Need Help With GOTY Polls

Kostas said:

Couch, any chance of a "None" option in the poll?

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Well not voting option is always available.

Is there any thought this year for an Indie category.

Before you think I'm trying to shill my own game I'd give it to Shadowrun.

Completely agree that 2013 sucked RPG based.

In addition personally I'd exclude XCom Enemy Within and Expeditions Conquistador from this poll.
I agree that they have strong RPG Elements, I love tactic games and it's great that RPG watch covers them. But when it's about the "Game of the Year award" do you really want to see a tactics game on rank 1? Or a shooter like Dishonored which also has RPG elements?
Same most probably goes with Banner saga, though as I haven't played it yet of course, I can't really say how much of an RPG it will be - and with AOW3.

The only two RPGs I played this year which I I'd put on the list are:
Shadowrun: Returns - which was mediocre
Avadon 2 - which is very niche, and has some significant weaknesses.

RPGs I am looking forward to in 2014:
Wasteland 2
Lords of Xulima
Divinity: Original Sin
Might and Magic X
Blackguards
Antharion
Malevolence
Avernum 2
Project Eternity
Shadowrun Returns Berlin Campaign
Eschalon Book III
Shroud of the Avatar
Barkley 2
Frontiers
UnderRail
Torment (hardly 2014)
Sui Generis (hardly 2014)


And if you include tactics/strategy games:
Ufo Extraterrestrials 2
Xenonauts
The Banner Saga
Age of Wonders 3
Dead State
Massive Chalice
Jagged Alliance Flashback
Legends of Eisenwald
Endless Legend
Sunless Sea
Project Zomboid

For the poll itself: Would be cool if everyone can vote for everything once.
So if there are 10 games and I anticipate 9 of them I can vote for all 9.

Lucky Day said:

Is there any thought this year for an Indie category.

Before you think I'm trying to shill my own game I'd give it to Shadowrun.

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I could but then the list for 2013 would be smaller than it is already. I don't mind it people want to recommend indie games for a separate poll.

I got a hold of Myrthos so he will help me setup the polls for how we vote every year. So it's looking good at this point.

@kordanor,

I don't see why expeditions wouldn't be an RPG.
Care to clarify ?

Imho the tactical and management elements take the biggest part in the game.
You actually play a person in this game which only exists in dialogues much like the commander in XCom.
The character development is there but very basic.

But of course it is very hard to draw the line about what to see as an RPG and what not. Would you see Heroes of Might and Magic as an RPG? I wouldn't.
Now if you take XCom, Expeditions Conquistador and Blackguards. I would sort them from "most RPG to least" like this: Blackguards>Expeditions Conquistador>XCom. And personally I see the border right between Blackguards and Expeditions Conquistador.

Several of the pseudo-RPG games on the list (most prominently, Bioshock Infinite, XCOM expansion, and Deus Ex: Director's Cut) really shouldn't be choices for RPG of the Year on a CRPG-focused site. Given how weak the real CRPG's from this year are, there's a pretty good chance one of them would win, and why would you want to name a non-RPG as RPG of the Year?

edit: actually I'm not even sure I'd call Bioshock Infinite a pseudo-RPG. It's just a straight-up shooter.

Stingray said:

Several of the pseudo-RPG games on the list (most prominently, Bioshock Infinite, XCOM expansion, and Deus Ex: Director's Cut) really shouldn't be choices for RPG of the Year on a CRPG-focused site. Given how weak the real CRPG's from this year are, there's a pretty good chance one of them would win, and why would you want to name a non-RPG as RPG of the Year?

edit: actually I'm not even sure I'd call Bioshock Infinite a pseudo-RPG. It's just a straight-up shooter.

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I'm not getting into what makes an RPG. As I said three times in the thread it's all subjective. Bioshock and XCom look like they wont even make the final list.

Now as for Deus Ex: Director's Cut it definitely belongs on the list. It will also be on the final list looking at the picks. So others do agree it does.

Anyway let me repeat the list are just options. Not the final games.

