rpg innovation

Hey guys! I just figured since alot of people seem to complain about lack of innovation with console rpgs, it\'d be fun to brainstorm the direction in which the genre should head. Any ideas?

I think battles that take place on the same screen instead of switching to battle mode would keep you sucked into the game better. Also, while some games do this, I like being able to see the enemies before I have to fight them. And last, while I\'m not so sure this is a good Idea, not having to have random battles in rooms where you have to figure out complicated puzzles. I guess those are more tweaks than innovation, but when your gonna spend 100 hours with a games those things definitly matter.
I haven\'t really come up with a great battle system but I\'m thinking. What do you guys think.

It doesn\'t happen very often, but once in a while you get a great game, that\'s 100% innovative.  I always think of fallout, when I\'m thinking of original RPGs.  Still, FF7 was a big leap, and I think that FFX will be another big leap - kinda like what you said, some random battles, but bosses, and areas are all "real-sized" to your characters.

well, FF games have the BEST storylines.

Fallout and shining force are the best when it comes to battles.

Fallout is EXCELLENT when it comes to RPG freedom (the more freedom, the better the game).

how cool is a game when you can kill virtually *any* person in a game, when there are hundreds of NPC\'s?
I mean, you can play a good guy, a bad guy..you can kill off entire CITIES and still beat the game.

I guess just mix FF storylines, Turn-based battle systems for shinging force and Fallout, and then the freedom as in Fallout...and you would have some seriously cool rpg.

but it must be hard to create a "perfect" RPG without any setbacks of *some* sort...

Still, FF7 was a big leap

It was a big leap with RPG stories and graphics but no with the gameplay. FF6 had arguably the best battle system in a FF game ever, a lot better than FF7\'s battle system which was ****. FF8 is an example where a boring story can ruin the game.

Fallout and shining force are the best when it comes to battles.

Shining Force had a good one, but nothing compares to Grandia 2\'s battle system.

dbv23- I also HATE random battles. Square definitely needs to get rid of that.

I hope RPG\'s go in the same direction as Grandia 2. IMO, Grandia 2 has the best battle system ever.

I thgouth in FFX the battles are gonna take place right where u run into somone and then the exact background u were in will be the battle background