Most Important/Crucial Factor in RPG Making

[Jeneeus Guruman]

I recently posted in my feed that I wonder why gamers and makers alike in this forum are focused on graphics.

Now, I'm really curious what will be your preferred Most Important/Crucial Factor in RPG Making.

According to my research, which is my school project last school year, the result was that it is the storyline that matters most, then gameplay, music, and last and the least, graphics.

In my opinion, I preferred gameplay first, then story, music, and graphics.

Why game play first? Because if the story line ends and there's nothing to do left and the gameplay is fun to do it over and over again, you can still play even the story ends. Like in Final Fantasy remakes, they add some more features after the end of the story to make sure that the players will not bored in their playing habit.

Why story 2nd? It's because storyline is very important in the game and it can create a main purpose on putting the features of the game.

Why Music > Graphics? Because, for me, even crappy graphics with a music that suits a stage in the game, I have the feel on the game (I don't know if it's the right term).

Again, these are all my opinion.

Now, what's your most important factor? No "I choose both...", "Either ... or ...", and anything (for short, no same-level importance here).

 

[Indinera]

It really depends on what you want to achieve with the game. Some are more about gameplay, some more about storyline etc.

No rule carved in stone. What I personally prefer is a bit of all with a slight emphasis on story and gameplay.

 

[♥SOURCE♥]

I think that it is the balance between all aspects what makes the quality. The equilibrium. Harmony.

 

[SolarGale]

I think that it is the balance between all aspects what makes the quality. The equilibrium. Harmony.

Second this, It's usually dependant on what your game is supposed to be, but a good balance is never a bad thing imo. :3

 

[Jeneeus Guruman]

I'm sorry that my question is not very clear.

I know that the there are different important factors per game genre like RPG, Action, etc., contents, and type of the game, but what i mean is in general and overall, what is the one and only most important thing in game making?

EDIT:

I think that it is the balance between all aspects what makes the quality. The equilibrium. Harmony.

I know that having them in sync is what make the game good but what I wanted to tell is which factor influences the most.

 

[Shablo5]

Mechanics. A game without good, fun mechanics isn't a game that's fun to play, regardless if the aesthetic and story are top notch.

EDIT: If you can't land mechanics right, just make a visual novel, so the player won't have a chance to notice

 

[Yato]

For me, it's the characters. The story could be the most interesting set of events ever written, but if I don't love the characters, I don't really care that much. Then probably something along the lines of Gameplay, Story, Graphics, Music. Though for me, if a game really excels in one area, that can make up for lacking in others.

 

[Indrah]

I think that it is the balance between all aspects what makes the quality. The equilibrium. Harmony.

This. No matter how you try to push the "yes, but which one the MOST", it's too codependent and varies too much based on the developer's skills. I can't possibly vote on this poll.

For example: I put the most attention to story and characters, but that's because that's my best skill and what I prefer in rpgs, not because it's objectively (or subjectively in my opinion) the "most important thing in game making". I know other people SUBJECTIVELY consider it to be gameplay, for example.

Also you have a whole, enormous set of genres and subgenres out there. Roguelikes and lineal Jrpgs are worlds away and can't really be compared with the same ruler. I won't even get into genres such as plataformers, shooters, puzzle games, etc.

In the poll you're asking for a objective fact (what's more important on the whole) and specify no genres (heck, many genres don't even have a story at all, there's no point in comparing them).

You should probably reformat your poll and presentation, I think as it is it's not set up coherently.

Also, asking people to pick ONE aspect means you're forcing them to be unbalanced (and probably would create bad games, simply put) since remmeber, you're askign what's objectively more important, not what their personal favourite part is, and that's a different question.

 

[Jeneeus Guruman]

I'm very sorry but I think, I'm doing it wrong.

Well, I'll change the topic if I can.

EDIT: Now for RPG genre (any RPG, turn-based, platform, etc.) only.

 

[RavenTDA]

The topic is kinda confusing. To me this topic is more what's the most important aspect to an rpg game, not game making. The most important factor to rpg making is dedication. The most important factor to rpgs... well rpgs are always going to be story-heavy. Story is important and then I think comes gameplay, but for most games in general game-play is the most crucial. Having a good mix in all aspects is good like people have said because each factor plays a part.

Lets face it, graphics are usually the first thing everyone sees. It draws and attracts players to download/buy/play the game in the first place. Then from there your game play is what makes them play, then what keeps them on the game play is the story so they see it through the end. The music and sounds help the overall atmosphere and immersion into the game. They all add something.

But if you're wondering what you should focus the most on, I always say do what you're good at. If you are a writer, make your story the focus. Good at graphics? Have pretty maps and face graphics... and so on. Most time we make rpgs alone when using the maker so we have to focus on what we're good at. We can try to brush ourselves up in other areas but in the end if you have years of art experience and none in scripting, you aren't going to become a brilliant scripter over night as well as the opposite. Focus on what you know, and you'll end up with something good, because there's resources available to help you with what you lack. None of us are good at everything and most of us are working alone. Everyone is in the same boat, so don't sweat it. Have fun and make a game. :3

 

[Robin]

Why game play first? Because if the story line ends and there's nothing to do left and the gameplay is fun to do it over and over again, you can still play even the story ends. Like in Final Fantasy remakes, they add some more features after the end of the story to make sure that the players will not bored in their playing habit.

You're saying gameplay keeps people playing after the storyline is over. That is not a good reason for gameplay being more important than the story.

When player choices within the story are are allowed, that is often something that increases replayability. You'll often see games advertising player choice and multiple endings for this reason.

