelligent minions?

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

Not really sure. This would probably be something along the line of "I'll know it when I see it", where a game comes out and I say "That's what I've been looking for!"

[Remmirath]

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth.

I've never had an interest in superhero stories, and I'm not as interested in post-apocalyptic and real world as many other things. All the other options you put forth are settings I sometimes enjoy a great deal, although obviously I don't enjoy every example of them. Fantasy and science fiction tend to be my favourite, but it all has the potential to be good.
 
02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery?

I don't feel as though that's really an either/or sort of thing. I find believability to be quite important, and I believe that whoever created the setting should at least have some idea of explanations and origins for everything that comes up, but I also like -- as a player, or a reader -- having a sense of mystery. I want to feel as though the world is consistent and well put together, but I don't necessarily want it all laid right out there in front of me.
 
03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

How much magic is present is not really something I care too much about. There are some high magic settings I am quite fond of, and some with low or no magic at all.
 
04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

Sure. I often don't play a human character when I have the option anyhow.
 
05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

None in particular, really. Every culture has some interesting things about it. I suppose my only answer would be that I would like to see ones that have previously been less explored be more explored.
 
06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

Eh, I don't know, really. I can't think of very many RPGs off the top of my head that even do have real-world nations or mythoses in them.
 
07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

The elves in the Lord of the Rings (or more specifically, The Silmarillion) are my favourites, but that doesn't mean that I want most games to be like them. Dragon Age (aside from the sudden-appearance-change issues in DA II) does a good job with them, I think, as do the Elder Scrolls games. All I know about them in World of Warcraft is that I can't stand the art direction of that game in general. Basically, I think that the elves (like other species) should have an interesting place in their world and fit in with it, and not be quite like they are in other settings. On the other hand, I think that they should also be recognisably elves, or there isn't much point in calling them that rather than something different.
 
08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

There doesn't seem to be much diversity in portraying dwarves, for the most part. Dragon Age's dwarves are interesting to me. Middle-earth's dwarves are as well. Again, I like them to be culturally different and interesting and fit into the world, and not be exactly like the dwarves of other settings, but if they're not recognisably dwarves at all one might as well call them something different.
 
09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

All of the above, so long as it works. Well, except robotic. I usually don't feel that robotic works very well in fantasy. Sometimes it can, but more often than not it just comes off as very odd.
 
10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

Sure, they can be, and it can be interesting to have them in there. They should, however, fit into the setting and story, and they should also be interesting social issues in-world.
 
11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

Githyanki come to mind, and dragons. Thri-Keen. Again, really, I think most any species can be interesting.
 
12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

Yeah, I don't have a problem with that. Not sure why I would. I don't require my characters to physically resemble me, and in fact, they very rarely do even if I have a full range of choices. Any of those given examples could be interesting. Jade Empire wasn't my cup of tea, but that was because of the gameplay, not the setting.
 
13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

If it's a fairly long list, I would be all right with that, but really what I would prefer is some basic guidelines and example names. I do like to have enough information on hand to come up with lore-appropriate names, but I'm kind of picky about choosing names to fit characters, so I'd prefer to have at the least a rather long list if not free reign.
 
14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against?

Against. I didn't mind that entirely back in the days of Neverwinter Nights or Knights of the Old Republic, but that's because facial customisation really hadn't got to a usable point yet. Now that it is, I see no reason not to use it. Well, unless you go back to picking portraits. Picking portraits is actually my preferred method.
 
15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

You mean strong characters looking stronger, and that sort of thing? That would be nice, I guess.
 
16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

I think that having some form of charisma stat is a useful thing, and beauty can also be useful, but it would be relatively low on my list of priorities. I'm generally for NPCs reacting more differently to different characters, though.
 
17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

I'm quite fond of the Dunmer, the drow have their uses, and dark elves in general can be interesting. I prefer them to have some sort of interesting reason to be how they are, though, and I'm not sure that having them as a staple race really makes much sense.
 
18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

They tend to be portrayed in quite the same way from system to system and game to game. Shaking that up a little wouldn't be a bad thing. The Elder Scrolls series shakes it up a bit, at least.
 
19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

I suppose I'd rather have species that were either even more diferent from humans, but sure, variety is good.
 
20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

I suppose I would be willing to, if it was a fairly small part of the gameplay in an otherwise very interesting game and if I knew about it ahead of time. That is not the kind of thing I'd be happy to be surprised with, though, and I would not ever play a female character in such a game (I'd probably stop playing if I had played a female character and then found out about that gameplay element later). If there was the option to go rogue and let the kingdom burn, adopt/name an heir, or hoodwink the country, I'd be happier about that.
 
21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

Sure. I actively like it if games have detailed and interesting religions in them.
 
22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

Warriors are my favourite already. I enjoy playing characters who use most any weapon. Longswords (two-handed swords) are my favourite to use myself, but for my characters, I'll go with just about anything. Swords generally get good representation already, as do axes. Maces and polearms could use a bit more love in some games. I like talents that increase my character's effectiveness in combat without feeling strange or gimicky to me. I want fighting to be realistic, deadly, and challenging. I would like to see more of an emphasis on defending against enemy attacks while killing them as quickly as possible as opposed to standing there and taking hits, which grates against my suspension of disbelief. Oh yeah, and more shield combat, speaking of that. Sword and shield and blunt weapon or axe and shield we often get, but spear and shield would be nice, too, as well as more active shieldwork (without only being able to bash with the shield once every arbitrary number of seconds).
 
23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

I like stealthy characters at times. I think that all classes should be able to use all weapons, although it makes most sense to me for rogues to focus on lighter, stealthier weapons (knives, rapiers, saps) and focus on not beeing seen. The ability to find and disarm traps, and having lots of lethal traps about in certain areas such as dungeons, is a plus in my opinion. That, and I'm quite fond of assassination-type missions.
 
24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

I like playing spellcasters as well. I like damaging effects, death effects, and the occasional protective magic. I get very bored with playing spellcasters if they're mostly doing support or control. If they can be lighting up the battlefield, that's fun.
 
25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

Definitely realistic. I am quite fond of realistic weapons and armour, and I nearly without exception find the fantastical choices made for weapons (and especially armour) to be absurd. This is, in fact, fairly important to me. If I can tell that a game has bizarre enough armour I will actively avoid it.
 
