Ok, suppose one were to entirely remove all random encounters from an RPG, or at least make them all optional. I was wondering if it would still be possible to make a good RPG from what remained.
It’s always possible to do something like FFMQ, which essentially replaces random encounters with fixed encounters. Anything beyond that?
<img src=“http://www.rpgclassics.com/staff/tenchimaru/td.gif”> It’s not possible. You either have to have random encounters, fixed encounters or no encounters. There is no other way to have encounters appear.
I don’t agree. It would be possible to have encounters that occur in reaction to moves that the player makes, which would not necessarily count as random if they were well defined enough.
Also, that would assume that the game has non-story based encounters at all. Part of my hypothetical supposes that the characters could just walk through the caverns and such until they reach the boss and do battle there. If a game was like that, would there still be ways to make it playable?
<img src=“http://www.rpgclassics.com/staff/tenchimaru/td.gif”> It’s not something you can or can not agree on. It’s a fact. Either encounters are “random” (which actually isn’t random, but let’s not get into that here, it’s pointless), or they’re fixed encounters, like your boss only example, or what Chrono Trigger did with enemies placed at certain locations. Also, earlier Final Fantasy games had a movement-based encounter system, which was very much a fixed encounter system, it just appeared to be random. Try toying with savestates.
Originally posted by Tenchimaru Draconis
<img src=“http://www.rpgclassics.com/staff/tenchimaru/td.gif”> It’s not something you can or can not agree on. It’s a fact. Either encounters are “random” (which actually isn’t random, but let’s not get into that here, it’s pointless), or they’re fixed encounters, …
Very well, then we were simply unclear about terminology. In your case, random = not fixed.
Go play Chrono Cross. Not a single random encounter. CT: no random encounters. There has to be some kind of encounter system or the game would be boring.
True Love has no encounters at all and it kicks ass.
Personaly, I’ve always liked CT-esque encounter systems better than random ones.
Though I like what Lufia 2 did, with CT-esque encounters in dungeons and Randoms on the world map.
Play Xenosaga.
Originally posted by Zombie_Ori
Go play Chrono Cross. Not a single random encounter. CT: no random encounters. There has to be some kind of encounter system or the game would be boring.
I don’t know how, but that aspect of CT had completely slipped my mind.
Yeah… TD’s right. You either have random or fixed. Or none. There’s no other way to make a game that has battling.
Originally posted by Cless Alvein
Yeah… TD’s right. You either have random or fixed. Or none. There’s no other way to make a game that has battling.
TD was right by definition, because he was calling random the same thing as non-fixed.
But random <i>isn’t</i> fixed. What else can non-fixed mean? 
Originally posted by Cless Alvein
But random <i>isn’t</i> fixed. What else can non-fixed mean?
I think non-fixed also applies to optional. I understand a fixed encounter as one that is both trigered and not avoidable.
Ren, if you’re talking about the “True Love” that I think you’re talking about, I love you.
one word
Shadowgate
Originally posted by Ren
I think non-fixed also applies to optional. I understand a fixed encounter as one that is both trigered and not avoidable.
<img src=“http://www.rpgclassics.com/staff/tenchimaru/td.gif”> A fixed battle is a system like Chrono Trigger had, enemies at certain locations, some of which can be evaded by avoiding those locations, others can’t. They’re all fixed encounters.
Originally posted by Ivan
I don’t agree. It would be possible to have encounters that occur in reaction to moves that the player makes, which would not necessarily count as random if they were well defined enough.
It sounds like you’re talking about the previously-mentioned Lufia II. The enemies in that game only moved when you did, depending on how fast they were.
You could have something like Zelda 2, where after a short while enemies will show on the overworld and chase you around.
7th saga had quite a special system
