skavenhorde
Little BRO Rat
For one, even though there is a desire expressed by many RPG fans to see innovation, there is a simultaneous wish from many of these same people to stick to features of the genre that they prefer and NOT innovate. Include something truly new and you'll get cries in some corners that you're changing what doesn't need to be changed. Include nothing new and you'll get cries of "seen that!" from the other corner.
This is so true. I missed out on a great game when I was a kid because I flately refused to play it, buy it, rent it or even look at it. I wouldn't play Ultima Underworld because it was so different from the other Ultimas and it pissed me off the LB went with this newfangled 3D thing. Turns out I missed out on some amazing games.
Oh and the same was true for SSI EOB. I wanted more goldbox less 3D. Once again missed out because I was too stuborn. Now I'm less stubborn (sometimes) but I'm willing to give something a try at least once. Oh sure, I might lament on the death of this or how they should of done that, but I'll still try most games that come out with an openmind.
I've no easy answers -- thankfully it's not my job to make most of these decisions. I'm just pointing out the perspective that might be needed if you're actually going to think like a developer. If what you're talking about instead is what innovations would make a game more interesting from a fan perspective, that's quite something else.
Depends if your making an indie or AAA. AoD is a fan's dream made from a fan's perspective becoming reality. Armageddon Empires again dream made reality. No casual gamer would come within 50 ft of either of those games. Yet AE has had quite a lot of success, for an indie, and AoD is looking like it will be the next best thing since sliced bread.
So unfortuantly for me the main stream left me in the dust a long time ago. I'll adapt and try out the new stuff, but I haven't really played anything all that great since KOTOR 1 & 2 and Bloodlines. Even NWN 2 wasn't as good as those, but just my opinion. If the main stream totally leaves me behind (like all games becoming MMOs) there will always be indies. I'll be happy enough playing older games while waiting for a 7 year cycle indie game to be released
I would like to add one thing. I do try and enjoy a lot of the newer releases, but I would love to see games like Arcanum, TOEE, BG and Fallout (ISO TB) be given a little love and returned to the main stream. Dragon Age looks like it might be as good as BG2. Hope so anyways, would like to see the publishers drool instead of cringe when they hear about a RPG game.
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