26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

I prefer creating my own party. If there is the option, I do so, even if it requires telling the game I'm playing it multiplayer, such as in Baldur's Gate. If I must have NPCs tagging along, I prefer that they be fairly varied and also optional. Solo is fine, too.
 
27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

They're not important to me at all. If they're there, I'll occasionally make use of them, but more often than not I won't.
 
28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

Pen and paper: MERP/Rolemaster (especially with the magic system heavily trimmed). I'm also fairly fond of classic Traveller. I like all editions of D&D prior to 4th, but they all have their problems. Well, all of those systems mentioned have problems. I've not encountered a perfect one yet. Some just have less problems, or ones that bother me less.

Computer: I think that AD&D 2E works pretty well for computer games, really. I like Morrowind's system as far as first/third person RPGs go (I always play in third), but I prefer combat to be more up to the character than the player in an RPG, tactics aside. There were some interesting things about Arcanum's system, but it was way past unbalanced.
 
29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

They should have believable motivations, and make reasonable decisions with the information they have (it bothers me when they do something completely stupid just because the good guys probably wouldn't be able to win otherwise). Other than that, I honestly think it's rather subjective.
 
30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

I would like to see more games with realistic and deadly combat, more games that allow you to create your whole party. My ideal game would have very realistic combat with severe consequences for lost battles (dead characters, injured characters), the dialogue system of Planescape: Torment (and definitely no PC voice), you'd be able to control the fighting style of your characters in a large amount of detail but without activated abilities, it would probably be an isometric game, it would have an original setting, and it would be possible to join the enemy side of there is an enemy side. Other than that, I don't know. Lots of settings and plots and characters are interesting. I'm far pickier about the gameplay than I am about settings.

[Ren Roche]

01. Sci - fi

 

 

02. I'd say moderately important. Of course it's nice when more exposition is provided, but I like when something is left unknown. Adds more appeal to the mystery. 

 

 

03. Meh, magic is not a neccessity for me in an rpg. I like using it, but my character  tends to be a glass cannon in that case and sometimes that's a problem when enemies charge in swinging their weapons. Course I prefer my magic to deal greater damage than my weapons. 

 

 

04. Yeah, but there's a high possibility that the race the game provides you with would still be humanoid in form. I guess, say, a four armed, insect-like protagonist would not be as favourable to most, but it would be something different for a change.

 

 

05. Perhaps Ancient Japan.

 

 

06. Hmm, not sure about this one. 

 

 

07. Scoia'tael from Witcher universe. Pretty much rebellious racists who hate humans and help any non-humans. I'm just not a fan of the LOTR - ish portrayal of elves as some highborn immortal race that lives in luxury.

 

 

08. Eh, I don't have much preference when it comes to them. Dwarves are portrayed more or less the same way everywhere, as in, blacksmiths and heavy drinkers who love to fight. 

 

 

09. Probably insectoid to add some nightmare fuel...

 

 

10. They can. Witcher games are most succesful at that since they take it more seriously. The bloody pogroms against non-humans due to racism and against witches because of fear of their power are pretty good examples. If you want a bad example look at Skyrim: the game says there's racism against elves, yet all you get is some guy shouting out loud in an elf district and some foul talk among citizens. Nothing else happens. You don't see people taking torches and llynching anyone who is any different than a regular human being. So yeah, rpgs should try to tackle this only if they can do it right. 

 

 

11. Hmm... I'd say Khajiit. I like the way they speak and refer to each other as "this one". Kinda funny.

 

 

12. Sure. I sometimes play as a black character if the game gives me the option.

 

 

13. I'd be disappointed, but it's no big deal.

 

 

14. Didn't like it. I'd rather sculpt my character's face than choose a pre-made one.

 

 

15. Absolutely not! You spend some time creating your character's looks the way you like it only for them to get fluffed up by some statistic later! I'd be heartbroken lol.

 

 

16. Meh. In that case everyone would be like Dr. Steinman from BioShock - "Too fat! Too tall! Too symmetrical!". I'd prefer others to react to how I talk to them and judge me by my choices than by face. Though it woul be nice if LI's would actually react to appearance so that you couldn't date them if you made your character Quasimodo the Second.

 

 

17. I honestly don't care about them. The only game I played that had' em in was Morrowind.

 

 

18. I'm not interested in them since they're nearly always shown as ugly ogre brutes who live primitive lives and only care about bloodshed. Guess that's not gonna change for a long while.

 

 

19. I guess it would add more to the replayability if NPC's of others races would have different dialogs depending on your chosen race. Still, that's a slim possibility since devs usually take the easy way and just add very few lines at best. I usually play as human, tho.

 

 

20. Maybe. I prefer to just stick with one character.

 

 

21. Only if there would be an option to defy them and chose to be a non-believer. Or even better, slay the gods.

 

 

22. I prefer to sword and board, really. Dual-wielding is cool and all, but it just leaves you too vulnerable.

 

 

23. Don't play these since I'm poor at stealth. There's nothing that can be done to improve that since it depends on the person, their preferences. You wanna play rogue, you gotta learn not to rush and be sneaky. Otherwise it just ain't gonna happen.

 

 

24. Destructive AoE spells. Would be nice if they'd affect the environment too in some way. 

 

 

25. Realistic all the way. Never liked cleavage armor *cough* Saskia *cough*. Look at Dark Souls – when you equip your character with a full set of armor you can't tell the gender, plus the whole body is covered. Sure, there are exceptions like the Smelter Demon armor, which covers the shoulders and upper chest/back, but leaves the stomach/lower back open with some underboob exposed too. There‘s also this other set which has a hole in the chest area, I think. Pretty ridiculous, tbh. Still, most armor is pretty realistic in those games. 

 

 

26. I‘m used to doing things on my own. Companions are okay as long as their AI is not brick stupid.

 

 

27. Meh. Couldn‘t care less. These days romances are mostly geared toward horny lonely teenagers anyway.

 

 

28. CDProjekt‘s Witcher games with choices that affect the world and really matter. There‘s nothing quite as frustrating as illusion of choice most games present, ya know. Also Dark Souls for the more risky and thrilling combat.

