Good RPG Demos.

[PompiPompi]

I am doing research.
I want to see what good Demos contain in RPG games on Steam.

What is a good Demo of an RPG?
A Demo that convince people to buy the game.
A Demo that people play at least 30 mintues on average, or stop playing with a taste for the full game.

Are you familiar with any RPG games on Steam, or not Steam, that have really good Demos?

What would make a good Demo for an Unknown developer of RPG game?
What it should contain?
What kind of gameplay?
Difficulty?
Learning curve?
Replability?

 

[Kruyurk]

Demo for an RPG what? An RPG book? RPG movie? RPG game? These are not the same. First you need to define what type of RPG you want to make.

Then in the case of an RPG game, you create the said RPG game without thinking about the demo. Once this is done, you make the first few hours of your RPG game accessible as a demo, without other alteration. The end of the demo must not be reached depending on a timer though, let people explore what you make accessible at their own pace.

As an example, in Kenshi the characters skill go up to 100. In the demo you can only increase them up to 20.

 

[Eisen]

Certainly not Divine Divinity demo

 

[std::namespace]

What it should contain?

a narrative that cuts short just before it gets interesting
...
..
.
everything else is irrelevant
technically it also might contain the start of the degenerate gambling features so that the players start to get hooked (eg collecting shit)

 

[std::namespace]

the stoneshard intro is a nice demo if you cut it short just when the bossfight starts!

 

[PompiPompi]

Demo for an RPG what? An RPG book? RPG movie? RPG game? These are not the same. First you need to define what type of RPG you want to make.

Then in the case of an RPG game, you create the said RPG game without thinking about the demo. Once this is done, you make the first few hours of your RPG game accessible as a demo, without other alteration. The end of the demo must not be reached depending on a timer though, let people explore what you make accessible at their own pace.

As an example, in Kenshi the characters skill go up to 100. In the demo you can only increase them up to 20.

I actually think the other way around. If the Demo isn't interesting, then no point with the main game. You need to put your best in the Demo.

 

[PompiPompi]

What it should contain?

a narrative that cuts short just before it gets interesting
...
..
.
everything else is irrelevant
technically it also might contain the start of the degenerate gambling features so that the players start to get hooked (eg collecting shit)

The thing is... I can choose between hand tailored levels and/or rogue like. The issue with hand tailored... it limits the time and amount of people who will play it.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Wot? Roguelikes you mean proc gen?

Hand tailored levels that are actually good is by FAR the best method if you are interested in narrative, exploration, balance or any of that sort of thing. Gothic, Arx Fatalis, Ultima Underworld, Deus Ex and so on.

Procgen is good for an interesting background while you run around in a hack'n'slasher or, yes, roguelikes/lites. Hades and OG Diablo are good examples, or Barony is a fps rpg that sorta tries it and somewhat suffers from it.

Demo wise I usually dont bother, as I know whats interesting to me in 10 seconds of looking at the premise, but understandably some people value them. Rattower, who is making Monomyth and is on these forums, has a demo out. You might have a look at that, although some say it goes 'too far' and spoils too much. Ill be getting the game without looking at the demo because I can see his effort and it is inspired by all the things I like.