Bethesda RPG games boring?

[TooNice]

Personally, I find all single-player RPG games to be exceedingly dull.

If I am playing solo, I like action thick and fast.

For me the pace and scale of an RPG can only be done justice when played with others.

I am quite partial to Japanese style RPGs. Good ones draws me into what feel like an epic story.

Are there any multiplayer RPGs that are: 1. Not hack and slash, 2. With a start, middle and end?

Much as as enjoyed Diablo, to me it's not an RPG any more than Starcraft. Yes both contains a polished plots, but at it's core, Diablo is a hack and slash and Starcraft is an RTS. [I have to point this out because not everyone make the distinction between RPG and Hack and Slash, and I do see a blur]

I dislike MMORPGs because of the lack of an "ending". It's a good way to hook a player but I always feel less satisfied after quitting an MMORPGs than after finishing.. or even quitting a standard RPGs.

I've also tried Neverwinter Night. Perhaps it's to do with the timing of when I started it, but it didn't draw me in for some reason.

That leads to the original Bethesda games. Surprisingly perhaps, I haven't played *any* of them. I have played earlier Fallout (1 & 2), and I have to say that I really enjoyed them. No idea how Fallout 3 has changed, but I consider Fallout 1 & 2 to be relatively linear. Not so linear that you can't do some quests other than others, but you are not too likely to venture where you aren't expected to on first playthrough (without guide).

Well, I've recently picked up Mass Effect 1 & 2 on Steam, so I'll see how I find those

[kalniel]

I am quite partial to Japanese style RPGs. Good ones draws me into what feel like an epic story.

Are there any multiplayer RPGs that are: 1. Not hack and slash, 2. With a start, middle and end?

Give SW:TOR a try. It's a little hack and slashy, but hack and slashy in Bioware style, so lots of different power move type choices, class decisions, and above all, a more film-like experience regarding the story behind your hack and slashing. The story for your class should also give you your beginning/middle/end that you're looking for.

I've also tried Neverwinter Night. Perhaps it's to do with the timing of when I started it, but it didn't draw me in for some reason.

It's not an MMO for starters You used to be able to find a persistent world that catered for any style pretty much, the difficulty was finding one. If you are still looking for one then Thain (http://www.thain.org/) used to be very story-driven and accessible for non hack-slashers, though those types were allowed in as well. It's been a few years since I was involved though and it's probably quite quiet these days and the story may have changed (I built the main story thread back in the day).

[RichieLee]

I adore the bethesda games, but I can understand why some say they're boring. For a spectator it's not exactly exciting viewing. It does get a little repetitive but I think the things that tie these things together are the little details. It's basically very immersive and the multitude of side quests can be pretty engaging.

Personally I prefer the post apocalyptic Fallout to the elderscrolls series as I like the idea of routing around and 'surviving' as opposed to a fantasy setting and the associated lore that comes with it. The 50's style decor and soundtrack to the Fallout series are ace.

After seeing a friend hopelessly hooked on a WoW trial, I think I'll stay away from MMOs, it's a lot of effort for little or no gain, there is no 'ending' or any semblance of true story progression. Just grind grind grind for a pretty avatar... ummm No thanks, reminds me a bit of that episode of Black Mirror.

I think RPGs are intrinsically linked to the plot. It's set at a slower pace than action games and have a much more 'epic' scale so that the players can do things at their own pace.

[melon]

forget pcs.. just do online tabletop gaming...

its lot more fun

m

[kalniel]

forget pcs.. just do online tabletop gaming...

its lot more fun

On your own? Like TES is single player?

[zulander]

Only reason i found oblivion boring was the combat which was pretty basic - loved it the first time i played it.
i think as I have got older i have become a bit less patient and so doing the early dungeon crawling and traveling to open the map puts me off a bit i played fallout and for some reason I hated the clunky combat and pacing as you walked round the world...
A lot of games seem to put added content in that donest really do much - like getting married etc couldnt care less about that unless it has some posative impact on the game - which it apprently does in skyrim.