 

 

29. A non-cliche backstory for why they are the way they are. Understandable motives and some charisma too. I dislike antagonists who are just full psycho for teh lols. The usual "evil because of power hunger“ is also pretty boring. A good antagonist also should not hesitate in killing his opponents rather than talking sh*t until some deus ex machina saves them.

 

 

30. I‘d like more serious rpg‘s like the Witcher 2. Preferably set in sci-fi setting.  Actually, I‘d love an rpg that has the dialogue and choice importance of Witcher 2 and combat of Dark Souls.

[Khayness]

This wall of text is the only human made post that can be seen from space with the naked eye.

[Aimi]

Answers to the survey are in spoiler tags.

Spoiler

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

I don't have an incredibly strong preference between these, but some sort of dark fantasy or sci-fi setting would probably be the most fun for me out of those choices.
 
02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

Believability isn't particularly important outside of a setting that is explicitly connected to the real world. When there are orcs or space fleets or mutants or whatever, "believability" has gone out the window. I think it's much more important that things are explicable and consistent in the setting: that it has rules for how stuff usually works and how people in certain situations usually act, and that those rules are followed.
 
03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?
 
It is not particularly important to me and I would be willing to play an RPG with little to no magic.

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?
 
Potentially, yes.

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?
 
Oh my.

I think that there are many opportunities to set RPGs in past Earth history that have not been explored. Warlord-era China, for instance (1911-1949), or the Hellenistic oikoumene (323 BC-31 BC). Alternate-historical settings would also be fertile ground, in my opinion.

As for mythos...Welsh and Norse mythology obviously dominate modern fantasy settings. There are a smattering of "Greek", "Chinese", and "Japanese" ideas in other settings, but they're an underutilized minority. I would be interested in exploring those, or in exploring a setting that heavily incorporated Indian religion. Alternatively, some sort of American Gods-type thing - where all gods are real, after a fashion, and walk the Earth - would be cool.

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?
 
As noted before, I've had so much Norse- and Welsh/Celtic-based stories and games that I'm heartily sick of them.

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

To answer both of these at the same time: I don't really care.
 
09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...
 
Meh.

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

Yes, they can and should be represented in a game's story. All societies deal with some form of social problem, and most such social problems bear at least passing similarity to issues in other ones. Drawing too obvious and blatant a parallel might be bad insofar as it's generally a hallmark of lazy writing.
 
11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...
 
Meh, again. I'm okay with 'orcs'; some of their incarnations (e.g the ogrilloi of Matt Stover's Overworld) have been done pretty well. In general, though, I could enjoy a game with no fantasy races, with only fantasy races, with fantasy races that have been done before, and with fantasy races that haven't.

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).
 
I would be more than willing to play such an RPG.

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

I would be willing, so long as the rest of it was good. It'd help if the names were, y'know, good names; if they've all got three glottal stops and random capitalization, I'm out. Fantasy writers need to wean themselves off of freaking glottal stops.
 
14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 
 
I was okay with it, but only because some of the faces looked good. It's more important to me to have a character's face that I can look at and not hate than it is for me to have a character's face with a specific look.

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

I'd be interested in seeing how this would be implemented. I would not be interested in seeing it mandated without further information.
 
16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?
 
I think that this is a vaguely interesting idea, but that it probably isn't worth the time to develop it.

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

Don't care about svartalfar. Keep them or kick them, either way. Don't see any particular need for them.
 
18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

Also don't care. Again, keep em or kick em. They're an archetype; sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. It's more down to implementation than anything else.
 
19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?
 
I generally don't play as non-humanoid characters because I have difficulty relating to things without vaguely similar faces. I have played RPGs with such characters, but never as such characters.

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.
 
I dislike this a great deal, but I recognize its historical and dynastic relevance and as such I could see it making for a decent game.

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?
 
Yes.

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?
 
24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?
 
Meh. I don't, uh, really care that much.

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?
 
I know that they will look fantastical, and not realistic. I've largely resigned myself to this.

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?
 
Not quite a must-have, but I like companions a great deal.

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?
 
They are somewhat important to me, but I would prefer that they be done well, and right, rather than something that is a relative afterthought. Poor romance plots are worse than none at all. I would strongly dislike a romantic subplot that is both forced and lacking in choice.

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?
 
I don't know any of them very well. Sorry.

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?
 
Well, ain't that the sixty-four thousand dollar question.

Making characters is an alchemical process; I'm not sure that anybody can describe to my satisfaction a set of general principles that makes for a good one. An antagonist with motivations and capabilities that make sense is a start, I suppose. But there's also a fair amount of mileage in antagonists with eldritch, unknowable motivations and vast powers, and also in antagonists that aren't even necessarily characters (like environments, or ideas, or diseases).

I suppose, like obscenity, I know it when I see it. Sorry.

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

I would like to reemphasize my interest in a historical or near-historical setting.

[Seraphim24]

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

 

50% Dark Fantasy 50% High Fantasy. It's more what the implies about the kinds of characters and stories than the actual setting though. 

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

 

50/50 again? Some things feel more real because they're magical or something and some things less real because they're just literally reproducing something without investigating underlying phenomena. 

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

 

Probably not, it would get boring. 

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

 

Well, many RPGs have "non-humans" that are basically humans (Elves) so, not sure how to respond to that one. 

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

 

Nordic mythology is almost always interesting to me when it shows up. 

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

 

Christianity is really ever-present, so games with the one true god or things like that I usually am not as excited by anymore. 

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

 

I do not enjoy the Dragon Age Elves at all, but I don't really consider WoW elves to be very alien. Elves are best when they're the snobby pretentious super powerful warrior gods. The Warhammer Elves seem maybe the most interesting overall. 

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

 

I'm not sure Dwarves are there, honestly. I wish they were more machinist/super technical/powerful and less appeal based on their whimsical grittiness. 

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

 

I really don't want to see any more. 

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

 

Aren't all real issues represented in games in one way or another? 

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

 

The Asmodians in Aion but I suspect they hardly qualify as a distinct race. (99% human, basically just have tails)

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

 

Yeah, although I can't think of many RPGs that didn't have Caucasians. I can think of games like Shantae though sure. 

