I prefer to play D&D tabletop over all other games but it is nearly impossible for me to do it given my work schedule and that my wife doesn't share my interests. So it is just impossible for me.
Oh well.
Cryomatrix
I prefer the tabletop, myself. Nothing like actually reacting to what players do rather than a canned story with possibly a few branches. Nothing compares
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse. - FARGIN_WAR
Hmm, a tough question. Final Fantasy 7 is what got me into game design, but I had been familiar with RPGs for years before that, although I didn't have an SNES so I missed a lot of the big-name games on that system, at least when they were new. I probably got into WRPGs via novels first, actually, because my cousin gave me a set of dragonlance novels. That was probably before I first started playing Magic the Gathering, but not by much.
I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story. So PM me if you are starting one.
So many amazing RPGs mentioned in this thread! So many that I identify with, for sure! You guys are awesome, and thank you for this amazing list that sent me down memory lane (for quite a few, though to be honest I feel like there were A LOT I never played but will be looking into, more specifically the commodore era). Y'all rock and I hope you keep enjoy gaming as much as I do!
Side note, to this day, Chrono Trigger stands out as one of the best JRPGs I've ever played. I was so engaged with the characters and what would happen, not to mention the time travel aspect, that I remember being a zealot with completing all the endings. I also saw Baldur's Gate mention a few times as well. This game REALLY sucked me into PC gaming. Also RTS's (For PC), but I'll have to start another thread for that
Eye of the Beholder. Morrowind got me really hokked though.
I am a scizo misanthrope. So one day I may go BANZAI on your post. Have not yet though. Maybe there is hope? Nah there is really none for me or the human race.
Hmm, a tough question. Final Fantasy 7 is what got me into game design, but I had been familiar with RPGs for years before that, although I didn't have an SNES so I missed a lot of the big-name games on that system, at least when they were new. I probably got into WRPGs via novels first, actually, because my cousin gave me a set of dragonlance novels. That was probably before I first started playing Magic the Gathering, but not by much.
I'm not familiar with "WRPGs." May I ask what that is?
Also (unrelated), seeing the Commodore mentioned reminded of an RPG I played a lot on my own Commodore 64/128: Phantasy (I think that's how it is spelled).
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse. - FARGIN_WAR
Hmm, a tough question. Final Fantasy 7 is what got me into game design, but I had been familiar with RPGs for years before that, although I didn't have an SNES so I missed a lot of the big-name games on that system, at least when they were new. I probably got into WRPGs via novels first, actually, because my cousin gave me a set of dragonlance novels. That was probably before I first started playing Magic the Gathering, but not by much.
I'm not familiar with "WRPGs." May I ask what that is?
Also (unrelated), seeing the Commodore mentioned reminded of an RPG I played a lot on my own Commodore 64/128: Phantasy (I think that's how it is spelled).
I'm curious too. I know JRPGs. I'm assuming WRPG is Western Role Play Game? In which case, what games are you talking about? We may be loving the same ones and I have been mis-identifying them.
Although some will argue it wasn't really a RPG, For me it was Legend of Zelda NES ( Okay okay it was my stepping stone to phantasy star so it counts). I knew i had something special when I opened the box and found that glorious gold cartridge along with a map, a freaking map. What was this sorcery ? A Golden game and a map, I had only played games that gave you one direction to go up until that point , East or West. This map implied i could traverse the landscape in any direction i choose. Is this real life ?
Something from the 80's was playing in the back seat of the car, Lionel Ritchie, Tina Tuner, The Police Who knows ?! What i did know is this Legend of Zelda was serious business. The rest of that winter & spring would be spent searching for tri force and blowing holes in walls to find merchants who sold cool shit. No video game would captivate my childhood like zelda did until Mike Tyson's punch out came along sometime in 87 or 88.
Their was something magical about that map... I would carry it around the house and study it on the toilet.
I was playing Pong, and I thought to myself that "there's got to be something better than this." That's when I was hooked on RPGs. Then UO came out, and I was ecstatic. But then it just felt like it was back to something akin to Pong again. lol
mklinic said: Saw Zelda mentioned earlier and, as a kid, I bought into the marketing on that one. It had a gold cartridge!! :P
DVDs, etc., were obviously a huge upgrade and better choice to cartridges and tapes, but nothing will ever be more beautiful than that golden Zelda cartridge. Even after all these years, that thing is still one-of-a-kind amazing.
