"Tough decisions" in a RPG

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The idea of choosing who to save is interesting. I'd be careful how many of those get thrown in though; the more combinations there are, the more branches you have to write out. And it will probably branch a lot if you're doing it early in the game as you say, unless you're only offing minor characters whose presence in story events is basically interchangable with the other person who could've been there at the time.

If the characters you have to choose between can actually play an important role in the story, one thing you might consider is making the major story branches based on who survives.

[jack1974]

If the characters you have to choose between can actually play an important role in the story, one thing you might consider is making the major story branches based on who survives.

Yes that's what I was planning to do, but there are other solutions as well. I mean even in Loren depending who you have in your team, you hear different sentences during several scenes. Then the camp talk is usually face to face between PC and the character who you're talking to. There might be some major scenes that could need different writing based on surviving characters, but I don't think I'd need to rewrite a lot of texts. For sure it would be a pain to plan/design though

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True, though Loren had some pretty good ways of keeping things under control. As you say the one-on-one setup of the camp helps; didn't think of that one myself. If I recall correctly the major branches were:

-Elenor or Saren (the big one, affects romances throughout game. It helps that a lot of their lines are the same though.)
-Elf / Human route split near the beginning (two groups of characters without mix-and-match, rejoins a few battles later)

Spoiler:

The endgame sequence must've been interesting to work out as well; good thing that was at the very end!

So I think there was one major split and one minor one in the game. I think it was fairly linear all things considered, so I still stand by controlling the number of "save one, leave one" moments that show up in a game. Still, I don't doubt that you guys will find a way to handle this; I haven't played many Winter Wolves games yet but they generally show some good and interesting design choices.

[DoctorMario911]

Im sure everyone hates making those tough decisions (cause i sure do) but it gets the job done and it will pay well in the end.

[wildcard]

I didn't vote, but it DOES sound massivly interesting.

Additionally I think it would also be interesting to get items for side quests with missions. Some of these could be used to save BOTH characters, but definitly not ALL of them and only in certain spots. (Like a rope could be used to save both characters from hanging of a cliff, but it wouldn't work when both would be treatened to be burried under a boulder).

Put Draco and A-something for example and I'd know I didn't need to 'waste' one of these items or regret having missed out on it *quickly pulls Draco to safety*
Adding a 'hesitate to think' option could be helping in working out an option to save both, but could in some cases also cause both to die ... ...
Alternately some characters might be able to save themselves and save you the choice. (Amukiri for example might be able to free himself from under boulders)

Also interesting would be to see how the other's react based onto your decissions.
Like Rei or Myrth certainly wouldn't be happy with you if you let go of either of the two. Same for the dwarfes and Loren and Karin. Basically those characters that come into your group pretty much 'in pairs'. Only exception I see are the archmage and Amukiri. I don't think they'd be too affected...

Just a few thoughts :3

[jack1974]

Yes even if in the end I don't think will use this system in RPG (surely not Loren sequel). But maybe in other future games with more serious/dramatic tone, yes
Not that Loren is not serious, but I think would feel weird to put such decisions in the game. A game where every day is a matter of survival (zombie infestation, escaping from some enemy, total anarchy post-nuclear world, etc) would fit better

[WarStalkeR]

Yes! If it fits the setting, why not, but it always must be third hidden/hard accessible "save everybody" option to avoid such tough decisions... Creators of game called "Binary Domain" made it that way, basically if you want to avoid losing characters, you need to play game really hard!

[Sylrissa]

I just like having the option to save everybody, I don't care how secret or hard you make it, just give me the option to do it in game, I don't like forced deaths.

[jack1974]

Heh I must say that I wasn't of this opinion, but after playing Walking Dead (the game) I was quite disappointed by some forced deaths, so... I understand

[WarStalkeR]

Heh I must say that I wasn't of this opinion, but after playing Walking Dead (the game) I was quite disappointed by some forced deaths, so... I understand

I first understood it, when I played Final Fantasy VII