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

 

Yeah, don't care.

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 

 

I can't remember KOTOR at this point, I'm sure it's fine either way. 

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

 

Uh... whatever, sure. 

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

 

That seems like a lot of effort for no real gain. What would be the purpose of such a mechanic? If you really wanted a certain character you would have to re-roll and put in all this extra effort. 

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

 

More dark elves, lots more dark elves. 

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

 

Boring. 

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

 

Boring, these racial options always feel gimmicky to me. 

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

 

These questions are starting to feel like social engineering or something. I'm not really interested in a family building simulation game, but it's probably theoretically possible for it to be fun in the game somehow (such as in Dragon Quest)

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

 

Sure, but I don't know how serious it would be, for instance it sounds like Soul Blazer qualifies and was a fun game but probably not what you had in mind. 

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Swords. 

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Swords.

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

I'd want to see no weapon as an option, like Freya in Valkyrie Profile. 

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

 

50/50.

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

 

Don't really care. 

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

 

If it's fun sure, if it's not no. Overall, it is not much of a factor in deciding whether to like a game or not. 

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

 

Probably early Final Fantasy, it has bells and whistles but it doesnt take itself seriously. 

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

 

Figuring out whether he's actually an evil antagonist is good. 

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 

Less tied to settings and more actual development ideas. Instead of copying the texture of fantasy, investigate what the Elves seem to stand for and apply that to modern times. 

I look forward to the answers

[De1ta0m3ga]

01)  Sci-fi is preferred, but I like both High and Dark fantasy.  Post-Apocalyptic is meh, better than both present day and steampunk, IMO.

 

02)  I like having most everything explained.  Some bits of lore I do like kept mysterious/vague, such as previous cycles and species in the ME games.  I personally like being able to think up my own explanations, my own appearances for species like the Raloi, Inusannon, etc.

 

03)  Magic is not critical for me, in that I'll still play the game (Fallout: New Vegas is a good example), maybe once or twice.  I feel that magic in a game adds a special sense of replayability, so to speak.

 

04)  Tough question.  Most of the time I play characters that are either human or barely inhuman (elves, sometimes dwarves in fantasy), so I'm not sure.  Depends on the character options, I suppose.

 

05)  I'm a sucker for Egyptian mythology.

 

06)  I feel like religion in general is too omnipresent in games today, especially high fantasy.

 

07)  I like my elves pretty humanoid - I suppose LotR does it best for me.  Different enough to be seen in a radically different light than humans, but not totally alien.  Personality wise, I like elves that deal in magic/the arcane/divine, or archery/stealth.  Warrior elves, not so much.

 

08)  My favorite depiction of Dwarves I've seen in fantasy were the Khazad in the Civ IV mod, Fall from Heaven II.  They were a trading empire, which flourished through an ice age safely in their great underground vaults.  I personally think that's what the Dwarves do best in fantasy, hiding away safetly underground, and emerging to trade with the surface in times of calm.

 

09)  I'd love to see more species like the Drell from ME.  That is to say, desert-dwelling reptile-like creatures.

 

10)  Depends on the issue.  On many issues, I feel that video games are an inappropriate means of conveying the issue to public attention.

 

11)  To me, the species doesn't matter to me so much as the culture.  If they're desert-dwelling whatevers, I'd be more partial to them than steampunk whatevers.  

 

12)  Not sure.  I'm Caucasian myself, so I'd feel odd playing a character that is not physically similar to me.  This is the reason I don't usually play female characters.

 

13)  Yeah.  Usually when naming my character, I look to the lore to find a name that is appropriate.  John the Wood Elf doesn't cut it for me.

 

14)  Never played KOTOR, no opinion.

 

15)  I'd personally rather they not.

 

16)  I don't want attractiveness to be a deciding factor in my character's appearance.

 

17)  Again, depends on the culture.  I don't really like the black magic using dark elves, or the murderous, crazy dark elf stereotype I see in a lot of fantasy games.  I much prefer, for example, the Dunmer of TES, who are content with their isolation and have developed a sophisticated culture, more so than just black magicians and assassins.

 

18)  I don't ever play Orcs.

 

19)  Again, I don't usually play beast races.

 

20)  Eh.  I wouldn't really care.

 

21)  The Fall from Heaven II mod I mentioned earlier depends heavily on the actions of the Gods, in this case split into the Good, the Neutral, and the Evil.  In that sense, yes.  Provided I, as the player, decide which god to commit myself to.

 

22)  Usually I play magic/archery, but when I use melee, it's almost always a one-handed axe.

 

23)  Bows, and one-handed axes/daggers.

 

24)  Staves, spells, and one-handed axes/daggers.

 

25)  80/20.  I like my weapons more realistic than fantastic, but that doesn't mean I'm totally opposed to the idea of some (moderately) crazy looking swords.

 

26)  I often go solo, so I don't really care.

 

27)  Not at all important to me.

 

28)  Fall from Heaven II.

 

29)  Trying to find out if he is evil, and if so, why.  I find discovering the motivations behind one's loyalties to be as fascinating as the factions to which they are loyal.

 

30)  I'm a lore junkie, so the more lore the better.  Fall from Heaven II had a .PDF file for the lore in it, written like an actual encyclopedia, that was a few hundred pages long.  Defiantly one of the reasons I dig it so much, I can really feel the motivations, the reasons, the causes and effects of what happens in-game.

[Dean_the_Young]

Well, here goes...

 

This survey mainly focuses on wrpgs/crpgs such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout, Baldurs Gate, DnD and so forth. Might be a lengthy list of questions but hey, its worth the discussion. Keep in mind many of the questions tend to be geared towards fantasy settings since its the most common type, generally speaking.

 

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

 

 

I can enjoy any of them. I do think 'modern' era is the hardest to have a traditional RPG, but that may be because I think of 'modern' era games being FPS-style games with very limited health. In sci-fi/fantasy games, at least shields and armor provides cover for durability and being hit many more times. That said, I do love Fallout as well, which would seem to violate that premise.

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

 

My sense of versimilitude comes more from internal consistency than factual plausibility: one of my enduring pet peaves of the Mass Effect setting is that it claims numbers as justifications that make no sense in the face of other numbers. As long as things are appropriately vague and undefined, though, I can accept most things as long as they are internally consistent.

