Computer Game Design

The blog on Computer Game Design & cRPG Design constitutes formalized coverage on various aspects of design and mechanics. This article-index was written by the author of:

These next two index-sections link to support-articles for this current article.

Hyperlinked indexation is necessary for navigation purposes. The following articles on computer-game design range from tech-lite to mildly technical in nature.

cRPG-centric articles:

Computer Role-playing Game Engines	Best Computer Role-playing Games
Stats in Computer Role-playing Games	Isometric Computer Role-playing Games
Computer Role-playing Game Builds	Party-based Computer Role-playing Games
Computer Role-playing Game Dungeons	Turn-based Computer Role-playing Games
Computer Role-playing Game Itemization	Combat in Computer Role-playing Games
cRPG Combat Encounter Design	Reactivity in Computer Role-playing Games
Seamless Transition in Computer Games	Narrative in Computer Role-playing Games
Computer Game User Interfaces	Dungeons & Dragons Computer Role-playing Games
cRPG Full Party Control	Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition cRPGs
Movement in Computer Role-playing Games	Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition cRPGs
Tactical Formations in Computer Games	Verticality in Computer Games
Computer Role-playing Games Maps	Destructibility in Computer Games
BG1 vs BG2 (criticism)	NWN vs NWN2 (criticism)

Computer Role-playing Game Design

Determining the quality of Computer Role-playing Game gameplay throughout cRPG History, the core categories of cRPG design are ruleset, perspective and combat system. These are the pillars of cRPG design that need to be thought about most when coding cRPGs.

Combat encounter design, exploration, itemization and reactivity are important as well, but story, setting, dialogue and lore are usually irrelevant to gameplay.

At best, cRPG stories function as cheap motivators in comparison to combat and treasure-hunting, which together constitute authentic adventuring in cRPG gameworlds.
At worst, stories, dialogue and text-based exposition get in the way of and all but ruin gameplay.

If ruleset, perspective and combat system type and employment are feeble, the cRPG stumbles straight out of the blocks and can never gain ground no matter how great its story, yet cRPGs can get away with having poor stories or even no story at all if the pillars are rock solid.

You rarely hear people say, "I want to play a cRPG with this kind of story in that kind of setting". Instead, what you often hear people saying is, "I want to play a turn-based isometric cRPG with a robust ruleset".

Core categories, son. Core categories.

cRPG Mechanics are King

In addition to story, dialogue and written or voiced exposition, cRPG setting is mostly irrelevant. It doesn't matter if cRPGs are sci-fi, historical or High Fantasy themed because, at bottom, setting is just window-dressing in comparison to the nuts and bolts or cRPG Mechanics which are based on cRPG stats which are the building blocks of rulesets.

Gameplay Derived from the Interplay of Mechanics

Easily envisioned, the mechanics of sci-fi cRPGs can be refactored with fantasy equivalent substitutes, and vice versa. This is self-evident. Only misguided or casual gamers choose cRPGs based on story and setting whereas actual authentic gamers choose them based on cRPG mechanics, since it is primarily through mechanics that gameplay meaning is derived.

I've never thought about replaying Deus Ex 1 because of its cyberpunk story or setting. But sometimes, I've thought about replaying Deus Ex by combining specific augmentations, skills, weapons and weapon modifications, which when taken together facilitate a playstyle. That is, mechanics are what count. But the theme of those mechanics can be modified to function in other stories and settings; it just so happens that in Deus Ex they are cyberpunk-flavored.

Likewise, as good as they are, I've never thought about replaying Arcanum because of its steampunk story, lore and setting. But yes, many times I've thought about replaying Arcanum by virtue of its build-based reactivity within quest-dense urban hubs, as exemplified by Tarant.

Thus do story, lore and setting take a back seat to mechanics, which are King. And the only thing that can make cRPGs "hardcore" is their mechanics.

To be crystal clear, it is the interplay of cRPG mechanics that supply gameplay meaning: ruleset mechanics, combat system mechanics and reactivity mechanics, for example. Without mechanics, there is no gameplay and therefore no game to play.

