[General Discussion] An Ideal RPG?

*Turn based or real time battle systems

I prefer real-time systems to the former simply because I'm forced to pay attention to battles a lot more. I found that after a while, turn-based battles became too predictable.

*Male or Female lead

Either one is fine. If the lead was female, I'd probably like to see her portrayed as a rather capable and serious character. If male, I’d prefer his character to be a little comical.

*A single main character or party array

A party. I think being able to experience the story from varying perspectives would be more interesting.

*General Theme? (e.g. Futuristic or medievil)

Either one is fine, but I favor a futuristic setting because I’ve already played many medieval-themed games.

*Should there be transition between field screen to battle screen, or should battles take place on the field itself

I think the transition shouldn't be noticeable. The battles can be in a different screen after an encounter, but I'd appreciate the speed of the game a little more if battles occurred seamlessly.

*Should it feature a world map, or should areas be interlinked/ linear

A map should only be available when traveling between towns. I don't think town or dungeon maps are necessary.

*Should there be more focus in RPGs - in other words, intergrating more gameplay genres - such as sport, racing, etc. Okay you see this in mini games, but should there be a grander focus?

This would add another dimension to the game. Sometimes going through towns and fighting common battles for hours can become tedious.

*Cut out the cliched elements such as 'romantic love stories' or 'save the world storyline?' or the 'annoyingly pathetic heroine who is always in distress' - How would you go about changing these cliches?

I'd rather see the romantic element presented in more subtle way. I think it'd be interesting if the love story were only suggested. I would also avoid the weak female heroine completely, and the heroes wouldn't necessarily save the world.

*Should it be more about gameplay than storyline?

Most games I've played seem to have trouble finding a balance between the two. The story should outweigh gameplay only slightly.

*Weaponry - What would you have, what would you cut out...like the main character almost always has a sword, and the heroine is a weakling with a staff

I'd try to integrate weapons that traditional RPGs haven't used before in addition to the swords, staffs, etc.

*What would be an ideal battle engine - combos, limit breaks, magic system stc - how would you like it

Magic and combos are fine. I think the concept of “limit breaks” is acceptable as long as they're difficult to build up, and when used, don't necessarily kill the enemy in one shot. I prefer a battle that's more challenging.

Jam it back in, in the dark.