 

That said, I do have less tolerance for political/social contexts. Unless a game makes a consistent or deliberate point that societies are different, games rely enough on presuming audience culture and frame of reference that I don't buy excuses of 'they're a different people.'

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

 

Useful, but not necessary. 'Near-magic' is vague, which could be anything from advanced technology to the common medkit or powerup, but a lore-based 'magic' separate from gameplay is not necessary.

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

 

Only if the protagonists were near enough to human that the differences were superficial. Jak and Daxter are examples. I don't have much interest in playing an RPG as a non-human culture (which would work much better as a linear story), and I doubt I would want anthing too much of an outlier.

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

 

Afghanistan and Iraq under the American occupations. Whether taken literally as a modern-era RPG or adapted to fantasy, there are amazing elements that would work well as Fallout-style RPGs.

 

Alternatively, some ideology-based RPGs would be good. An RPG in a setting analogous to the conversation of the Roman Empire to Christiandom could be interesting. Or a Cold War-type clash of ideologies and proxy war.

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

 

Feudal Europe with mages and witches, without a doubt, are the bedrock of RPGs. You can hardly swing a stick without knocking off a crown or dragon.

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

 

I'm not particularly partial to elves, beyond some aesthetic appeal. I do dislike the 'enlightened naturalist' cliche, but more because it's overused than anything else.

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

 

I think Dwarves deserve to be an alpha-race for once. Not just a lost kingdom or marginal miners based off of some jewish stereotypes.

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

 

There are very few non-anthromorphized robots. They could be interesting.

 

Also, insectoids that aren't some variation of the hive mind idea.

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

 

Social issues are an important element of providing depth to any fictional society. I don't demand that games reflect current social issues or reflect a mission, but one of the most important parts in learning about any society is not only 'what do they believe', but 'what do they complain about?'

 

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

 

Grigori (angel-human hybrids) have been interesting. Similar with demon-human hybrids.

 

An old favorite were sentient companion animals that bond with people. Ann Mcafferie (sp?) had telepathic and teleporting dragons in the Pern series, which was pretty unique as far as fuedal fiction goes. The Heralds of Valdemar franchise has Companions being telepathic horses of magical/divine origin. Companion animals can be good characters and support a setting's uniqueness.

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

 

Totally. Now a days I try and make a point of having at least one playthrough that is deliberatly not Caucasian.

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

 

Yes, though I prefer the Shepard system (the name of address), if only because it lets the first name be used as a distinguishing factor when loading saves.

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 

 

Didn't play it.

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

 

Only if done carefully. And not for all stats- alignment is the main think I'd want to be dynamic.

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

 

I don't think it's worth it in a character-creator RPG. Too hard to keep any consistent premise of 'ugly' and 'attractive' with so many variations. That said, in a story without a character creator, with only a fixed number of variables, I think you could make an entire plot around the premise of beauty changing as a reaction to conduct.

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

 

They never stood out enough for me to care. Whevere they are, they're basically 'like elves, but different.'

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

 

I think the barbarian factor is overplayed. I appreciate how Skyrim treated them as, well, more than made-to-kill.

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

 

No. It's a nice thing to have, but not required.

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

 

Yes. I would like to make this a matter of plot and enable various player reactions, including dislike of it, but as a plot device I would be willing.

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

 

Yup.

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

Don't care about these gameplay questions that much. I'm generally agnostic, though I tend to prefer direct damage dealing personally.

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

 

I prefer they look badass.

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

 

I depends on the story, and they're involvement in it. I do prefer characterization to blank cookie-cuter followers like in skyrim.

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

 

I think romantic subplots can be important parts of the plot- I just prefer it when it's not the RPG main character. Save it for companions and others people, or just non-RPGs. I may or may not take advantage of a romance option, but my enjoyment doesn't depend on them.

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

 

Fallout: New Vegas's reputation system. Besides a global consequence factor, it worked well in many different contexts to show and weigh the reaction of multiplle factions to an unrestricted protagonist.

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

 

Credibility. I want an antagonist to make sense intellectually, be dangerous practically, and be likely to succeed without my intervention.

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 

I'd be open to a 'skip combat' difficulty setting or tool, much like a 'skip cutscene' option. Sometimes I really don't care about the combat that gets between me and juicy stories.

I look forward to the answers

[Jorji Costava]

I'll skip a lot of the questions, because I don't want this post to get too long:

1. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? Definitely scifi. Not really sure about the reason behind it, except maybe that I grew up with more scifi-type stuff than fantasy stuff.

2. How important is believability in a setting? Somewhat important. Some things really do break immersion (for instance, a space ship appearing in the middle of a fantasy story), but in general, I'm pretty laid back about this sort of thing. I'm not even as much a stickler for stories being 100% consistent with their own rules as others are.

3. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Not very; for instance, I don't think Mass Effect would have suffered that much if there had been no biotics at all.

5. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg? How about a setting rooted in South Asian history? I don't think I've even seen that even once in an RPG, which is pretty shocking, if you think about it.

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general? In general, I'm not sure it's even possible to keep at least some social issues out of story-driven RPG's, because as soon as you construct a setting you end up dealing with power relations and power dynamics. Either you give serious thought and consideration to the social and political subtext your story, or you do it 'from the hip,' so to speak, which usually doesn't turn out so well. That doesn't mean you need to address every issue under the sun, or start resorting to heavy-handed allegories for modern day issues, but it does mean that it's difficult if not impossible to keep politics out of your game altogether.

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? The undead as a category aren't exactly a 'race' in the conventional sense, but having said that, one of my favorite treatments of race was Planescape: Torment's treatment of the undead. A lot of them were pretty nice folks, all things considered; they were just trying to 'live their lives,' so to speak (sorry, couldn't help myself).

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? I'd actually be okay with no party members at all; Alpha Protocol, one of my favorite RPGs, doesn't have any companions. There's no reason why you can't have interesting interpersonal dynamics with people who aren't subordinate to you and aren't following you around 24/7. If anything, having no companions would probably improve such dynamics, because it would give NPC's more agency apart from the player.

