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Put random encounters back in my JRPG
- Thread starter Dreamboum
- Start date
Random encounters actually keep me away from playing games. Like, I actually have tons of fun with turn based systems...but random encounters, now those are what make playing the game feel like a chore to me. Like I can't remember ever having fun with random encounters. Every time I run into a random encounter I always feel some fun being drained out of me lol
Fuck random encounter forever.
The current solution isn't ideal, but going backwards isn't the answer.
More RPGs need combat to be occasional and important and related to the overall themes and story of the game and not this "fight 500 battles" nonsense which is just banal after a time.
The current solution isn't ideal, but going backwards isn't the answer.
More RPGs need combat to be occasional and important and related to the overall themes and story of the game and not this "fight 500 battles" nonsense which is just banal after a time.
People who shit on random encounters, yes they can be bad, but you all need to check out DQVII 3DS. Shit was unbearable! You WILL end up fighting more than if the game uses random encounters since the dungeons are so small and monsters spawn within them, and they all chase after you from miles away.
- I feel like doing alil grinding!
- *clears out all visible encounters on screen*
- *has to backtrack offscreen then back on to respawn monsters*
- "visible encounters =more fun & time saving"!
NO
- *clears out all visible encounters on screen*
- *has to backtrack offscreen then back on to respawn monsters*
- "visible encounters =more fun & time saving"!
NO
My most memorable moment from that game was winning a battle an having a monster instantly spawning ontop of me forcing another battle! Repeatedly!
I will be replying to this with Persona 5 in mind , which has some of the best implementation to counter random encounters . The cover system fix all of the issue you listed , also being able to choose when to start a battle and the freedom is the best thing ever .
As for this
This is exactly the prime issue of random generated area . How can you enjoy an area with the mindset that random encounters will occur at any time ?
As for this
This is exactly the prime issue of random generated area . How can you enjoy an area with the mindset that random encounters will occur at any time ?
My thoughts exactly. Never got the hate for random encounters whatsoever.
Cause with invisible encounters ya know what to expect an by using 'em the devs aren't lying / manipulating your expectations. With visible encounters you think you can get away with rolling through areas unhindered an free of "trash battles" but they almost always forced all the same. It has never ever felt good to me in an rpg with visible encounters when I thought I'd avoided a fight only to either have the monsters instantly catch up to me, corner me, or have new ones spawn ontop of my head. With invisible encounters theres no expectation of avoiding fights so I end up faaar less frustrated. Mindgames!
But that is exactly not how random encounters work. They are not REALLY random, in that once you had any kind of battle there is a grace period when encounters are impossible so you can actually go somewhere. That the games are designed so as to control how many fights you would expect to get into to reach your destination.
On the other hand, monsters on screen tend to force me to kill every single one of them because they all chase the player and you can't really run away from them.
This is a weird take. How can you enjoy a horror game if you're in the mindset you may get jumpscares at any moment?
Plus, different games use different rates of random encounters to properly give you a sense of how dangerous an area is. Skies of Arcadia has some neat ideas of going through certain areas in certain heights to have more or less encounters with monsters, and it adds to the worldbuilding they create with different ecossystems.
I don't agree with that, but I do agree that there has never been a satisfactory replacement for random battles. Visible enemies always either chase you or physically block your path, forcing the encounter.
The problem was never random battles: it was unsolicited battles, and hardly anyone has shown interest in solving that, after all these decades.
The problem was never random battles: it was unsolicited battles, and hardly anyone has shown interest in solving that, after all these decades.
Exactly.
So much of the fun of JRPGs is grinding in that one area that has monsters that are cheesed by that one otherwise useless spell, or where there is a random drop that you need in your life. Some of my favorite JRPG memories are grinding back and forth to get something new out of a game.
I've only loved one JRPG in my life and the worst ever part about it was the random encounters.
I much prefer random encounters, in games that have them like Dragon Quest, I never feel like I have to grind since I'm always appropriately leveled.
