Should RPGs have stayed 2D?

Yes and no. Its nice to see more; but on the other hand, in 2D, you can still look at a mountain and tell that its a mountain without having ever pixel filled in.

there is still room for very good RPGs in 2D on the pathetic hand held game systems .....

seriously some 2D RPGs would be better than most of the junk they make for PSP and DS n so on

DeViLzzz

Yeah, I hate it when they try to do 3d and fail miserably. I like decent sprites more than crap 3d.

I don't care if it's 2D or 3D as long as it's done well.

Nope. I don't think so.

I don't care if it's 2D or 3D as long as it's done well.

LovePotionNo9

Some yes. Some like Demon's Souls, no!

I don't think so. I don't see any benifit at all with being 2D. RPG's pretty much play the same either way, exept in 2D, random battles are more common, and it's not as pretty.

I'm fine with either one though, as long as it's fun and tells a good story, I'll love it. I just prefer it if it's also pretty, and voiced. And Iprefer lack of random battles.

for me it depends. 3D RPS are good like Mass Effect and Dragon Age. but if your talking about RPGs from Japan yeah it depends. i know back in the PS2 there was al ot of 3D RPS for me seem to be horriable that it gave me headackes.

BUT like Kingdom Hearts they made a good 3D RPG.

lets say this for some games 2D is the way to go. Xeno Gears is one good 2D RPG ill never get bored of playing

Well I feel like WRPGs are fine as 3D but I think JRPGs were better off as 2D.

What I want to know is: for those of you who prefer the 2D games, what's better about them? I understand some 3D RPGs may have bad graphics and you may prefer the sprites, but do you dislike ALL 3D RPG graphics? Some of my favorite graphics in games are JRPG's actually. Like Tales of Vesperia and Eternal Sonata.

I don't mean to sound rude, you prefer 2D, and that's fine. But I am just curious, what do 2D games have that 3D doesn't? And I know I'm the one who brought up random battles, but there are plenty of 3D games that have those too if that's what you prefer.

I like 2D games because of the ease of travel. Ispecially if the view is looking down on the character (s) head. You can see what is coming and where to go. With the 3D, there are hidden entrances that are very hard to find because in some games you have to look right at the entrance before moving on is possible.

2D rpg's do have their benefits. they are cheaper and easier to polish, so developers would have more time and money to create different scenerios. also, the fixed top down perspective allows for some different art styles (finely crafted hand drawn ones, for instance) or to play with the perspective in a more controlled way.

still 3D really is the best route for most rpg's. you can more naturally depict animations that build character. 3D makes for more believable worlds simply because it is more similar to our own and how we experience things. its also more compatable with the more realistic art directions that permeate video games in general nowadays.

just getting sick of thehollow shall of hero in many WRPG.

2D RPGs were good, but it was time to move on.

Hell no I can't stand 2d.

I'm a diehard fan of JRPG's, and I really don't see much of a difference between 2D and 3D ones. I really don't care as long as they're good.

2D or 3D we need to get away from the easy game play that anyone can learn if a little time. I want more complex gameplay since with more complex gameplay the more thing we can do.

Hell no I can't stand 2d.

xWoW_Rougex

Your Avatar seems to tell otherwise.

2D or 3D we need to get away from the easy game play that anyone can learn if a little time. I want more complex gameplay since with more complex gameplay the more thing we can do.

wiouds

I don't think they should've stayed 2D. 3D is some good stuff. I do love the old 2D artstyle though and with the better tech we have today, developers can do some really cool things with old school 2D. I definitely don't want to see 2D RPG's die out soooooooo can I have both please? =D

games like FFX XIII

star ocean 3

grandia

dragon quest

and many other rpgs prove the arguement that 2d games are better is DEAD wrong

[QUOTE="xWoW_Rougex"]

Hell no I can't stand 2d.

Faerun23

Your Avatar seems to tell otherwise.

No.

Or what exactly are we talking about?

Examples of what I like: Disgaea, Crisis Core, Baldur's Gate
Examples of what I don't like (which I assumed was 2d): FF1-6, Zelda a link to the past etc etc.

*Looks at a copy of Dragon Age*

No.

[QUOTE="Faerun23"]

[QUOTE="xWoW_Rougex"]

Hell no I can't stand 2d.

xWoW_Rougex

Your Avatar seems to tell otherwise.

No.

Or what exactly are we talking about?

Examples of what I like: Disgaea, Crisis Core, Baldur's Gate
Examples of what I don't like (which I assumed was 2d): FF1-6, Zelda a link to the past etc etc.

I consider disgaea 2d. It has sprites and is topdown gameplay.

[QUOTE="xWoW_Rougex"]

[QUOTE="Faerun23"]

Your Avatar seems to tell otherwise.

Loegi

No.

Or what exactly are we talking about?

Examples of what I like: Disgaea, Crisis Core, Baldur's Gate
Examples of what I don't like (which I assumed was 2d): FF1-6, Zelda a link to the past etc etc.

I consider disgaea 2d. It has sprites and is topdown gameplay.

Yeah but the environment is in 3d. I mean you can rotate the camera and all that right?

Anyway I guess it would be better if I said that I can't stand these older 2d games.

What I want to know is: for those of you who prefer the 2D games, what's better about them?lazyathew

Well my problem is 3D rpgs have way too many cutscenes. 2D rpgs got the formula right IMO. Enough story just to keep you intrested, but still heavy focus on gameplay too. What I play RPGs for is Stat Modification, going through dungeouns, collecting items, etc etc. 3D rpgs have that but you have to sit through cutscene after cutscene after cutscene before you can get to that. Notice how 3D rpgs are like 50-80 hours while 2D rpgs are only like 20-30. Mostly cutscenes. If I wanted all those cutscenes I would watch a movie.

