Classic examples of RPG good level design, Um, I can't think of any Options

[rewells]

I want to write a post about examples of good level design from classic RPGs (NES-Playstation 1), but none are really popping out in my mind. I think games that are primarily RPGs (final fantasy, shin megami, etc.) have a disadvantage when it comes to level design because characters generally don't jump, for instance, so map interaction is limited. What even makes a good RPG dungeon? The aesthetics of the map tiles? Non-linearity? Puzzles? Now that I'm writing this, I may write about the evolution of dungeon design (early FF games dungeons were ridiculous mazes but moved toward more structured ones and started to incorporate puzzles as the series progressed). Anyway - thoughts?

[amerk]

It's not always about level balance. A game can be easy or hard, but still fun. Usually when I play an RPG, I prefer a more casual experience, where strategy is needed, but clues to that strategy are provided, turning a game into a possible death match to one that has my characters kicking ass if I employ the correct rhythm. But I prefer a decent story, optional side quests, and mini-games as well to break the monotony.

Final Fantasy 1 introduced us to character selection and mini-games, and that continued throughout. As flawed as the system was, though, I prefer Final Fantasy 2's stat building over every other of its installments, and I wish more rpg's (as well as RM) would implement such a feature. That had you leveling up stats individually based on action. Final Fantasy V (I believe) had a great job swapper, that let you use the skills of the job until you switched to the next job, unless you mastered it enough to permanently keep the skills. So a combination of this with FF2's leveling feature would be pure genious for me.

But think about exploration as well.

My two favorite games were Wild Arms and Breath of Fire.

In Breath of Fire, each character had something unique in terms of exploration that allowed to get further into the game and find unique treasures. For example, Ryu could fish and eventually find the ultimate Dragon Power that led to the real ending of the game. Karn was a thief that, with the help of Bo, could break walls and find hidden thieves that passed on their skills which allowed him to merge with the other characters in battle. This created some awesome super party combos.

In Wild Arms, each character gained new items that opened up new techniques for dungeon crawling. Rudy could bomb walls, Jack gained the hookshot, Cecilia had hear Tear Drop, and each of them gained 3 or 4 unique traits for further exploration as the game progressed. Once you gained a new technique, you were inclined to revisit previous dungeons to explore areas you couldn't have done before.

In the end, it really boils down to:

1. Story and Setting
2. Mapping and Resources
3. Balance between Gameplay, Story, and Battle
4. Optional Content
5. Unique ideas for exploration

These are very basic rules to apply, and within each category, the list can certainly grow longer. But as long as you keep these 5 points in mind as a quick guide, you are one step closer in creating a decent game.