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The CRPG Renaissance

ArkinArkin Member Posts: 32
edited September 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
I never thought I'd say this before, especially after the Diablo III debacle, but...it's a really good time to be a PC gamer. I mean, REALLY good. Maybe even 1998 good.

First, we have BG:EE. Then Black Isle Studios reopens. Then Obsidion Entertianment announces Project Eternity, a new, isometric, party-based CRPG. Is it just me, or are we experiencing a renaissance?

What's also exciting to me is the way these projects are being pulled off by small developers through Kickstarter campaigns and fan volunteerism. Is the age of the gaming megacorp (i.e. Blizzard) on its way out? If so, what's on the horizon?

Comments

  • The_New_RomanceThe_New_Romance Member Posts: 839
    Maybe. Let's see what actually comes of Project Eternity, BG:EE and Wasteland. Sure, there's lots of promises and anticipation, but little to actually found a second CRPG renaissance upon.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,316
    edited September 2012
    It may be a second wind but not a renaissance. Ohh and not that I want to be picky or come across as being a douche but there is an "off topic" section now for these sorts of threads.
  • MoiraMoira Member Posts: 173
    I was just thinking the same thing today. Well, not about Black Isle Studios (I don't count that in since it seems so iffy) but BG:EE, Project Eternity and Wasteland 2, sure ^_^ I'm also really excited about the Kickstarted adventure games, such as Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller and Jane Jensen's Moebius. Here's hoping for a Gabriel Knight remake and GK 4, as well as BG3!
  • ZafiroZafiro Member Posts: 436
    Yes! Don't forget Larian Studios.
  • MilesBeyondMilesBeyond Member Posts: 324
    No, the CRPG renaissance already happened. Don't forget, CRPGs were basically dead before games like Daggerfall, Fallout, and BG came out. This would be, like, the second Renaissance?

    Actually, I guess since it's mostly coming about by reviving old CRPG franchises, this is more of a CRPG Renaissance fair.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Obsidian is a small developer?

    I agree, though, it does seem like a lot of people had the same idea at more or less the same time: "Hey, remember the good old days when games were all about good storytelling? We should bring those days back."
  • pklooppkloop Member Posts: 113
    Don't forget Shadowrun Returns..
    I think its a renaissance of sorts it that all these guys are focusing on 2d ISO/party based RPGs..a genre semmingly left for dead by the big pubs..
  • TalvraeTalvrae Member Posts: 315
    trought no one know what black Isle will do... But yeah ShadowRun Return will be great
  • CommunardCommunard Member Posts: 556
    MilesBeyond said:

    No, the CRPG renaissance already happened. Don't forget, CRPGs were basically dead before games like Daggerfall, Fallout, and BG came out. This would be, like, the second Renaissance?

    Actually, I guess since it's mostly coming about by reviving old CRPG franchises, this is more of a CRPG Renaissance fair.

    Wouldn't the Second Rennaisance be the Enlightenment?
  • ShapiroKeatsDarkMageShapiroKeatsDarkMage Member Posts: 2,428
    I doubt a rennaisance is going to happen since not many people gives a crap about pc games nowadays.
  • killeahkilleah Member Posts: 124
    still 9 million play WoW .....
  • JozapeJozape Member Posts: 12
    Communard said:

    MilesBeyond said:

    No, the CRPG renaissance already happened. Don't forget, CRPGs were basically dead before games like Daggerfall, Fallout, and BG came out. This would be, like, the second Renaissance?

    Actually, I guess since it's mostly coming about by reviving old CRPG franchises, this is more of a CRPG Renaissance fair.

    Wouldn't the Second Rennaisance be the Enlightenment?
    Nope. The Age of Enlightenment would be Baldur's Gate, because that was the second age of RPGs. Now we are entering the Age of Armageddon, you know, 2012, the end of the world and all that.
  • KortokKortok Member Posts: 165
    I agree that PC RPGs are in a much better place now than they have been in for a long time. I pre-ordered BGEE and kicked in money for Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity. Very excited for all three.
    ShapiroKeatsDarkMage said:

    I doubt a rennaisance is going to happen since not many people gives a crap about pc games nowadays.

    9 million WoW players
    many millions of League of Legends payers
    Diablo 3 sold over 10 million copies in a matter of months
    Guild Wars 2 already sold 2 million copies
    Steam has over 50 million users
    DOTA 2 is exploding in popularity
    Project Eternity met the $1.1M kickstarter goal in 26 hours
    Wasteland 2, Shadowrun and Grim Dawn all easily met their kickstarter goals

    Don't believe the hype that PC gaming is dying.

  • TalvraeTalvrae Member Posts: 315
    At opposite, it might be console gaming that will die first, while PC offer lot of versality in gaming, with mod cappacity and the various digital distribution system, Console gaming his loosing it's edge, now with console asking to install game, have as much patch as the PC versions, and the restriction game compay impose with online pass. Console start to have all the problem the PC gaming had with none the adventages
  • UlysissUlysiss Member Posts: 18
    I have to agree with those that say PC gaming is not dying, in fact; I would go so far to say its making a comeback. For anyone who doesnt already know, their is a really great Australian games website, Kotaku (www.kotaku.com) who makes all sorts of articles about many facets of gaming and everywhere amongst these posts you can see evidence of PC gaming coming back to the for. I think this is a result of a couple of different reasons.

    - Kickstarter allows smaller dev teams into the mix by removing some of the barriers to entry in the games market.

    - People are sick to death of cheap, horrible console ports.

    - its super cheap to build your own PC, I have a rig that was state of the art 1.5 years ago and still performs amazingly and it cost me less than $1600.00 AUD ($1700 UD or similiar)

    - Steam, go Gaben!
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    elminster said:

    It may be a second wind but not a renaissance. Ohh and not that I want to be picky or come across as being a douche but there is an "off topic" section now for these sorts of threads.

    I dunno, I think this is the sort of topic that is okay for General. Whereas talking about a movie, book, TV show, politics, sports, and whatnot is what Off Topic is for. This here is certainly relevant to the game/fantasy CRPGing.
  • Jean_LucJean_Luc Member Posts: 228
    Arkin said:

    First, we have BG:EE. Then Black Isle Studios reopens. Then Obsidion Entertianment announces Project Eternity, a new, isometric, party-based CRPG. Is it just me, or are we experiencing a renaissance?

    I wouldn't count Black Isle as an example of this renaissance but yeah, a lot of great things are happening.

  • BytebrainBytebrain Member Posts: 602
    Just to chime in with another great indie made crpg game from this year: Legend of Grimrock.
    If you haven't played it, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.
    Best game of the year so far for me.
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