Do you prefer random encounters in RPGs or being able to see the monster on the field?

[IceBrand]

I kinda like seeing enemies on the map so that way I can avoid uneeded battles.

[Laura]

I prefer random encounters because it's much faster to farm stuff out with them.

[twice]

I do like seeing enemies, but I prefer random encounters overall.

[Tamanoir]

Generally I prefer to be able to see the ennemies on the map. It also helps you chasing the right type of monsters instead of encountering tons of useless ones (Metal Slimes in DQIX are the best examples.).

[Alex95]

Generally I prefer to be able to see the ennemies on the map. It also helps you chasing the right type of monsters instead of encountering tons of useless ones (Metal Slimes in DQIX are the best examples.).

Yeah, this.

[Drarky]

I don't mind random encounters, but being able to see enemies helps you out a lot, and it creates a certainly interesting interaction between the player and the enemies.

Things like the advantage gained while catching an enemy from the back in Earthbound, or getting an extra bonus in Mario & Luigi are some of the best examples I can think of.

[Lethakitty]

I am a tales fan and I enjoy seeing enemies in the field I want to know what I am fighting and where it is. If there is an enemy that is annoying to fight I want to be able to avoid it.

[Magical Glace]

Seeing enemies is really useful for hunting specific types. I am STILL looking for Dieablos in DQVIII.

[Loki Laufeyson]

Random encounters can actually take quite a bit away from an RPG experience. It becomes pure tedium to explore and dungeon crawl when randoms keep attacking you at odd rates. So i vastly prefer non-random/visible enemy on the field stuff.

[saisymbolic]

It depends on the game.

Two games I did enjoy that had visible enemies was Rogue Galaxy and Dark Cloud 2. DQVIII had a nice blend of both and I think the random encounters helped in making the scenery stand out even more. To date, DQVIII is one of the most beautiful and smooth games I have seen and played on the PS2.

[Magical Glace]

It depends on the game.

Two games I did enjoy that had visible enemies was Rogue Galaxy and Dark Cloud 2. DQVIII had a nice blend of both and I think the random encounters helped in making the scenery stand out even more. To date, DQVIII is one of the most beautiful and smooth games I have seen and played on the PS2.

What's your opinion on DQVIII 3DS completely removing random encounters, then?

[secondworld]

Definitely prefer visible enemies on the field.

Bravely Default is pretty great though, it lets you lower and raise the random encounter rate, you can turn them off completely or make it really high for grinding.

Edited August 12, 2016 by DavidSW

[Zera]

Visible encounters let the player decide who they want to fight, with no inherent drawbacks. Vastly superior.

[Gemma]

Random encounters always put me on edge. Especially in pretty games, where I want to enjoy the dungeons' scenery... it's just too much mental strain

[saisymbolic]

What's your opinion on DQVIII 3DS completely removing random encounters, then?

...What? It's removing random encounters?

D:<

On a serious note, I think I'll just have to adjust. The scenery will hopefully be as good but now I'm just gonna have to pay closer attention to make sure I don't run into any unwanted battles.

[Reality]

I definitely prefer field monsters in general. I think I'll play devil's advocate and talk about some of the times when random encounter added something to the game though.

I can live with random encounters wen playing dungeon crrawlers or 8bit rpgs, and I actually think that in areas where any battle can kill you, or in a game with scaling as wonky as phantasy star 2, that they actually help you to pay attention at all times. It's not just a case of "oh it's a mob, I'll just area attack and leave". You could die for mashing through the menus in ps2, not just on bosses, but every random mage(and a few other enemy types).And then after the battle you would heal up in place despite the very low resource pool, and then brace yourself for the next encoumter, or else make preparatons to get out of the dungeonn due to not having enough.

Managing how many healing items you have, is a nail biting experience, and in a field system, it almost never happens. Additionally, field systems themselves are not really equal, look at lufia 2 having about 20 monster movement patterns and then consider that dragon quest 9 and chrono trigger are relatively simplistic. That's excellent if your goal is to completely control the amount of fights you have do to, but the actual dodging of the monsters can become as low effort as the constant fighting!

[Magical CC]

Random encounter is a sin that should be banished by now.

[Parrhesia]

Random encounters are the worst fucking mechanic.

[solrocknroll]

random encounter is fine for certain things like final fantasy, suikoden, or pokemon where seeing the enemies wouldn't really be a possibility in the older games, but FFXV is definitely the perfect example as to why FF should always have visible enemies

[Katie]

I like seeing the enemies. It's a shame most turn-based(which I prefer to action because my reflexes aren't the best) RPGs use random encounters. EarthBound and Mother 3 managed to combine visible foes with turn-based combat, so if all turn-based RPGs could follow their example, it would be wonderful.

[Zera]

The Paper Mario series also combines visible enemies with turn based combat, and I think the games are better for it.

[Clarinets]

For Pokemon, I feel like random encounters would be better because it's better for exploring and finding new Pokemon. I'd prefer visible enemies for everything else, like in Paper Mario or Chrono Trigger.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

If my party is in low health and I have a random encounter, the chance is very high to have a total wipe out and to lose the game progress.

I don't like to waste time in things I don't want like in unnecessary battles and I'm no fan of replaying stuff after a total defeat, so I prefer to have visuable enemies.

The random encounters are one of the reasons, why I don't like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy as much as other series like Persona or Tales of which have monsters on the field.

[DragonFlames]

I am a tales fan and I enjoy seeing enemies in the field I want to know what I am fighting and where it is. If there is an enemy that is annoying to fight I want to be able to avoid it.

This, especially in the Xillia games when you get to the point that you can fight the Elite Monsters (I think that's what they're called.)

I also like that the F.O.E.'s in Etrian Odyssey are actually visible and not random encounters. That would be brutal...

[Tamanoir]

For Pokemon, I feel like random encounters would be better because it's better for exploring and finding new Pokemon. I'd prefer visible enemies for everything else, like in Paper Mario or Chrono Trigger.

ORAS kinda plays around random encounters with the DexNav (which actually grants you better Pokemon.)

This, especially in the Xillia games when you get to the point that you can fight the Elite Monsters (I think that's what they're called.)

I also like that the F.O.E.'s in Etrian Odyssey are actually visible and not random encounters. That would be brutal...

Yeah, having an inescapable Overpowered ennemy encounter in Dungeon Travelers 2 was the worst thing. Thankfully, it let you save at any time.

Encounters aren't actually that random in EO, since you have the "scan" that shows you if monsters are close. (A good way not to be ambushed the aforementioned FOE.)

If my party is in low health and I have a random encounter, the chance is very high to have a total wipe out and to lose the game progress.

I don't like to waste time in things I don't want like in unnecessary battles and I'm no fan of replaying stuff after a total defeat, so I prefer to have visuable enemies.

The random encounters are one of the reasons, why I don't like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy as much as other series like Persona or Tales of which have monsters on the field.

Well, new DQ Games (starting with DQIX) don't have random encounters. DQXI 3DS seems to allow you to change betwen random and no random (since it have both 16bit RPG and DSEra RPG).