When starting a new RPG, how many of you just jump in...

[Huntn]

...or do you immediately breakout a guide? I’m getting ready to start a new one (The Outer Worlds) , and based on my last RPG, Fallout 4, where I just dove in, adventured and wandered, I discovered I missed things, and that the game funneled me in certain directions, and did not even offer the best or even logical choices IMO to approach the situation the player finds themself in.

So for this new game, there are choices that impact the end story, I have no idea how much real choice I have, and I’ll probably break out a guide. Thoughts?

 

[Plutonius]

The first time I play a computer game, I usually jump in without reading anything (including the rules) and play it before restarting (sometimes soon and sometimes not until I finish).

I will then usually read up on it and look for videos.

I completely read up on the rules and any informational material before playing a tabletop board game or tabletop RPG.

 

[velocityg4]

I just jump in and start playing. They're usually pretty straight forward and start with some sort of tutorial anyway. After I play a while I may look up tips. Usually to avoid hours of monotonous grinding. As I don't want to spend thirty hours to build up stats.

 

[Huntn]

Interesting enough, Fallout 4 funneled you though quests to meet all of the factions, or have an opportunity to meet them. The first faction was the Minutemen, who Codesworth sends you to Concord to meet. While an excellent game, what it did was try to limit your choices about who to side with for the end game, but there were ways around this by reading online “best ending” guides.

 

[maflynn]

I jump in, but I do peruse a guide to help with some questions that may have long-lasting implications. The outer worlds is a good example of that, where your decisions will shape things to come.

 

[Huntn]

I jump in, but I do peruse a guide to help with some questions that may have long-lasting implications. The outer worlds is a good example of that, where your decisions will shape things to come.

I’ve said it before a couple of times, but choosing the Institute or blowing it up (Fallout 4) was just stupid. Many (most?) people would not choose it, and no one in their right mind would chose to destroy the Commonwealth’s greatest repository of technical info.

 

[ToastedOSX]

i jump in without a guide.

 

[Nermal]

I typically don't use guides; I prefer to explore for myself and make my own choices etc. This has resulted in some games where I've missed large chunks, but I don't mind too much; if it's a good game then I'll probably replay it at some point!

 

[tyc0746]

I like RPGs (solo preferably), but it does annoy me when you realise half-way through a play through that there's lots of upgrades/treasure to find off the beaten track/quest line but no hint anywhere (unless you go online to check) that these things even exist...and in some cases you can't go back to these locations until MUCH later.

 

[garnerx]

Surely the point of an RPG - a good one, at least - is that you play it "your" way and the story that unfolds somehow reflects whatever character you decided to be. If you already know the outcome, it’s not really an RPG at all.

Outer Worlds is a 5/10 sort of game for me, I found it generic and dull. It's not much of an RPG, it's an action-adventure with a branching storyline.

If you want something that has more of a genuine "role-playing" element, in that you're the lead character in a story and you're making choices that are based on what you believe your your character's personal conviction would be (i.e. you're choosing because it's the right thing to do, not because it leads to a desirable ending you've already read about) I’d recommend Disco Elysium. It's nothing like Outer Worlds or Fallout but it will blow your mind (or bore you senseless, lots and lots of reading about politics and philosophy). You probably wouldn't want to read a guide beforehand, anyway.

 

[Huntn]

Surely the point of an RPG - a good one, at least - is that you play it "your" way and the story that unfolds somehow reflects whatever character you decided to be. If you already know the outcome, it’s not really an RPG at all.

Outer Worlds is a 5/10 sort of game for me, I found it generic and dull. It's not much of an RPG, it's an action-adventure with a branching storyline.

If you want something that has more of a genuine "role-playing" element, in that you're the lead character in a story and you're making choices that are based on what you believe your your character's personal conviction would be (i.e. you're choosing because it's the right thing to do, not because it leads to a desirable ending you've already read about) I’d recommend Disco Elysium. It's nothing like Outer Worlds or Fallout but it will blow your mind (or bore you senseless, lots and lots of reading about politics and philosophy). You probably wouldn't want to read a guide beforehand, anyway.

I just started Outer Worlds and will report back.

When I first started Fallout 4, I just jumped in and slowly discovered its story limitations. However, regarding things like builds, I definitely research this aspect of any game (including Outer Worlds) because on my own efforts at a character building usually fall short.

 

[garnerx]

regarding things like builds, I definitely research this aspect of any game (including Outer Worlds) because on my own efforts at a character building usually fall short.

But character building is what puts the RP in the G. If you're putting points in a particular trait, not because it makes sense at the beginning but because you know it will give you access to a particular thing later on, you're just following instructions. Better to decide "I'm going to be a gentleman space adventurer" or "I'm going to be the scourge of the galaxy" and set up your skills accordingly. If you make a mess of it, that's part of your character too.

In Disco Elysium, which is about a detective who gets so monumentally wasted that he basically erases his own mind and becomes a blank slate, I started out trying to make him super intuitive and smart. But the way the story evolved, he became paranoid, superstitious and corrupt. I hadn't intended for that to happen but it was amazing to see all my best plans getting undone in completely unexpected ways. You just have to go with the flow.

(play Disco Elysium, it's the best role-playing game)

 

[Huntn]

But character building is what puts the RP in the G. If you're putting points in a particular trait, not because it makes sense at the beginning but because you know it will give you access to a particular thing later on, you're just following instructions. Better to decide "I'm going to be a gentleman space adventurer" or "I'm going to be the scourge of the galaxy" and set up your skills accordingly. If you make a mess of it, that's part of your character too.

In Disco Elysium, which is about a detective who gets so monumentally wasted that he basically erases his own mind and becomes a blank slate, I started out trying to make him super intuitive and smart. But the way the story evolved, he became paranoid, superstitious and corrupt. I hadn't intended for that to happen but it was amazing to see all my best plans getting undone in completely unexpected ways. You just have to go with the flow.

(play Disco Elysium, it's the best role-playing game)

I’m putting points into a build to become something coherent. It’s not too bad if the game allows you to reset points, to recover from mistakes, which it should (it’s a game), because I don’t want to end up with a mess of a build.

 

[Plutonius]

I’m putting points into a build to become something coherent. It’s not too bad if the game allows you to reset points, to recover from mistakes, which it should (it’s a game), because I don’t want to end up with a mess of a build.

It also helps if the game has a cheat console mode .

 

[julieoftheheron]

The best part of playing an RPG for me is the actual discovery of what comes together in the game based on my intuitive and gut reaction decisions. Yes, it's great if you can re-spec your builds later, but overall, I feel that the experience feels more immersive if you give yourself the opportunity to discover it and all that it has to offer as you play.

I paint the same way - I become a witness to what comes out of my brush and pencil, rather than planning it on looking "great" or "likable"

 

[compwiz1202]

I like RPGs (solo preferably), but it does annoy me when you realise half-way through a play through that there's lots of upgrades/treasure to find off the beaten track/quest line but no hint anywhere (unless you go online to check) that these things even exist...and in some cases you can't go back to these locations until MUCH later.

Yea hate those especially missables after a certain chapter. Read about some ridiculous thing in FFIX and thought who the heck was the person who found that first and HOW???
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I will try to win once without a guide, and will only try to find help for just the certain part if I am absolutely stuck. Sometimes I will do a quick search for absolutely missable things, but otherwise I won't go full in on a guide until I win once. Really wish they would bring back full paper guides again :'(