CRPG Analyzer: A checklist for computer role-playing games

HiddenX · May 27, 2013

(NtH) you can choose allies, enemies
better:
(NtH) you can choose factions

new Immerson / Character
(NtH) you can create a background story for your character

lets split it like this:
(NtH) you can reasonably go where you want
(NtH) there are few artificial borders, rare level loading

(NtH) fleshed out dialog = dialog with multiple options in one conversation (Planescape Torment like) or word recognizing engine

Arhu · May 27, 2013

HiddenX said:
I don't see the tag "Action CRPG" so negative - Gothic is one, too
Deus Ex would be an Action Sneaker CRPG.

Just saying there might be a discrepancy. Then again, you could say that 1) Diablo is an Action RPG by virtue of having realtime combat without pause and 2) it requires further commenting for not fulfilling the SH criteria. (—> Hack & Slash, for example).

Maybe put the combat tags after MH and before SH to make it clearer? Steps, then:

1. all MHs fulfilled —> game is a CRPG
2. additional tags
3. at least 1 SH not fulfilled —> comments needed
4. NtH / BtH —> determine "depth"

Arhu · May 27, 2013

Some more possible tags, taken from our database:

(Genre)
Aventure-RPG
Hack & Slash
J-RPG
MMORPG
Puzzle-RPG
Roguelike

(Combat style)
Pausable Real-time
Real-time
Turn-based

(Multiplayer)
Massive
Single + MP
Single-player

(POV)
1st-person
3rd-person
Floating camera
Isometric

(Setting)
Fantasy
Historical
Modern
Post-apoc
Sci-fi
Steampunk
Technofantasy

Nameless one · May 27, 2013

HiddenX said:
I have the game - but haven't played it yet.

A simple story is still a story

Most older CRPGs have a main story/quest like this: find the 5 pieces of the legendary staff of X.

I think those RPGs where before my time

.Anyway if you think so I will edit S1 to yes, so we can give FTL official CRPG seal of approval,and we can run it through NtH list.

HiddenX · May 27, 2013

Let's work with 3 lists then:

Definition (MH) and (SH)
Optional tags
Optional NtHs and BtH elements

Tag-List

(Genre)
(tag) Adventure-RPG: the main emphases of the game are on Exploring and Story, less on Character Development
(tag) Roguelike: the main emphases of the game are on Exploring and Character Development, less on Story
(tag) Hack & Slash: many enemies, most of them easy to kill, respawning of enemies, much loot
(tag) J-RPG: Manga Style graphics, turn based combat
(tag) MMORPG: Many players are questing simultaneously online
(tag) Puzzle-RPG: the game's main emphasis are puzzles

(Combat style)
(tag) Non Combat: the game features no combat
(tag) Action: the combat is real time without pause
(tag) Strategic: additional troop (not your party) management available
(tag) Tactical: multiple squads (party splitting) possible
(tag) Sneaker:combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better
(tag) Thief like:combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better, thief-skills are essential (lock picking, ambush, hiding, sneaking,…)
(tag) Pausable Real-time: the real time combat can be paused any time
(tag) Real-time:the combat is real-time -> Action CRPG
(tag) Turn-based: the combat is turn-based

(Exploration)
(tag) Sandbox: After a time intervall or event the gameworld is reset. (Enemy respawn, chest refilling, …)

The rest is self-explanatory

(Multiplayer)
(tag) Massive
(tag) Single + MP
(tag) Single-player

(POV)
(tag) 1st-person
(tag) 3rd-person
(tag) Floating camera
(tag) Isometric

(Setting)
(tag) Fantasy
(tag) Historical
(tag) Modern
(tag) Post-apoc
(tag) Sci-fi
(tag) Steampunk
(tag) Technofantasy

Arhu · May 27, 2013

N.C02) (NtH) character can be customized during character creation
C4) (SH) you can create your party

—> the NtH is redundant now. "Party" implies more than one character. How about "C4) (SH) you can create and customize your character(s)"?