Story, setting and theme being of no consequence whatsoever, cRPG gameplay is defined by the frequency and duration of player-engagement in impactful cRPG mechanics. If player-engagement in cRPG mechanics is infrequent, brief and largely inconsequential, the cRPG gets heavily penalized. Indeed, we can call into question a game's categorization as a cRPG if its mechanics are feebly employed or borderline non-existent.

Since combat mechanics are the most frequent and consequential of all mechanics, combat is King in the cRPG realm. Everything else is as fluff in comparison.

cRPG Design Categories

For each cRPG covered, the table below gives scores in each of 11 cRPG design categories. Note that categories vary in importance; as has been made crystal clear in the preceding paragraphs, they don't get equal weighting.

If you want to play a cRPG that features good exploration in a good setting, then you would consult the Explore and Setting columns, which together would give its World Design score. There you will see that Fallout, Arcanum and Planescape are the go-to cRPGs since they excel in both -- and who can argue otherwise?

On the other hand, cRPG connoisseurs would primarily consult Rules, Perspective and Combat columns, as those categories constitute the pillars of cRPG design that facilitate apex cRPG experiences. Games that garner scores of 9 or above in such categories are indisputable masterpieces.

Computer Game	Rules	Persp	Combat	Items	React	Expl	Write	Set	UI	Visual	Aud
Arcanum Guide	9.5	9.5	6.5	6	9.9	9	9.5	9.7	8.5	8.5	6
Baldur's Gate 1	9	8.5	8.5	9.5	6.5	9	9	8.5	9	8	8
Baldur's Gate 2	8	8.5	7.5	6	6.5	6	4.5	8	9	7.5	7
Baldur's Gate 3	4	2	2	3	3	3	1	4	2	2	2
BattleTech Revenge	8	8	7	7	8	6	5	8	7	5	5
Carrier Command	8	7	6.5	9	7	6	6	8	9	9	8
Civ1 Guide	8	9	4	7	7	7	7	8	7	7	5
Civ2 Guide	8	9.5	7	8	8	8	9	8.5	9	8	7
Colonization Sid Meier	9	9.5	7	9	9	9	9	9.5	9.5	9	8
Command Conquer 1	8	9	8	8	8	7	7	8	8	9	8
CnC Red Alert Review	9	9	9	8	8	7	7	8	8	9	9
Darklands Review	6	4	2	4	4	3	2	4	2	2	2
Darkness Daggerford	8	7	7	6	6	6	6	6	8	7	8
Deus Ex 1 Guide	7	7	6	8	8	7	7.5	7	8	6.5	7
Diablo 1 Review	7	9.5	7	8	3	9	6.5	8	7	8.5	8
Diablo 2 Review	5	8.5	7.5	6.5	2	4	6	7	7.5	9.5	9.5
Doom 1 Review	8	8	9	7	7	7	6	9	7	9	8
Dragon Age: Origins	5	7.5	7	3	7	4	7	6	3	5.5	6
Dune 2 Review	7	9	7	7	7	8	8	9.5	7	8	8
Dungeon Rats Guide	9	9	9	9	5	9	7	8	8	7.5	6
Fallout 1 Guide	9	9	8	9	8.5	9	9	9	8	9.7	8.5
Computer Game	Rules	Persp	Combat	Items	React	Expl	Write	Set	UI	Visual	Aud
