An Argument For Real Time With Pause In Video Games

The real time with pause vs turn based combat systems is a very heated topic in the RPG community. With people going as far as to create petitions for one or the other to be added to select games. This video is an argument in favor of real time with pause

[dankrue]

Found your video while getting into Baulder's Gate 3. Coming from Wrath of the Righteous (which has realtime with pause), I've grown worried I'll get overwhelmed with the slow pace of trivial fights. I stand by basically everything you've brought up here.

[ViolenVaymire]

RTWP see's me pausing every single second of every fight to min max everything, Killing my immersion and enjoyment of the game.
Its a user error sure, but it doesn't make my inability to like the system anyless legitimate.
Some people cant/Dont want to self regulate how they play a game.

[chrissims]

I prefer the realism of rtwp. It only makes sense that everyone is performing their actions simultaneously. I used to love turn-based shooters like Jagged Alliance, until playing 7.62 High Calibre with its amazing Smart Pause system. A firefight feels more authentic when everyone is moving at the same time instead of using action points.

[anonimas]

NWN multiplayer is perfectly fine in my opinion.

[timmellgraham]

Im so with BAULDER'S GATE 3 enraged me!! Especially knowing that is the game the created the genre!

[TheWujuStyle]

isometric crpgs and dragon age... you forgot kotor

[joedatius]

great video, I will say one of the main reasons i think RTwP is looked down against is due to alot of RTwP fans belittling pretty much all of Turn Based games. where the issue isn't "i prefer this because i like it more" it is instead "what you like sucks and you suck for liking it" it doesn't help that alot of these type of people come from the "old school is best" crowd and it ends up with alot of it coming off as elitism in the community

[huzi]

I'm on the RTWP side as well and as disappointed as I am that BG3 will strictly be turn-based, I hope it does really well so there'll be more interest in video games made in that setting. Fingers crossed for a developer made RTWP mod down the road.

[desmondm]

This was so important to me, it was my only question on announcement. I didn't ask how big is the party, what edition of D&D, what is max lvl, how many dif character/class/race . . . I only cared about this (RTwP) . . . and I received a coal in my stocking. My biggest grievance isn't with the devs but other gamers. Why in games where it's a completely optional feature (not this one) do they still make a huge stink against it? It's like if there's a majority middle-ground where people only slightly care or not at all, for every 1 gamer that agrees with me, there's 5 that are in the apposing camp? Anyways, thanks for the video & topic.

[BigJoeMufferaw]

I agree with your friend the genre is dying

[alefratat]

Guys,
indie game dev here, and I would love to get your thoughts on these 2 combats system for a party-based cRPG ?

1. An auto-battler where you give general directions and strategies to your party, and more detailed orders to each member before the combat begins (i.e pre-buffs, mage focus on offensive or defensive spells, barbarian tank or rush ranged enemies, use this or that ability, this or that weapon...). Once the combat begins, the player has no control anymore.

2. A RTwP where you actually control precisely only your main character and can give basic orders to other party members (Mount And Blade style, but the combat is not physics based but ability based like cRPGs)

[chico]

I'm a turn based fan. Never got into pause and play, I just can't wrap my head around it...

[mpandunky]

I don't mind either one. But what tips the balance for me is your point about being able to "skip" combat where you're guaranteed to win and save time & mental space. Btw what's that game at 6:40?

[mayormccheese]

real time with pause is amazing on computer but terrible on consoles.

[DagothDaddy]

My issue with Turnbased in western RPGs like Divinity is no matter your build you just max out the stat that controls action points and you win every fight before the enemy even makes a move. There is no skill or planning required. At least in RTWP there is a constant threat and your party is in danger while in combat.

[lfm]

I find it amazing that a game inspired by D&D gets hate for having turn-based combat

[Thorpal]

That's exactly what I've been saying since february ! Thanks, I though all youtubers were already sold on the turn based style. Another thing, by implementing turn based combat it is also easier to port the game to console : more sales indeed !

[enderunkin]

I love the idea of RTWP but a lot of the implementations of it seem to really not be up to par with the idea of how it should function. I love playing casters and casting spells in the game Tyranny it is an absolute chore. I tried getting better and improving and it was just never felt fun to me. Having melee characters just smack each other just became the easiest way to deal with everything. Also sometimes the implementation of abilities are just flat out impractical. for instance Pathfinder: Kingmaker in the RTWP it is almost never realistic to use the ability charge for melee characters in the game so you just ignore it, in turn-based it is one of if not the strongest ability in the game, because you can use it multiple times in a fight and it knocks character prone. I think the best implementation of it is absolutely tower of time.

[crozraven]

Other RTWP games that I think have a valid reason being great or at least decent:
FFXII ZE
Tyranny
Towers of Time
Pathfinder
Door Kickers series
Persona 5 Strikers (great version of RTWP "Action" RPG)
AArklash: Legacy
Total War series
Mass Effect 1-3 (great version RTWP "shooter" RPG)
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (decent RTWP "shooter" RPG)

Now something like FFXV is the great example of bad RTWP Action RPG on the account of not strategic system & simply having awful AI system.
There is nothing good or bad in RTWP but this game design system need a proper work on the AI & features that complementary to its game design, something that actually meaningful to make a tactical approaches & not so cumbersome about it. This is also why I think "tactical behaviors" system & is required for RTWP. Hell, I wish great Action RPG game like Dragon's Dogma have RTWP system because it has an actual good "tactical behaviors" system for companions.

[InsertCoinPodcast_]

Any thoughts on the Hex-Grid combat? Like in Heroes of Might and Magic, Disciples, King's Bounty: Legend (and its sequels).

I ask this, because I'm in love with RPG video games in general, regardless of the gameplay and combat mechanics. Give me an engaging story, leveling, upgrading, story choices, and I'm all in. So, in that sense, I don't care that much about the combat system, as long as I get to "live" in that world for a while and have a sense that my actions have some weight to them. And truth be told, I can play Pillars of Eternnity 2, Diablo 3, Wasteland 3, and Heroes of Might and Magic 3, all with the same passion and flare at any given day.