I reworked the NtH list a little. A few points were added, others rephrased to make them clearer. Please check. Interdependence points are now truly interdependent. Didn't do much with Combat (Meta) yet.

Nice-to-Have's (v0.7)

Character Development (13)

Choice (5)
- N.C01) (NtH) can choose race, class or profession
- N.C02) (NtH) can choose traits, alignment or disposition
- N.C03) (NtH) can modify primary stats
- N.C04) (NtH) can modify abilities
- N.C05) (NtH) classes/paths are not fixed
Interdependence (4)
- N.C06) (NtH) (Story) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC (=> e.g. reputation)
- N.C07) (NtH) (Story) char development choices can affect available dialogue options
- N.C08) (NtH) (Exploration) char development choices can affect available paths through the game world
- N.C09) (NtH) (Exploration) char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
Interactivity (2)
- N.C10) (NtH) can build equipment or items (e.g. alchemy)
- N.C11) (NtH) unique items are in the game or can be made
Difficulty (1)
- N.C12) (NtH) character development requires careful thought and planning
Immersion (1)
- N.C13) (NtH) you can create or choose a background story for your character

Exploration (14)

Choice (3)
- N.E04) (NtH) you can follow different paths to reach a goal
- N.E03) (NtH) you can reasonably go where you want
- N.E03) (NtH) there are few artificial borders, rare level loading
Interdependence (4)
- N.C06) (NtH) (Character) char development choices can affect available paths through the game world
- N.C06) (NtH) (Character) char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
- N.E01) (NtH) (Story) you can find and recruit new party members
- N.E07) (NtH) (Story) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
Interactivity (3)
- N.E02) (NtH) you can directly interact with items
- N.E02) (NtH) you can directly move items
- N.E02) (NtH) you can directly combine or disaggregate items
Difficulty (1)
- N.E15) (NtH) You may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles
Immersion (3)
- N.E05) (NtH) trading is balanced
- N.E06) (NtH) looting makes sense (no shield on a dead wolf)
- N.E09) (NtH) combat is balanced

Story (15)

Choice (4)
- N.S04) (NtH) you can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (=> quest order doesn't matter much)
- N.S02) (NtH) you can choose factions
- N.S06) (NtH) quests can be solved in more than one way
- N.S08) (NtH) some quests rule others out (=> more than one walktrough is necessary to see all)
Interdependence (4)
- N.C06) (NtH) (Character) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC
- N.C07) (NtH) (Character) char development choices can affect available dialogue options
- N.E01) (NtH) (Exploration) you can find and recruit new party members
- N.E07) (NtH) (Exploration) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
Interactivity (2)
- N.S05) (NtH) dialogue is fleshed out (=> there are multiple options in one conversation)
- N.S09) (NtH) there is more than one game ending
Difficulty (1)
- N.S01) (NtH) Advancing in the story requires thought (e.g. riddles)
Immersion (4)
- N.S03) (NtH) lore is provided (=> predefined context, faction rules, laws, history, …)
- N.S07) (NtH) some quests depend on each other
- N.S12) (NtH) NPCs or party members interact with each other
- N.S12) (NtH) NPCs have schedules

Combat (Meta)

N.E10) (NtH) combat works with multiple resistances (fire, ice, poison,…)
N.E11) (NtH) many different enemies with different tactics are in the gameworld
N.E12) (NtH) tactical combat options are available
N.E13) (NtH) enemy AI is good
N.E14) (NtH) combat free solutions are possible (bribe, flatter, intimidate…)

——————————

I'd like to propose making the "Difficulty" Nice-to-Have a Should-Have. What do you guys think?

Character Development:
(SH) character development requires careful thought and planning

Exploration:
(SH) You may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles

Story:
(SH) Advancing in the story requires thought (e.g. riddles)

HiddenX · May 27, 2013

I'd like to propose making the "Difficulty" Nice-to-Have a Should-Have. What do you guys think?

Character Development:
(SH) character development requires careful thought and planning

Exploration:
(SH) You may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles, unlock locked areas …

Story:
(SH) Advancing in the story requires thought (riddles, irreversible choices,…)

(slightly modified)

I like all - I vote for (Should Have), but maybe this is just my personal preference ?