I really can't be sure what I first encountered. My father was always into games, so I was into them before I ever even played them(watching him play).
I remember sitting beside him through many old games. The one that sticks out as pretty early was one of those old stick-figure type Garriot games like Ultima or Akalabeth.
But, I really don't know, for certain if that was first or simply the one that I remember most clearly... possibly because my brother threw a Hot Wheels car across the living room and hit me in the nose that day...
For me Sword of Vermillion was a game that me and my pops played together when i was really young. We played for months. I knew then the RPGs would be one of my favorite genres
For me, it was Final Fantasy 3 (6) on the SNES. I think I was around 9 or 10 and rented it from Movie World that was near me. I remember it not only for the story and the amazing system that it had (the esper aspect was amazing to me), but my mom had rented Tremors at the same time (Also one of my favorite movies, no relation. I swear I'm not wearing rose tinted glasses). So I ask you beautiful people, what RPG got you really into the genre?
So many similarities. Final Fantasy IV on the SNES was my first rpg which I fell in love with...and FF 3 was probably my next game. I rented mine from something like a Movie World, in Northeast Oklahoma. I've been a fan of Square Enix and rpgs in general since then.
For me, it was Final Fantasy 3 (6) on the SNES. I think I was around 9 or 10 and rented it from Movie World that was near me. I remember it not only for the story and the amazing system that it had (the esper aspect was amazing to me), but my mom had rented Tremors at the same time (Also one of my favorite movies, no relation. I swear I'm not wearing rose tinted glasses). So I ask you beautiful people, what RPG got you really into the genre?
So many similarities. Final Fantasy IV on the SNES was my first rpg which I fell in love with...and FF 3 was probably my next game. I rented mine from something like a Movie World, in Northeast Oklahoma. I've been a fan of Square Enix and rpgs in general since then.
It was such a good feeling renting a game, right? Again, probably rose tinted glasses, but picking the game out and being super pumped with it was a great feeling. Speaking of Enix, do you remember Illusion of Gaia? That game... I rented the shit out of it. Praying that no one would get it before me and save over my game!
Zelda. The first one. Gold cartridge and all. Carried my NES from the Sears store 8 blocks to my grandmother's house. Zelda changed my life.
My father was a HUGE Legend of Zelda fan. I remember being around 6 and sitting with him with the map open trying to figure out which dungeon to go to next. To this day, I remember him cussing trying to figure out how to get the master sword!!! That and fighting Ganon. Good freaking times and memories.
I know I played FF1 on NES but I suspect there were others in the DOS era (whenever that happened in my home I mean, doubt we had cutting edge stuff).
Remember Terranova and Eternam for DOS but they aren't RPGs...
Ah that was it. Castle of the Winds for DOS. I remember I disliked the diagonal movement cause it required the player to view the map distorted, like a Mercator projection or whatever. Not optimal.
But really it was NES before I put any real time into RPGs. Before that it was SuperFly and Descent etc.
That phase lasted until Halo for XBox when I went full twitch for a decade or so.
DMing an old d and d and rolemaser group way back before the internet. When the crew got into college we built one of the first muds that ran for 10 years. Um, it took the university that long to go why do we have more than 10k uses every day from foreign countries . Paradox Ehh my admin toon was over 3 years old in the ten. Fun times! The student union admin was into rolemaser and would let run 12 hours a night on weekends in the student center.
Comments
Once upon a time....
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Morrowind got me really hokked though.
Have not yet though. Maybe there is hope?
Nah there is really none for me or the human race.
Also (unrelated), seeing the Commodore mentioned reminded of an RPG I played a lot on my own Commodore 64/128: Phantasy (I think that's how it is spelled).
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Yep !.... Legend of Zalda for me too.
That's when I was hooked on RPGs.
Then UO came out, and I was ecstatic.
But then it just felt like it was back to something akin to Pong again.
lol
Once upon a time....
Remember Terranova and Eternam for DOS but they aren't RPGs...
Ah that was it. Castle of the Winds for DOS. I remember I disliked the diagonal movement cause it required the player to view the map distorted, like a Mercator projection or whatever. Not optimal.
But really it was NES before I put any real time into RPGs. Before that it was SuperFly and Descent etc.
That phase lasted until Halo for XBox when I went full twitch for a decade or so.
Rember those days with dice and character sheets?