Action/RPG Elements

#1 An Action/RPG game should have:

- Experience points/level-up system
- Inventory/equipping menus (choose which items to use, etc.)
- Map is definitely a necessary RPG element
- And so should be conversations with NPCs, but without complex trees/decisions... just short dialog with the occasional yes/no question.
- If its single player, there should be at least a few possible outcomes to the story (multiple endings basically).

I think the first two points are the most important to making this type of game.

#2 Personally I think exp is the worst thing ever invented. Depending on the actual game type (Diablo hack'n'slash or more story driven), the tech tree and level advancement should be hidden from the player as much as possible. Managing xp and starting to think "I need to kill the level 3 boss 2 more times to advance another level" removes all the immersion into the game world.

Building it into the story, having an NPC suddenly giving you a lesson in martial arts making you stronger - thats how it should be done.

Some ppl do like the xp stuff as obvious as possible - so its a matter of preference.

Inventory is a must (if well done) and NPC conversation too.

#3 You don't want to be blindly leveling up though. Then you wouldn't know if you have to play 1 more second or another 1000 hours to become the best preson in the game.
I'm pro EXP

#4 I don't think you need experience points at all. You can have it but I don't think it is needed.

If it is an action game so use the RPG element in context of providing good action game fun. Give the player some abilities to gain(exp progression is only one method of many) and if you want you can have some skill allocation but it isn't needed.

Also the story is going to be important, and telling it in a effective manner is going to be difficult. The easiest thing to do is just write it out and have people read it, but the 3PS crowd isn't into reading for the most part :)

I think this is a good area to explore. I am actually planing a similar project of my own so I am not giving too much up.

#5 A lot of the more goal-oriented gamer types really LOVE knowing the exact score, how it's improved, etc. I get in that mode a lot of the time (but in Pen & Paper RPGs, I'm more of a role-player... so I guess I'm a closet powergamer).

When I'm playing an action game, though, I'm really what Tracy Hickman (author of several D&D modules and several fantasy novels, including DragonLance) used to refer to as a "Dumpie" - a "Dungeon Upwardly Mobile Professiona;". I need goals. I don't want to load a game and forget what it is I'm supposed to be doing. Just hacking & slashing to move myself up the treadmill does not interest me. Diablo's quest pages are pretty essential, IMO... you can always find out what you are supposed to be accomplishing next.

#6 To me an "action/RPG" is something along the lines of the Zelda series of games...

No silly EXP, no cliched "leveling up", none of the trappings of a conventional RPG...character improvement through the aquireing of items rather then through brute force of the players will to constantly engauge in combat inorder to recieve EXP...but thats me :P

#7 You guys made some great points. My game will be single player. It will also not be hack 'n' slash...more story driven with a nice mood.

I wasn't sure if using levels was a good idea but now I think I'll do what the Iceman and most of you suggested: Character improvement in a more hidden way rather than using numbers. Of course there needs to be a way that the player notices this improvement like you guys suggested.

Also, having the player somehow choose his areas of improvement is a good idea. Something similar to skill allocation.

Nick

#8 Zelda is a good example... I was thinking of the Castlevania series which I think is action/RPG. The EXP and leveling-up doesnt interfere with straight forward playing and I never felt like I had to refight any bosses just to level up. It just creates a mechanism to increase the strength of your player as you play, aside from getting better weapons. I guess because it never had that much character interaction in it (like Zelda) having EXP points made it more "RPG-like"... so I guess its a matter of balancing the different RPG elements -- if you have alot of NPC interaction throughout the game then you dont need EXP, and vice versa. Just a thought.

#9 How about Metroid, even Super Metroid?...sure they arn't the first games to come to mind...sci-fi themes and shooting ability, don't really scream "elements of RPGs" let alone action/RPG...but the core elements are the same as in the Zelda games. Improvement through the aquirement of items with which you have more abilities...additionaly you had an inventory of sorts on the latter Metroid games in that you could activate/deactivate some of your items (for different effects, shot types, etc..). Not to mention how important it was to explore the game enviroment.

#10 Well I suppose, technically, any game where you assume the role of a character makes it "role-playing". Where do you draw the line?

#11 Well, my suggestion is, decide which aspect would be most benificial to your game, seamless action or intensive role-playing, and find a balance between the two. This can be found by figuring out what elements of role-playing you wish to allow, what rules you want to take advantage of, and how much interaction by the player will be required in order to make everything work in an 'action' sort of way.

Zelda and Metroid are good examples of Action RPGs, where the main gameplay is focusing on moving around through an area in order to recieve an upgrade that allows you passage to the next area (removing the need for exp). FF: Crystal Chronicles is another example of a good Action RPG. In this game, exp is also gone and replaced with a large array of artifact enhancements, then you're limited to choosing only one to keep after each area you defeat.

All in all, it's balance between the two worlds of 'plenty of action' and 'role-playing decisions'. Find what works within the theme your using for your game.

- Christopher "Ronixus" Dapo

#12 Yeah, I agree. Zelda is an awsome example of Action-RPG. Technicly, everything is open at the begining of the game, but you don't have the stuff to get there. Using Orcorena of time as an example, in the very begining of the game, you can get to the forest temple, but you don't have to weapon to get in (hookshot). The only real problems that I see about zelda, is the limited weapons, the fact that you can't change the storyline at all, and the lack of side quests (The only one I can think of is the Big Gorrons Sword). Metroid has most of the same problems, if you just added more options, they'd be exactly what I wanted in an
Action-RPG, the perfect blend of action and options, without an annoying leveling up system.