NtH-list looks good - I'm missing the ugly (BtH)-thingies

PS:
C4) (SH) you can create and customize your character(s)"?
sounds good.

Interesting old vote

quoting myself from this old thread from crpgnut:

List CRPG ingredients by their importance to you

for cooking a rpg u need

00) making choices with consequences
01) character development / many stats with an impact on the game
02) finding / buying / selling lots of different equipment (unique items, rare items)
03) a good nonlinear story - interesting main quest
04) great challenging dungeons / locked doors / chests / traps
05) riddles / hard too find secrets, items / mysteries
06) lots of fun, humor
07) cool spells
08) lots of conversation, conversation options to solve quests and avoid combat
09) (round based) interesting challenging combat with many options
10) interesting NPCs with a background
11) NPCs with a schedule
12) fantasy world with conflicts to solve
13) different races (groups, guilds) with various occupations
14) chance of winning prizes, medals, houses, ranks …
15) deadly cool arch-enemies
16) making weapons and spells
17) many (not necessary) side-quests
18) much world interaction / manipulation
19) eastereggs
20) free world, setting borders with harder to beat enemies and hard to find items (keys), only.
21) good (non breakable) economy model
22) many different groups with different goals -> choose your friends and enemies
23) for party crpgs: interesting (funny) dialogs with your partners
24) surprises and twists, more than one story path

have we covered all this stuff ?

Arhu · May 27, 2013

HiddenX said:
have we covered all this stuff ?

Not all… comments on missing candidates:

02) (..) [lots of] different equipment — not in, I think
04) great challenging dungeons / locked doors / chests / traps — indirectly in?
06) lots of fun, humor — subjective? "emotional" could be an aspect..
07) cool spells — we don't say anything about magic etc. so far
08) (..) conversation options to (..) avoid combat — indirectly in? ("you can follow different paths to reach a goal")
09) (round based) interesting challenging combat with many options — we'll think of more things in combat
10) interesting NPCs with a background — not in yet
12) fantasy world with conflicts to solve — not really in? how to describe it?
13) different races (groups, guilds) with various occupations — => we have "you can choose factions", could add "there are factions"
14) chance of winning prizes, medals, houses, ranks … — ?
15) deadly cool arch-enemies — not in —> story? subjective?
16) making weapons and spells — in for weapons, no magic yet
17) many (not necessary) side-quests — we sort of imply in various places that they are there
19) eastereggs — not in.
23) for party crpgs: interesting (funny) dialogs with your partners — not in. partly related to "NPCs or party members interact with each other"
24) surprises and twists (..) — we don't say anything about the structure of the story

More:
- you can choose the character's gender
- you can circumvent too easy fights: monsters flee (King's Bounty) or there's a quick-fight option (Realms of Arkania) or ...

There are more little tidbits in the thread you linked to, reading is going to take a while.

Arhu · May 28, 2013

Whew. I skimmed through the other thread and filtered out some more NtHs. Since the list has gotten rather large, I'm going to use spoiler tags now. Need another set of eyes to look over everything again (HiddenX?

)

Didn't touch the Combat and BtH sections yet.

1. Choice (8/8)

a) you can choose a gender
b) you can change looks or voice
c) you can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race
d) you can choose traits, alignment or disposition
e) you can choose spells or abilities
f) you can modify primary stats
g) lots of different equipment is available
h) lots of different spells or abilities are available

2. Interdependence (6/6)

a) (Story) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC
b) (Story) stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options
c) (Story) unique items are in the game or can be made
d) (Exploration) stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world
e) (Exploration) stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
f) (Combat) combat can be avoided due to stats (=> e.g. enemies flee)

3. Interactivity (2/2)

a) you can create combos with spells or abilities
b) your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities

4. Immersion (4/4)

a) you can create or choose a background story for your character
b) you need to specialize (=> can't have everything)
c) you can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game
d) you can wear normal clothes, not only armor

