500 traits of an original RPG.

**Valigarmander** · 04-15-2009, 12:06 AM

1. The hero isn't a spiky-haired, nihilistic teenaged orphan with a giant sword, chosen by destiny to save the world from evil.

2. The party doesn't feature a silent, female character who casts healing spells, or a big, obnoxious fellow who smashes things with an axe/his fists but deep down is a real softy.

3. The main villain isn't a typical emo anime villain.

4. There's no "evil empire" to serve as a red herring while the main villain masterminds everything in the background.

5. There's no "ancient evil" that was sealed away by a group of heroes exactly 999.99 years ago that will awaken after 1000 years.

6. The hero's home town doesn't get demolished or overrun by monsters at any point in the game, giving the hero "motivation" to go stomp some bad guys.

7. The game doesn't revolve around 3-8 elemental crystals, ancient talismans or some other magical item that needs to be collected by the hero.

8. The game features more than six towns per planet.

9. Characters and towns don't have names overflowing with apostrophes (ex: Zul'legos traveled to the city of Kel'marath in the land of Qu'makalaka'hai.)

Metal Man · 04-15-2009, 12:58 AM

10. The plot is fully comprehensible to more than 10 people on the entire planet.

Robotazy · 04-15-2009, 01:05 AM

11. The Hero does not have Amnesia

Vgfian · 04-15-2009, 01:05 AM

11.No mysterious stranger who gives the main character a sword and turns out to be the main characters father in a "bizzare twist".

12.No woman/girl who is in love with the main character who is the ,"Key".

13.More than 1 black person in the entire game.

I am nobody · 04-15-2009, 06:25 AM

14. The geography and climate of the planet is actually plausible

15. The culture breakup is actually plausible - 5 miles across a field does not justify entirely different cultures.

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-15-2009, 06:38 AM

16. Teenage girls that join your party don't wear excessively revealing outfits unless they're dancers

17. Towns have more than three stores

18. You recover by eating food, not "potions." -CSM

Auron · 04-15-2009, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

18. You recover by eating food, not "potions." -CSM

There's actually a lot of RPGs that do that.

Speed · 04-15-2009, 08:02 AM

19. No silent kind of emo "badass" character who gets all the fangirls.

***Ace Mercury*** · 04-15-2009, 08:15 AM

This is more of a JRPG sort of thing, but I digress.

20. There is more than one town per continent.

Robotazy · 04-15-2009, 08:44 AM

21. The Final Boss does not come out at the last second, wrecking the story.

Speed · 04-15-2009, 08:45 AM

22. The boss isn't an emo freak who just wants to "save the world by destroying it"

It was cool the first 20 times but it's fricken played out.

I am nobody · 04-15-2009, 12:14 PM

23. "Undiscovered" continents do not sell exactly the same items as the stores you just came from.

24. Technology actually progresses as time goes on, and the world is not filled with "Ancient Powers".

25. The weather is not a plot tool, and storms occur even when the bad dude isn't about to win.

Metal Man · 04-15-2009, 12:53 PM

26. People in your party range as far as alignments go.

Rainbow Dash · 04-15-2009, 01:38 PM

27-218. The opposite of each and every one of cliches on The Grand List of Console Role Playing Game Cliches

Robotazy · 04-15-2009, 01:41 PM

....
eh.

219. Your Father is not Evil/Dead/Lazy.

**X-3** · 04-15-2009, 02:37 PM

220. There is only one playable character.

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-15-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auron

There's actually a lot of RPGs that do that.

Yeah, well I only know of 3 that take it seriously.

221. Weapons don't look ridiculous. -CSM

Metal Man · 04-15-2009, 08:04 PM

30. Aliens that actually behave and look like something you've never seen before. (I.E., they aren't modelled after one of eighty bazillion overdone variants seen elsewhere and are actually very 'bizarre'/'alien' in their appearance/behavior.)

ChuckleHuck · 04-15-2009, 08:55 PM

222. The main character works alone; no other party members.

Auron · 04-15-2009, 11:56 PM

223. In polar opposite to 222, your party consists of more than 8 people, like upwards of 25.

04-15-2009, 12:06 AM	#1
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,701 Times in 2,581 Posts Blog Entries: 20	500 traits of an original RPG. 1. The hero isn't a spiky-haired, nihilistic teenaged orphan with a giant sword, chosen by destiny to save the world from evil. 2. The party doesn't feature a silent, female character who casts healing spells, or a big, obnoxious fellow who smashes things with an axe/his fists but deep down is a real softy. 3. The main villain isn't a typical emo anime villain. 4. There's no "evil empire" to serve as a red herring while the main villain masterminds everything in the background. 5. There's no "ancient evil" that was sealed away by a group of heroes exactly 999.99 years ago that will awaken after 1000 years. 6. The hero's home town doesn't get demolished or overrun by monsters at any point in the game, giving the hero "motivation" to go stomp some bad guys. 7. The game doesn't revolve around 3-8 elemental crystals, ancient talismans or some other magical item that needs to be collected by the hero. 8. The game features more than six towns per planet. 9. Characters and towns don't have names overflowing with apostrophes (ex: Zul'legos traveled to the city of Kel'marath in the land of Qu'makalaka'hai.)

