Casual RPG: what would it be like?

[whisperstorm]

This is just one of those fun musing kinda posts. What would a casual RPG look like? I've been looking at plenty of games from Bigfish, Reflexive, and RealArcade. It seems like there are common factors that go into successful casual games that would apply to a "casual rpg".

1) Big cartoony characters with bright eyes.
2) Very polished graphics
3) Simplistic play with big buttons and dialogs that come up whenever a new aspect of the game is introduced.
4) Hard to die/fail - enjoying the game and all the pretty colors/effects more important than "hard fun".
5) Short sessions - a "level" or session should be over with fairly quickly
6) Cut-scenes - comic book style intro (Diner Dash?)

Now regarding RPG elements I could imagine several things:
1) Dungeons are simplistic and stylized with cute graphics
2) actually battling a monster might take the form of a match-3 type thing which "casts spells" or you are given 3 large cute buttons which to choose "attack","spell","heal" -- no layers of dialogs
3) Heading back to town you "auto sell" all the unwanted items at the click of a button. You also "auto equip" to the most powerful weapons/armor at the click of another button.
4) Quests would be very short "fetch quests" which might be a mechanic to unlock more areas of an over-map.
5) Levelling up would happen automatically once you reach a certain number.


What else am I missing?

[Sirrus]

This is just one of those fun musing kinda posts. What would a casual RPG look like? I've been looking at plenty of games from Bigfish, Reflexive, and RealArcade. It seems like there are common factors that go into successful casual games that would apply to a "casual rpg".

1) Big cartoony characters with bright eyes.
2) Very polished graphics
3) Simplistic play with big buttons and dialogs that come up whenever a new aspect of the game is introduced.
4) Hard to die/fail - enjoying the game and all the pretty colors/effects more important than "hard fun".
5) Short sessions - a "level" or session should be over with fairly quickly
6) Cut-scenes - comic book style intro (Diner Dash?)

Now regarding RPG elements I could imagine several things:
1) Dungeons are simplistic and stylized with cute graphics
2) actually battling a monster might take the form of a match-3 type thing which "casts spells" or you are given 3 large cute buttons which to choose "attack","spell","heal" -- no layers of dialogs
3) Heading back to town you "auto sell" all the unwanted items at the click of a button. You also "auto equip" to the most powerful weapons/armor at the click of another button.
4) Quests would be very short "fetch quests" which might be a mechanic to unlock more areas of an over-map.
5) Levelling up would happen automatically once you reach a certain number.


What else am I missing?


See > Aveyond and/or Cute Knight :)

[soniCron]

I can't say I agree that it should have big cartoony graphics with bright eyes. Nor should it be a dungeon dweller. In fact, I think most of your points are akin to a male game developer making a game for "girls," with lots of pink, cute flowers. I think a really successful RPG may have almost no fantastical elements to it. I'm thinking something along the lines of a woman who runs her own business and has to deal with relationships as the focal puzzle element. There'd be no physical combat, although a verbal altercation from time to time could help "level up," the character. Something almost like a soap opera RPG.

Don't laugh. I'm serious.

[Christian]

Keep 2), 4) and 5), the others are to be deleted... regarding the game mechanics, i dont thing that game design is a mathematical formula where you just multiply "elements" from other games, i would recommend you to study game design and come up with your own design aimed at your desired target audience.

[whisperstorm]

Heh I guess the only way I could prove you wrong is to create a game with that "formula" and see how successful it is. You have to admit however that the more successful casual games have many elements in common (no I dont mean them all, but certainly many).

I dont think it's really a "formula" but more like good game design and aspects that are sorta universal to any "casual" game.

Plus this thread is really just looking to explore what aspects a casual RPG might have. For instance would having NPC's which fight along with you make the game too complicated, or would having a wall of fame where you get "badges" for completing certain worlds make the game more appealing.

I can point to a game that _is_ successful with this sort of "formula" - Fate from wildtangent has alot of these factors.


Sonicron: that's an intriguing idea - I always sorta thing of RPG's in a fantasy setting but you are right that you could create an engrossing game just from modern day situations.

Just discovered this article http://www.rampantgames.com/blog/2006/05/what-makes-good-casual-rpg.html

[Christian]

Its just that i hate clones... but you might be right anyway, but, its also true that you will be far more successfull if you master game design ;)
If you study game design you might give yourself any anwer that you seek, its like asking in a programming forum for people to program your game... but thats just my opinion, i might be wrong, dont listen to me...

[KNau]

The problem with using Fate as a model is that it is definitely not a casual game. To reiterate what's been pointed out a million times digital distribution != casual. Fate appeals to Diablo fans and, more likely, male Diablo fans at that. I say that because my girlfriend was a big Diablo player but hated Fate.

Also, IMO even in the best circumstances dungeons tend to be drab environments, which would counter the polish and cuteness factor you're going for more than anything else.

Otherwise, your list seems fine. Although I have to wonder, if you're a gamer at heart why would you choose a "casual RPG" project other than to go for a quick money grab? And even at that, there's as much money to be grabbed in the hardcore Diablo clone market as there is in the casual Aveyond clone. Don't confine your designs to such a small (and growing ever more stale) box because the grass looks greener there. It ain't.

