HODDMIMIR'S PROFILE

I could see a useful game coming out of it maybe, if battle were not a major part of it. Instead let the beggar worry about things like getting food, staying warm at night, avoiding police, etc... If the beggar had to try and find newspaper, extra clothes, fire, etc... to keep a warmth meter above a certain point, that could be a challenging task. Perhaps having a begging mechanic of some sort that made it so people were more or less inclined to give you something based on some stat or conversation options. Maybe include a trade feature for interacting with other beggars. Every successful action could give you experience so you still gain levels and at certain sensible points there could be fights. Killing rats for whatever reason, killing another bum to get food or clothing or something, maybe fighting off a malicious gang person. I'm interesting in seeing it done, but I am not terribly confident it would work well.

I don't think the dedicated healer issue has ever REALLY bothered me. It does bother me when I don't need to do any healing and they don't have anything to do. For that reason I definitely think it is important to diversify the role. Add support spells, defensive spells, offensive spells, whatever you want just not ALL healing. I feel that way about every class though. A fighter class does not mean it can't have a boost ability for itself or perhaps a blue mage effect to learn something that heals himself. On the opposite side though, I don't like classes that can do everything either. I want the class to be a CLASS. I just don't want that to be so incredibly structured and limited that they only serve one purpose.

In my game I only have one character. Obviously this does not fit the topic perfectly since we are discussing party design but... I have tried to do away with the healing issue by making basic healing a passive thing. Everytime you deal damage with a normal attack you gain some hp back. I will probably also have a regen type ability as well, but if the passive healing isn't enough there are items that heal the character if they choose. I feel like this allows me to cut out the idea of a healer altogether without suffering for not having one.

author=Chaosbahamut123
The statistical additions will be hidden, but the player will be able to track their 'ranks' in a certain stat. For example, the player won't know how long it is 'till they level up their Diligence, but they'll be able to see that they're at such-and-such a rank for Diligence on the Character menu.

The same applies to character affections. In fact, the only reputation meters we'll visually measure are the Ranks of different Factions, like the Adventurer's Guild.

Oh I see. Thank you for clarifying for me. I am very interested in this system now. :)

I guess I prefer a middle ground here. I would prefer to have a game that I believe is realistic. Regardless of whatever the world is like, people in towns have lives. I don't like the idea of NPCs just ignoring me when I talk to them. That said, I HATE It when NPCs have a long 17 page dissertation to tell you or when they have a somewhat long thing to say that they always say over and over again. If you are going to have them only say one thing every time you talk to them make it short. "I hate collecting firewood." That way if I decide to try and talk to them again to see if they say something different or because I forgot I already talked to them I don't have to wait for the entire message to go through again.

Provided it does not obviously and unnecessarily waste my time, I like talkative NPCs. I would agree with LockeZ though that having pointless NPCs can get old, so make most things at least mildly useful to know. A tip, a secret about where to find something, a clue as to where to go next... something. "I hate collecting firewood, but at least I sometimes find MAGIC HEALING IVY." Now I know something about him but also something useful. If I search the firewood maybe I will find some MAGIC HEALING IVY.

And towns don't need a thousand people to feel real or alive. Being able to see a couple at any one time will be fine. If you can see the whole town at once, then a half a dozen people outside should suffice. IMO.

Custom everything...

Wouldn't that be less of an RPG and more of an RPG Maker?