And in other games where it's more of an issue, there are ways to evade them like repels in Pokemon.
Having to dodge creatures, and trek around a large area to avoid fights always made things seem like more of a chore even if that wasn't necessarily the case.
Monsters in the overworld I find to be kind of annoying in general. Obviously I'm a minority, and this does make me end up playing older JRPGs released on the NES or PC-88/PC-98/W3.1.
And in other games where it's more of an issue, there are ways to evade them like repels in Pokemon.
Having to dodge creatures, and trek around a large area to avoid fights always made things seem like more of a chore even if that wasn't necessarily the case.
Monsters in the overworld I find to be kind of annoying in general. Obviously I'm a minority, and this does make me end up playing older JRPGs released on the NES or PC-88/PC-98/W3.1.
Hell no. If I'm overleveled for a zone or don't need XP, I would like the option to move around interrupted.
This topic makes me consider some of my all-time favorite rpgs: Lufia 2, Grandia, and Valkyrie Profile. Lufia 2 has random encounters in the overworld, but otherwise these all use enemies to represent encounters to fight or avoid.
However, Lufia 2 and Valkyrie Profile use these enemies as puzzle solving. I think these games shine because the game play consists of more than turn-based combat, and random encounters can absolutely ruin a puzzle or platforming section. Grandia does somewhat turn combat evasion into a tense dance occasionally, but that game thrives on its deep battle system anyway.
I guess the takeaway for me is that random encounters prohibit more interesting or compelling game play in rpgs. I am by no means saying an rpg with random encounters is automatically bad, and I Am Setsuna is a great example of how to not implement signaled encounters, but the truly elite rpgs have better solutions than random encounters.
However, Lufia 2 and Valkyrie Profile use these enemies as puzzle solving. I think these games shine because the game play consists of more than turn-based combat, and random encounters can absolutely ruin a puzzle or platforming section. Grandia does somewhat turn combat evasion into a tense dance occasionally, but that game thrives on its deep battle system anyway.
I guess the takeaway for me is that random encounters prohibit more interesting or compelling game play in rpgs. I am by no means saying an rpg with random encounters is automatically bad, and I Am Setsuna is a great example of how to not implement signaled encounters, but the truly elite rpgs have better solutions than random encounters.
But that is exactly not how monsters on map work. Plenty of games with this method have enemies that will not attack unless you attack them. Others will keep to their area and have minimal aggro range or if they can see you from afar it's usually easy to run away from them. The enemies that chase tend to have a territory and usually give up chase quickly. And some games make enemies stop bothering you when you get stronger than them. If it's a well designed game then no, you don't have to kill every single thing you see just to comfortably progress through and area.
With a random encounter system you at least have to sit through the whole transition to the battle screen and select the run option which can fail. Even when I'm running from a monster on the map, I'm moving through the environment and the game isn't spending time going to and from the random encounter.
Battles tend to be the main gameplay element of many RPGs. Is there something inherently wrong with forcing some battles? What if they're guarding a door or a chest or a special area? Or it's a gauntlet? Like if everything stays out of your way where's the incentive to fight anything? I think not many have shown interest in "solving" that because it's like saying to remove bottomless pits from a platformer so you aren't forced to take unsolicited jumps.
And I'd like to hear what games some of you are referencing. I've never played any RPG with monsters that spawned on the map where you had to fight everything that spawned on the map.
I'm with ya OP. Hate some cheap ass enemy model floating around on the map. Not more immersive, not fun to dodge or face head on, clutter ups the map and usually running away just leaves the ugly ass dude blinking for a few seconds before they come at you again.
Unless it's done well I just don't I could grow to like it :/. I want random encounters back and while you're at it stop the trend of blending classic rpg's into action games keep my genres separate!
Unless it's done well I just don't I could grow to like it :/. I want random encounters back and while you're at it stop the trend of blending classic rpg's into action games keep my genres separate!
No. It took Western RPGs before the 90s to have enemies visible on the field before battle. JRPGs didn't start doing it more until the 2000s. And they still rarely have battles take place on the same screen.