Fallout 2 Guide	9	9	8.5	9	8.5	7	7	7	8.5	9	8.5
Frontier Elite 2 Review	9	9.5	9.5	9.5	9	9.9	9	8	9.5	9.9	9
Gothic 1	3	4	3	3	3	7	4	6	8	4.5	6
Gothic 2	3	4	3	4	2	7	3	5	7	4	6
Gothic 3	2	4	2	2	4	5	2	3	5	5.5	8
Half-Life 1 Review	8	8	7	7	7	8	7	8	7	8	7.5
Hordes of the Underdark	8	7	7	6	6	6	5	6	8	6	7
Icewind Dale 1	9	8.5	9	9.5	5	9	8	9	8.5	9	9.7
Icewind Dale 2	9	8.5	9	8	6.5	8	7	8	9	8.5	9.5
Jagged Alliance 2	9	9.9	9.9	9.5	8.5	9	9	9	9.9	9.8	9.7
Kenshi Guide	3	4.5	4	2	2	4	2	2	4	3	4
KotOR 1	4	1.5	2.5	3	3	2	5	4.5	1	2	4
Computer Game	Rules	Persp	Combat	Items	React	Expl	Write	Set	UI	Visual	Aud
KotOR 2	4	1.5	2	3	5	2	4	5	1	2	4
M1 Tank Platoon	9.5	9	9	9	8	7	8	8	9	9	7
Mask of the Betrayer	8	8.5	7.5	8	8.7	7	8.5	8.7	8	7.5	8
Master of Magic Review	9.7	9.5	9	9	9	9.5	8.5	8	9.5	9	6
MechWarrior 1 Mechs	8	8.5	7	7	7	6	5	8	8	6	6
Morrowind Overrated	1.5	2.5	2	2	1	4	3	3	4	4	5
Neverwinter Nights 1	8	7	6	4	2	5	4.5	4	8	6	7
Neverwinter Nights 2	8	8.5	7	7	6	6	6.5	5	8	6	6
Oblivion	1	2	2.5	1	1	1.5	1	1	1	1	4
Oblivion With Guns	1	2	2.5	1	1	1.5	1	1	1	1	3
Panzer General 1	9	9	9	9	9	7	8	8	9	9	8
Planescape: Torment	7	7	5	6.5	8	9	9.5	9.5	7	8.5	8.5
Populous Review	7	9.8	6	6	8	7	7	9	7	9.9	8
PowerMonger Review	7.5	9.9	6	6	8	7.5	8	9	8	9.9	9
Quake 1 Review	8	8	9	9	7	9	6	9	7	9.5	8.5
Rebelstar Games	9	9.5	9.5	8	7	8	8	8	8	6	6
Settlers Amiga	7	9	6	6	8	6	5	9	8	9.5	9.5
Siege of Dragonspear	5	8	7	6	7	5	2.5	7	6	5	5
Computer Game	Rules	Persp	Combat	Items	React	Expl	Write	Set	UI	Visual	Aud
Silent Storm Review	9	9.9	8	7.5	6	7	4	8	7	9	8
StarCraft 1 Review	9	9	9	9	8	7	8	8	8	9	7
Steel Panthers Review	9	9.5	9.5	9	7	7	8	8	8	8	7
SMAC Guide	9	9.5	6	9	9	8	9	9.5	9.5	9	4
Storm of Zehir Guide	8	8.5	8	8	6	8.5	7	8	8.5	7.5	7
Swordflight Review	9.5	7	9	9.5	9.5	9.5	9	8	8	7.5	7
Tales of the Sword Coast	9	8.5	8.5	7	6.5	8	8	8	8	8	8
ToEE Guide	9.8	8	8	8	5	8.5	9	9	8.5	9.5	8
The Witcher 1	3	4	5.5	7	7	3	6	7	5	4.5	5
Throne of Bhaal	8	8.5	8.5	5	7	6.5	5	6	8	8	8
Torment Numenera	5	7	4	4	6	5	4	6	6	4	6
Tyranny Guide	6	7	5	5	7	5	6	6	6	5	6
Underrail Review	5	8	6	4	5	4	3	5	5	4	4
Vampire Bloodlines	6.5	3	3	6.5	8	3	7	6	3	4.5	6
Warband Review	9	9	9	7	7	5	6.5	8	8	9	9
WarCraft 1 Review	8	9	8	8	7	8	8	9	8.5	8	8
WarCraft 2 Review	8	9.5	8.5	8	7	9	9	9	9	9	9
X-COM UFO Defense	9.5	9.7	9	9	7	9.9	6	9.5	6	8	7
X-COM Apocalypse	9.7	9.9	9	8.5	8	9.5	6	9.5	8	8.5	9
Computer Game	Rules	Persp	Combat	Items	React	Expl	Write	Set	UI	Visual	Aud

Note: I have since added some non-cRPGs to the above table. Mainly because they are historically significant to computer-gaming as a whole.

