RPG in the Making

[blalex620]

Okay so to jump right in I have an RPG that I want to make eventually and I'm formulating the story, mechanics, etc now. So basically I'm starting this thread to use fans of the RPG genre to help in seeing what fans like and don't like. I know everyone has different views but that's what makes this interesting.
Starting off now, first thing.... Is it wrong to develop a character just to kill them off?

 

[cherokeesam]

I'd like to see more context to your question, because I'm not sure what you're planning with that angle; but in general, no, I don't want to painstakingly create a character and have the writers arbitrarily kill him off at some point in the game. Strongly doubt anyone else would want that, either.

 

[Matt]

Okay so to jump right in I have an RPG that I want to make eventually and I'm formulating the story, mechanics, etc now. So basically I'm starting this thread to use fans of the RPG genre to help in seeing what fans like and don't like. I know everyone has different views but that's what makes this interesting.
Starting off now, first thing.... Is it wrong to develop a character just to kill them off?

I agree with Sam, that developing a character simply for the sake of killing them off is poor writing. Now if a character's death advances the plot, then kill them off. The character that you kill off should be well developed because if their death is important enough to advance the plot, then he or she should be someone the audience feels a connection with. But to develop a character simply for the sake of killing the character off is cheap writing designed to tug at your audience's heartstrings.

Now keep in mind, I am not saying that the character's death must be a crucial element to the plot or set everything in motion (like Aeris from FFVII), a death can move the plot along if it is a death of someone important to your protagonist (in which case they should be very well developed to make the audience feel the pain of the hero....especially in an RPG). A good example of this may be Thane from the Mass Effect series....his death isn't especially crucial to the plot, but it does advance Shepard's character, as well as further the development of The Illusive Man and Kai Leng as villains. It serves the plot in that regard.

I'd suggest that you write backwards. Figure out who dies and WHY (how it serves your plot/characters), then develop the characters. But don't just write a character for the sake of killing them. It is cheap writing.

 

[blalex620]

Okay I should definitely have been clearer but I'm not writing the character just to kill them off for the heck of it. Their death as I have it in mind is very pivotal to the plot and characters development. I guess I'm trying to figure out should I completely kill the character who will be a main character or should I find a way to proverbially "pretend" kill them off because I know a lot of writers don't like to write characters knowing that they have to die.

 

[Soapy]

I guess it would depend entirely on the execution.

How are you going to make this RPG? Do you have a team or this a solo thing?

 

[blalex620]

Well right now I'm still in college working on my degrees, this game is in it's infancy right now. My plan though is to have this made by a team led by me. Even though I'm a long away from that I'm trying to work on the groundwork for the game now.