RPG idea brainstorms !!

I'm not sure I've post in the right topic, uhh if i posted wrongly pls tell me the right location for this type of topic

In the RPG i'm making now (click my sig) i'm kinda running out of idea to kill the boring flow of the game, here is what i mean
- whack creep, get money, gain level, buy equip, and whack creep, the cycle goes on

thats basically how 98% of the RPG out there runs, and to tell the truth, this flow is boring =.=;; currently a few idea that i did to kill this flow is
- players get better xp rate from quest, instead of monster
- bar the max level of hero, unless the hero completed xx quest, if not he can't pass that line
- instead of killing creep, sometimes you need to avoid killing certain weak monster as they suck your xp

now, to level up, it is no longer hit-and-whack creeps but other things to do now. My problem now is that :
- what kind of RPG quest is NOT BORING ? (example of boring quest : kill xx number of xx creep, bring xx to xx, boss killing, kill all creep in dungeon xx, collect xx from xx)

well, hope anyone with cool ideas about RPG quests join this idea brainstorm

Killing creeps is a main part of most RPG's and they just get boring (wc3 ones and diablo etc (you only killed creeps in diablo because you knew eventually you would be able to pvp lol)). What I propose is take a few ideas out of guild wars, which had some interesting ideas for the rpg half of their game.

GW had optional quests which where kill X creeps etc, but if you wanted to advance to the next area (new shops and mini-quests to do), you had to complete certain main quests. The main quests were more interesting, like:

One where there were 4 bases (I think). You were in one, and you had to enter enemy base (defended by standard creeps and a boss at the end) and capture a relic of some sort (can't remember), you then had to bring this back to your base. You had to capture all 3 enemy relics and bring them back to your base in the time-limit to win.

Another was where you had to enter an enemy castle, fight your way through the outskirts and complete a minor half of the mission (kill X troops of units), until you entered the main castle bit. You had to kill every unit in the castle, and then the main boss. After you killed the boss, some enemy units charged at the castle, and you had to defend it for a certain amount of time, until the main boss showed up (mini-boses appeared throughout also). On the walls of the castle were trebuchets you could use to defend, and you had to work together to stay alive. (Kinda like a castle defence game).

Another one was where you had to complete a few challenges to win the overall mission. First, your team starts with a hero who follows and fights for you. If the hero dies you lose. The enemy has a mini-boss (which I think was their priest), and several creeps. Every 2 minutes there was a resurrection, where if you hadn't killed the boss, all their units would get revived. So, you either changed targets a lot and left the creeps all low hp until two minutes had passed, then killed them, then killed boss. Or, at 1:40 or w/e a few people took out boss. The next part of the mission, you had to do this, but you were against 2 enemy teams (bosses were stronger too). These teams were enemy to one another, but would target you if you got in range of both of them. After that, you had to do the same thing vs 3 enemy teams to win.

Or another one they had was you fought your way into a castle and your hero that was following you had to complete a spell. He had to channel it for 30 mins or w.e and waves of creeps were sent to attack him, and you had to defend him.

They also did one where you had to fight your way into enemy territory, bring barrels of explosives to the door, drop them and break down the door and release the prisoner. You then had to bring the prisoner to a boat. Lots of enemies were in between you and the boat, but a LOT of enemies were following you. You had to choose whether to kill the enemies you passed (they might kill the person you rescued, therefore you fail the mission) or fight them. You have to kill them really fast, so the people behind you don't catch up with you (if they do, you die). Eventually, you reach the boat and escape.

One idea which gw had which you could adapt was that to get to the next area, you had to defeat your copy (an AI controlled hero with the same abilities as you). You could make it so your team has to defeat another AI team which controlls the same heroes as them (has same equipment also).

Taking some ideas like these, not really mini-games, but other types of game modes in the rpg, you could come up with some quite interesting scenarios. For example, you reach a town that is under attack by the undead. You offer to help, and it turns into a hero siege. They send creeps at you and you have to defend the town. If town dies you fail the quest, and you have to wait XXX time before the undead leave the town, and the town is rebuilt where you can get the quest again. You have to complete the quest before the road is clear for you to travel to the next area. (I have lots of ideas for a hero siege, but that would probably be better for a standalone game, it might be better to just keep it simple)

You could just have a look at some certain types of games you like, and work into the story a mission that plays like it.

An ORPG map is what you want to avoid doing. By ORPG I mean one of those save/load maps where you're turned free to just wander and kill creeps. My suggestion is to avoid just having wide open areas where all you do is attack creeps.

Instead perhaps the heroes are going through a cave when suddenly a trap is sprung and a giant boulder rolls toward the heroes from the entrance (when the heroes were already a good way into the cave). The heroes would then have to kill creeps to get to the exit (in time) and possibly the exit is a gate and some boss has the key to it. To make it even harder, creeps might have stun/slowing abilities/auras.

Doesn't that seem much more exciting than just attacking creeps in a wide open area?

And at the end of it all, the gate might lead to another boss who has some cool and powerful attacks (some very strong ones too, which could be dodged perhaps?) The heroes would be trapped in a circular area or what not so they have nowhere to go, and the boss would take some kind of strategy to beating it other than "attack it until it dies". Rocks might fall from the ceiling while fighting, the boss might summon weaker creeps and then fly and avoid combat temporarily.

