What is a cliché Story?

[Megalomania]

Anything that has been done several times before isn't a good idea.
e.g. The revenge story has been done to death, so I wouldn't recommend it.

However, you may still use it, and you can make up for it with various twists and good character development.

See if you can do something new

 

[Zynx]

Truly original stories are very hard to come by without making them just really strange.

In RPG games, you can avoid the typical classic ones by simply not using the "17-year old son of a blacksmith finds his kingdom in ruins due to the unleashing of an old ancient power that was defeated 1000 years ago. He finds the only a weapon that can defeat said ancient power and in so doing finds that it was foretold in prophecy that he would be the one to wield it. He slays the ancient power, gets the princess, etc..." sort of story.

Also, when putting in twists, avoid ones like your best friend ends up being the ring leader of the evil guys or something like that. It's hella lame.

 

[Aros]

Alot of the games are cliche, it just depends on how many twists and how unique you can make the gameplay.

I myself, would write a Cliche story and add twists for the hell of it. in the end, it just depends on how well your story is.

 

[Crystalgate]

I myself, would write a cliché story and add twists for the hell of it.

That idea is not bad by itself. Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of cases where commersial RPGs containst twists which, if not outright predictable, doesn't surprise anyone who have played a RPG before. If you use a lot of well known pieces, care must be taken so that they are not laid out in a well known pattern as well.

 

[Megalomania]

Also, when putting in twists, avoid ones like your best friend ends up being the ring leader of the evil guys or something like that. It's hella lame.

Yeah.... Even some twists can be cliche :P

 

[benos]

Oh and the "Son(or daughter), your adopted, were not your real parents, and you might be actually quite special" Finding your the great, great, great grandson of a ancient legendary hero, from 1,000 years past. Your real parents are actually the main villians for some reason.

 

[Draken]

Or simply, your parents died when you were very young and you are now an orphan.

 

[WeAreSuperhero]

You know, i think it would be quite alright to pick up said magical weapon, except you aren't the one supposed to do so. Therefore legendary hero misses it, and darkness engulfs the world.

 

[Darksydaz]

Ressurecting Evil that's been Sealed for 1,000 years on the DOT... couldn't be 999 years 364 days later the evil is unsealed... These Ultimate Evils musta been sealed by monks who gave them going away calenders of when they'll be dead, long and gone, and when the seal will "Magically" weaken for them to break out...

It's not Cliche when the 15 year old hero takes the sword... it's Cliche when the hero takes the sword and is the Legendary hero fortold in legends, guess when... 1,000 years ago... and this sword, chipped, aged, rusted, will never be sharpened... and still has all of it's power from 1,000 years ago... lol

And when you know where the NPC's are going... and you race them... and in the next scene... they're waiting on you...

As long as stuff is well explained... then I think that a story will be good... Legend of Zelda: OoT was well explained... Cliche's are something that is overused in a cheesy way to me... and i hate it when the hero is the hero... because he just is... he's not the hero... he's who the story circles around... sometimes they aren't the hero... Laharl from Disgaea wasn't a hero... but the story was circled around him... as long as everything flows and the story isn't predictable... then... it's good...

If you can do something that hasn't been thought of (good luck)... such as Valkyrie Profile (genius story and game)... then you should do that... there are many approaches that haven't been though of... Such games are evidence of that... (can't tell you what they are, or else i woulda did them... lol) but yeah...

When people are so close-minded to take a tried and true approach to a game... just because it works... RPG's don't work like that..
they are engaging because of all the elements within them...
that's why alot of RPG's and other video Games aren't what they are now...

 

[Kojo]

A story is when a person wants something and there is stopping him/her from reaching that desired goal. Cliches are a relative familiarization to a common occurence or plot line.