So yeah they can be a bit "boring" i think the key is how much variety there is in side missions - GTA although not being an RPG is fairly open world and the side missions are usually pretty varied

[directhex]

Fast Travel.

It makes *such* a difference to the playability of TES games (and I'm including FO3 etc in that too), because it allows you to completely separate the tasks of "explore" and "engage". If you feel like exploring, you go explore. If you feel like doing quests, you can teleport straight to where you need to be, and do that dungeon/escort/whatever.

The first time I played Oblivion (which I got with my 360) I played a few hours and thought "this is boring" and left it for about a year. The second time, when I went back, I discovered that the main cities were pre-seeded on the map, and teleportable. And all of a sudden, I found I didn't need to trudge around on foot for half an hour just to find a quest - instead I could jump straight into the action and get things done. Since then I've loved FO3, FONV and TES5, and spent many hours on TES4. Conversely I can't get into Morrowind - because it lacks a radar and fast travel.

That said, I have harsh criticism of Skyrim's being "big" without being "RPG" - largely because your actions seem to have no effect on anyone around you. In my entire playtime, I've had maybe one conversation where my actions in an unrelated questline change the dialogue significantly. And in some cases it's really stupid - e.g. my companion is Mjoll the Lioness, whose main motivation is flushing out the thieves' guild. She was my companion for the entire thieves guild questline - and I even took her with me when a minor guild job involved planting evidence in her house to frame her for theft. FONV wouldn't let you get away with that - your companions actually have some depth to them - and hell, can you imaging something that shallow happening in a Bioware RPG? I know from experience that it doesn't happen (e.g. bring Shale with you on the quests in the Deep Roads).

[oolon]

Well I am very pleased that JA: Back in Business has not been remade by Bethesda, I still miss the isometric squad action of the original Fallout series.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Yeap; time element. Won't buy any of the above mentioned games for precisely that reason. My attempt at playing ME, the witcher, DA:O have all been killed by not having the time to invest in one game. I think not feeling like you have progressed is off putting when your time is so important.

I need my fix quick and can not pick up a story line after a couple of months (and thats having to remember what keys to press). I used to love leveling RPGs, the ones I remember best were Baldurs gate (I suppose the side quests were not a huge portion of the game) but sadly do not have the time anymore.

MMOs are quite fun now as you get to be a bit more social. PvP elements from GW are something I got into in RA.

EDIT: have torchlight but again have come to it and gone away again come back and gone away to many little numbers and comaprisons. It will run on my laptop though........

[kalniel]

Try Torchlight

[wasabi]

I still think a lot of these games need to have a much more direct link between your key/mouse movement skills and how well your character responds onscreen. This most basic of things makes it feel impersonal and abstract. Stuff all this ridiculous character levelling up stuff and do something much more like Deus Ex / Thief.

And as has been said earlier, it really doesn't feel like playing a role in any meaningful way. Like I can get caught pickpocketing someone, pay the fine go to jail, come back and they'll treat me the same next time we meet.

[kalniel]

I still think a lot of these games need to have a much more direct link between your key/mouse movement skills and how well your character responds onscreen.

You mean make it about your skills rather than your character's skills? Isn't that destroying the point of an RPG?

Think you'll love Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyu38nXLcko

[Mapester]

I think Bethesda games are good overall but can get boring after months of play, i bought skyrim on steam coz i knew i was gonna get my value for monies, as it is a Bethesda game its gonna be massive on a epic scale and totally free roaming like all the elder scrolls games b4 it + the fallout 3 & new vegas games, however i do agree with the OP that bioware make better RPGs, because I am still yet to play a better RPG than my all time favourite that is Baldurs Gate 1 & 2.

[DeludedGuy]

Mapestar, yup, I love fallout 3 and new vegas, but nothing so far has been better than Baldurs Gate 1 and 2.

[GeorgeStorm]

I haven't played a lot of Bethesda games, but the ones I have (Pirates of the Caribbean for instance) I've enjoyed a lot, even though people said it was an incredibly buggy game, with some mods/patches it was awesome