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

2D or 3D we need to get away from the easy game play that anyone can learn if a little time. I want more complex gameplay since with more complex gameplay the more thing we can do.

TSNAKE617

yeah, cause it's not like RPGs have any semblance of gameplay

[QUOTE="lazyathew"]

What I want to know is: for those of you who prefer the 2D games, what's better about them?TheEnd54321

Well my problem is 3D rpgs have way too many cutscenes. 2D rpgs got the formula right IMO. Enough story just to keep you intrested, but still heavy focus on gameplay too. What I play RPGs for is Stat Modification, going through dungeouns, collecting items, etc etc. 3D rpgs have that but you have to sit through cutscene after cutscene after cutscene before you can get to that. Notice how 3D rpgs are like 50-80 hours while 2D rpgs are only like 20-30. Mostly cutscenes. If I wanted all those cutscenes I would watch a movie.

That's true, to a point. 2D games had lots of cutscenes too, but more often that not they used the ingame graphics and the same static overhead camera angle that you see when playing the actual game. So it didn't feel like you were being taken out of the game to watch a cutscene as much as a 3D cinematic cutscene does. First time I really noticed this was in Xenosaga ep1. There were TONS of cutscenes in that game, and there was a very clear distinction between gameplay graphics and cutscene graphics. Whereas the old school RPGs had a smoother transistion. Same screen, same camera angle, you just didn't have control over your characters.

Well what do you guys think?

Were RPGs better when they were 2D?

TheEnd54321

[QUOTE="TheEnd54321"]

[QUOTE="lazyathew"]

What I want to know is: for those of you who prefer the 2D games, what's better about them?Archendrus

Well my problem is 3D rpgs have way too many cutscenes. 2D rpgs got the formula right IMO. Enough story just to keep you intrested, but still heavy focus on gameplay too. What I play RPGs for is Stat Modification, going through dungeouns, collecting items, etc etc. 3D rpgs have that but you have to sit through cutscene after cutscene after cutscene before you can get to that. Notice how 3D rpgs are like 50-80 hours while 2D rpgs are only like 20-30. Mostly cutscenes. If I wanted all those cutscenes I would watch a movie.

That's true, to a point. 2D games had lots of cutscenes too, but more often that not they used the ingame graphics and the same static overhead camera angle that you see when playing the actual game. So it didn't feel like you were being taken out of the game to watch a cutscene as much as a 3D cinematic cutscene does. First time I really noticed this was in Xenosaga ep1. There were TONS of cutscenes in that game, and there was a very clear distinction between gameplay graphics and cutscene graphics. Whereas the old school RPGs had a smoother transistion. Same screen, same camera angle, you just didn't have control over your characters.

True, and I can understand why that could be a problem. But what if a game was in 3D and used the in game engine for the cutscenes in a similar way the 2d games did? Like the Tales series for example? Games don't need to stay in 2D in order to do that. Other than aesthetic or nostalgia value, I really don't see any benefit from staying in 2D. Like lazyathew, I think Tales of Vesperia isone oftheprettiest games I've ever played. Making it 2D would only have taken that away. It's also harder to dodge monsters when you don't feel like fighting them in 2D.

[QUOTE="Archendrus"]

[QUOTE="TheEnd54321"]

Well my problem is 3D rpgs have way too many cutscenes. 2D rpgs got the formula right IMO. Enough story just to keep you intrested, but still heavy focus on gameplay too. What I play RPGs for is Stat Modification, going through dungeouns, collecting items, etc etc. 3D rpgs have that but you have to sit through cutscene after cutscene after cutscene before you can get to that. Notice how 3D rpgs are like 50-80 hours while 2D rpgs are only like 20-30. Mostly cutscenes. If I wanted all those cutscenes I would watch a movie.

Tropictrain

That's true, to a point. 2D games had lots of cutscenes too, but more often that not they used the ingame graphics and the same static overhead camera angle that you see when playing the actual game. So it didn't feel like you were being taken out of the game to watch a cutscene as much as a 3D cinematic cutscene does. First time I really noticed this was in Xenosaga ep1. There were TONS of cutscenes in that game, and there was a very clear distinction between gameplay graphics and cutscene graphics. Whereas the old school RPGs had a smoother transistion. Same screen, same camera angle, you just didn't have control over your characters.

True, and I can understand why that could be a problem. But what if a game was in 3D and used the in game engine for the cutscenes in a similar way the 2d games did? Like the Tales series for example? Games don't need to stay in 2D in order to do that. Other than aesthetic or nostalgia value, I really don't see any benefit from staying in 2D. Like lazyathew, I think Tales of Vesperia isone oftheprettiest games I've ever played. Making it 2D would only have taken that away. It's also harder to dodge monsters when you don't feel like fighting them in 2D.

I'll buy that, technology is up to the point where the transistion from gameplay to cutscene and back can be done almost seamlessly. I guess I'm just remembering that awkward period where it was so blatent. I'm not necessarily condemning 3D and glorifying 2D. I like my RPG's either way.I think 2D is still a viable art design choice. I'd like to see the 2D style stick around, alongside the 3D style, in perfect harmony XD

I prefer 3D over 2D anyday but really if the gameplay is good, I'm playing it.