Dude, what you are trying to do is a very good thing. The typical ORPG idea of 99% of RPGs these days is extremely boring for me also.

Try also implementing some sort of advanced combat system - so that you have to think in battle and not just right click or patrol to level up.

Have you ever played Oblivion? How about trying to make a persuasion system like that? That can also be used to complete quests, etc.

Or how about a quest to build a house, I mean, collect all the neccesary materials and then put each one in the correct place.

One thing I don't like about typical RPG's is creeps. While they can be good for certain things like defence quests etc, its boring just attacking things weaker than you (if they are stronger, all they have is more damage, and aren't very exciting to play against anyway). Some areas would be good if there were no creeps, just enemy heroes.
Eg. A quest is you have to kill one boss, who is running away then attacks you, gets lower hp then runs again. While you are chasing, you could get backstabbed by a group of heroes that cast spells. After you have defeated them and catch up to him, he enters a portal. You follow, and find yourself in an arena. You have to defeat his teams of gladiators (more heroes that cast spells on you). Each team is better than the last (not really stronger, just better abilities). When you have defeated each team, he will enter the arena, and you fight him.

Having enemy heroes that gank you etc could be a quite interesting addition to the gameplay. It disrupts the boring "farming" feeling as you are completing a tedious kill X creep side-quest, because you are on edge constantly, you never know when you might be attacked.

Heroes are much more interesting than creeps to fight, because creeps are weaker, just there are more of them (= boring). Heroes are the same level as you, and so are of equal strength, so you have to use strategy and teamwork to defeat them.

For bosses, it is good if they cast spells etc, but it is annoying if they are the ones where there is a set thing you have to do each time. Ie. The boss has this ability he casts that is a damage nova, and he plays a certain animation each time before he casts it. When you see the animation you hide, then after he casts it, you run out and attack him once. Then plays animation, you hide... etc etc.... It gets very boring.

What rulerofiron99 said about an advanced combat system could be good, just not some kind of turn based or some edited combat, keep it wc3. Perhaps just have non-guided projectiles and if you move (or blink) you can dodge them (this could include spells). Could also make it if someone is running away from you when you are attacking them, they take double damage. This works both ways, if you are getting attacked by enemy heroes and you run, and they slow you, they could take you out quite easily. Also, make sure to make a custom hp regen system (if you don't already), no hp regen during combat, but you regen when you are no longer being attacked, and the longer you are out of combat, the more hp regen you get (saves waiting around or running back to base to heal).

wow nice ideas, well i did play GW for a while and adapted some of the ideas too lol (such as free xx creep before timer expire, some short hero def-protect some obelisk for x minutes)

what's intrested in me is what rulerofiron99 said about building own house in the map, but the problem will be, what should be inside the house ? (people dont build it for no reason -.-") Uh... players buy books so they get more int ? whao it looks more like sims that way already...

Here's what I think:

Don't add too many luxeries. Okay, so you build a house. But if it's just to "build a house", then it's a waste of time(and space!).

Or, you could get some ideas off of other RPGs. Then, find a unique way to add some sort of twist in it.

What I'm doing is based off of the original idea of GeoSymbols in Disgaea. Only that they're used in a different way. The only thing, for it to work properly I need to make a battle system like FFF.

You should consider many things and find what will limit your map from being what you want it to be. Then, go with what you can have.

How bout a quest where you can't be seen by xx creeps?

errr... huh ? make you invisible from creeps ?

I think he means get from point A to point B without being seen by the enemy. Like using invisibility spells or just staying out of range of them.

Yeah. Like Metal Gear Solid...you avoid creeps and if they see you xx event happens. Sorry for the unclear explanation.

Yeah, that's a great idea. And that could make it all exciting and stuff when your invis is starting to dissapear and a hiding spot is out of range.

Final Fantasy 11 had a quest where you were given a hat, and had to advertise the hat around town to xx number of people. I always thought this quest was pretty funny.

Also a quest where you are forced to meet a shady person at a specific time. Example would be... meet a corrupt guard outside the gates to the north, at 9. Then he'll lead you through some secret sewers. Or alternatively, after meeting the corrupt guard, it could turn into a trap set to kill you, making a quick surprising battle.

If you're going to make a fun wc3 map, regardless of whether it's a RPG or anything else; try creating a game where you actually interact with the other players, or it's just a single player game, like most open RPGs. For example, try creating a quest where your goal is to rescue,steal from,trade with, or interfere with other players. When you're making a multi-player game, you should imagine as many ways the players can interact as possible.

Why not add riddles and puzzles into the game? Not like a rubics cube, but like trying to solve glyphs on a cave wall, by asking towns-people, and observing the wilderness for clues.

You could also try to befriend an NPC, and if you are able to, you can bring the NPC with you to fight creeps and complete other quests.

Befriending can involve, buying a drink for them at the bar, inviting them over to play a game of poker, going hunting in the forest... that sorta stuff. You gain rep with them for doing certain things, but if you do some bad things you lose rep. Just an idea.