Advice from hardcore RPG players wanted...
This topic is locked from further discussion.
But lately, for reasons unknown, there has been shift in my interest. Maybe it has got something to do this is one of the most discussed genres here on the board.
Now, I don't wanna get in to world of warcraft or anything else played online. Maybe I'm not up to that right now. But I would like to play a RPG... What is the best nooby game for me to start out with? Mind that I don't think graphics are as important as a great story. Any starter advices? I'm looking for great gameplay and an elaborate story line.
Sacred maybe(too buggy in my op.), Titan quest, Gothic series are action rpgs. Dungeon Siege 1 and 2 are also quite fun. If you want a real RPG, get Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind or Baldur's Gate. Hack and slash: Diablo, Dungeon Siege, Titan Quest. And action-oriented are Gothic, Oblivion even maybe Dark Messiah.
If, however, you are interested in a game where you can join online communities and play in pesistant worlds made by the community, then NWN is a definite yes. If you want to play the game with friends and a Dungeon Master to control the adventure, again NWN is the only choice.
But if you simply want to play an Official Campaign that comes with any RPG, I wouldn't put it (NWN) at the top of the list. It is an incredibly powerful tool that goes where other RPGs do not. But you have to want what NWN specifically offers...
I never have played a RPG game in my life. Mainly because the RPGs I saw didn't appeal to my choise of gaming. The only fantasay world that ever took hold of me were the stories of Tolkien; that's right I read the actual books. All other fantasy than that just didn't seem like any fun.Everybody has his owns likes and dislikes, you may start liking or hating RPG Games depending on the first impression and for this reason I prefer you having a question of which is the Best RPG and from the list, just pick a random game, every RPG game is easy to understand and is not as technical as you think but Every RPG game has it's own Combat system for example Final Fantasy and Star Wars KOTOR
But lately, for reasons unknown, there has been shift in my interest. Maybe it has got something to do this is one of the most discussed genres here on the board.
Now, I don't wanna get in to world of warcraft or anything else played online. Maybe I'm not up to that right now. But I would like to play a RPG... What is the best nooby game for me to start out with? Mind that I don't think graphics are as important as a great story. Any starter advices? I'm looking for great gameplay and an elaborate story line.
geitenvla
ok to fit your description: tolkien type world...not too hardcore
i can recomend maybe elder scrolls oblivion (i heard this was easier than morrowind)
diablo 2 might work for the pc or even lord of the rings rpg that came out for the ps2 awhile back lord of the rings third age.
these aren't y kind of games but you mite try those....if u didn't say tolkein i could have been more helpful
KOTOR
Elder Scrolls3: Morrowind (GOTY edition),
and Gothic2 (Gold)
Each one has a different type of gameplay and differently build world
They all have more or less developed stories, Morrowind the most, but it has the worst gameplay of the 3 (go figure!)
Don't pay attention to the fact that KOTOR is in starwarsy universe, I don't give a damn about star wars but I still love KOTOR. some things just transcend their subject
I've put all your advice to good use and looked up the titles you all sugested. The really interesting one turns out to be Oblivion. After watching the gamespot review on it and a couple of gameplay videos, I must say: I'm pretty turned on. I like the idea of stealth and doing your own thing, being able to solve the game at your own best judgement. Another interesting thing was the whole sidequest idea, but I guess that is not exclusive to Oblivion. I think I'm going to have a go on this one... geitenvlaThat was the one I was going to suggest. This game is great for someone new to RPGs: it has all the flashy graphics, and it's not too deep in its gameplay. Do not play Morrowind, Gothic-series or Neverwinter Nights-series yet, they are a little more for the hardcore-fans. But pick them up eventually, great Single Player-campaigns. I would also suggest you play Kotor after finishing Oblivion, it is sci-fi at its best.
