Roleplaying games where nothing much happens between the boss fights

[NotAI]

Since this is obviously with 75% chance where things are headed...

Since otherwise it takes forever to complete and release anything (see the Larian Thread on their next two games) that has quests and gameplay and such...

Since it takes 2x Forever to release a game that is an interactive movie with gameplay like Click Here To Proceed...

1. Shadow of the Colossus is NOT an RPG (but fun and good)

2. Okay, with that out of the way, imagine an RPG where NOTHING happens between boss fights

3. Okay, maybe not quite nothing, just no FIGHTING at all, no mobs, no quests

Other stuff allowed.

But what other stuff?

Mel Gibson: What do gamer girls want?

What else can the player be doing that makes this design Not Crap?

Chicken Farmer Valley x Disco Communism x Wukong Nier Gender Swap? Or maybe that's not it?

[rusty_shackleford]

booooooo, boss rush games are trash, boooooooooooooooo

[TKVNC]

booooooo, boss rush games are trash, boooooooooooooooo

Games are all about getting through vast areas (or zones) of stuff, and ensuring you have enough equipment to do it (or the means to scavenge / barter to ensure you do).

Or something. Emergent gameplay is good.

[DagothGeas5]

Hand of Fate, perhaps? I think I recall a game that had a sort of endlessly descendig dungeon where, between fights, it was just some sort of interior hub area where there was optional party dialogue and nothing more before the next fight, but I ca't recall if it was Hand of Fate (of which I, for now, have only slightly played the 2nd and really liked it thus far) or some other game that I forgot about. I could swear it was not Hand of Fate, but I have no memory of any titles that match what I remember.
Darkest Dungeon I think also is similar to this, but I don't believe it is an RPG. I think there was some sort of choice system, but I more starkly remember the fears/obsessions and madness things.

[Tweed]

Hand of Fate, perhaps? I think I recall a game that had a sort of endlessly descendig dungeon where, between fights, it was just some sort of interior hub area where there was optional party dialogue and nothing more before the next fight, but I ca't recall if it was Hand of Fate (of which I, for now, have only slightly played the 2nd and really liked it thus far) or some other game that I forgot about. I could swear it was not Hand of Fate, but I have no memory of any titles that match what I remember.
Darkest Dungeon I think also is similar to this, but I don't believe it is an RPG. I think there was some sort of choice system, but I more starkly remember the fears/obsessions and madness things.

I think HoF had an endless mode, but it didn't have a hub.

[WhiteShark]

It sounds like you're describing the tactics RPG genre (Fire Emblem, etc.). Nothing wrong with this design. You manage your equipment and party composition between fights.

[Zothique]

This thread has made me not understand English anymore.

[TKVNC]

This thread has made me not understand English anymore.

Just grunt approvingly, or throw a tantrum like a non-verbal, that's pretty much modern English anyway.

Besides, the games that fit best into thia category are MMO's if you buy the whole MMORPG thing; the average player is a non-verbal/*****.

[Tweed]

This thread has made me not understand English anymore.

You talk like a *** and your shits all ********.

[NotAI]

Sample Text 1 (Old English):

Act 5, Scene II

EGILL. Sir, what for hath thou come to my humble abode?

MAJOR ANDERSON. I have come for your eggs, as you well know.

EGILL. I do not know. Indeed I am surprised, as you can tell by the look of utter surprise on my face.

ANDERSON. I am much surprised that you are surprised.

EGILL. I believe that I am more surprised than you are surprised, but politeness requires that we agree to disagree.

ANDERSON. Indeed it does, sir!

EGILL. Now, as to the matter at hand, I must ask, first of all, sir, what eggs speaketh you?

ANDERSON. Your eggs, sir. I speaketh of your eggs. That is, the eggs that you have.

EGILL. I must disappoint you in your hope, alas. For I have no eggs, as you well know. Also, I am not a woman, you understand. I hate to disappoint people, but sometimes I must.

ANDERSON. Well, I like men much the same, but that is quite beside the point. The eggs are the point.

EGILL. I repeat, sir, I have no eggs. I have but salted fish.

ANDERSON. So you say, but eggs you have. Merely you know not that you have them.