1. Choice (3/3)

a) you can follow different paths to reach a goal
b) you can reasonably go where you want
c) there are few artificial borders, rare level loading

2. Interdependence (5/5)

a) (Character) char development choices can affect available paths through the game world
b) (Character) char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
c) (Story) you can find and recruit new party members
d) (Story) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
e) (Combat) combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation

3. Interactivity (4/4)

a) you can directly interact with items
b) you can directly move items
c) you can craft equipment, spells or items (e.g. alchemy)
d) you can directly combine or disaggregate items

4. Immersion (5/5)

a) trading is balanced
b) combat is balanced
c) looting makes sense (no shield on a dead wolf)
d) there is a place you can call home
e) you can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations
f) the game world feels realistic (e.g. day/night cycles, weather)

1. Choice (6/6)

a) you can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (=> quest order doesn't matter much)
b) some quests depend on each other
c) some quests rule others out
d) quests can be solved in more than one way
e) you can join factions, though not all at the same time
f) you can make moral choices (or romance choices)

2. Interdependence (6/6)

a) (Character) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC
b) (Character) char development choices can affect available dialogue options
c) (Character) unique items are in the game or can be made
d) (Exploration) you can find and recruit new party members
e) (Exploration) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
f) (Combat) combat can be avoided through dialogue

3. Interactivity (5/5)

a) dialogue is fleshed out (=> there are multiple options in one conversation)
b) there is more than one game ending
c) you can have conversations with party members
d) there are many side quests
e) state of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions

4. Immersion (8/8)

a) lore is provided (=> context, faction rules, laws, history, …)
b) there are different factions (races, groups, guilds)
c) NPCs or party members are well developed (=> expansive background stories, etc.)
d) NPCs or party members interact with each other
e) NPCs have schedules
f) there are surprises and twists
g) storyline is dramatic and has emotional impact (=> e.g. romance)
h) there is a proper ending or sense of closure

Choice ()
Interdependence ()

a) (Character) combat can be avoided due to stats (=> e.g. enemies flee)
b) (Exploration) combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation
c) (Story) combat can be avoided through dialogue

Interactivity ()
Immersion ()

memorable bosses

a) combat works with multiple resistances (fire, ice, poison,…)
b) many different enemies with different tactics are in the gameworld
c) tactical combat options are available
d) enemy AI is good
e) combat free solutions are possible (bribe, flatter, intimidate…)

i. Character Development

a) Auto-Leveling

ii. Exploration

b) Quest Markers
c) Hand Holding
d) to progress your characters repetitive grinding battles/actions are necessary
e) Loot overload -> every battle leads to tons of loot (unrealistic)

iii. Story

a) pre-selected choice options

HiddenX said:
(slightly modified) [difficulty should-have's]

I like all - I vote for (Should Have), but maybe this is just my personal preference ?

Well, I vote for it too, so why not just add it in. And maybe change S5) to "(SH) you can have conversations with NPCs"…

04) great challenging dungeons / locked doors / chests / traps

—> is in Difficulty (Exploration / Story)

06) lots of fun, humor

—> too sujective

12) fantasy world with conflicts to solve — not really in? how to describe it?
14) chance of winning prizes, medals, houses, ranks … — ?
15) deadly cool arch-enemies — not in —> story? subjective?
19) eastereggs — not in.

Not sure what to do with these.

Some more possible candidates for Bad-to-Have's, taken from the other thread:
bad:
- clichéd clearcut good/evil alternatives
- linear storyline
- reloading barriers (have to reload often) with no alternative solutions
- constant loading, bad interface
- railroading (compass)
- bad AI
- too much realism?
- lawnmowing to get experience
- useless skills?
- too many throwaway-items
- no feeling of progress within a reasonable timeframe
- over the top drama?

GhanBuriGhan · May 28, 2013

Do you guys have this as word or PDF questionnaire? I'll consider referencing this in my upcoming conquistador review.

