What makes a good RPG?

I started this thread to compose a list of tips and ideas for making a good RPG.
Please post all your tips and ideas for making a good RPG.

Taking your time and making it good, not just rushing it to get it done.

1. Need a Hero with a sword
2. Need a hostage situation (preferably a girl)
3. Need tons of mini-quests
4. Custom everything
5. No bugs
6. Need a powerful boss that is VERY hard to kill

You do NOT need custome everything. You want people to play your RPG, don't you? Would you play an RPG with tons of MB mostly for models and skins?

Every RPG needs a good super boss. :)

The stupid thing is that the only way to kill Emreald and Ruby weapon in FF7 was mostly one way to do it. FF8's super boss's killed you fast, but you could kill them fast, as for FF9, Ozma was pretty hard, but as soon as you equip the right things on, he is easy to beat.

FF10 has a series of super bosses, they are hard because they have uber magic defense and defense. They also smack you and you lose a ton of HP(It's too easy to get 9999 HP).

FFX-2's super bosses are hard, maybe it's because I don't have my characters on lv 99, and I don't have most of their special items. :P

Those things have nothing to do with role playing game. It is not about customization or mini quests, but freedom to generate character with nature and beliefs, character who has his own unique view over the world and then playing with him, trying to see what he sees, feel what he feels. Role playing is not about roaming around and gettin EXP!!1 and yelling n00b to everyone.

Feel of freedom and world that feels like it's living on it's own are of course kinda hard to create on wc3. But the next interesting point would be story. Even though you had good features the playing is kinda numb if you just have to read lame dialoque and run after quests like "kill the gnolls", "kill the trolls", "find my cat". Of course there would be such mini quests, but the red line of the story should be interesting, it should include lots of drama and characters who are strong persons and stand out from just being computer character with written lines.

very well said, serpentum. i totally agree. :)

Sadly there cannot be as much freedom in computer games or computer "RPGs" as in the real RPGs, but still it is nice to have as much freedom as is possible to a computer RPG.

You need towns there villager moves around and buying things, go in to they're houses.
Hidden towns are always funny to find.

I wasn't talking about custom models, I meant custom systems such as an extended inventory, custom spells using triggers, and maybe some custom skins. The custom building idea is also good where you can enter the buildings. (Works well with doodads)

a decent character thats fun to use/play with, and some form of orginal idea/story also helps :)

It's hard to give character personality in computer games, where as the people who play them create their personalities, which are them themselves.

Fortunately(or unfortunately), we don't want to spend three hours on a computer RPG that is only about who a specific person is; no one wants to spend that much time on a computer RPG.

Something like HeroRPG was very well made, and it was a RPG. I think it's harder to make a story in an RPG when there are multiple players. instead of the original one player only.

Lol. I even hear that the DOTA group is trying to think of a story for their game. :P

Well, everyone seems to have said a bunch of it, but... It needs a good hero with descriptive, purposeful background info and goals. Also, a lot of freedom makes it fun, and gives some replay value. Also, one good thing is a well thought out, balanced item system, that actually attaches a model to the hero. Well, I put in my two cents worth...

You all named things that make a good ARCADE-RPG

Which is not really an RPG
It doesn't matter what custom thingies you have there, what gfx, what super-skills, or what bosses - it's all crap just for the show.
What trully matter are:
Story, Dialogs, characters and setting

Every good RPG must have these things in abundance. If not, then it's just another hack'n'slash.

Custom spells, turn-based combat and the like *DON'T* make a good RPG. Period.

Actually, a good RPG can even have *NO* combat at all.

yup. story is the greatest thing i'd go for an rpg.
characters that influence so much, like the villain which makes you angry you wanted to kill him but too powerful though.
or just some party members who make you laugh at times.
and i mostly go for mature stories. not just like a kill this monster, save the princess, save the world, be a powerful magician, etc. and a sad story is good too.

My personal opinion: FREEEEDOOOOOMMMMM! Seriously, don't force the player to a certain direction. Let him make his own decisions as to how his character would/should react, make his own story. This is of course quite hard to do in a computer game, but then again even the simplest ways of affecting the story in a computer game is luxury.