It's funny that this thread has been bumped to the front page, as I was thinking to myself the other day if we could have a RPG without combat. Additionally, also wondering if we can still have different C&C while at it.
One thing I would like to see in RPGs is a cross-over with adventure games. In my opinion that would make gameplay more interesting while adding alternatives to combat.
Although this is something that probably won't please all audiences.
In AoD, for example, you can make acid and use it on locks, but the way I see it, that's less about alchemy and more about providing alternative solutions.
Instead of the player clicking on the lock/door/etc and a drop-down menu showing up a list of options, why not make things more "adventurish" by choosing an item from your inventory and clicking on the lock.
Some (offtopic) C&C for it:
(i) Picklock tools: perfect, you can open the lock, loot, and close it back with no traces of theft. You'll be long gone.
(ii) Acid: you shall loot and not be heard. Suspicion may arise at a given moment in time.
(iii) Crowbar/sword: the noise may draw attention and you may end up in jail for some time, have to pay a fine, and gain the reputation of thief... all of this as opposed to the traditional fight to the death or game over. Not all is bad with this, you may meet up someone interesting when in jail, which may open another side quest. The only problem with this unsuccessful (iii) option is that it works only once or twice per city. But it still beats the approach in current games.
You are standing in front of a fortress and dying to get inside because that's where all the cool kids are. There is a gate, but it's guarded. You need a pass to enter.
Some options implemented in a point-and-click way:
- during nighttime, place a coin trail leading to behind the bush, use rock on bush to attract attention, execute ambush
- <use> <metal cross> <with> <rope>, <use> <climbing rope> <with> <wall> (*)
- <use> <gold> <with> <guard> and the appropriate dialog unfolds
Of course the appropriate skill checks apply.
(*) this could be seen as a generalization of the alchemy process: combining items. The same could be done with chemical reagents, but if you don't know the recipe the player would very likely just lose both reagents to make something useless.
This same principle could be applied to dialogs with NPCs. You would interact with an NPC with an item and an appropriate dialog would start.
In FO1 they had implemented the "ask about" button in dialogs where you would type a word. It has been ages since I played FO1, so I can't really remember if it worked as intended or not. At least I don't recall it being necessary to achieve goals.
I think this point-and-click approach, as opposed to pure dialog option selection, gives more interactivity to the user by adding a new mini-game, besides the combat mini-game. And taking adventure games into consideration, I think it's safe to say it's a proven and entertaining one by the way.
For the record: I'm not advocating the use of other mini-games like pick-lock games or others. Maybe the use of the term mini-game is not the best word.
On another note, what type of C&C are desired in a game?
You are standing in front of a fortress and dying to get inside because that's where all the cool kids are. There is a gate, but it's guarded. You need a pass to enter. Your options are:
- knock some sense into the guards with your war hammer and go inside.
(1) - persuade the guards to let you in: Hi there! I'm with the Tavern Food & Service Inspection Agency. We've heard rumors that you have rats running around in every cellar. Well, it's fucking better be a misunderstanding because if I see a single rodent-looking motherfucker - which includes this rat-faced bastard over there - I'm shutting this evil fortress down TONIGHT! Now open that fucking door already!
(2) - ask around about the pass, find out who has one, and either steal it or trade it for something.
- create a diversion - Look behind you, a three-headed monkey! - and sneak inside. Or hire some thugs to attack the guards and while the guards are busy breaking some heads, sneak inside.
- wall-climbing text-adventures are fun and very ninja-like: your dagger blade snaps with a loud noise and you plummet to your death cursing stupid non-combat gameplay.
(3) - impersonate an officer - Atten-hut! Is that how you salute an officer of the watch, swine? Stop eyeballing me! You're not worthy to look your superiors in the eye. Stand straight, eyes forward! What is the name of your commanding officer?
- bribe your way in.
- forge a fake pass using your knowledge of what a real pass looks like and skills (lore, literacy, scribing, etc)
In this case there are different choices for accomplishing the same objective. But are the consequences of a successful check all the same? It would be interesting to have:
(1) you are indeed successful, but on the next day they found out they were fooled and they end up finding you on a local inn
(2) someone confronts you with your nosiness, you either bribe, or kill, or do nothing and have a nasty surprise latter
(3) some days latter your hear rumors at the inn about an imposter and that the local authority is giving a reward on reliable info on this, because pretending to be authority is a serious crime. If the player didn't wear proper "makeup" (fake hair, beard) he may be at risk if he doesn't lay low for a while, maybe even travel to another city; if he goes through the main gates in plain sight, he ends up caught. If the player did wear proper makeup, he may even plant evidence on someone and collect the reward. This proper makeup could be implement as a skill check: (a) stat above 65: success; (b) stat between 65-50: success that comes to haunt you latter; (c) less than 50: failure on the spot.
BTW, don't pay attention to the structure of my comment. I just wrote some thoughts in response to some things that I read.