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? I'm just fine without romances; in general, I don't think RPG's have done a great job of handling romance.

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? My answer is going to seem pretty weak here, but I think what constitutes a good villain depends entirely on what the rest of the game is trying to do. Taking some examples from movies, you might think that a good villain must be someone you can understand or empathize with, but then there's The Dark Knight as the most obvious counterexample. You might even think that a good villain must be competent and intelligent, but then there's Fargo. The list goes on.

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? Two things: First, less combat and more emphasis on novel non-combat mechanics. Sometimes, the demand for X amount of combat gets in the way of the story, and not just in terms of distracting you from the story; the typical PC in an RPG has racked up a body count somewhere in the thousands by the end of the game. Realistically, this is something that should have far-reaching implications for how it affects your character, but it almost never does.

Second, I'd like to see more espionage-themed RPG's. I've always enjoyed espionage stories, and it seems like a really under-exploited milieu for RPG's (Alpha Protocol was, after all, able to market itself as the espionage RPG).

[ObserverStatus]

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

 

 Anything but High Fantasy settings that borrow too much from the Tolken mythos.

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery?

 

 I don't really care if a setting is believable, I just want it to be interesting. Explanations can be interesting some times, but some things are better left to the imagination. The origin of the Reapers comes to mind.

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

 

 Playing as a mage is fun, but some rpgs like Fallout do great without it.

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

 

 Definitely, I'm sick of playing as humans. I always thought it was a pity how you have to be a human in Mass Effect, but not in Dragon Age. Mass Effect's non-humans are so much more interesting than Dragon Age's.

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

 

 I want to play an RPG about the Russian Revolution.

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

 

 Lord of the Rings clone high fantasy settings.

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

 

 I strongly dislike elves when they are portrayed as superior beings who only exist to portray the author's idea of utopia. The ones from Eragon for example. The Blood Elves from WarCraft III were all good fun though.

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

 

 I usually find them pretty dull, they rarely seem to have much depth to them, aside from drinking, living underground, and speaking in Scottish accents.

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

 

 Something original, I want the RPG maker to surprise me.

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

 

 If the writers know what they're doing, they can use real world soical politics to create some genuinely interesting moral dilemmas for the player to face. The SSV Euthanasia from Mass Effect, on the other hand, was pretty boring.

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

 

In this one tabletop, I played as a talking zebra. I really liked that zebra.

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

 

 Why not?

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

 

 Doesn't matter to me.

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against?

 

 Rpgs can be fine without customizable heads, but if the maker has the resources, go for it.

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

 

 I don't know, maybe?

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

 

 Always playing as a character who all the NPCs find attractive can get pretty tiresome.

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

 

 I don't think that any kind of elves should be a staple of rpgs. I would prefer in more rpgs came up with their own races.

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

 

I liked WarCraft II's orcs, they were badass.

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

 

 Couldn't hurt, I rather like werewolves.

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

 

 Doesn't really sound like my thing, but if could be fun if it does something unique. If all your potential spouses are pigeons for example, that would be interesting.

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

 

 Once I read a Sumerian myth in which mortals were so noisy that the gods couldn't sleep. The gods got sick of them and flooded the earth, but eventually they had to create people again because the gods couldn't be bothered to dig irrigation canals for themselves, they wanted humans for that. I wouldn't mind playing as the priest of a god like that. "Be quiet or die!"

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

I tend to prefer fighters with a dash of magic added for flavor, like WarCraft's paladins and death knights. In Skyrim, for example, I played as a fanatical knight-templar type fighter who liked to barbeque the undead with holy fire in Meridia's name.

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

 Not really sure what to make of rogues, they're a lot of fun to play as in first person games like Skyrim in Dishonored, but in 3rd person games, not so much.

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

 

 I love mind affecting spells. Not much in RPGs is quite as satisfying as watching your enemies destroy each other, or wading into a sea of insanity.

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

 

 I prefer weapons and armor that look functional. Those gigantic, overly ornate swords and shoulder pads just look silly.

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

 

 I'm fine with or without them. If they have an actual personality, I'll bring them along, but otherwise, I prefer to go it alone.

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

 

 I usually don't care for them, Hatoful Boyfriend is the only game I've played in which I particularly liked them.

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

 

Mad_Modd's version of Fallout Equestria the PNP is pretty great.

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

 

Every well written villain or antagonist faction is interesting for its own reasons, I really can't say. I just don't like it when you have to fight a faction because they all just went insane for some raisin.

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 

A diverse range of dialogue options, character customization options, and ways to solve problems. Anything to give my character a distinct personality.

[meganbytez]

01. What is your most preferred type of roleplaying setting? High Fantasy (Elder Scrolls, Lord of the Rings), Dark Fantasy (Dragon Age), Sci-Fi (Mass Effect), Post-Apocalyptic (Fallout), Superhero, Current/Real World (Alpha Protocol), Steampunk (Arcanum), and so forth

I really enjoy Post-Apocalyptic settings. 

 

02. How important is believability in a setting? Should everything be explainable/have some origin or explanation or do you like a sense of mystery? 

I think its important and cool to have a world that could be real and makes sense all together. but i do really like some things to be kept as a mystery. kinda like the chantry religion in DA or the fade. 

 

03. How important is magic or a near-magic equivalent in an rpg? Would you be willing to play an rpg that is relatively low-magic or does not feature magic (or the supernatural) at all?

its not too important. at least in apocalyptic type things. but if its a fantasy/midevil then i really hope theres magic in it. would get too boring for me otherwise. 

 

04. Would you be willing to play an rpg that features no humans or a setting where you cannot play as a human protagonist?

sure if the game was fun and interesting. 

 

05. What real-world nations or mythos would you like to see explored more in an rpg?

im not sure what is out there already, but for me id like to explore tokyo, egypt, south africa. maybe. really anywhere besides US. except san fransico. theres been some games i know that have already but an apocalyptic san fran maybe. 

 

06. What real-world nations or mythos do you believe are over-represented in most rpgs? Or what real-world nations/mythos would you be least interested in exploring?

united states lol. id be least intrested in exploring united states or european areas. 