Now, what's your most important factor? No "I choose both...", "Either ... or ...", and anything (for short, no same-level importance here).

I don't see why you're putting this artificial restriction on people's answers. As stated already, it's all about there being a balance.

 

[Raine Fallon]

Story is always the most important thing, I've found myself in love with games with good stories & good character development over the ones with the overly fancy menus and such. Of course good graphics is a bonus, but nothing more really.

Id like to bring out an example: Final Fantasy Awakening in RPG Maker XP is the best game I've ever played made by an RPG Maker Engine. However the game didn't have any

overly fancy menus or overly addictive gameplay. It's the simplicity that makes the greatest games. A simple battle system (Tankentai, normal frontview battle system) + Awesome story = best games. However good mapping is actually an important factor to a game as well.

If Final Fantasy Awakening demo download still existed; I would recommend anyone here to take a look at that masterpiece . In addition; A great game, with great graphics and good story is Valkyrie Stories made by Hanzo Kimura. Too bad both games were abandoned

 

[Reynard Frost]

There is no 1 important thing when developing a game. They all work in unison.

Examples:

If your gameplay sucks, but everything else is amazing, the player will get bored or frustrated.

If your story sucks, but everything else is amazing. People will stop caring, or openly make fun of what you made.

If your graphics suck or are horribly used, the player will stop playing because it's an eyesore.

If your music sucks or is horribly used, then the player will be distracted and won't be able to enjoy themselves.

EVERYTHING has to be good and have equal attention put on it. That is why most video games are made with teams, because each team member does the BEST job they can with each part of the game, to make the best game possible. If you're on your own, you need to focus on ALL areas and do the best you can. If you focus on one more than the others, then the other suffers and your game will be poor in the end.

Don't focus on which is more important, focus on making each one as best you can. Until you realize this then you're going to struggle with game development.

 

[Kaelan]

I know that having them in sync is what make the game good but what I wanted to tell is which factor influences the most.

No, you don't get what he's saying. There is no most important factor. Everything is important. The quality of your game will only be as good as the weakest link. A really good game does as well as it can in all aspects. Some areas will turn out better than others as a result of the talents of the people making it, but you should still always strive for excellence everywhere. Consistency is one of the marks of excellence in a game: if you have great gameplay but terrible art or bad music, the bad really does drag your game down with it.

Dark Souls is a pretty good exemple. It has really good action gameplay, which is what most people notice. But it also has incredibly good sound design, which pulls you into the world while you're playing it. It also has a great art style, which conveys the overall mood of the game. It also has a really solid story,

If you look at it from the surface, it'll seem like combat was the most important part of the game because it was the most noticeable. But if you actually look at the whole game, you'll see they deliberately dedicated time to making everything great - that's why it's a really good game.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

I don't think there is a "most important"

It depends too heavily on the game. The best thing is to have ACCEPTABLE levels of everything (try not to suck at any one thing) and then excel in an area or two.

A mediocre gameplay, decent graphics, forgettable music game with a great story, I can play.

A decent story, decent graphics, forgettable music game with great gameplay, I can play.

etc. etc.

Its not about focusing on one specific thing, its about EXCELLING SOMEWHERE while being competent everywhere else.

EDIT: Also, excelling in MULTIPLE areas is how you make a great game.

 

[randomuser]

edit

 

[slaQ]

In general game making, I fully believe gameplay is the number 1 thing. It is WHAT you do and HOW you do it that makes or breaks the game.

If everything is perfect, but the gameplay sucks, the game just lost it's game element, it's interactivity. And without game mechanics, a story is either a movie or a book, not a game.

If everything sucks, but the gameplay is fun, you still have a game.

 

[Reynard Frost]

In general game making, I fully believe gameplay is the number 1 thing. It is WHAT you do and HOW you do it that makes or breaks the game.

If everything is perfect, but the gameplay sucks, the game just lost it's game element, it's interactivity. And without game mechanics, a story is either a movie or a book, not a game.

If everything sucks, but the gameplay is fun, you still have a game.

Just a **** game. All are important. Gameplay included.

 

[Espon]

Normally I play RPGs for the story. This includes things like the setting and characters as well. A good story with unlikable characters can easily turn me off.

Gameplay is a close second though. Hard to enjoy a story if in between you're stuck doing boring tasks or fighting with broken mechanics.

 

[Cryranos]

It's a game! Gameplay is definitely the most important, although for RPGs, story should be second. The game could have a wonderful story, beautiful graphics, and genius music, but if the gameplay is boring, I wouldn't play it.

Of course, if it has a ho-hum story and wonderful gameplay, it may be difficult to get me to pick the game up, but once I do, I'll keep playing! Nobody ever played Pokemon for the story (I hope); the only reason there is a story at all is to give us a frame for the monster catching.

I can't name a single game I ever put down because the story, graphics, or music were bad. It was the gameplay.

No, really. I played Phylomortis: Avant-Guarde, which is the only game with good gameplay that I came close to putting down (the causation for my near cessation of activities pertaining to the engagement I had with this game make themselves omnipresent and lucid to any individual whosoever has experienced it for their own amusement or lack thereof). If the gameplay wasn't good, I wouldn't have submitted myself to it. At some points, I just skipped through the text as quickly as I could. The difficulty kind of lured me in as well. That game is proof that even with indecipherable story, a game can be good.

You can also make that case for the Elder Scrolls Series, which, while having quite nice stories, were more about the exploration and character building, coming closer to tabletop RPGs.

Again, I say: gameplay gameplay gameplay