04-15-2009, 01:38 PM	#14
Rainbow Dash been dreamin', i've been waitin' Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: a bomb-ass cloud house bachelorette pad Gender: Posts: 24,402 Thanks: 173 Thanked 1,179 Times in 716 Posts	27-218. The opposite of each and every one of cliches on The Grand List of Console Role Playing Game Cliches Last edited by Rainbow Dash; 04-15-2009 at 01:49 PM.

04-15-2009, 12:58 AM	#2
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	10. The plot is fully comprehensible to more than 10 people on the entire planet.

04-15-2009, 01:05 AM	#3
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	11. The Hero does not have Amnesia

04-15-2009, 01:05 AM	#4
Vgfian Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Listening to Seeking 7 Seven and giving out free hugs. :) Gender: Posts: 6,862 Thanks: 2,433 Thanked 398 Times in 311 Posts	11.No mysterious stranger who gives the main character a sword and turns out to be the main characters father in a "bizzare twist". 12.No woman/girl who is in love with the main character who is the ,"Key". 13.More than 1 black person in the entire game.

04-15-2009, 06:25 AM	#5
I am nobody Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Over there. Gender: Posts: 5,515 Thanks: 309 Thanked 365 Times in 242 Posts Blog Entries: 7	14. The geography and climate of the planet is actually plausible 15. The culture breakup is actually plausible - 5 miles across a field does not justify entirely different cultures.

04-15-2009, 06:38 AM	#6
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	16. Teenage girls that join your party don't wear excessively revealing outfits unless they're dancers 17. Towns have more than three stores 18. You recover by eating food, not "potions." -CSM

04-15-2009, 08:02 AM	#8
Speed Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: If there's a bright center to the universe I'm on the planet it's farthest from Gender: Posts: 3,747 Thanks: 1,598 Thanked 320 Times in 224 Posts Blog Entries: 1	19. No silent kind of emo "badass" character who gets all the fangirls.

04-15-2009, 08:15 AM	#9
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	This is more of a JRPG sort of thing, but I digress. 20. There is more than one town per continent.

04-15-2009, 08:44 AM	#10
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	21. The Final Boss does not come out at the last second, wrecking the story.

04-15-2009, 08:45 AM	#11
Speed Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: If there's a bright center to the universe I'm on the planet it's farthest from Gender: Posts: 3,747 Thanks: 1,598 Thanked 320 Times in 224 Posts Blog Entries: 1	22. The boss isn't an emo freak who just wants to "save the world by destroying it" It was cool the first 20 times but it's fricken played out.

04-15-2009, 12:14 PM	#12
I am nobody Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Over there. Gender: Posts: 5,515 Thanks: 309 Thanked 365 Times in 242 Posts Blog Entries: 7	23. "Undiscovered" continents do not sell exactly the same items as the stores you just came from. 24. Technology actually progresses as time goes on, and the world is not filled with "Ancient Powers". 25. The weather is not a plot tool, and storms occur even when the bad dude isn't about to win.

04-15-2009, 12:53 PM	#13
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	26. People in your party range as far as alignments go.

04-15-2009, 01:41 PM	#15
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	.... eh. 219. Your Father is not Evil/Dead/Lazy.

04-15-2009, 02:37 PM	#16
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,947 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	220. There is only one playable character.

04-15-2009, 08:04 PM	#18
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	30. Aliens that actually behave and look like something you've never seen before. (I.E., they aren't modelled after one of eighty bazillion overdone variants seen elsewhere and are actually very 'bizarre'/'alien' in their appearance/behavior.)

04-15-2009, 08:55 PM	#19
ChuckleHuck Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: In the walls. Gender: Posts: 1,983 Thanks: 117 Thanked 64 Times in 46 Posts	222. The main character works alone; no other party members.

04-15-2009, 11:56 PM	#20
Auron Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Inside Gender: Posts: 6,743 Thanks: 5 Thanked 325 Times in 198 Posts	223. In polar opposite to 222, your party consists of more than 8 people, like upwards of 25.