Kordanor said:

Imho the tactical and management elements take the biggest part in the game.
You actually play a person in this game which only exists in dialogues much like the commander in XCom.
The character development is there but very basic.

But of course it is very hard to draw the line about what to see as an RPG and what not. Would you see Heroes of Might and Magic as an RPG? I wouldn't.
Now if you take XCom, Expeditions Conquistador and Blackguards. I would sort them from "most RPG to least" like this: Blackguards>Expeditions Conquistador>XCom. And personally I see the border right between Blackguards and Expeditions Conquistador.

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I would agree that the game isn't a CRPG-heavy game, but I would certainly class it higher than dishonored and the like.

It has lots of dialogue and side-quests, it has party members that somewhat matter, it has exploration.... While you are not roleplaying a single unit, you are certainly roleplaying a party leader.

Also, I disagree with the comparison to HoMM. HoMM has no dialogue, no real questing, ... Only similarity is tactical combat.

Maybe I should use HiddenX's CRPG meter with it

I might do it later and then we can see.

Couchpotato said:

I'm not getting into what makes an RPG. As I said three times in the thread it's all subjective. Bioshock and XCom look like they wont make the final list.

Now as for Deus Ex: Director's Cut it definitely belongs on the list. It will also be on the final list looking at the picks. So others do agree it does.

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Offering Deus Ex Director's Cut is probably even stranger. It's not a new game, just a re-release of an existing pseudo-RPG from 2011 with a few minor changes. I guess you could say the same for Baldur's Gate 2 EE. I think if the Deus Ex re-release is included as an option though, there's a decent chance it'll win, and if it does, I suppose a re-released shooter winning "RPG of the Year" will make quite a statement about how awful of a year 2013 was.

Stingray said:

I suppose a re-released shooter winning "RPG of the Year" will make quite a statement about how awful of a year 2013 was.

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I can't argue with that as it is true by looking at the releases of last year. It will be up to the Watch members, and visitors to decide by vote.

2013 - Wow, what a weak year for CRPGs. The best games on that list weren't even RPGs ( IMO! ). I don't think a single one of those really grabbed me though I did try many of them.

2014 however is looking very promising.

Wasteland 2 !!
Blackguards - I've been playing the early access and very much enjoying it.
M&M X - My expectations are high but we'll see how it pans out.

The rest I'm giving a wait and read the reviews approach. I usually let the opinions on this site separate the good from the bad on the indie/small studio games and most of the AAA games on that list are sequels to games I was disappointed with.

was 'of orcs and men' released last year? that was a fun game

wolfing said:

was 'of orcs and men' released last year? that was a fun game

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Yes it was last year. In my opinion it is the best game Spiders has made so far. I was hoping they would make a sequel, but it doesn't look like they will.

I think it's time for me to replay the game once again.

When WaS mars war released.

you said:

When WaS mars war released.

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This year it's an option on the list. A few have picked the game so far.

Using a standard poll for GOTY is only a good idea if you can hide the results from everybody including those who have voted. Otherwise the poll will be invaded by people from other sites who want to see a certain game win.

Something else which will inevitably happen is:
As soon as you start the poll, somebody will complain why game A and B aren't included.

I don't know if Ittle Dew belongs on the list. It's not really a CRPG, but more of a Zelda like (specifically Zelda: a link to the past & Links Awakening). It's not even listed as an RPG on steam or GOG. Rogue Legacy is also a questionable one. It's a 2d platformer with randomly generated levels & a rudimentary upgrade system.


On the other hand, the following mostly fit into the CRPG category:
Sword of the Stars: the Pit
Dark



Anyway, in regards to which ones should be in the final poll?
Shadowrun
Path of Exile
Paper Sorcerer
Avadon 2

Food for thought: Dishonored wasn't included on last year's most "anticipated RPG titles" list, so an about-face now on its classification would be… humorous.

Sparsity of the field shouldn't dictate its contenders.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The polls will be on the way in a week or two from now. I look forward to see what you guys pick.