I'd say Planescape: Torment or Fallout/Fallout II. Both are great stories and easy to get into with still enough complexity for hardcore fans.Â
if you realize you're more story oriented and dont care much for complicated controls schemes, then try a Final Fantasy game (only 7 & 8 available on PC) or Fable or Summoner.
if more complex RPG's with deep character customization are your thing, then The Elder Scrolls or Gothic series should satisfy you.
oh, and if you want Sci-Fi, i'd definitly suggest Knights of the Old Republic.
I've put all your advice to good use and looked up the titles you all sugested. The really interesting one turns out to be Oblivion. After watching the gamespot review on it and a couple of gameplay videos, I must say: I'm pretty turned on. I like the idea of stealth and doing your own thing, being able to solve the game at your own best judgement. Another interesting thing was the whole sidequest idea, but I guess that is not exclusive to Oblivion. I think I'm going to have a go on this one... geitenvla
I hate to recommend Oblivion as an RPG (I love the game, but it lacked depth to my mind), but in this case, what I find fault with will work for you. You should be able to get into it pretty easily, there's a very strong community to help you if need be, and the game is flat out beautiful if you have a good machine. If you find you enjoy it, and want to get into something deeper or more complicated, take a look at the preceding game in the series, Morrowind. Just with those two games, you can get many hours of RPG experience. Good luck, I hope you enjoy.
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
Lilac_Benjie
[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
artur79
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
[QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
Lilac_Benjie
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :)
[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
artur79
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :)
Most aren't.
Have you played Planescape: Torment or Civilization 4?
Edit: Civilization 1 & 2 would make better examples, since Civilization 4 was dumbed down quite a bit.
I never have played a RPG game in my life. Mainly because the RPGs I saw didn't appeal to my choise of gaming. The only fantasay world that ever took hold of me were the stories of Tolkien; that's right I read the actual books. All other fantasy than that just didn't seem like any fun.I'm going to second the recommendations to try Baulder's Gate II. The first in the series is a great game, but BGII is a true classic; it's absolutely magnificent. Not just in a gameplay sense, but in an artsy-fartsy sense, with great storytelling, rich and diverse possibilities, and a lush, high-fantasy world. And it's not terribly difficult to pick up. Like many games, the opening sequence is designed to hold your hand a bit... as you develop as a player, the game unfolds larger and larger. It's well-paced. Wondering if you have a taste for good PC RPG-ing? Baulder's Gate II will tell you. If you like it, you do. If you don't, well, PC RPG-ing may not be your thing.
But lately, for reasons unknown, there has been shift in my interest. Maybe it has got something to do this is one of the most discussed genres here on the board.
Now, I don't wanna get in to world of warcraft or anything else played online. Maybe I'm not up to that right now. But I would like to play a RPG... What is the best nooby game for me to start out with? Mind that I don't think graphics are as important as a great story. Any starter advices? I'm looking for great gameplay and an elaborate story line.
geitenvla
[QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
Lilac_Benjie
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :)
Most aren't.
Have you played Planescape: Torment or Civilization 4?
Edit: Civilization 1 & 2 would make better examples, since Civilization 4 was dumbed down quite a bit.
I didn't like Civ 4, so I quit it pretty early. I haven't played Planescape as I simply can't stand isometric view. It ruins the immersion for me. But this game has caught my interest, with everyone saying it's one of the best RPGs ever. I want to play it, but the isometric view.... Arrgh. I'm even playing NWN2 in third person, it's a pain, but still worth it IMO. I've played games for a long time, I have yet to play a game that is intellectual. Maybe your definition of the word is not the same as mine. That's why I said no offence.
[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
artur79
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :) That's a patently unintellectual statement, no offense. It makes zero sense to categorize a genre of entertainment as "intellectual" or not. Nice try. What does make sense is to go back to the question, above, about which games might provide a more intellectual experience. There's merit to that question: what taxes your intellect more? This game, or that one? All games work your noodle some, and it's valid to suggest that some target your intellect more than others.
[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
artur79
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :)
Most aren't.
Have you played Planescape: Torment or Civilization 4?