 

07. When it comes to elves, one of the most common rpg 'races', what sort of elves do you find most appealing as far as lore and mythos go? Do you prefer elves to be relatively alien (World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls) or more human-like (Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age). What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of elves in fantasy settings?

i really like playing as an elf. its cool for them to be much different from humans. but i also like the elves from dragon age. they do have their own culture. i like how they always have their district cultures. sadly though they're often really oppressed. its like they're seen as weak. id like to see more showing that they're actually strong. they have in DA i think and in skyrim they don't come off as so weak. 

 

08. When it comes to dwarves, another common rpg 'race', what sort of dwarves do you like the most as far as rpg settings go? Given people are relatively divided when it comes to dwarves, what would it take to make dwarves more likeable in a fantasy setting? What do you generally like/dislike about the portrayal of dwarves in fantasy settings?

i really like the dwarfs in dragon age. they're like opposite of elves. they are short and protayed as rouged. where elves are smaller and portrayed as more flexible. they also have a distinct culture. that tends to be more conservative and rouged. i'd like to see more drwafs like varric who defy all the stereotypes. 

 

09. What sort of races would you like to see MORE of in a fantasy setting? Insectoid, reptilian, spirit, robotic, etc...

quinari are defiantly cool. the horns. i think races like well idk what they're called actually kissoth? would be cool to see more of. having horns is fun and cool. 

 

10. Can real world social issues be represented in a game's story well? Or should social issues stay out of games and rpg settings in general?

Real world social issues can defiantly be represented in a game's story well. they should never stay completely out of games. video games are part of the real world. it makes the game more real and its really important to progress games and add good changes and more things to them. i mean even if its not directly a real world problem represented, a lot of the story in games and any story really, come from the real world and can only make sense when you take something from the real world. humans behave in certain ways and i don't see a benefit in pretending they behave another way. 

 

11. Barring the traditional Tolkien-esque 'elves and dwarves', what other fantasy races have you enjoyed in rpg (and fantasy/sci-fi/comic book) settings? Such as Argonians, Khajiit, Orcs, etc...

I've enjoyed orcs. i also really enjoy robotic or cyborg kinda races in futuristic games. also like all the different races in ME. they were really something. 

 

12. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not feature Caucasians/Europeans? As in, the human characters, by default, descend or appear Mesoamerican, African, Asian, etc... due to the setting (Jade Empire, as an example).

yeah i would…kinda weird to ask this question tho when you are not asking solely caucasians/europeans. i would not like to play a game so much when there isn't much diversity. and if its an rpg, if it dosnt have option to play as POC i wouldn't play it. if theres a character creater, in 2014 need to have that option. me personally i wouldn't mind if there was no caucasian/european/white options.

 

13. Would you be willing to play an rpg campaign that does not allow you to 'enter your own name' but rather choose from a list of lore-appropriate names to fit the setting?

i would haha that might cut down a lot of time lmao. but it'd be kinda boring everyone having the same names. 

 

14. What do you think of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series' implemented character creation system of choosing heads as opposed to complete facial customization? Are you in favor or against? 

sadddd that i can't play this game cuz don't have good comp for it, but i wouldn't mind just choosing heads instead of specifics. the most important part to me is the hair really. haha. i understand others wanting it tho. 

 

15. Should stats have an affect on a player character's appearance?

hrmm. depends. like in ME where ud get scars if u go renegade was cool sense u could get rid of them. if its option it'd be cool. it'd be awesome if you could slowly like transform if your infected with something. super cool. but in some cases wouldn't want to. like in DA. 

 

16. What do you think of a 'beauty' stat in an rpg? In Arcanum, a male character had to be attractive as one of the requirements for an in-game romance while both genders could be judged by their appearance, either in favor or disfavor. In some rpgs, its always implied that your character is fairly attractive by NPCs and companions. But what would you think of NPCs and the like reacting depending on whether your character is attractive, unattractive, or indifferent?

i think that would be problematic….depending on what made you attractive and what didnt. like i think it'd be okay if there was like certain clothes or armor that you wore that was more attractive or clean uk and then there would be armor that is more particle but not so flattering. i think that'd be okay. but as in looks? ehh. how would u even decide the requirements of that? 

 

17. Given they are a commonly used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Dark Elves? Do you believe they should be a staple of rpgs? What are your thoughts on their implementation in DnD, Elder Scrolls, general fantasy media, etc...

i don't know too much about dark elves. they seem cool. 

 

18. Given they are an often used, staple race, what are your thoughts on Orcs and how they are portrayed in fantasy media and video games?

i like orcs. i liked being an orc in skyrim. i think they are portrayed more as brutes. i think there should be more orcs that aren't brute-like. just like with dwarfs and elves. races that go beyond skin color can have their traits and specialties and generalizations but there should still be diversity amongst that. 

 

19. Should more rpgs offer the option of playing as a 'bestial' race, such as Pandaren, Argonians, Khajiit, etc...? Would you play an rpg with such a character  (or have you)?

i think they're really cool. I've wanted to play as one (idk if orcs count). not sure if i have yet. but it is cool. it'd be nice for more rpgs offer the choice. 

 

20. If lineage was integral to the game's story, would you be willing to play an rpg series in which the protagonist must choose from potential spouses in order to produce heirs? That being, the protagonist (and their heirs) can be of either gender but their spouses (or partners) must be the opposite gender? Such as Dragon Quest V, for example.

if its like a super necessary thing? it'd kinda suck, but if the game was fun enough it'd still play it and it'd be fun to have a family lineage. it'd be even more fun if i could do so with same sex partners somehow (race like asari or adoption or something). but if it was a fun game in general it'd still be a fun part of the game. if it was a mediocre game then i prob wouldn't play. 

 

21. Regarding religion and deities in rpgs, would you be willing to play an rpg setting where faith and deity (religion) is integral to the game's setting and, even if there are multiple options, your character adheres to a higher being/power (or beings/powers)?

yess i think its very interesting. my warden in dao i made religious but not like following the exact religion but still very much religious. 

 

22. Regarding warriors and 'fighter-type' physical classes, what sort of fighting styles and weapons do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play warriors/physical classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

for warriors i like being two handed the most. altho having a weapon and shield is also fun. i think giving them their own special ability outside of combat would make them more interesting. like they've done in DAI where u can destroy/break stuff. thats great. 

