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Best Reactive cRPGs


Reactivity in Computer Role-playing Games



In cRPG History reactive cRPGs have always been the rarest of all cRPGs. This is largely attributable to player, developer and commentator ignorance of reactivity in traditional RPGs. Due to that ignorance much of cRPG Design has amounted to little more than a laughing stock or shameful disgrace, but there are some good examples of cRPG reactivity highlighted here.

The article then goes on to define, describe and give examples of reactivity. This article has long stood as the best article on reactivity on the internet. It was also the first article on reactivity on the internet. Thus did it formalize the language of reactivity.

A List of the Best Reactive cRPGs


Ranked in order of their greatness, the best reactive cRPGs are as follows:


Mods are not ranked or Swordflight would be somewhere towards the top.

cRPG Reactivity Definition


By reactivity in cRPGs we are referring to how the cRPG campaign reacts to the character or cRPG Build that we have chosen to roleplay and control. For example, the campaign may frequently check our class, stats and abilities along with the decisions made over its course, thereby determining the possibilities and outcomes for our character and party.

I am talking about how what we are -- a bunch of cRPG Stats -- impacts what we can do, and how what we choose to do or not to do (or what we overlooked) impact us, our companions and the campaign and its landscape at large. 

  • Is it just for flavor or is it concrete and far-reaching reactivity that impacts multiple global mechanics in the cRPG?
  • Does it change anything, does it matter?
  • Does it build up into something big, something satisfying?

It's important for reactivity to have weight, be meaningful. But some fluff-based reactivity can be acceptable.

The reason Morrowind fails hard in reactivity is because any character can do anything by flaw of casual, non-committal character-building. In addition, Morrowind's factional reactivity is all but meaningless.

Example of Flavor Reactivity


An NPC acknowledges the player character as being a Bard and then shares some Lore that deepens the player's knowledge of the campaign setting, but is non-mechanical; that is, the knowledge gained has no in-game function, it is just for flavor.

Example of Concrete Reactivity



We chose Mage Build Arcanum (one of the greatest builds in cRPG History). As such, we cranked our Magick aptitude more and more as we progressed in spell college. As a result technologists will not deal with us and we cannot travel by steam train. In addition, we cannot be healed by conventional medicine and cannot utilize high-tech items, such as firearms, without them dangerously malfunctioning.

Being focused in the arcane arts, our build is basically locked out of tech-science entirely, which is in accordance with Arcanum lore and rules. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we are regarded as a Mage -- because that's exactly what we have become.

As a Mage we are not bothered by our tech-limitations because we can do things that mundanes and technologists can only dream about.

By Force, by Wits or by Stealth - Based on Stats


When I say, "By force, by wits or by stealth - based on stats", I am referring to a form of reactivity that enables cRPG Builds to overcome obstacles via three basic but very different stat-based means: violence, persuasion or cunning.

It is the way of the brute, the silvertongue and the rogue.

Brutes lack the stats to be charismatic or underhanded, but they are not lacking in physical toughness. Thus do they bring their mauls crashing down upon the skulls of those that stand in their way.

At the other end of the spectrum, silvertongues are able to employ wits in order to trick or persuade those that block their path. Typically, they will have extensive and satisfying dialogue options.

But Rogues do not engage with the roadblock at all. By means of theft and stealth rogues bypass the blockade entirely -- perhaps by taking the sewers; that is, the rogue takes an alternative pathway. [1]

Success or failure in overcoming the obstacle is based on the build's stats vs. the roadblock's mechanisms, which means:

  • The martial prowess of the brute is checked in combat (his physical stats)
  • The social skills or mental stats of the silvertongue are checked in dialogue
  • The thieving and stealth skills of the rogue are checked against locks and NPC detection ability

It is important that each method of overcoming an obstacle be rewarded: The brute gets the XP from the kills, the silvertongue gets it for duping or bargaining and the rogue gets it for the bypass.

Depending on the difficulty of the method, the XP can vary. But each method must yield XP or the player will feel cheated. When players role-play their character, they should be rewarded.

The mechanics of By force, by wits or by stealth - based on stats were formalized in Interplay's Fallout 1 and reached their zenith in Troika's Arcanum (the same individuals designed and coded both games).

This was just a basic example. In Fallout wits are not just about persuasion (Speech) but also include the likes of Science when hacking terminals to bypass security systems or modify their operation. 

Fallout and Arcanum also employ combos of force, wits and stealth in obstacle-engagement scenarios (eg., stronghold infiltrations) as well as double-crossing, sabotage and complex quest-state referencing.

As I said above, Arcanum is the King of cRPG reactivity, but Fallout was The Formalizer.

Multiple Pathways cRPGs [1]


Multiple pathways are a key concept in cRPG Reactivity. While not restricted to rogues, it is often the rogue that can get to and through areas that would confuse or kill off non-rogues. Take for example the classic Thieves' Maze. Only rogue-based builds can get through that. Non-rogues get killed -- or don't find the Thieves' Guild in the first place.

Why should a Knight find a thieves' guild without first having conducted a lengthy investigation? He hasn't the contacts, he hasn't the skills.

When thieves and assassins spy armored knights in town, they lay low. They don't engage with knights, they don't want anything to do with Men of Honor that can call upon Kings' armies.

Of course, multiple pathways do not require separate areas. Consider a dungeon whose corridors are blocked by electrified forcefields. Only a "science" character can hack the terminals to disable the forcefields. And only a science character can reprogram the droids to turn on themselves. Everyone else battles the aggro and gets zapped by forcefields. Same area, different path.

Enforcement of Reactivity in cRPGs


Ideally, the states of play and playstyles that result from reactivity should be strongly enforced rather than easy to back out of or reverse. Otherwise, reactivity becomes a frivolous and lightweight mechanic that loses its meaning.

For more info please refer to my interview with Rogueknight.

In-depth write-ups could be posted on any given cRPG's reactivity, but it is not the purpose of this write-up to do so; it only points the way. See below for a couple I've already posted:


Companion-based reactivity in Mask of the Betrayer:


Companion-based reactivity in Planescape: Torment:


Companion-based reactivity in Jagged Alliance 2:


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