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Creativity => Game Design & Demos => Topic started by: Immakinganaccountk on August 01, 2009, 04:27:03 pm

Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Immakinganaccountk on August 01, 2009, 04:27:03 pm
 Do you prefer to play it out? Or would you rather it be uncovered slowly and built upon by the actions/dialogue of the character? Personally, I'd rather it be built upon, because, provided the story is well-written, there can be a bit more suspense, etc. and it improves the story. It's something to look forward to in large, verbose dialogue sections, if you will.
 
 Then again, if possible, I'd prefer to launch this plot element into the sun because it is overly cliched, but if need be. :laugh:
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Foliage on August 01, 2009, 09:52:27 pm
Define "dead parents/friend/etc subplot". Just to make sure we're on the same page here. :)
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Nessiah on August 01, 2009, 10:06:54 pm
Well...I like to think realistically with this.
Do you really need to cover that the person has parents or do you need to uncover a character's history that much etc.etc.etc.

Plus most hate reading so...
I mean sure it's an RPG game but still.

Think about the amount of work you have to do as well  :sweat:
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: SupremeWarrior on August 01, 2009, 10:45:53 pm
I don't think it matters! Unless it changed and made the character who they are because of it!
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Immakinganaccountk on August 01, 2009, 10:55:36 pm
Well...I like to think realistically with this.
Do you really need to cover that the person has parents or do you need to uncover a character's history that much etc.etc.etc.

Plus most hate reading so...
I mean sure it's an RPG game but still.

Think about the amount of work you have to do as well  :sweat:

 Oh, this isn't for my own benefit. Just in case you thought that, of course. I just wanted to know what the consensus was on this topic, as it's very common.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Immakinganaccountk on August 01, 2009, 10:56:28 pm
Define "dead parents/friend/etc subplot". Just to make sure we're on the same page here. :)

 "Oh nooooes!!1 DON'T KILL THAT GUARD MY PARENTS DIED I DONT WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO DIES!" or "I lived in an orphanage ever since my parents died :(​(" kind of plots.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: aspire5051 on August 01, 2009, 11:39:31 pm
This kind of thing can be interesting - if applied in the modern world. I mean, it's just an obnoxiously boring cliche'd, in the medieval era. But in the present there are different, more interesting ways to manipulate this storyline.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: The One on August 01, 2009, 11:50:52 pm
i prefer the story "main character is an adult and thus has lived on his own for quite a while"

if people would stop makin their main characters 16 year old you don't have to have a mom who gives you 100g allowance either. or even worse, the horrible "my parents.... are dead..." line that almost every rpg should try to avoid
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: wilikeh on August 02, 2009, 11:52:55 am
omg a dead relative?

i am enthralled. i want to play ur gaem!
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Nessiah on August 02, 2009, 12:13:24 pm
Well then! In my case it's this:
Quote
I prefer the story "main character is an adult and thus has lived on his own for quite a while"
That way I don't care if the guy has parents or not, they can be dead for all I care. This is his story~
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Terrorantula on August 04, 2009, 03:05:34 am
As others have said, it depends on the relevance to the tale. Does it affect how the character acts, or show a facet of his personality?  You don't exactly want your characters to be in limbo, but  the relationship might not be a big part of the plot either.
*Thinks* Actually, Limbo would be a good setting for an RPG...
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Vanit on August 04, 2009, 03:38:38 am
i prefer the story "main character is an adult and thus has lived on his own for quite a while"

if people would stop makin their main characters 16 year old you don't have to have a mom who gives you 100g allowance either. or even worse, the horrible "my parents.... are dead..." line that almost every rpg should try to avoid
You made me lul, ty sir. :)
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Sludgelord on August 04, 2009, 03:56:18 am
i like it whne the parrents are dea​ plese dead parent
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Lackeos on August 12, 2009, 05:32:27 am
I liked it in Conan the Barbarian.  The bad guys killed his parents.  Now it's revenge time.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Thera Dratara on August 12, 2009, 01:08:25 pm
Well, the thing with the dead parents storyline is that it was once very overused.

Many story featuring orphans are pretty popular, because in those stories the author plays up the mystery behind the parent. Who was the parent, why did they do the things they did, why did they die, did they love the orphan?
And ofcourse the obligatory familymembers showing up.

Come to think of it, it you'd want to do a version of the above, you could also have a boyfriend/girlfriend passing away, or perhaps a brother or sister. And then have the main character discover that their beloved had many secrets.

Ofcourse, another subversion would be to have the main character know his parents very well, or be at an age where one's parents dying is not much of a suprise, or at the least, they can handle it.

Also, I like it, but that's because I'm a dork for mystery.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: Allen Hunter on August 12, 2009, 06:54:05 pm
FUCK YOU ALL!!!
Sup troll.
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: benos on August 30, 2009, 04:25:54 am
YOU FIND OUT YOUR FATHER IS NOT DEAD, BUT IS THE EMPEROR OF CHINA, AND YOU MUST DEFEAT HIM IN THE END. OMG TWIST.  :welp:
Title: A question on the dead parents/friend/etc. subplot.
Post by: bonzi_buddy on August 30, 2009, 04:13:55 pm
Well, the thing with the dead parents storyline is that it was once very overused.

Many story featuring orphans are pretty popular, because in those stories the author plays up the mystery behind the parent. Who was the parent, why did they do the things they did, why did they die, did they love the orphan?
And ofcourse the obligatory familymembers showing up.

Come to think of it, it you'd want to do a version of the above, you could also have a boyfriend/girlfriend passing away, or perhaps a brother or sister. And then have the main character discover that their beloved had many secrets.

Ofcourse, another subversion would be to have the main character know his parents very well, or be at an age where one's parents dying is not much of a suprise, or at the least, they can handle it.

Also, I like it, but that's because I'm a dork
there's also this theory that the reason why in so many jrpg's the main hero's parents/family die or are already orphan is because in Japan the family or community is important. it would be unheard of for anybody to abandon/leave his family or work so this is complicated. however the orphan thing/family dies gives a reason for revenge + the problem of abandoning is removed.

i don't know if this is true or not but i like it when the parents die. please have as many parents die.