Edit: Civilization 1 & 2 would make better examples, since Civilization 4 was dumbed down quite a bit.
I didn't like Civ 4, so I quit it pretty early. I haven't played Planescape as I simply can't stand isometric view. It ruins the immersion for me. But this game has caught my interest, with everyone saying it's one of the best RPGs ever. I want to play it, but the isometric view.... Arrgh. I'm even playing NWN2 in third person, it's a pain, but still worth it IMO. I've played games for a long time, I have yet to play a game that is intellectual. Maybe your definition of the word is not the same as mine. That's why I said no offence.Why are we talking about Civ 4? It's not even an rpg, and there are much better rpgs to recommend other than Planescape. Plus he is a "newbie" at rpgs, so I don't understand why you would recommend a game like that anyway. My opinion Lord of the Rings? Beginner? I'd say Oblivion, Morrowind, definitely anything recent in the Elder Scrolls series. You could also try Fable, it's not a very in depth game, but it would definitely get you into the action/adventure rpg genre.
[QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"]If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.lol, "engaging intellectual experience". We are still talking about games here, right?
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
Avoid Diablo 2 or the Elder Scrolls, as they contain very little roleplaying. I would also try to avoid "newbie" rpg's, as you seem to want a more engaging intellectual experience.
lokstah
Have you played Planescape: Torment? What about Civilization 4?
Not all games live down to the mindless videogame stereotype.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think games are intellectual. No offence. :) That's a patently unintellectual statement, no offense. It makes zero sense to categorize a genre of entertainment as "intellectual" or not. Nice try. What does make sense is to go back to the question, above, about which games might provide a more intellectual experience. There's merit to that question: what taxes your intellect more? This game, or that one? All games work your noodle some, and it's valid to suggest that some target your intellect more than others. Well, may I ask what your definition of the word is?
Here's a little advice to get you started.
Tier 2 games: Diablo II, Diablo, Fable, Dungeon Siege 1 and 2, Sacred. Each brings different aspects of rpg environment to light. I disagree that they aren't real rpg'ers since dependant upon your decisions on how to level characters will equate to how strong one becomes.
Tier 1 games: Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights and to some extent Oblivion. These bring a little more emersion into the realm world and how you interact with NPC (non-player characters). Another one that is soon to be released is Assassins Creed where your actions with NPC's will affect overall game play.
Download the demos and see what type of gameplay you seek and then purchase the whole game.Â
for a beginner eh? well, elder scrolls 3 morrowind 3 edition got me hoocked on rpgs to tell you the truth. since then i have enjoyed almost every rpg release. get goty edition for morrowind. oblivions not in depth or big/long. but the new expansion nghts of the nine is good, and the next new expansion willl add a lot more. diablo is really fun, and neverwinter nights is ok. baldurs gate is probably one of the best rpgs out there, all though it reminds me of more a kack 'n slash, but it is quite much like an rpg. hmmm, silverfall comes out in march and looks good, guildwars is an mmo, but it is free. so that makes it pretty good.roject offset, which is tba still, looks F**KING AMAZING! it fetures an entirley new engine/ai and what not. STALKER is a lot like an rpg, with free-roam, and custimization of weapons and stuff like that, but no skills and what not. it is also not out yet.
The being now known only as The Nameless One is one of the closest things the multiverse has to a true immortal. Precisely how long he has lived or how many reincarnations he has had is unknown, but judging from some of the contacts he has made, he is probably at least several thousand years old, and a former "incarnation" notes that he has died several thousand times.
At the beginning of the game, The Nameless One awakens in yet another incarnation, remembering nothing of his long and complex history. This time around however, he finally possesses the ability to recover from death without a memory loss. If the player gets The Nameless One killed in the game, it will simply continue with the hero waking somewhere else (this can be anywhere from a metal slab at the Mortuary or a bed at an Inn, depending on the hero's location at death) and will be able to continue his journey.