EGILL. I do not. Wouldn't you rather like some salted fish?

ANDERSON. No, I have come for eggs and with eggs in my hands I will go.

EGILL. Explain your reasons for suspecting that I have eggs; I shall listen well, I promise you that at least.

ANDERSON. I shall explain, then, my reasons for thinking that you have eggs, since you have so kindly agreed to listen. First of all, you have a chicken.

EGILL. Yes. And... What is it about my chicken that so intrigues you?

ANDERSON. Chickens lay eggs, or am I wrong?

EGILL. They do; you are not wrong, but what does that have to do with you and I, sir?

ANDERSON. I am telling you, sir, that I will wait, and happily, too.

EGILL. Where will you wait, sir?

ANDERSON. I will wait inside your home, if this is agreeable to you.

EGILL. Is that what I think it is, sir? Is that a marriage proposal I hear?

ANDERSON. Indeed it is, sir.

EGILL. Sir!

. . . . .

Sample Text 2 (Modern English):

DAVE. Gimme your ******* eggs, bruh.

SAM. What? No, **** off. Uh, buy your own. I don't even know who you are.

DAVE. I won't leave until you give them to me.

SAM. Yeah, no. Go home. ******.

DAVE. Eh, I'll wait inside your house.

SAM. No, you won't. Oh yeah, and this is like a castle state. So **** off.

DAVE. Bro!

. . . . .

Analysis (Text 1 vs. Text 2):

We immediately realize that Text 1 is significantly longer than Text 2. As a function of the length, Text 1 has additional features lacking in Text 2.

[DagothGeas5]

Sample Text 1 (Old English):

Act 5, Scene II

EGILL. Sir, what for hath thou come to my humble abode?

MAJOR ANDERSON. I have come for your eggs, as you well know.

EGILL. I do not know. Indeed I am surprised, as you can tell by the look of utter surprise on my face.

ANDERSON. I am much surprised that you are surprised.

EGILL. I believe that I am more surprised than you are surprised, but politeness requires that we agree to disagree.

ANDERSON. Indeed it does, sir!

EGILL. Now, as to the matter at hand, I must ask, first of all, sir, what eggs speaketh you?

ANDERSON. Your eggs, sir. I speaketh of your eggs. That is, the eggs that you have.

EGILL. I must disappoint you in your hope, alas. For I have no eggs, as you well know. Also, I am not a woman, you understand. I hate to disappoint people, but sometimes I must.

ANDERSON. Well, I like men much the same, but that is quite beside the point. The eggs are the point.

EGILL. I repeat, sir, I have no eggs. I have but salted fish.

ANDERSON. So you say, but eggs you have. Merely you know not that you have them.

EGILL. I do not. Wouldn't you rather like some salted fish?

ANDERSON. No, I have come for eggs and with eggs in my hands I will go.

EGILL. Explain your reasons for suspecting that I have eggs; I shall listen well, I promise you that at least.

ANDERSON. I shall explain, then, my reasons for thinking that you have eggs, since you have so kindly agreed to listen. First of all, you have a chicken.

EGILL. Yes. And... What is it about my chicken that so intrigues you?

ANDERSON. Chickens lay eggs, or am I wrong?

EGILL. They do; you are not wrong, but what does that have to do with you and I, sir?

ANDERSON. I am telling you, sir, that I will wait, and happily, too.

EGILL. Where will you wait, sir?

ANDERSON. I will wait inside your home, if this is agreeable to you.

EGILL. Is that what I think it is, sir? Is that a marriage proposal I hear?

ANDERSON. Indeed it is, sir.

EGILL. Sir!

. . . . .

Sample Text 2 (Modern English):

DAVE. Gimme your ******* eggs, bruh.

SAM. What? No, **** off. Uh, buy your own. I don't even know who you are.

DAVE. I won't leave until you give them to me.

SAM. Yeah, no. Go home. ******.

DAVE. Eh, I'll wait inside your house.

SAM. No, you won't. Oh yeah, and this is like a castle state. So **** off.

DAVE. Bro!

. . . . .

Analysis (Text 1 vs. Text 2):

We immediately realize that Text 1 is significantly longer than Text 2. As a function of the length, Text 1 has additional features lacking in Text 2.