 

23. Regarding rogues and 'scout/stealth-type' classes, what sort of fighting styles, weapons, and talents do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or talents would you like to see? And if you do not play rogues/agile classes, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

i really enjoy playing as a rouge and like playing dual swords. bows are fun too. stealth is always fun. lock picking is nice. 

 

24. Regarding mages and 'spellcaster-type' classes, what sort of powers and spells do you enjoy most for such characters? What weapons and/or spell-types would you like to see? And if you do not play mages/spellcaster types, what could be done to potentially make them more interesting and/or appealing to you?

mostly as a spellcaster/mage types i like being able to deal damage with electricity, fire, ice and having the ability to heal/stun/buff. so like a battle mage or healer. 

 

25. Do you prefer weapons and armor to look more realistic or fantastical?

hmm i prefer to be fashionable and a bit weak over strong and plain. unless in a difficult battle. loving the fact we will be able to make our fav armors the strongest ones in DAI. 

 

26. How important are NPCs/Companions to you? Are they a must have? Would you be okay with creating your own party or going solo?

the bioware companions are extremely important to me and i love them all. i didnt really go around with companions in skyrim. i prefer not to have them in skyrim. so it depends on the game. for bioware games id be sad by myself unless its a new game that didnt have companions before. 

 

27. How important are romantic subplots to you? Should they be a staple of rpgs? Would you play an rpg with no romantic subplots? Would you play an rpg where romance is an integral/required subplot?

romantic subplot is somewhat important to me. i would be fine without romances, but like the ability to be yourself and have same-sex romances along side heterosexual ones. i don't think they're necessary for every rpg. its cool tho. i would defiantly play an rpg with no romance subplots if that rpg was fun. 

 

28. What rpg systems, whether video game or pen and paper, has best conveyed what you would like to see in an rpg?

i like bethesda's fallout and skyrim. they have parts in their games that aren't just like combat and story. but its like these weird little interesting or funny things that happen. or having gameplay where your at a ball or inside the high political figures house and gotta do something. or you find something on the road that leads you to a puzzle or investigation. or you find an underwater ship/area to explore. or have to talk your way out of a hostile situation. also open world. as non-linear as possible. lets you have room to kinda mess around. also enjoy transportation. horses or cars. 

 

29. What constitutes a well-written antagonist faction or villain? What makes a poorly-written antagonist faction or villain?

i think a well written antagonist is very well rounded, has believes that they truly think makes sense. or if not, then they're brutal and interesting in some way. 

 

30. Lastly, what would you like to see in rpgs in general (that were not covered by my questions)? What would appeal to you as far as an rpg setting goes?

 but maybe a new kind of original world or a world not so much explored yet. trying to think of example but can't atm. less like just killing emenies/collecting and more different new gameplay kinda things. 

[Hello!I'mTheDoctor]

1. I don't have a preference really; I prefer Sci-Fi, High & Dark fantasies, and Superhero RPG's.

 

2. Depends on how its done, and whether the supernatural has a place in the lore or not. Believability in Sci-Fi games are key to me, whereas supernatural/enigmatic/mysterious unexplained settings are more suited to other types.

 

3. It's an aspect, but not one I'm huge on. I'd be fine doing it, but I'd have to have some kind of skills that serve as a surrogate for it to a degree.

 

4. I'm theoretically open to the possibility, but personally, I can't say that would actually want to do so. I'm very humanocentric with serious games.

 

5. Allegories to the modern political climate, Norse mythology, Indian mythology, and Aboriginal Australian mythology.

 

6. Hard to say for this, to be honest. Standard Medieval European I guess.

 

7. I like the human elves that have an aura of otherworldliness, with great beauty. Similar to the Noldor (High) Elves of the Lord of the Rings mythology.

 

8. Not much for me to say on this point. Dwarves never appealed to me period. Except Tyrion Lannister, but he's a dwarf human.

 

9. I'd like to see more aquatic races like Mermaids.

 

10. Depends on how well each game does it.

 

11. Darkspawn, Qunari, Others (White Walkers).

 

12. If that was the setting, then sure. Granted, I'm a bit homogenous: I prefer playing as a white dude.

 

13. Sure. I try to keep names realistic for the setting anyway (if I even choose one over the default).

 

14. It's fine if the heads look ok, but that system is out-of-date. There's no need to do just that when you can easily customize any facial features you want.

 

15. Why not.

 

16. I actually am all for this. I do think there should be an 'attractiveness' meter, and each character could potentially have their own preferences regarding race, ethnicity, hair color, eye color, etc.

 

17. I don't have an opinion on that.

 

18. No opinion. Granted, it'd be better to have more three-dimensional enemies. I'm not a big fan of 'good vs. evil' mentalities. I prefer moral ambiguity.

 

19. No opinion.

 

20. Sure.

 

21. No, I like being able to define my characters own beliefs (or lack of them).

 

22. I don't play as them much except in Mass Effect. Don't know.

 

23. I typically play as a rogue. I prefer their style of fighting and general pragmatism with fighting and life compared to the rigid honor and codes of the warriors and the sense of self-restraint and fear of myself that a mage has.

 

24. Don't play as mages much.

 

25. Depends on the setting. I prefer realistic.

 

26. Rather important. I'd like to be able to choose who comes with me though.

 

27. I do very much enjoy the romantic subplots. I know a few games don't have them, namely KotOR II for instance, but I prefer they be in.

 

28. Action video games.

 

29. Moral ambiguity and a sense of wondering if the opponent is truly a villain or not. Him having sympathetic goals and even methods, as well as the ability to see him as a tragic character trying to do good in his own way. The only difference is that we have a legitimate conflict of interest. A bad villain is a character that is mustache-twirlingly bad, or similar to the above, only the game beats you over the head that they're irredeemably bad because they choose to fight the war by sacrificing innocent people for the greater good. I don't like hamfisted writing with morality portrayed as black and white.

 

30. N/A.

[bEVEsthda]

I couldn't see any important question there. (Strange.)

 

I'll answer one: 30: - Freedom, choice and control.

[Nate Assassin]

tl;dr

I like eldur scr0ls