HiddenX · May 28, 2013

@Arhu - great work with the (NtH)-list

Definition of a CRPG (V0.81)

A CRPG is a computer game that fulfills these criterions:

(MH) = Must Have: these criterions have to be fulfilled, if not the game is no CRPG
(SH) = Should Have: these criterions have to be fulfilled too, if not you have to qualify the CRPG. Example: CRPG, no interactive story (=Sandbox CRPG)
(NtH) = Nice to Have: omitted here, still in discussion, just for further info
(Tag) - The CRPG gets additional qualifiers

Character Development
C1) (MH) you can control one or more characters (=party)
C2) (MH) you can develop your party (stats and/or skills,…) by solving quests and other game actions like exploration, conversation, combat…
C3) (MH) you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire
C4) (SH) you can create your characters
C5) (SH) character development requires careful thought and planning

Exploration
E1) (MH) by exploring the gameworld you can find new locations
E2) (MH) you can find items
E3) (MH) you can find NPCs
E4) (SH) you can manipulate the gameworld in some way (levers, buttons,…)
E5) (SH) the gameworld can affect your party (weather, traps, closed doors, …)
E6) (SH) you may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles, unlock locked areas …

Story
S1) (MH) you can progress through a story
S2) (MH) you can interact with NPCs
S3) (MH) you can follow quests (at least one main quest)
S4) (SH) the story is influenced more or less by your actions
S5) (SH) you can have conversations with NPCs
S6) (SH) you can make choices in those conversations and/or in the story
S7) (SH) your choices have consequences
S8) (SH) advancing in the story requires thought (riddles, irreversible choices,…)

Combat
F1) (SH) Combat efficiency (e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access…) is in some way tied to character stats
F2) (SH) Combat should be challenging (preparing, use of tactics and/or environment possible)

______
F=Fight

Tag-List

(Genre)
(tag) Adventure-RPG: the main emphases of the game are on Exploring and Story, less on Character Development
(tag) Rogue-like: the main emphases of the game are on Exploring and Character Development, less on Story
(tag) Hack & Slash: many enemies, most of them easy to kill, respawning of enemies, much loot
(tag) J-RPG: Manga Style graphics, turn based combat
(tag) MMORPG: Many players are questing simultaneously online
(tag) Puzzle-RPG: the game's main emphasis are puzzles
(tag) Non-Combat: the game features no combat
(tag) Action: the combat is real time without pause
(tag) Strategic: additional troop (not your party) management available
(tag) Tactical: the game puts an emphasis on player tactical skill over character skill, often multiple squads (party splitting) are possible
(tag) Sneaker: combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better
(tag) Thief-like: combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better, thief-skills are essential (lock picking, ambush, hiding, sneaking,…)
(tag) Sandbox: open environment where a lot of content is organized around simulation rather than story

(combat style)
(tag) Real-time with pause: the real time combat can be paused any time
(tag) Real-time: the combat is real-time -> Action CRPG
(tag) Turn-based: the combat is turn-based

(control)
(tag) Full control: full control over every party members action in combat
(tag) AI control: you only control part of the party directly, others are controlled by AI while they may accept general commands

The rest is self-explanatory

(Multiplayer)
(tag) Massive
(tag) Single + MP
(tag) Single-player
(tag) Coop
(tag) PvP
(tag) PvE

(POV)
(tag) 1st-person
(tag) 3rd-person
(tag) Isometric
(tag) Top down
(tag) Floating camera: adds rotational control allowing full 3D navigation

(Setting)
(tag) Fantasy
(tag) Historical
(tag) Modern
(tag) Post-apoc
(tag) Sci-fi
(tag) Steampunk
(tag) Technofantasy

HiddenX · May 28, 2013

@Arhu
fantasy world with conflicts to solve — not really in? how to describe it?

Story
(NtH) The gameworld features factions with different interests, goals
(NtH) you can join factions
(NtH) you can solve/create conflicts between factions

chance of winning prizes, medals, houses, ranks … — ?

Characacter development / Story
(NtH) factions provide prizes for your deeds (houses, medals, ranks…)

Story
Immersion
(NtH) challenging boss-monsters and/or cool arch-enemies are in the game

Fun
(NtH) easter-eggs are in the game

On more (BtH)

Combat / Character Development

(BtH) Grinding: filler combat is necessary to develop your character

@GhanBuriGhan
no .doc-file - should I make one ?

