Rpg demand??

[SixFootEwok]

After looking around on the forums for a bit, there looks to be a strong amount of little puzzle games talked about / developed. It seems when big sales or profit is concerned, there is a lot of buzz about the puzzle genre. I'm certainly not implying that that's all that sells, or I think that because of what little I've seen. Me and a friend are working on our first game, and it will be an RPG. This is simply because that's the type of game I'd like to create, whether or not we put it up for trial / purchase (99% bet we will hehe). However, the question is this...in a market that seems to be so dominated by the more addictive puzzle games, is there much of a demand for deeper indie games like rpgs? If you've created one, how did it do? There are certainly other variables than a game being an RPG, but what seems to be the general reception to the genre? I haven't had a lot of research time, as my schedule is pretty much crammed, and these are simply questions from the silly observations of someone new to indie development.

Edit: I apologize if this post hasn't been placed in the proper category.

[vjvj]

If you do a search for "rpg", you should find plenty of posts about this topic. Because usually the only time rpgs come up on these boards are when young guys with little experience mention wanting to make one. Like this:

http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?t=2607

The gist of it is that we all like rpgs but they are incredibly expensive (not hard, EXPENSIVE) to make.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, just trying to give it to you straight...

[svero]

When I checked yahoo games yesterday the game Fate, which is a rpg diablo style, was the number 1 seller. I think there's room out there for just about any kind of game really. It just has to be accessible, and well made.

[Jack Norton]

Spiderweb (www.spidweb.com) lives making rpg since almost 10 years, ask him if there's a market for RPG... :D

[papillon]

The biggest expense being TIME - I'm quite happy with the RPG I've been working on, which is now nearly finished, which required very little cash money (Sure, if someone hands me a stack of cash I'll get a better artist to redo my graphics, but what I have is 'okay' afaik) but still required a lot of time. And it's pretty simple for an RPG. If your schedule is pretty crammed, then it might not be the project for you. :)

(My project in question being Cute Knight - http://www.hanakogames.com/knight.shtml - in beta-testing by people who are thankfully as obsessive about the game as I am :) )

Also, with some small games you can just start working on the idea when it comes to your head, play around with it, develop it slowly over time - With an RPG, you *really* need a pretty complete design before you get going on it, or so I've found. I've tried things in the past and gotten hopelessly mired down because I hadn't thought things through well enough in the beginning. If you're not working with a complete pre-built engine, think about your features very very hard before you write a line of code!

[whisperstorm]

I'd certainly buy games that were syntheses of casual games like bejeweled and RPG's like Icewind Dale. I bought Fate about 1 day after it came out. Casual rpgs with a cartoonish style (hate "realistic" looking characters) are #1 on my list :)

[tentons]

I'm prototyping an idea for an action/RPG as my next game. I think there's definitely a market, and there's plenty of RPG fan sites to help promote such games. I say don't stop to doubt yourself. Just do what you want to do. Dare to defy the status quo before you dilute your idea into something mundane and lackluster to please "the market."

[svero]

I think the real problem with RPGs is not so much one of demand but rather a question of resources and delivery. RPGs tend to be graphically heavy, require a lot of content, and aren't easy to fit into a nice small download package.

[James C. Smith]

I was the lead programmer on one RPG. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/lionheart/

It was very expensive to make. Lots of time, money, and people. Reflexive found it to be much more profitable to make games like Ricochet Lost Worlds.

I am not saying it can’t be done. I am just saying that some people here have some experience in RPGs and made an educated decision to note do it again. Of coerce, Reflexive had a contract from Black Isle to develop Lionheart, so this is probably very different that what you are proposing, but I still think the experience is relevant. Reflexive had experience making an RPG and chose to make “puzzle� games instead for some good reasons.

[papillon]

It was very expensive to make. Lots of time, money, and people.

And it was poorly reviewed by people who generally assumed the problem was running OUT of money at some point and deciding to just release it rather than make the second half of the game match up to the first. :) (Whether or not this was the case, this was basically the way all the reviews came across, save the few who didn't get past the first half and instead wrote raves.)

Point of this comment? As much time as they DID put into it, everyone wanted a whole lot more!

[Bmc]

Do what you want. Will you be succesful? maybe, but probably not. Will it even get finished?

On the other hand you could boil down(and i mean really boil down) the basic elements of the rpg genre and make a simplified casual version that could do well assuming the execution is good.... and I think it would probably be alot simpler to make

[Promaginy]

I was the lead programmer on one RPG. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/lionheart/

It was very expensive to make. Lots of time, money, and people. Reflexive found it to be much more profitable to make games like Ricochet Lost Worlds.

I have that game! Pretty good effort.

Should RPGs sell for more than? To me, a player should be willing to pay more for a game where there is both a narriative and gameplay system. RPGs are more complicated than puzzle games and if well done, should fetch a higher price.

[arcadetown]

Think there's huge potential for RPGs.

Instead of looking at a huge Diablo style production, look at a smaller scale RPG. For example Sinjid Shadow Warrior is a super popular free flash game. With try/buy production values I think that style game could be pretty successful. In fact Adventure Quest is somewhat similar and hugely successful (approaching Runescape status?). Always seems to fly under the radar screen for some reason.

Don't forget Runescape, easily one of the most successful games out there right now. Every kid with a computer I ever speak to knows this game.

[Kaos]

need more games like Tradewinds 2!

http://www.sandlotgames.com/w4/headline_03.aspx

If you make something of this genre, I know I would buy it!

[VladR]

I must admit I was surprised after reading this thread that a full-3D RPG game has made it into Top Ten (at Yahoo Games). It`s quite a hardcore game compared to e.g. Zuma. Obviously, it has a different player base, but I`m shocked still...

Obviously, now everybody sees that there is market for full-3D RPG games. However, Fate is a bit different from hardcore hack&slash RPGs in visual style, which is far from moody and dark dungeons.

Do you think that similar full-3D RPG with typical darker environments (like Dungeon Siege has) could still make it into top ten at online portals ?
I`m asking because about year ago we stopped working on such full-3D RPG (we got some contract 3D work at that time), and we`ve got lots of content done and basic gameplay is already functional (AI, upgrading, inventory, killing, level loading). We were developing it for budget distributors. At that time I wouldn`t even think of submitting such a game to online portals.
Now it seems we could try, but still there are about 3-4 months of work to finish the title. The graphics of dungeons would be on par with Dungeon Siege 1 and better (especially polygon count of rooms and pillars). Though it means it wouldn`t be so colorful (and sort-of for children due to color theme yellow/orange/pink).
Still, I`m not in a situation that I could risk 4 months of work and be left with a game that noone wants.

What are your ideas ?

[Leper]

I want to play an anime FF style RPG (like FF7) .. I personally dont like the ones with a DnD influence..