Console RPGs: A small analysis

[Welverin]

The first is due to the limited size of games on consoles.

It was already pointed out, but size isn't an issue for most games (CRPG's being one of them), if you want to include more stuff just add extra discs.

In fact Sports and fighting games are about the only ones I can think of where it makes a difference and they don't use enogh space for it to be an issue, with the exception of games like THPS which include a lot of video.

The other factor is the increasing tendancy for console RPGs to devalue player decisions and basically make the game an interactive movie.

Bingo! Square now a days is just interested in making slightly interactive movies, and the world is just there for a bit of setting. So it's all about the story they want to tell and everything else is secondary.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Bingo! Square now a days is just interested in making slightly interactive movies, and the world is just there for a bit of setting. So it's all about the story they want to tell and everything else is secondary.

Which I actually do not mind.

 

[LightPhoenix]

It was already pointed out, but size isn't an issue for most games (CRPG's being one of them), if you want to include more stuff just add extra discs.

This whole post in contingent on my opinion.

Meh, extra discs really started to annoy me, especially since it seemed like almost every RPG from the PSX era had to use them. If you can't fit it all on one disc, it's not enough room, in my opinion. I can easily see the same trends happening in this era too - graphics take up increasingly more room, until someone, probably Square, goes overboard and needs two discs. Not to mention the problem of having to have everything on each disc, which means that you can't have true free roaming with that approach.

This would be increased by allowing players to do what they wanted. Suppose a simple choice - allowing a village to be destroyed or not. Now instead of one town, you need two - the whole one and the destroyed one. Not only do you need both, but no matter how you spin it, chances are one of them sits unused on the disc for the majority of the game.

Size isn't an immediate concern, but five years from now I fully expect there to be multi-DVD games. Which may bother me, and not the majority of people, but I never claimed to be speaking for everyone, or anyone but myself.

 

[drothgery]

I'm pretty sure that there aren't any dual-layer DVD games for any console yet, and both the PS2 and Xbox are capable of playing them. It's probably also worth noting that as the "in-engine" graphics get better, you're seeing a lot less in pre-rendered movies. So I don't think we'll see a multi-DVD game in this generation of consoles. PS3 and Xbox 2 are expected in 2006, after all.

We might see multi-DVD games in the next generation, if Microsoft and Sony don't move to a higher-capacity format (there are several going around), but I wouldn't count on it. Even if you're using uncompressed HDTV-quality video, it takes a while to fill up 8 gigabytes.

 

[reiella]

Size isn't an immediate concern, but five years from now I fully expect there to be multi-DVD games. Which may bother me, and not the majority of people, but I never claimed to be speaking for everyone, or anyone but myself.

Well, given that PS2 now has a harddrive, that even allows for game installation (FFX in japan was installable to the hard-drive, not sure if it's enabled in the US version or not) and running completely from the hard-drive, I have a real difficult time seeing size being a reasonable medium concern.

[ Note: the x-box also has a hard-drive, but microsoft policy is a bit stingy with what can be installed to it I believe ]

I'm pretty sure that there aren't any dual-layer DVD games for any console yet, and both the PS2 and Xbox are capable of playing them. It's probably also worth noting that as the "in-engine" graphics get better, you're seeing a lot less in pre-rendered movies. So I don't think we'll see a multi-DVD game in this generation of consoles. PS3 and Xbox 2 are expected in 2006, after all.

XenoSaga and a few other's since are dual layered DVD games. Morrowind GOTY I believe is also dual-layered for the X-Box. Both have trouble being played on older boxes (or in the case of MW, the mid-age boxes).

And yes, CRPGs (even Computer based such as Baldur's Gate, Morrowind, etc) are alot more character based than World based. Characters are alot easier to show depth and interaction with is most likly the reason. Dialogue is a very powerful tool .

 

[Stormfalcon]

Well, given that PS2 now has a harddrive, that even allows for game installation (FFX in japan was installable to the hard-drive, not sure if it's enabled in the US version or not) and running completely from the hard-drive, I have a real difficult time seeing size being a reasonable medium concern.

[ Note: the x-box also has a hard-drive, but microsoft policy is a bit stingy with what can be installed to it I believe ]

In fact, Final Fantasy XI does run from the hard drive and comes pre-installed on it (aside from having to update it initially). FF X US didn't support it since the HDD just came out this past month, a couple years or so after FF X came out here. We'll probably see more games take advantage of the HDD over time.

As for the Xbox HDD, the system doesn't allow for entire games to be stored on it (unless you have a modchip and a bigger HDD). It only allows for ripped music, gamesaves, downloaded content, and cached levels during gameplay. Of course, you couldn't expect too much out of an 8-10GB drive anyway.

 

[RangerWickett]

I recall the PS1 version of Riven, the sequel to Myst, was 5 disks. Each disk was a different one of the five islands. I didn't really mind having to switch, except for when I changed my mind after heading to a new island.