GhanBuriGhan · May 28, 2013

Would just be easier for me than copying it all together... [/lazy]

HiddenX · May 28, 2013

Word Document:

Def. CRPG V0.8

Arhu · May 29, 2013

HiddenX said:
S4) (SH) the story is interactive
S5) (SH) you can have conversations with NPCs
S6) (SH) you can make choices in those conversations and/or in the story
S7) (SH) your choices have consequences

Might be worth mentioning what is meant by "interactive"; different people can understand it differently. In that the original wording was probably better: "[the story] is influenced more or less by your actions".

IIRC S4 was introduced to address sandbox games like GTA and Saints Row.

(Combat style)
Non Combat, Action, Strategic, Tactical, Sneaker, Thief like

I'd keep these in "Genre", since they are commonly used as such.

GhanBuriGhan · May 29, 2013

HiddenX said:
Word Document:

Def. CRPG V0.8

Thank you!

After trying to Fill this out I wanted to comment on the following:

Combat
F1) (SH) Combat should be challenging (preparing, use of tactics and/or environment possible) yes
I think a MH here would be "Combat efficiency (e.g. damage, to-hit, weapon access) is in some way tied to character stats"

Tactical: multiple squads (party splitting) possible
- isn't that very narrow? I always thought of tactical RPG as any game but mostly TB) that puts an emphasis on player tactical skill over character skill.
- a useful tag for combat would maybe be (tag) "full control" full control over every party members action in combat vs. (tag) "AI control" - You only control part of the party directly, other are controlled by AI although they may accept general commands.

(tag) Sandbox: After a time interval or an event the gameworld is reset. (Enemy respawn, chest refilling …)
- that is not my definition of sandbox. To me a sandbox is an open environment where a lot of content is organized around simulation rather than story, it has nothing to do with respawning.

Mulitplayer: Maybe add tags for coop and PvP?

(tag) Floating camera
- it is unclear to me what is meant by that, or how you distinguish it from isometric / 3rd person. Also is isometric meant in the original, narrow definition or just in the modern sense 3/4 form above.
Also there should be one for top down, maybe?

Arhu · May 29, 2013

GhanBuriGhan said:
Combat
(..)
I think a MH here would be "Combat efficiency (e.g. damage, to-hit, weapon access) is in some way tied to character stats"

Sounds good to me. We decided against MHs for combat originally, since we also want to include theoretical non-combat RPGs. I guess we could put "If there is combat" in front of it ...

HiddenX · May 29, 2013

@GhanBuriGhan & Arhu

"Combat efficiency (e.g. damage, to-hit, weapon access) is in some way tied to character stats"

-> I make it a (SH)

all comments implemented in V0.81 (see above or appendix)

PS:
Maybe some native english speakers should read the definition carefully and hammer out some quirky, wrong sounding outmoded formulations.

Arhu · May 29, 2013

I fleshed out the (NtH) Combat category and the BtH list and integrated the last comments.

Most of the combat points I shamelessly took from 12 ways to improve turn-based RPG combat systems and 6 more ways to (..), others I took from the CRPG ingredients thread.

The article says "turn-based", but I figure those points are universal for interesting, challenging combat in CRPGs. Almost all points relate to one of the three main categories.

1. Choice (8/8)

you can choose a gender
you can change looks or voice
you can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race
you can choose traits, alignment or disposition
you can choose spells or abilities
you can modify primary stats
lots of different equipment is available
lots of different spells or abilities are available

2. Interdependence (7/7)

(Story) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC
(Story) stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options
(Story) unique items are in the game or can be made
(Exploration) stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world
(Exploration) stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
(Combat) combat can be avoided due to stats (=> e.g. enemies flee)

3. Interactivity (2/2)

you can create combos with spells or abilities
your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities

