NarutoMUD

I figured I'd open up a thread about a conversation I was having with a coworker today about RPGs. Seeing as Naruto is in the genre of MMORPG, I figure it applies.

It really is about how RPGs are passive experiences, for the most part, and a lot of times game studios will thrust active elements into the game. This is usually via mini-games. Squeenix has been doing this a lot in recent history with some success and failures a long the way.

I suppose the topic for discussion would be: do RPGs need mini-games? Certainly I like seeing a casino in an RPG, if the genre fits it, but at some point it becomes silly to have mini-games just for the sake of saying you have them. Namely, most casino mini-games usually suck horribly unless they are executed well and reward fairly.

Very few RPGs do mini-games right in my opinion. A notable exception being the Mario RPG camp, Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga being the one that specifically comes to mind. It constantly is throwing pseudo-mini-games at you but disguising them as normal game play.

As a MUD developer and former MUD builder, it is such a hard challenge to make meaningful mini-games. I think casinos come to mind as the most obvious example, but I'm sure everyone can think or others. Most MUDs implement mini-games that are either pointless and tedious or way too rewarding and easy. The delicate balance that is needed is so easy to lose so players can't spam it to gain rewards.

To just lock in what I mean, take the casino game of a slot machine. It's the games job to decide how to handle the way the rolls go. How do you set it up? If I did it again, I'd probably make it so the more a certain type showed up, the less likely it'd appear again. Like, say you rolled a cherry, then you'd have less chance to roll a cherry again. Lots of flaws come up with this, but my point is not to talk about designing a slot machine game but balance and fun factor.

This was very long winded, but hopefully some players can bring in some creative ideas and possibly examples with their opinions.

Well it depends, lets take the definition, a Role Playing game, is a game in which you take the part of a particular role or alternate reality. So "minigames" I believe can be effective if and only if they are relevant to that experience. I would not like to see a casino in a medieval game, nor space invaders in a game about the wild west. However, Go in a Cowboy bebop game, or jousting in a medieval type game. Perhaps shootouts in a wild west game. As I said the minigames must maintain relevance to their parent genre. Games which pride themselves on being a game of minigames, IE. The wario series for the DS are very entertaining because they are not trying to be something else. Games that take a theme and then stuff every possible distraction to peel the players thoughts away from the mindless grinding more often then not fail to do so.

So in conclusion, if it suits the game more power to you, just don't slap a minigame where it shouldn't be.

Question, does the sequential pressing or repeated pressing of buttons during combat (games such as Final Fantasy X2) qaulify as minigames? For the most part I don't.

I think Mini-Games are a ton of fun as long as they are made well. For Naruto there could be a ton of Mini-Games you could do.

Kunai Throwing: Win Ryo for hitting various targets.

Betting on Fights: Betting on fights with npc v.s npcs. Or players v.s NPCs.

Dice: Odds or Even. Bet ryo and win.

Slots: Slot machines with various settings that pay off different amounts of ryo.

I've only ever found one type minigame in any RPG "fun," and that would be some sort of arena... I know, it's just fighting... but in games like the Star Ocean ones, I think it was used very well...