The CRPG Addict - "LOLCRPGS"

A week or so back The CRPG Addict wrote about humour in CRPGs, which is an interesting subject. Here's a snip:

1. The dialogue of HK-47 in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The homicidal droid insists on calling humans "meatbags," although he refers to you as "master"—except when he slips.

2. Minsc's dialogue in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II, particularly the latter. This is a perfect example of humor that grows from characterization. What might otherwise just be "goofy" becomes funny and endearing when you learn Minsc's story, alignment, and approach to life. ("Eh? He is like a bad penny, this one. An armored, deep-voiced penny of most sinister evil!")

3. Many of the throw-away "scenes" in Skyrim, including one that includes a bed, a copy of The Lusty Argonian Maid, and a potion of fortify one-handed.

More information.

I wasn't even aware of U4.5. downloading now!
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there have been fan man sequels and parodies of Ultima before. Illtima was a good for one laugh. There was a neat fan made game which tied in U3 to U4 by explaining why the world changed and what happened to the fuzzies, etc.
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something that actually get's me - is people that take their games too seriously (*put's on Weird Al album*).

'What might otherwise just be "goofy" becomes funny and endearing'

No it doesn't. For me it was merely irritating - never mind goofy. Humour is subjective and I haven't enjoyed a single moment of being subjected to Bioware's interpretation of it. I especially didn't appreciate being stuck with the NPCs I would have killed on sight in BG 1 when I started BG 2.

Humor is very subjective, but that's true about everthing about game design, storytelling, and art in general. No matter how much most people love something, there will always be people who hate it. That doesn't mean that you should get rid of it, it just means you can't please everyone. Minsc is a perfect example.

Originally Posted by The Nameless Zero
'What might otherwise just be "goofy" becomes funny and endearing'

No it doesn't. For me it was merely irritating - never mind goofy. Humour is subjective and I haven't enjoyed a single moment of being subjected to Bioware's interpretation of it. I especially didn't appreciate being stuck with the NPCs I would have killed on sight in BG 1 when I started BG 2.

Subtle humor is ok. I hate when a developer goes overboard with it. I think Larian does a great job of blending the right amount of humor into their RPGs.

Bioware's humor never bothered me, but I didn't find it particularly good either.

Yep, can't please everyone. Minsc and HK-47 were great in their different ways, characters I will probably remember for the rest of my life.

Only game-centric humor for me (Dragon Age Origins party banter springs to mind, but especially Zevran - you just had to rotate your party in non-combat hub areas to hear your party spark off one another's wits).

Fourth wall shattering humor is a no-no me. Sacred 1 was a good game despite the bugs, but too often my character would mutter something about several buses pulling up all at once, or there would be a tombstone for some person in their marketing department who promised they'd get the word out about the game. Humor is also what put me off buying KotC…

ME2 had me laughing out loud when Garrus and Tali were walking about the Citadel. I don't recall the entire chat, but I do remember Tali saying in a flat voice, "I have a shotgun".


-Carn

Despite being very serious most of the time, the Mass Effect games have some of the funniest bits I've seen in a game. My favorites are Mordin's singing of Gilbert & Sullivan ("I'm the very model of a scientist Salarian") and the all Elcor production of Hamlet in ME2 and the tale of the first hanar Spectre and his elcor sidekick in ME3.

I find fallout(both new and old series) humor to be to my liking.I also like bioware's humor to me HK-47 from SW:KotOR,Shale from DA:O and Mordin from ME 2/3 are funniest characters in their games.

I think Divine Divinity had a good dose of humor and didnt take itself too seriously

I'm definitely a big fan of Bioware's humor. "You've been a slave to your employees long enough - isn't it time you turned that around? Call Indenture-Tech today!"

Bethesda can throw in some good ones. City of Heroes had a lot of humor around, too. Frayed Knights has some good ones, too. All in all, though, Bioware has given me more laughs over the decades than any other company.

Werdna was here.

P.S. - Trebor Sucks!

I remember some of the crazy voice acting back in the first two Divine Divinities. Sometimes it was hard to know if they were trying to be funny or if they were just horrible actors. But then you'd run into skeletons doing a bad Jack Nicholson impression, and you knew that they weren't taking their voice work too seriously…..

Divine Comedies ?

Anachronox had me laughing out loud. I can't recall ever laughing at a Bioware game. Not by design anyway.

you know, this could make a good thread on the main forums, "Post your LOLCRPG's"

What about Morte (Torment) and his occasional horny speeches?
Played it too long ago, but I remember giggling like a kid when the flying skull was talking about stuff it could do with women.

Also, silly side-quests in Elder Scrolls games are at least a bit hilarious:
- Drunken journey with daedra lord in Skyrim
- Talking dog quest in the same game.
- Argonian character on remote island in Morrowind, who had a lot to say about game design (for example, something like: "Have you noticed there are no horses in Morrowind? I would want them to be here, but I was told not to include them.")

I think Bioware blows it with Caspenar but Minsc, HK-47, Tommy Undergallows and Deacon are hilarious.