4. Immersion (4/4)

you can create or choose a background story for your character
you need to specialize (=> can't have everything)
you can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game
you can wear normal clothes, not only armor
factions provide prizes for your deeds (=> houses, medals, ranks…)

1. Choice (3/3)

you can follow different paths to reach a goal
you can reasonably go where you want
there are few artificial borders, rare level loading

2. Interdependence (5/5)

(Character) char development choices can affect available paths through the game world
(Character) char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world
(Story) you can find and recruit new party members
(Story) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
(Combat) combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation

3. Interactivity (4/4)

you can directly interact with items
you can directly move items
you can craft equipment, spells or items (e.g. alchemy)
you can directly combine or disaggregate items

4. Immersion (5/5)

trading is balanced
combat is balanced
looting makes sense (no shield on a dead wolf)
there is a place you can call home
you can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations
the game world feels realistic (e.g. day/night cycles, weather)

1. Choice (6/6)

you can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (=> quest order doesn't matter much)
some quests depend on each other
some quests rule others out
quests can be solved in more than one way
you can join factions, though not all at the same time
you can make moral choices (or romance choices)

2. Interdependence (6/6)

(Character) character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC
(Character) char development choices can affect available dialogue options
(Character) unique items are in the game or can be made
(Exploration) you can find and recruit new party members
(Exploration) exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations
(Combat) combat can be avoided through dialogue

3. Interactivity (6/6)

dialogue is fleshed out (=> there are multiple options in one conversation)
there is more than one game ending
you can have conversations with party members
there are many side quests
state of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions
you can solve or create conflicts between factions

4. Immersion (9/9)

lore is provided (=> context, faction rules, laws, history, …)
there are different factions (races, groups, guilds)
NPCs or party members are well developed (=> expansive background stories, etc.)
NPCs or party members interact with each other
NPCs have schedules
there are surprises and twists
storyline is dramatic and has emotional impact (=> e.g. romance)
there is a proper ending or sense of closure
there are memorable antagonists

1. Character Development (9/9)

Combat can be avoided due to stats (=> e.g. enemies flee).
You can control at least six characters
Your characters are specialized (=> different battlefield roles)
Enemies are specialized (=> require different tactics)
Resource management is necessary
Units have multiple attack options.
Delayed attacks are possible (=> counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.)
Movement-focused special abilities are available.
Units have multiple resistance options (=> e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.)

2. Exploration (9/9)

Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation
You can get a good sense of space (=> e.g. there is a grid)
Combat can start at variable distances.
Directional facing plays a role (=> e.g. more damage from behind, flanking).
Terrain is variable (=> e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses).
Terrain can be manipulated (=> e.g. you can create barriers).
There are elevation effects (=> e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds)
There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time.
There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (=> e.g. environmental damage)

3. Story (6/6)

Combat can be avoided through dialogue.
Combat can have different win scenarios (=> e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town)
Combat can have side objectives aside from win/loss
Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat.
Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences.
There are memorable bosses.

4. Balance (3/3)

Enemy AI is good.
Combat is balanced.
You can adjust the difficulty.

easter eggs are in the game

Auto-Leveling
Grinding: filler combat is necessary to develop your character
Realism overload: when eating requirements get in the way
Useless skills
Stagnant progression: no feeling of progress within a reasonable timeframe

Quest Markers
Hand Holding
Loot overload 1: there's tons of loot(unrealistic)
Loot overload 2: there's too many throwaway items

Pre-selected options: no choice
Good/evil: clichéd paths
Linear storyline

reloading barriers: you have to reload often with no alternative solutions
unintuitive or clunky interface
contant loading: interrupting gameplay
bad AI

HiddenX said:
all comments implemented in V0.81 (see above or appendix)

… maybe move turnbased, TBwP and real-time back to "combat style"?

Those aren't genres, I'd say.

HiddenX · May 29, 2013

okay ->

We are getting closer to a 1.0 release

Maybe we should send it to Larian - last minute requirement specification for
Divinity: Original Sin

CRPG Analyzer: A checklist for computer role-playing games

The Elder Spy

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Wizzard

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Wose extraordinaire

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