Explanation of cRPG Design Categories

Ruleset

The score in the Ruleset column is based on the robustness of the ruleset and its employment. Examples of rulesets include AD&D 2nd Edition and D&D 3rd Edition as well as custom cRPG rulesets such as SPECIAL. In addition, cRPG build potential is factored into the ruleset score.

Note that some cRPGs do not feature builds, per se. In that case, their character templates are assessed. A classic template is Fighter BG1.

Perspective

The score in the Perspective column is based on the criteria laid out in Isometric cRPGs. By default, I devalue cRPGs that choose to employ any perspective other than fixed axonometric, isometric-esque cams or top-down plan views. Even if its employment is polished, first-person perspective gets penalized for being first-person (because it should have been isometric or top-down).

The score takes into account the employment of the perspective, which includes its control responsiveness and precision in viewport manipulation (screen-scrolling, rotation, zoom, mouse-look). Bonus points are awarded for seamless transition and mechanical verticality and destructibility, which are as rare as they are elite.

Combat

The score in the Combat column is based on criteria laid out in cRPG combat encounter design. It also takes into account combat control (pathfinding, bandboxing, hotkeys) and cRPG combat system: turn-based, realtime or pausable realtime. Bonus points if CED is difficult.

Itemization

The score in the Items column is based on the criteria laid out in cRPG Itemization. Any cRPG that scales itemization or throws items around like confetti gets points deducted. Hand-placed itemization is favored whereas proc-gen of any kind gets penalized.

Reactivity

The score in the React column is based on the criteria laid out in cRPG Reactivity. One instance of genuine reactivity is worth 100 instances of fake, fluff or flavor-based reactivity.

Exploration

The score in the Explore column is based on criteria laid out in many writings, such as Baldur's Gate exploration. While I value contiguous, non-linear exploration as well as the balance inherent in linear exploration, open, empty world design (as seen in the typical hiking sim) gets penalized.

The score also factors in cRPG Dungeons (the preeminent form of exploration), not just urban and wilderness exploration.

Writing

The score in the Write column is based on criteria laid out in cRPG Stories. The score encompasses dialogue, lore and ruleset writing, not just story.

Setting

The score in the Setting column is based on criteria laid out in many writings, such as Baldur's Gate setting. Forgotten Realms cRPGs can easily beat non-generic or historical-realistic settings because the score is based on how the setting is represented, not on its type.

As I said above sci-fi, medieval fantasy and historical settings are at bottom no different to each other. For example, historical cRPGs are no greater facilitators of mechanics than fantasy or sci-fi ones. Darklands is simplistic in comparison to Baldur's Gate, for example. There is nothing innately "hardcore" about historical cRPGs because settings don't make cRPGs hardcore, their mechanics do.

The same goes for setting climates, biomes or environments, which are also naught but window-dressing (in that any biomic, environmental or setting-type mechanic can be modified to function in any other).

Rather than being based on such shallow preferences, the score is based on setting consistency and authenticity.

User Interface (UI)

The score in the User Interface column is based on criteria laid out in cRPG User Interface, KotOR (criticism) and cRPG History as well as NWN1 vs NWN2. Justifiably, cRPGs that dumb down UIs based on console limitations get heavily penalized.

Visuals

The score in the Visual column takes into account all game art assets or graphics. For example, backgrounds, architecture, animation, sprite design, mesh design, terrain design, icon design, portraits and visual effects.

Being garbage, the inclusion of unskippable cutscenes results in penalties, and 2D graphics (pixel art) are favored over 3D, which is a fad in the cRPG sphere.

Technical aspects such as fidelity, scrolling and framerate are also factored in. cf. Baldur's Gate Graphics.

Audio

The score in the Audio column takes into account all game audio; namely, OST, voice acting, ambience and general sound effects; basically, the cRPG soundscape.

I appreciate loud, raw and clear sound effects. I want to hear war cries, explosions and the clash of steel on steel. I want to hear bone-crunching and plate-compacting hits, arrows flying overhead and the screams of terrified Evil echoing throughout the dungeon as the heroes hunt them down.