The overall goal of Planescape: Torment is to recover The Nameless One's mortality and to discover the truth of his immortality. This is achieved by following clues and hints that the previous incarnations had left. For instance, the tattoos on his back instructed him to read his journal and to find Pharod. Were the Nameless One to lose his memory again, he would be lost without a single guide to nudge him in the right direction and would probably never recover his mortality.
Throughout the game the Nameless One receives memories of his previous lives helping him to uncover more clues, these memories range from remembering a long dead language, which a previous incarnation made sure was extinct by killing the only other man that knew it, to remembering previous battles and events thus increasing certain skills.
One idea that presents itself many times during the game is consensus reality — if enough people believe in something, then it is real, and begins to exist.
yeah, some of the less complex rpgs are super fun. i mean i love hack n' slash, but sometimes you just gotta walk down to the deep end of the pool, take a deep breath, and jump the f*** in. i.e. planescape: t o r m e n t. you WILL NOT regret it. every bit of dialogue, every choice, every character is philosophically loaded. all great rpgs aspire to this. t o r m e n t takes you way beyond standard gaming, and brings into question the the very nature of man. dream, memory, reality. indeed t o r m e n t is an "intellectual" experience. it just....is. all games have the potential for that. it's why we play them...and sometimes we just want to blow s*** up. i for one have taken a lot from detaching a zombies head from his shoulders some 300 plus yards away, tucked up in some lonely bell tower. sometimes you're the predator, sometimes you're the prey. lexdarkscout
Besides the awful phrasing, I agree completely with this post.
I've put all your advice to good use and looked up the titles you all sugested. The really interesting one turns out to be Oblivion. After watching the gamespot review on it and a couple of gameplay videos, I must say: I'm pretty turned on. I like the idea of stealth and doing your own thing, being able to solve the game at your own best judgement. Another interesting thing was the whole sidequest idea, but I guess that is not exclusive to Oblivion. I think I'm going to have a go on this one... geitenvla
If you liked the Thief trilogy, you may possibly like Oblivion...but it's really difficult to recommend it as an RPG, as the actual RPG elements were terribly done.
The stealth elements are vaguely similar to Thief's, though - I think some of the same guys worked on it - but the AI is much more stupid in Oblivion (they won't react to corpses, even if you stealth-kill the guy opposite them who they happen to be talking to at the time), they don't react much to noise, and illusion magic makes stealth pretty much redundant.
In short, don't buy Oblivion for it's stealth elements, nor it's RPG elements - it's just a fairly large, great looking action game. Still, it might be worth playing, if you want an "in" into the world of RPGs.
I'd also recommend Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights or KOTOR as good early RPGs - they're not terribly complicated in terms of battle/dialogue/character options, but they do give you a good idea of what to expect, and introduce you to DnD rules.
*Edit* On second thoughts, you may as well just start with the best, and get Planescape: Torment (as the above posters have said). Sure, every other RPG will look slightly bad after playing Torment (:D), but it truly is a unique and rewarding experience.
Damn you all, now I have to play Torment... If this game is crap, hell will unleash on these forums! Kidding... but seriously, Half Life 1 was a huge disappointment to me, I played it last year (I was probably the last PC-gamer who had not played it...). I don't like to waste my time on over-hyped games.artur79
Half Life changed the fps genre.
Prior to Half Life, first person shooters where all random maps, floating/spinning ammunition and power ups, no storyline to speak of, and ten predictable weapons, the tenth being called something obtuse like "BLT 69" or "The Shrink Freeze Radiation Gun".
[QUOTE="artur79"]Damn you all, now I have to play Torment... If this game is crap, hell will unleash on these forums! Kidding... but seriously, Half Life 1 was a huge disappointment to me, I played it last year (I was probably the last PC-gamer who had not played it...). I don't like to waste my time on over-hyped games.Lilac_Benjie
Half Life changed the fps genre.
Prior to Half Life, first person shooters where all random maps, floating/spinning ammunition and power ups, no storyline to speak of, and ten predictable weapons, the tenth being called something obtuse like "BLT 69" or "The Shrink Freeze Radiation Gun".