[JoshuaSmyth]

In my opinion if you were to make a 'casual' rpg it should have more adventure game type elements and less roleplaying game type elements.

[Coyote]

I'm not an expert on casual. Here's my take:

Column A: Things that make a great RPG -
* Polished Graphics
* Compelling Storyline
* Compelling Characters
* Lots of Interactivity and "things to do"
* Reward Exploration and "Play" - good positive reinforcement in the form of both gameplay bonuses and customization options.
* Interesting world

Column B: Things to make a great RPG more appropriate to a casual audience -
*Easy to get into. Less complicated controls & commands
* "Cute" characters & less threatening setting... maybe. But at least not the juvenile male fantasy setting.
* Female main character? Maybe. Not required, but might make it more appealing to women.
* Less stats & numbers.
* Harder to die - sure. Less frustration. More emphasis on letting them play than on "challenging them."

Things like big buttons and anime-style "big eyes" characters are implementations, but not core designs. I think there's more than one way to do it right. Ultimately, your best bet might be to just get out there and do it. I mean, of the two (count 'em) successful casual RPGs out there, one was a follow up to a massive FREE RPG in the same universe (which received plenty of feedback and suggestions), and the other bore similarities to several other products by the same creator.

They got practice at it. They honed not only their craft, but also their personal style. Maybe I'm getting too touchy-feely here, but I think a big part of their success (besides being marketed like CRAZY, and the fact that they are both of solid quality in the first place) is that they have a unique personality and style. That's something where a generic by-the-numbers formula game just isn't going to imitate.

[whisperstorm]

The thing is, I wouldnt be creating a casual rpg because I want to clone some other game or just a money grab, it would be because I want to create the game I myself wish I could play. I agree there would be more adventure elements to a game than pure level up/more weapons/stronger monsters kinda thing.

I love games like Fate, Cute Knight, and Dragonfable, but wish there was a game with more depth - yet able to accomplish something significant in the game in under 30 min sesssions.

I've been thinking of some other aspects that might make a casual rpg popular. If you look at Gaia Online http://www.gaiaonline.com/ They are a community that is morphing into an online rpg. One of the more interesting aspects of that community is the huge range of ways you can customize your avatar. I would imagine a casual rpg would offer something of the same. You might want your female fighter to look like a tricked out valkyrie, so you go through the random dungeons (or whatever) to get enough money to buy that great valkyrie outfit. That might be enough of a goal to run through a few scenarios during a given session.

Another aspect might be mounts or pets. Pets you might find along the way and let them gain experience with you. Mounts might augment your skills and might even get their own wardrobe :)

The hardest part, I think, would be to strike that fine balance between giving the player the freedom to play how they want and progressing some storyline. You dont want the player to feel like they are on rails, yet you dont want them to feel lost and purposeless.

So yeah, I want to play a casual version of something like Summon Night http://www.summonnight.net/ or Atelier Iris http://www.nisamerica.com/games/ai2/

[Christian]

OK, sid meyer has this way of doing games that he links various simple mini-games tied closelly together (not one after another, but each affects the whole...), you know, something like the Pirates games, i think thats pretty casual and pretty adventure, maybe you can use that same technique.

[papillon]

Pets are something I am thinking about incorporating into my eventual sequel if I can iron out a few design quirks in my head to keep it from being too complicated. There is definitely a *desire* for pets - I've heard people saying that on Princess Maker forums ages ago (especially during the discussions of the original modern-day PM4 that got scrapped, since pictures from that often included a girl and a dog) and I've seen people discussing pet-related games and these RPGs in the same breath.

But for a Cute Knight sequel pets can only be a minor facet. You could go full-focused on the pet idea and end up pulling in Pokemon fans and Neopets fans and such.... :)

[Karja]

I can't say I agree that it should have big cartoony graphics with bright eyes. Nor should it be a dungeon dweller. In fact, I think most of your points are akin to a male game developer making a game for "girls," with lots of pink, cute flowers. I think a really successful RPG may have almost no fantastical elements to it. I'm thinking something along the lines of a woman who runs her own business and has to deal with relationships as the focal puzzle element. There'd be no physical combat, although a verbal altercation from time to time could help "level up," the character. Something almost like a soap opera RPG.

Don't laugh. I'm serious.

I seriously think that a soap opera RPG would be totally awesome. Some years ago I played Medieval: Total War with my ex. I'd mostly take care of the battles, and she'd direct what I should to do with all my sons and daughters (and to whom I'd try to marry them.) We'd even roleplay the parental roles: "Here, laddie! You're 16 now.. Time for you to invande Italy - make me proud." "Be careful, son! And say goodbye to your sisters; they're going to Russia, so you won't see each other for quite some time now." We realized that we'd have loved the game if it was more abstract; had more relationships and less micro-management, for example.

Just thought I'd mention that as a footnote.

[Uhfgood]

All of that stuff is for wimps and wusses

[whisperstorm]

It's a very interesting idea. You play a few male and female characters - beef up their stats then marry two together to create a new character that is new, but slightly better at a few things their parents were. Excellent idea.

[LilGames]

A casual RPG would use the mouse and one mouse button, and the main gameplay would be very simple, click click click.

There. Take that challenge and design a game.