CRPG Analyzer: A checklist for computer role-playing games

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

Originally Posted by HiddenX
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.

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

• 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
    

• 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
    

• 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
    

• 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, unlock locked areas …

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

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

Originally Posted by HiddenX
have we covered all this stuff ?

Originally Posted by HiddenX
(slightly modified) [difficulty should-have's]

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

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

06) lots of fun, humor

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.

Originally Posted by HiddenX
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

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

Originally Posted by HiddenX
Word Document:

Def. CRPG V0.8

Originally Posted by GhanBuriGhan
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"

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

Originally Posted by HiddenX
all comments implemented in V0.81 (see above or appendix)