For some reason, it's these small details in RPGs [towns, houses, civilians, more dialog, and etc.] that really makes the difference.
I was playing Kingdom Hearts II and I awhile ago, and, if anything, it felt missing. When I walked into the only town, Radiant Garden and Twilight Town [in some areas without monsters] it seemed somewhat ... empty and all throughout the game it had that same feeling - now that I think back on it a few weeks after, I figured it was mainly because there just weren't many people or "fun" places to explore and look around, and it's not just Kingdom Hearts, but the latest Final Fantasties.
Point is, there are just a few simple things that make an RPG fun for me. In Golden Sun I went around mind-reading people in every town, though to someone outside looking in, it seems like a really simple thing, it really added to the game. Then looking around in every barrel - that fun stuff.
What about all of you? Do small details such as more dialog, towns, houses, etc. make a big impact?
Yeah. Take Pokemon for example. If there wasn't houses, dialogue, and lots of townspeople to talk to, I don't think it would have been very fun at all.
Yes it does, which is another reason why I adore the BG series (PC only).
Anyone even notice that in every RPG ever, you can just walk into houses and take people's stuff?
That's always bothered me... You know? You walk in, don't say anything to anyone, and then look in everything that can be opened for some gold or some potions... AND THE PEOPLE DO NOTHING!
And why are there healing potions in people's dressers?!?
And why do healing potions help someone who's been stabbed numerous times?
AND WHAT THE **** IS A PHEONIX DOWN?!?!?!?!
... It's called a video game. If that is the case, you might as well die by being hit with one blow by a giant ball of fire or a gun.
Though, it would be funny if one game caught on to that detail and some people would get peeved if you just enter their house and started opening up chests.
Breath of Fire I.
Play Obilvion. They might as well rename it "$50 dollar collection of sidequests and random NPCs"
Haha. Sorry about making you guys think I was serious.... "It's a video game." Good stuff.
And thanks for the Pheonix Down....... break.... down....?
Now the real question: What the cock is a Chocobo?
A fictional bird made for riding. Stay on topic.
The game with which I identify such details isn't actually an RPG... it's Mega Man Legends. Same concept, though; something was really great about how you could examine every object in a room, every townsperson had different things to say at different points of the game, and all the other meager, hidden stuff that was ultimately useless but still interesting. There are other games I can think of like this, of course, but Mega Man Legends is the first one I noticed and the most thorough in detail I can think of off the top of my head.
Fable also did a pretty good job of making entering and stealing inside of peoples houses more realistic. You had to steal when no one was looking or you would have the town guards on you butt super quick.
I love RPG's. However, I think things like talking to people in town, searching barrels/closets/chests for goodies, and walking into a new town that is so big it takes an hour to search everything, is annoying as all hell. The storyline is what makes an RPG good, that and the battle system. Take the Suikoden series for example (mostly just 1 and 2). The fights are quick, fun, and don't occur too often. The towns are just big enough, but not so huge that you get bored after walking around for 5 minutes and want to leave the town to actually do something. Also, games where you have to search the world map for stuff, like Dragon Quest 8, which is such a terrible game that I urge all of you to never even look at the box, are retarded. I don't know about you guys but when I'm on the world map I want to fight a minimal number of battles (unless I'm leveling up) and get to the next destination so I can continue with the storyline. RPG's today are becoming so cliche and disappointing that all the extra little junk they're throwing in, for me, has reached the point of maximum annoyance.
Ya fable did alot of good things but the mistake they made when making it was making way to many promises. They promised alot more than they could keep. People were led to believe by the creators that it was going to be the RPG of RPG's. Fable did alot of good things but were overshadowed by the expectations.
It is fun to walk through a town and see how people in that town respond to you. They say different things depending on whether you are evil or good. People will actually run if your evil and swarm if your good. The ladies love the good guy...