The hate for random encounter is as bad as the hate for turn-based combat in RPG lol.
ResetERA has this circlejerk that random encounter and turn-based was based on system limitation, even though both action combat and on-screen field monsters has been done since SNES era lol.
I actually partly agree with OP, if budget is an issue, random encounter tends to provide a more elegant issues than just half-assing putting monster on screen only to provide no gameplay interactions.
Just like turn-based vs action, random encounter vs on-screen monsters both have its plus and minus. I don't mind either as long as it's done well.
ResetERA has this circlejerk that random encounter and turn-based was based on system limitation, even though both action combat and on-screen field monsters has been done since SNES era lol.
I actually partly agree with OP, if budget is an issue, random encounter tends to provide a more elegant issues than just half-assing putting monster on screen only to provide no gameplay interactions.
Just like turn-based vs action, random encounter vs on-screen monsters both have its plus and minus. I don't mind either as long as it's done well.
Honestly dungeon crawlers are probably the last bastion of this mechanic. I enjoy them too, but they're poison to the average(and forgive me for saying this) casual RPGer.
No, for the love of god.....No. What JRPGS needs to get back is budget, higher production values, and a better understanding that fans of the entire world wants to play and like the games, but they still are made thinking only on japanese otakus.... The storytelling must evolve from "shounen" to "seinen". More mature themes with better writing.
I love Wild Arms 2's take on random encounter. When you're underleved, random encounter will be unavoidable. If the party's level more or less equal with their enemies, you can avoid random encounter by pressing a button at the right time (visualized by an exclamation mark). Overleveled, and you have to press a button when the exclamation mark appears to get into a random encounter.
Ar Tonelico had another great system. You can only get so many in a certain area. Fight enough and they're gone.
Sorry OP,but I 99.99% disagree with this statement of yours.
Other than Pokémon, I fail to see how random encounters are better than non-random ones. If you put random encounters in your game, there better be a way to disable them (preferably naturally with items like Repel in Pokémon).
Also the worst part of random encounters is when your lost in dungeon/can't figure out what to do next in the main quest.
Other than Pokémon, I fail to see how random encounters are better than non-random ones. If you put random encounters in your game, there better be a way to disable them (preferably naturally with items like Repel in Pokémon).
Also the worst part of random encounters is when your lost in dungeon/can't figure out what to do next in the main quest.
Items to disable random encounter in RPG has been around since 1980s.
Fuck no. I am glad this ancient technique has been put to rest. It was due to technical limitations in the first place so no reason to keep them.
It's NOT due to technical limitation. That's like saying turn based combat is due to technical limitation.
I was talking about JRPGs... Even then they're minorities, the majority of them (JRPGs with random encounters) either don't have them, a rare equip/skill or they're way too late to get. They need to be available very early in game (or even at the beginning).
It was absolutely due to the technical limitation for games like FFVII. The encounters were used to mask load times as well.
i think random encounters can work when they are designed around as a core aspect of the gameplay
the etrian odyssey series has an orb that changes color as the danger of a random encounter draws nearer, which i think is an interesting way to implement the mechanic
the etrian odyssey series has an orb that changes color as the danger of a random encounter draws nearer, which i think is an interesting way to implement the mechanic
I fully disagree with OP 100%. Nothing takes me more out of a world than bring teleported to a battle screen as I am enjoyed the area. Improving dodging mechanics and distribution of enemies? Sure.
Depends on how frequent it is. The PS2 SMT games had this mechanic as well and it was still aggravating as fuck to get encounters in it.
Either way i'm fine with. Doesn't bother me. My only ask is that the normal progression rate of leveling up should make it so I never have to linger in an area if I don't want to grind. The way I get to a battle doesn't matter to me.
If you don't find the combat in a game fun there are probably bigger issues at play than just you not liking random encounters.
If you don't find the combat in a game fun there are probably bigger issues at play than just you not liking random encounters.