Any cRPG with weak battle sounds gets penalized. As it pertains to OST, I favor trumpets and drums over fiddles and flutes, though of course each has its place. cf. Baldur's Gate Music.

Clarity

In case it isn't clear, any cRPG that dumbs down its design categories based on videogame console limitations gets heavily penalized; indeed, written off. Likewise if it dumbs down design categories in order to appeal to casual gamers.

In the cRPG sphere (and certainly in some other genre as well, but not all), console almost invariably goes hand in hand with casual; they are all but synonymous.

Reasoning Behind Specific Scores

Some aspects of Arcanum's ruleset are imbalanced or even broken; how can you rate it highly? Arcanum's ruleset is complex, interesting and fun to experiment with, and that alone is enough to rank above 100s of polished but unambitious rulesets.
Why does Baldur's Gate beat its sequel in ruleset when both employ AD&D 2nd Edition? Because BG2 suffers from ruleset bloat. Also, it doesn't even have True GM. See: BG1 vs BG2 for other reasons.
How can Kenshi be given such a low score in exploration? Click a destination on the other side of the world, hit fast forward and your characters will most likely arrive there without any fuss. That isn't exploration -- which should be dangerous, difficult or at least interesting.
Why is Kenshi rated so low in general? Kenshi is basically party-based Morrowind with base-building. It doesn't know what it wants to be, and does nothing well. Kenshi is a prime example of frivolous, non-committal design. In addition, the game engine is a massive resource hog even though it lacks the gameplay complexity of X-COM and Master of Magic, both of which run on 1994 toasters. X-COM and MoM are infinitely superior to Kenshi. Even Warband is.
How can games with open worlds fail in exploration, yet linear worlds get passing scores -- surely, open world cRPGs have the best exploration? The opposite is usually true: open world cRPGs tend to have the worst exploration. Icewind Dale is linear yet exploring its dungeons is more meaningful than derping about in the empty, level-scaled worlds of hiking sims. Old open world cRPGs have merit (Fallout 1), but "open world" has long since become a delusion of cRPG design standards, just like 3D graphics.
How on earth did Siege of Dragonspear not fail utterly? It is the strength of the Infinity Engine that SoD is built upon. And writing aside, it performs well in categories such as reactivity and combat encounter design.
Why do The Witcher and Vampire Bloodlines perform so badly in exploration? Open caves can't be entered and doors are closed simply because we haven't got the quest tied to them. Then, when we get the quest, they are suddenly interactable.
rofl at The Witcher getting failed on perspective -- you are aware of the switchability between OTS and iso-esque, aren't you? Yes, and both are awfully clunky. TW perspective and viewport control is in no way, shape or form passable.
ToEE barely has any story, lore and dialogue, so how can its writing rate highly? Let us not ignore how well its in-game rules are written. Easily the best ever.
How can you rate Swordflight's combat highly when it doesn't even have full party control? Swordflight demands more tactical thinking and strategic resource management with one character than many party-based cRPGs that feature SIX-man FPC. Also, its CED is better than almost all of them.
Isn't Master of Magic a Turn-based Strategy Game rather than a cRPG? Master of Magic transcends both genre labels. It has chargen, char-building, tactical turn-based combat, isometric battlescapes, stat-based spellcasting and martial combat, mech-dialogue with rival wizards, epic stat-based Wizard duels, party-based adventuring with six heroes, party-based adventuring with any number of stacks of up to nine combat units of any combo, leveling-up for heroes and combat units, stat displays for every hero and combat unit, inventory management, stat-based reactivity, exploration, dungeon-delving for treasure, item crafting and merchants. The only things it doesn't have are spoon-fed quests and rail-roaded storytelling, neither of which are prerequisites to cRPG-hood (since the best quests and cRPG stories are player-generated through gameplay, anyway).
Jagged Alliance 2 is numero uno in almost every category -- how is that even possible? JA2 is a masterpiece developed by game design geniuses, that's how.

Total scores for cRPGs are given in cRPG Reviews. While I've factored the above category scores into my totals, the categories are not weighted equally and my total scores take into account the cRPG as a whole, not just as the sum of its component parts.

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