Top Five Modern RPG Masterclass

Timothy Cain

12 Jan 202413:40

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRTim discusses his top five modern RPGs that aspiring game developers should study even if they don't enjoy playing them, as they exemplify best practices. He praises World of Warcraft for prioritizing fun over realism, Elden Ring for proving harder can mean more fun, Skyrim for its art and environment variety enabling engrossing exploration, Fallout New Vegas for advancing key franchise elements, and Baldur's Gate 3 for showing turn-based D&D RPGs can still be great today. He also shouts out Vampire Bloodlines, Half-Life 2, and Vampire Survivors as impressive runners-up.

Takeaways

😊 The video discusses Tim's top 5 modern RPGs to learn game development from
👾 World of Warcraft proves making games easier and more accessible makes them more fun
⚔️ Elden Ring shows harder games can also be incredibly fun and engaging
🗺️ Skyrim is a masterclass in open world and environment design and exploration
😎 Fallout New Vegas did a great job modernizing Fallout and had great writing
🎲 Baldur's Gate 3 proves turn-based RPGs and D&D themes still have huge appeal
🧛 Vampire Bloodlines has incredible storytelling, characters and atmosphere
🔫 Half Life 2 was groundbreaking in its use of physics and vehicles in an FPS
🤖 Half Life Alyx shows Half Life design philosophies translate well to VR
🕹️ Vampire Survivors shows you can make incredibly fun games with simple tools

Q & A

What is the purpose of Tim's list of top 5 modern RPGs?
-The purpose is not to name the overall best RPGs, but to highlight games that have important lessons to teach about RPG development in certain areas like fun, difficulty, exploration, adapting older games to modern technology, and proving genres like turn-based RPGs can still be great.
What made World of Warcraft stand out as number 1 on the list?
-World of Warcraft proved that making a game easier and more accessible can make it more fun. It focused on 'fun' as the top priority in a way few MMOs had done before.
How did Elden Ring showcase the connection between difficulty and fun?
-Elden Ring created engaging, rewarding gameplay through challenge rather than just easiness. It showed how harder battles can be more enjoyable if done right.
What made Skyrim's world so rich for exploration?
-Skyrim featured an incredible variety of environments like caves, cities, villages, forests, and mountain areas that each felt unique. This diversity created a strong urge to explore the world.
How did Fallout: New Vegas modernize the previous Fallout games?
-It updated storylines and factions from the original games to 3D while also nailing humor, reactivity to player choices, and making choices feel truly impactful to the outcome.
What lesson does Baldur's Gate 3 teach the gaming industry?
-It proves genres like turn-based RPGs and gameplay based on D&D rules can still create phenomenal, popular games. It defies claims that these styles are dead or boring.
Why was Vampire: Bloodlines a runner up instead of in the top 5?
-Tim worked on it so he wanted to avoid self-interest. But he praised its achievements in areas like atmosphere, characters, and dialogue.
What made Half-Life 2 stand out as a runner up?
-Its excellence as a narrative shooter, with puzzles, vehicles and physics-based gameplay that still feels advanced even today.
How did Vampire Survivors showcase talent on a small budget?
-It's an indie game made by a tiny team, yet is massively fun and addictive. It shows how strong gameplay can come from simple Unity and pixel art.
What traits are shared by the top 5 games?
-They have very focused strengths in key areas like fun, challenge, exploration, updating classics, and proving old genres can still thrive.

Outlines

00:00

😄 Introducing Tim's Top 5 Modern RPGs

Tim introduces himself and says he will discuss his top 5 modern RPG video games to learn from for RPG development. He has a new camera setup and is trying things out. He clarifies these are not his top 5 games ever, but ones with specific strengths to study.

05:01

🌟 World of Warcraft - Easier and More Fun

Tim starts with World of Warcraft, an MMORPG. Though not the first MMO, it proved making games more accessible and easier makes them more fun. He compares it to the challenging EverQuest. The design pillar was "fun trumps realism".

