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Are there any RPGs which limit your ability to reuse dialogue options?

Caleb462

Educated
Joined
Jan 7, 2015
Messages
55
In most games, you can ask the same question and/or choose the same response over and over again. This is stupid. Now, there are probably many examples in which a particular dialogue option limits further options to a degree because of NPC reaction, but I'd like to see a lot more of this AND i'd like to know if there are any RPGs (or non-RPGS even) that have implemented a very strict limit on the ability to repeat dialogue lines?
 

eggdogg

Learned
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Dec 31, 2016
Messages
102
I feel like Alpha Protocol tried to accomplish what you are asking about and succeeded to a degree.
 

Tigranes

Arcane
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
10,350
Aod sometimes, alpha protocol partially, that indie game in the works with geralt voice actor with a codex thread looks like it would do this.
 
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Drog Black Tooth

Self-Ejected
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Feb 20, 2008
Messages
2,636
I wonder are there any RPG games where you don't get that awkward "may I mine you for some lore" dialog option, complete with the NPC saying "okay you may" and the player saying "okay i've done asking" at the end. And then the NPC goes "anything else?" and the player says "I have to go". This usually can be repeated forever for some absolutely hilarious results.
 

:Flash:

Arcane
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
6,454
In most games, you can ask the same question and/or choose the same response over and over again. This is stupid. Now, there are probably many examples in which a particular dialogue option limits further options to a degree because of NPC reaction, but I'd like to see a lot more of this AND i'd like to know if there are any RPGs (or non-RPGS even) that have implemented a very strict limit on the ability to repeat dialogue lines?
Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood has a very elaborate System for this. Dialogue is influenced by three attributes: alignment, irritation and patience. alignment and influences whether the person will talk to you at all, and how much patience points you have. Additionally, it influences what the person answers to a specific question. Irritation is influenced by specific dialogue options (and can in turn influence alignment, e.g. if you insult someone, or make the NPC attack you or call the guards). Patience runs down with every question you ask, and once it has run out, the NPC will stop talking to you. So if you have less patience points than dialogue options, you cannot even ask all questions.
Additionally, once everything the NPC could possibly say regarding a specific question, that dialogue options is removed. That must not necessarily be after the first time you selected it, because it is possible that he might answer something different if you manage to influence his alignment. Of course, you might run out of patience trying to do that.
 

Serus

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In most games, you can ask the same question and/or choose the same response over and over again. This is stupid. Now, there are probably many examples in which a particular dialogue option limits further options to a degree because of NPC reaction, but I'd like to see a lot more of this AND i'd like to know if there are any RPGs (or non-RPGS even) that have implemented a very strict limit on the ability to repeat dialogue lines?
Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood has a very elaborate System for this. Dialogue is influenced by three attributes: alignment, irritation and patience. alignment and influences whether the person will talk to you at all, and how much patience points you have. Additionally, it influences what the person answers to a specific question. Irritation is influenced by specific dialogue options (and can in turn influence alignment, e.g. if you insult someone, or make the NPC attack you or call the guards). Patience runs down with every question you ask, and once it has run out, the NPC will stop talking to you. So if you have less patience points than dialogue options, you cannot even ask all questions.
Additionally, once everything the NPC could possibly say regarding a specific question, that dialogue options is removed. That must not necessarily be after the first time you selected it, because it is possible that he might answer something different if you manage to influence his alignment. Of course, you might run out of patience trying to do that.
That actually sounds like a badass system, was the game any good ?
 

:Flash:

Arcane
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
6,454
In most games, you can ask the same question and/or choose the same response over and over again. This is stupid. Now, there are probably many examples in which a particular dialogue option limits further options to a degree because of NPC reaction, but I'd like to see a lot more of this AND i'd like to know if there are any RPGs (or non-RPGS even) that have implemented a very strict limit on the ability to repeat dialogue lines?
Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood has a very elaborate System for this. Dialogue is influenced by three attributes: alignment, irritation and patience. alignment and influences whether the person will talk to you at all, and how much patience points you have. Additionally, it influences what the person answers to a specific question. Irritation is influenced by specific dialogue options (and can in turn influence alignment, e.g. if you insult someone, or make the NPC attack you or call the guards). Patience runs down with every question you ask, and once it has run out, the NPC will stop talking to you. So if you have less patience points than dialogue options, you cannot even ask all questions.
Additionally, once everything the NPC could possibly say regarding a specific question, that dialogue options is removed. That must not necessarily be after the first time you selected it, because it is possible that he might answer something different if you manage to influence his alignment. Of course, you might run out of patience trying to do that.
That actually sounds like a badass system, was the game any good ?
Unfortunately, no. This game is so chock full of good ideas and innovations it should have been great, unfortunately, it is quite bad. To quote myself:
This is perhaps one of the most innovative games that nobody has played, because, ultimately, it's not very good. But it's full of good ideas.
It's an RPG/Adventure Hybrid, with day/night cycles and NPC schedules. That alone is pretty unique already.
Then it has a split party mechanic, which actually makes sense. You can assign tasks to the "inactive" party, which are then performed automatically, while you can do stuff that needs your attention. E.g. you can search a location in order to find things (searching a location can take several hours), or observe a location in order to intercept an NPC that tries to evade you. Or sleep, as Arcatera has requirement for sleeping, eating and drinking, all managed manually. Of course, depending on location you can get robbed or attacked during sleep.
Then it has a crime system that has the guards punish you depending on how many offences you have committed already, including increasing gold fees and banishment from the city.

The World of Arcatera has a nice backstory as well, it is based on the PNP game the developers had worked on since their youth.
Man this game should have been great. If only the execution hadn't been so shoddy.
The game has a fixed time limit and things happen whether you are there or not. Depending on what you achieved during that time, the game has ten different endings. That makes the time-consuming mechanics (NPCs shutting you down and refusing to speak to you again for a certain time, searching stuff taking time, etc) even more interesting in theory, but again, the game is shoddily executed, broken in parts and just plain not fun. :(
 

Serus

Arcane
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Messages
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Location
Small but great planet of Potatohole
Sounds great on paper, damn that so few attempts at something like it was ever made. This game might have been bad but with enough tries you have to get something good in result. The problem is very few developers want to try (or tried in the past). Not since ~mid 90s anyway. Reading about games (and game systems like this) makes me sad.
 

SCO

Arcane
In My Safe Space
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
16,320
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Azrael's Tear had something like this, but since it is a adventure and conversations are not actually essential, it doesn't really match.
 
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Lurker King

Self-Ejected
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Messages
1,865,419
In most games, you can ask the same question and/or choose the same response over and over again. This is stupid. Now, there are probably many examples in which a particular dialogue option limits further options to a degree because of NPC reaction, but I'd like to see a lot more of this AND i'd like to know if there are any RPGs (or non-RPGS even) that have implemented a very strict limit on the ability to repeat dialogue lines?
Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood has a very elaborate System for this. Dialogue is influenced by three attributes: alignment, irritation and patience. alignment and influences whether the person will talk to you at all, and how much patience points you have. Additionally, it influences what the person answers to a specific question. Irritation is influenced by specific dialogue options (and can in turn influence alignment, e.g. if you insult someone, or make the NPC attack you or call the guards). Patience runs down with every question you ask, and once it has run out, the NPC will stop talking to you. So if you have less patience points than dialogue options, you cannot even ask all questions.
Additionally, once everything the NPC could possibly say regarding a specific question, that dialogue options is removed. That must not necessarily be after the first time you selected it, because it is possible that he might answer something different if you manage to influence his alignment. Of course, you might run out of patience trying to do that.

Vault Dweller, this looks like a interesting system.
 

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