I know it's an influential game, but FPSs do not age well. Playing HL after playing all the great FPS that came out later was underwhelming. I did not like it at all. But this is really off topic, so lets not discuss this.
[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="artur79"]Damn you all, now I have to play Torment... If this game is crap, hell will unleash on these forums! Kidding... but seriously, Half Life 1 was a huge disappointment to me, I played it last year (I was probably the last PC-gamer who had not played it...). I don't like to waste my time on over-hyped games.artur79
Half Life changed the fps genre.
Prior to Half Life, first person shooters where all random maps, floating/spinning ammunition and power ups, no storyline to speak of, and ten predictable weapons, the tenth being called something obtuse like "BLT 69" or "The Shrink Freeze Radiation Gun".
I know it's an influential game, but FPSs do not age well. Playing HL after playing all the great FPS that came out later was underwhelming. I did not like it at all. But this is really off topic, so lets not discuss this. I think it aged very well. I mean I enjoyed Quake II just recently and it's been like 7 years since I played it.
[QUOTE="lokstah"]That's a patently unintellectual statement, no offense. It makes zero sense to categorize a genre of entertainment as "intellectual" or not. Nice try. What does make sense is to go back to the question, above, about which games might provide a more intellectual experience. There's merit to that question: what taxes your intellect more? This game, or that one? All games work your noodle some, and it's valid to suggest that some target your intellect more than others.artur79Well, may I ask what your definition of the word is?
Used as an adjective, intellectual means "engages the intellect"--it's not a binary, on/off, black/white quality. It's something you apply quantitatively, or comparatively. Anything or everything could be said to engage the intellect to some degree... the question is how much.
It's awkward, vague, and pretty much meaningless to tell someone that a whole category of media (like video games) are "not intellectual." That's like saying that white people "aren't fast." It doesn't really make any sense. It would make more sense to say that Pong is "more intellectual" than Bubble Bobble, or that white people aren't fast compared to green people.
The poster was pointing out that some modes of RPG gameplay are more intellectual than others, which--unlike your post--is potentially useful information to the topic creator. See?
If you enjoy reading and like the concept of roleplaying, then Planescape: Torment is perfect for you.Lilac_Benjie
- It focuses on conversation, choices, and true roleplaying over combat.
- The storyline is one of the best in an rpg. (Much better than KotOR)
I also loved Planescape Torment and it is, to this day, my number one favorite concept for a game. Had a great time with it. Other people have suggest Fallout 2, KOTOR, and Aracanum, and these are excellent as well. An older RPG that I absolutely loved was Septerra Core. Wonderful plot, though it might feel a bit dated now.
I tend to like some of the unpopular ones, but I like an adventure. If you are feeling brave, maybe Return to Krondor, though it is very linear.
Good luck in your quest!
I never have played a RPG game in my life. Mainly because the RPGs I saw didn't appeal to my choise of gaming. The only fantasay world that ever took hold of me were the stories of Tolkien; that's right I read the actual books. All other fantasy than that just didn't seem like any fun.
But lately, for reasons unknown, there has been shift in my interest. Maybe it has got something to do this is one of the most discussed genres here on the board.
Now, I don't wanna get in to world of warcraft or anything else played online. Maybe I'm not up to that right now. But I would like to play a RPG... What is the best nooby game for me to start out with? Mind that I don't think graphics are as important as a great story. Any starter advices? I'm looking for great gameplay and an elaborate story line.
geitenvla
I had the same thoughts as you. I wasn't into elves and fairies and other weird stuff that I always felt that fantasy role playing was like. Seemed too weird for me.
I do like medieval type games such as the Thief series, so I played Arx Fatalis, but it was really hard.Â
Then one day I bought a game called Gothic 2. It was the game that made me really appreciate all that an RPG has to offer, and it is in a cool medieval setting and doesn't have any pixie fairies and doesn't have to be played with spell casting.
So, I suggest Gothic 2.
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