RPG's: Random Battles or set # Enemies or # of Battles?

[$Nanaki$]

I've seen this in a few other threads and posts, so I though it deserved it's own thread.

What type of Encounter System do you prefer in an RPG? Random encounters, or enemies appreaing in an area that you can avoid, or fight and respawn when you leave the area, or a set number of battles, not as in a Tactcial RPG's but as in enemies in an area that DON'T regenrate when you return.

Personally I prefer enemies in an area that you can either fight or avoid, but respawn when you re-enter the area. A good Example of this is the PS2 game Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. Im this you have the option of avoiding monsters in an area , or fighting them (with the exception of Bosses of course.) I Think this allows for faster gameplay for those that want to try and breeze through the game, or who have played it before, versus those that want to max out their chars levels and stats.

I used to enjoy the random encounter system, as in most of the FF games, but I find it now to be annoying, as they alaways seem to happen when you're in a hurry.

Anyways what are your preferences?

[-Xu-]

Random battles annoy me to hell, especially if you've gone the wrong way by accident and therefore end up fighting a load of monsters and wasting time.

But FF wouldn't be the same if it didn't have random battles, they're annoying as, but they make FF.

[Angantyr]

Well after you've played all the FF games the random battles get rather tedious, esspecially if you are going backwards, on 8 you have encounter none, but you go back to 1 or 2 and its like bloody hell, I am trying to play! Also on 7 I don't think the timing is random at all, by the time you get through it you almost know exactly when a fight comes out. Right now I am having a break from the random battles in favour of KH (Which from the sounds of things is the same as star ocean), I mean I've grown up on random battles and sometimes I just feel like throwing the controller at the screen. Remember on FFII how when you walk into a room to check it out and a battle starts? That drove me insane!

[Malevolence]

I have to say I'm a proponent of a mix of the two - randomly respawning enemies who are easy to spot and get around, a la The Elder Scrolls series or Thief. The way that works is that enemies will respawn around certain areas (i.e. minotaurs respawn in a large part of forest, highwaymen respawn around the outside of towns, guards respawn near or at their posts), and you can just avoid them using stealth or just walking far enough around them that they don't notice.

Otherwise, it all seems kinda silly and out of your control, which I personally don't like. That's just my opinion though. Eh.

[Hildegarde]

Well, I don't mind random encounters too much.
I would prefer to be able to see the enemies in the area, as long as you can really avoid them, unlike in the Xenosaga games, where they are mostly blocking your path and you have to fight them, anyway.

[Flo]

Random encounters are somewhat annoying. They discourage exploration (which is one of the most important things in an RPG to me) because they force you to use resources that would be better saved for other occasions.

[Crazy Chocobo]

Originally Posted by -Xu-

Random battles annoy me to hell, especially if you've gone the wrong way by accident and therefore end up fighting a load of monsters and wasting time.

YES! Random battles are very annoying at times. It's good if you have an ability that stops you from being able to battle monsters while running around. I probably actually prefer it this way though in the end because it's unpredictable. You don't know which enemy you're going to encounter next. It is very frustrating if you end up going the wrong direction though and have to end up running all the way back, you waste a lot of time by battling all the monsters you run into. As much as it is annoying, I like it.

I like set battles, thats the best part of the FF series, however it makes leveling up harder. Random Battles are annoying and so is respawning enemies. Id have to say seeable enemies is the best with set battles inbetween.

I like random encounters (FF) but i also like enemies appearing in the area and you can choose to fight them or not, like in zelda, kingdom hearts and final fantasy: mystic quest