[16 Bit] Fundamental Questions

[oriondarkwood]

Hi all, this is my first post here but I've been watching these forums on and off for a while.  I have, in my opinion, a great set of rules for a roleplaying game I want to publish.  The inspiration is there for me to go forward with this project, the mechanics are largely worked out and are very tight and clean, I am only lacking one thing, which I was hoping I could pick your brains about...

The game I am designing is called "16 Bit" and is a roleplaying game about all those classic 16 bit console RPGs we used to play as kids on the SNES and other systems.  It takes a lot of inspiration from such classics like Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy 3, Lufia, Lunar, Crono Trigger and even a few later ones like Skies of Arcadia and Grandia II.  The mechanics are largely in place and are very evocative of these old school games.

It's hard to really describe what it is I am lacking.  I really have no answer to the most fundamental questions... like, why am I doing this?  How is it going to differentiate itself from standard dungeon-crawl RPGs?  How is it going to feel like one of these old cartridge games and still be tons of fun for a group, and something they look forward to trying out?

The old 16 bit RPGs are very linear in their story, how should my game be?

Players had no control over dialogue in the old games, how should it be in this RPG?

The characters were always on one, overriding, epic quest in the old console games, how should it be in my game?

Traveling every where on foot was important in the old games, but in pen and paper RPGs groups tend to "teleport" between encounters.  How should I handle this in my game?

What do you guys think?

Greets Galadrin

To put in my two copper on these questions

Your question - The old 16 bit RPGs are very linear in their story, how should my game be?
My Answer - no the RPG should not be very linear, however in keeping with the spirit of the era I think the game and plots should be fairly straightforward such as if you get me a orb of shoe shinning I shall give you the keeps to the Lost Tower of Woe

Your question Players had no control over dialogue in the old games, how should it be in this RPG?
My Answer: I would say no, althought since you seem to want to pay homage to the era I would keep the dialogue in the vien of the era. Long ago they where dragons that bred with men, those where dragonmen that fought against the arch-lich Neohola in the Ancient war of the Scales

Your question: The characters were always on one, overriding, epic quest in the old console games, how should it be in my game?
My Answer: Agreed, the only issue is time factor since in playtesting you want to keep things simple.

The last question I really don't have a good answer or opinion.

[rvmiole]

How can I get a playtest doc of this?