10:01

🔥 Elden Ring - Harder is More Fun

Next is Elden Ring, exemplifying the opposite view - harder makes for more fun. The open world and lore discovery stood out. Tim highlights the poison status gauge mechanic as a good RPG technique to manage states.

🗺️ Skyrim - Exploration Masterclass

Skyrim shows exceptional worldbuilding and exploration through varied, beautiful environments. The art, level design creativity in locations shines. It captures the feel of playing D&D.

☢️ Fallout New Vegas - Modernizing a Classic

Fallout New Vegas impressively updated an older franchise into 3D. It extended storylines and characters nicely. The humor and reactivity to choices also stood out as exceptional.

🎲 Baldur's Gate 3 - Turn-based D&D Revival

Finally, Baldur's Gate 3 proves turn-based D&D computer RPGs can still be great games. The character customization and reactivity to player choices are excellent. It shows the genre isn't actually dead.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡RPG

RPG stands for Role Playing Game. It is a genre of video game where the player controls a character and goes on story-driven adventures. Tim talks about the top modern RPGs that provide good lessons for developing RPG video games.

💡Master Class

A master class refers to something that provides an exemplary lesson in a particular field or skill. In the context of the video, Tim uses master class RPGs to refer to games that serve as excellent case studies for learning RPG design and development techniques.

💡Fun Forward

Fun forward is a design principle Tim mentions that prioritizes fun and ease of play over realism or difficulty. He cites World of Warcraft as an RPG built around this fun first mentality in contrast to other challenging RPGs.

💡Harder is More Fun

This is an adage Tim attributes to Elden Ring, meaning challenge and difficulty can enhance enjoyment for certain types of games. Elden Ring is used as an example of an RPG done well by leaning into complicated combat and environments.

💡Exploration

A key highlight of Skyrim that Tim calls out is its emphasis on exploration. The open world design and variety of locations provide deep and rewarding exploration content for players.

💡Tone

In referring to Fallout New Vegas, Tim praises the tone which includes the game's effective humor and the way choices have significant consequences, creating more emotional investment.

💡Reactivity

Reactivity refers to how games respond to and reflect player choices/actions. Tim compliments Fallout New Vegas for excellent reactivity in how player decisions distinctly alter narratives and outcomes.

💡Turn-based

A form of combat/gameplay where participants take actions in turns. Tim expresses excitement for the revival of turn-based RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 after some perceived decline in the style.

💡Atmosphere

While not one of the top 5, Tim names Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines as a runner-up RPG master class in terms of atmospheric storytelling and worldbuilding that draws players in emotionally.

💡Accessibility

The video argues RPG classics can be updated and translated to modern formats without losing core appeal. Tim sees Baldur's Gate 3 as proof long-cherished RPG mechanics/stories still work for contemporary gamers.

Highlights

The list covers RPGs with the best aspects to learn from for game development, not necessarily the outright best games

World of Warcraft proved that making games easier makes them more fun compared to predecessors like EverQuest

Elden Ring shows that harder gameplay can also make games more fun, executing well on that design pillar

Elden Ring has good usage of status effect gauges that provide more RPG mechanics flexibility

Skyrim is a masterclass in exploration through immense art variety and beautiful level design

Skyrim captures the feel of playing D&D, making you feel immersed in its world

Fallout New Vegas modernized older Fallout games successfully via story, characters, humor, and impactful player choices

Fallout New Vegas' choices have significant consequences, enhancing replay value

Baldur's Gate 3 proves turn-based D&D computer RPGs can still be great games, despite notions they're boring or dead

Vampire Bloodlines has fantastic storytelling, characters, and dialog without my involvement in development

Half-Life 2 was very advanced for its time as a narrative shooter with puzzles, vehicles, physics, and more

Half-Life Alyx proves Half-Life's design works very well in modern VR too

Vampire Survivors shows you can make a great game in Unity on a small budget

World of Warcraft executed a more accessible, fun-focused design exceptionally well

These RPGs have critical lessons for game developers, even if you don't personally enjoy playing them

Transcripts

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