Love the old English one, nonsensical yet with sort of a logic that can be grasped just enough, it is beautiful.
Reminds me of a combination between Duck Song, "would you spare me some of your oats, brother" and any of these:

[Konjad]

I would read a novel based on Sample Text 1.

[Nooneatall]

Since this is obviously with 75% chance where things are headed...

Since otherwise it takes forever to complete and release anything (see the Larian Thread on their next two games) that has quests and gameplay and such...

Since it takes 2x Forever to release a game that is an interactive movie with gameplay like Click Here To Proceed...

1. Shadow of the Colossus is NOT an RPG (but fun and good)

2. Okay, with that out of the way, imagine an RPG where NOTHING happens between boss fights

3. Okay, maybe not quite nothing, just no FIGHTING at all, no mobs, no quests

Other stuff allowed.

But what other stuff?

Mel Gibson: What do gamer girls want?

What else can the player be doing that makes this design Not Crap?

Chicken Farmer Valley x Disco Communism x Wukong Nier Gender Swap? Or maybe that's not it?

This is most of the games these days. Everything is about bosses. Everything is Dark Souls.
There's very little reward outside of just finding the bosses and killing them as quickly as possible. Think about the encounters you've had in an RPG over the last decade and tell me of the encounters that weren't boss fights that really mattered.
The only games that aren't Dark Souls are movie games or visual novels.

Someday someone is going to find a way to merge porn, Dark Souls, visual novel, and movie all into one game and that will be the final genre forever.

[Tweed]

Sample Text 1 (Old English):

Act 5, Scene II

EGILL. Sir, what for hath thou come to my humble abode?

MAJOR ANDERSON. I have come for your eggs, as you well know.

EGILL. I do not know. Indeed I am surprised, as you can tell by the look of utter surprise on my face.

ANDERSON. I am much surprised that you are surprised.

EGILL. I believe that I am more surprised than you are surprised, but politeness requires that we agree to disagree.

ANDERSON. Indeed it does, sir!

EGILL. Now, as to the matter at hand, I must ask, first of all, sir, what eggs speaketh you?

ANDERSON. Your eggs, sir. I speaketh of your eggs. That is, the eggs that you have.

EGILL. I must disappoint you in your hope, alas. For I have no eggs, as you well know. Also, I am not a woman, you understand. I hate to disappoint people, but sometimes I must.

ANDERSON. Well, I like men much the same, but that is quite beside the point. The eggs are the point.

EGILL. I repeat, sir, I have no eggs. I have but salted fish.

ANDERSON. So you say, but eggs you have. Merely you know not that you have them.

EGILL. I do not. Wouldn't you rather like some salted fish?

ANDERSON. No, I have come for eggs and with eggs in my hands I will go.

EGILL. Explain your reasons for suspecting that I have eggs; I shall listen well, I promise you that at least.

ANDERSON. I shall explain, then, my reasons for thinking that you have eggs, since you have so kindly agreed to listen. First of all, you have a chicken.

EGILL. Yes. And... What is it about my chicken that so intrigues you?

ANDERSON. Chickens lay eggs, or am I wrong?

EGILL. They do; you are not wrong, but what does that have to do with you and I, sir?

ANDERSON. I am telling you, sir, that I will wait, and happily, too.

EGILL. Where will you wait, sir?

ANDERSON. I will wait inside your home, if this is agreeable to you.

EGILL. Is that what I think it is, sir? Is that a marriage proposal I hear?

ANDERSON. Indeed it is, sir.

EGILL. Sir!

. . . . .

Sample Text 2 (Modern English):

DAVE. Gimme your ******* eggs, bruh.

SAM. What? No, **** off. Uh, buy your own. I don't even know who you are.

DAVE. I won't leave until you give them to me.

SAM. Yeah, no. Go home. ******.

DAVE. Eh, I'll wait inside your house.

SAM. No, you won't. Oh yeah, and this is like a castle state. So **** off.

DAVE. Bro!

. . . . .

Analysis (Text 1 vs. Text 2):

We immediately realize that Text 1 is significantly longer than Text 2. As a function of the length, Text 1 has additional features lacking in Text 2.

So, Two Worlds?