Cliche: A Look

[CoolZidane]

People usually play RPGs for two things: Story and gameplay. Most people support the story more than gameplay, as the story is what motivates you to keep playing. However, cliches can ruin games for people.

Think:

How often have you seen games that appear to be the next Final Fantasy 6, with great story, gameplay, and graphics/audio,  and yet, no one plays it because some people will see something that is a bit of a cliche, and naturally assume the entire game is cliche?

This post will examine the cliche and its effects on games.


What is a cliche?

A cliche is, simply put, a thing that has been done quite a few times before. It's most often looked at in movies and games. Cliches could include things like the black-caped villain who does virtually nothing, the super-strong hidden boss, and the burning of the hero's village.


Why do people use cliches?

People use cliches because nobody can make a completely original game. Cliches are unavoidable because everybody makes games that has elements that have been used before, whether they know it or not.


Negative effects of cliches

Cliches have had quite a few negative effects on games. The cliches can make people uneager to play games because people will assume that, if there is one cliche in it, there must be tons of others.

However, the more negative effects are seen in games made by people who hate cliches. People who hate cliches try to make games cliche-free. Obviously, this is impossible, as just about everything will become cliche eventually. These peoples' games tend to suck because it tries too hard to avoid cliche. Ironically, their games could be a cliche in themselves.


Overall, the cliche is here to stay, and frankly, needs to.

[Almeidaboo]

Hmm, no offense, but a big Charas clichè is threads about clichès...Anyway, I think some clichès as necesssary. It is quite proven that doing the opposite of the clichès wont work, it works even less...
Like, make a weak "hero", that´s gay and admits his love (cuz the hero never admits his love...) to his rival which is a happy guy (not a introspective one). He uses a spoon as an weapon and does not save the day, actually, he´s the one responsible for the failure of another group oh heroes, cuz they screamed "throw" and the hero said "SHOW!", they didn´t understand each other and the world exploded. Plus, all the race in the world like each other and the kindoms are friends and never betray...

Oh yeah, no hot girls. NO burly monk guys. No cool head  swordsman...

Wouldn´t it suck?

[FFL2and3rocks]

Another annoying cliche in RPGs is that there are battles.

[Grandy]

Originally posted by FFL2and3rocks
Another annoying cliche in RPGs is that there are battles.

 Agreed. Some RPGs would be better if there wasn't random battles, only bosses.

 Another great cliché: The weapon of the hero is a sword, even if the hero doesn't uses sword, at some time of the game (in a non-battle animation), the lengendary sword('nother cliche) will fly to the heros han so he kills the last boss.
 I've seen this about 30 times now.

[Drace]

It wouldn't it be good if they actually made an RPG without swords, battles of monsters who come out of nowhere, girls with boobs the size of basketballs, an older main character etc etc etc blah blah blah

[Almeidaboo]

 

an older main character

Geddoe from suikoden 3 is kinda grown up...

[Spike21]

Originally posted by Drace
It wouldn't it be good if they actually made an RPG without swords,
h

No swords no swords NO SWORDS wut is wrong with you you have to have swords they are mad awseme dude dude dude no swords is just messedup man messedup

[maxine]

he just said that it cant be good without them.....

[CoolZidane]

To tell the truth, this is just me blowing off steam at this friend of mine who, when I explained a part of a game (not mine) that was based off of a cliche, but changed to make it completely different, his reaction: "*scoff* Cliche! *rolls eyes*"

[Drace]

Originally posted by maxine
he just said that it cant be good without them.....

Actually I do mean an RPG without swords. Allmost every RPG uses them. Why not try something else for a time?

[Shadowninja]

A Blurred Line probably has less cliches than most games, I mean, the main character DOESN'T use a sword, just anything he can get his hands on to club enemies with, which I think is pretty cool.

[Spike21]

Originally posted by Drace

quote:

Originally posted by maxine he just said that it cant be good without them.....

Actually I do mean an RPG without swords. Allmost every RPG uses them. Why not try something else for a time?

I know that the main character does not need a sword but a rpg without swords wut is wrong with you

and one of my friends does not like rpg just because he does not like the pokemon games and hates finalfantasy but nevery played any real rpgs

[Grandy]

Originally posted by Spike21

quote:

Originally posted by Drace quote: Originally posted by maxine he just said that it cant be good without them..... Actually I do mean an RPG without swords. Allmost every RPG uses them. Why not try something else for a time?

I know that the main character does not need a sword but a rpg without swords wut is wrong with you

and one of my friends does not like rpg just because he does not like the pokemon games and hates finalfantasy but nevery played any real rpgs

 Introduce him to Suikoden II. It was the game that made me LOVE rpgs.

 ANOTHER cliché:
 Hero - Fire element. Unless its a game where the hero has an excuse not to be (like a game about light and dark, where hero must be light), the hero's element is fire, and the girl-who-the-hero-likes is almost aways wind or water, and the strong guy is earth, and then comes a robot who don't have any because robots can't.
 Bad Guy - Dark element. It doesn't change, never! Even if it doesn't have to do with the plot, the bad guy is aways Dark elementaded!
 Slime (monster) - Aways "Is weak to physical attacks, but strong against magic" or "weak against magic, but strong against normal attacks". Also, Slime is almost often the weakest monster in all RPGs, even non-makers ones. The only game (that I know) where the slimes aren't weak is Tibia, but again, they're not that strong either, they just are better 'cause they can multiplicate.
 Bad guy has 3 forms - His "Human" one, that we saw through the game. His "Monster" one, that is almost aways 300 meters high and can kill in one blow. And his "Perfect" one, that looks strangely like a human. But luminous or with beans around it.
 Human race - "Good guys" I won't put that in my game, why the monsters like orcs aways want to destroy the world? In my game, orcs will be as peaceful as humans, only uglier.
 Hero doesn't changes clothes - Even in flashbacks of when the hero was still a 3 years-old kid, his clothes are the same, only smaller (I'm talking to you, Xenogears).

[Sharu]

I'm still working on Maybe You Know.
The element of Annis, the final boss, will be fire :p
It has some cliches, though....
(ex: Dark villains, weak slimes, things about clothes...)

[Drace]

Originally posted by Grandy
[B
 Slime (monster) - Aways "Is weak to physical attacks, but strong against magic" or "weak against magic, but strong against normal attacks". Also, Slime is almost often the weakest monster in all RPGs, even non-makers ones. The only game (that I know) where the slimes aren't weak is Tibia, but again, they're not that strong either, they just are better 'cause they can multiplicate.[/B]

In FFX the slime or better called Flan is sure not the weakest character. IT also features a gigantic flan who keeps you fighting for a while.
And that flans and slimes are strong vs physical attacks is because, well. You attack a pudding with a knife and you'll see