I hate BG and Diablo series...

BG I and II were perfection come true

Sir,

It is quite clear that your name explains it all. Take the "Junk" from "Vikjunk" and it
becomes clear as to what your mental state is. The BG series was outstanding and came at a time when RPGs where sorely needed.

Sir, Please climb back into your candy wrapper and re-think you comments.

I bid you a fare day...

- Sir Montique, ESQ.

 

No, Sir, you are thinking of Fallout. Baldur's Gate is a huge step back from Fallout.

 

Haven't played that, so no comment.

 

What makes an RPG?

This is an intriguing discussion. What does make a game an RPG. I think wee all agree that Diablo isn't one but I think Deus Ex might be. So what really makes an RPG? here's my opinion of what elements are required:

1)Character development - This requires 2 important things. First is the attributes you can choose. Is he a big bad in your face fighter, a stealthy shadow that strikes from the shodows, or another type based on the game system. Second is the coice of behavior. Do you always have to be the good guy or can you take a choice of being more of the nasty antihero

2)Play Options - Is there more than one way to complee the mission. Do you have to go in door A and kill baddies 1 through 4 or can you choose another path. Also, will your coices effect the game in some other way. If you kill person X will person Y act different towards you.

3)Story/Playing a role - This is probably the hardest one to explain but I'll give it a shot. Any RPG should focus on a story and the role your character plays in that story. Granted, most games of any type have a story or plot of some sort but playing a role is soo much more. For example, in Diablo 1$2 the story comes to you in the occasional statement by a townsperson or a movie clip at the end of an act. Even with this story, the main point of the game is to kill lots of monsters until you kill the big boss himself. Diablo would be just as playable with no story elemetns at all. On the other hand, games like Arcanum and Baldur's Gate are dependant on the story. Involvment with the story is the main reason to play those games. They couldnt exist without the story elements.

I'm sure there's more to add but I'll leave it at these three until I get some feedback. I'm curious at what you all have to add to or dissagree with what I have so far.

Before I finish I did have one question about the Fallout series. I have never played Fallout and am thinking of buying it but would like to know a little about it. Mainly I'm wondering how it's simmilar and/or different from Arcanum like how characters are developed, the combat system, or anything else you think is important. I already know the basic plot of the post-apocolyptic world so I'm really just interested in gameplay features. I'd appreciate anything you can tell me.