What makes an adventure/rpg game fun?

[stuh505]

This is a question I have thought long and hard about, because I want to consciously make an attempt to get all the good elements and leave out all the bad elements.  I've come up with a list of things.  But I'm just one person, I need to know what other people think too.

Here's my list:

1 - discovering epic secrets, coverups, and mysteries from the past

2 - logical puzzles, riddles, and word games (but not too hard)

3 - ability to solve puzzles various different ways

4 - not having annoying fetch / find quests added purely to increase gameplay time

5 - not allowing me to keep on playing unaware that i have unwittingly done something to prevent the game from being completed

6 - always having a clear knowledge of where im trying to go or what im supposed to be accomplishing, as well as a sense of urgency

7 - well developed personalities for NPC's, and lots of conversation, so they come alive

8 - regular feeling of satisfaction/accomplishment, either from solving a puzzle or winning a fight

9 - not having a plot that is so epic such as saving the world or similar, and nothing to do with time travel

10 - anything "fairy tale"

[edmundito]

Primarily  for adventures, the thing I found most fun is the rich storyline and relationship among characters, at least in the LucasArts school.

I think the fun in RPGs is really building up your character(s) to your own liking... it's specially fun in MMORPGs because you can brag with your other RPG nerd buddies 

[shbaz]

Just a few recent ones.. Good and bad.

These things pop up all the time, lots of good reading if you do a forum search.

http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?topic=13453.0
http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?topic=9373.0
http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?topic=13216.0
http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?topic=10008.0
http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?topic=13599.0

[Phemar]

A very good story. Thrill suspense(5 days a stranger) / lots of comedy (sam+max)

And character. The players should have lots of character.

[Gonzo]

I'll cite some examples from Monkey Island 2 below, as it's one of the most perfect adventure games, I feel.

A great story is important. When there's a compelling twist or sudden leap in the story or change in objective (e.g. end of Part II in MI2), it just makes the game much more of a joy to play.

Freedom of order in which to solve puzzles, and in which to explore parts of the world. Too much of this will be a bad thing as there won't always be a clear sense of direction, but look at Part II of MI2, or when several new locations appear on Sam & Max's map. You have a choice of where to go and what to do.

Characters need to be quite consistent - to a degree...If you're doing a humorous game, watch out for setting up a gag in a character's dialogue that doesn't really fit that character. It's only going to make the player less sure of what this character's like and how they should interact with them, if they're constantly slipping out of what they expect. BUT don't get too bogged down in heavy characterisation, as for many games rounded, realistic characters simply are not what it's about. There's a difference between a Monkey Island approach to character and a Gabriel Knight one. The important thing is to make sure that no characters are JUST there to serve to puzzles, try and make each one entertaining or interesting or more relevant to the plot in some way.

Original puzzles, that further the plot significantly. As has been said, puzzles placed in the game simply to slow the player down are pointless - especially for us AGSers. We don't have an obligation to make games of any particular playing time, so padding our games out with needless fetch puzzles is really pointless.

If you can get music made, that always helps. I don't really like playing games that are silent or just occasional sound effects - I think a full musical score enhances the feel of a game so much and is part of the whole experience. I can't imagine playing many of the LucasArts games on mute - to go back to MI2, imagine talking to Captain Dread without his theme playing in the background, or diving for the monkey figurehead  without that funky music going on.

I agree with most of what's been said so far, except for "not having a plot that is so epic such as saving the world or similar, and nothing to do with time travel". Whilst that may seem unoriginal, its just because it's often done unoriginally. I think that Day Of The Tentacle, which featuring saving the world AND time travel, is a fantastic game and just goes to show that these epic quests can be done well. One thing that helps is that DoTT doesn't ever feel that epic. Like the Back To The Future films, it keeps everything neatly contained and isn't tempted to take the action elsewhere. It's clever in remaining entertaining whilst using the same rooms all the time.

[strazer]

As has been said, puzzles placed in the game simply to slow the player down are pointless

Absolutely.
I noticed this when playing Gilbert Goodmate recently:

*Spoilers ahead*

The intro sequence ends with Gilbert waking up in the morning and watching his grandfather through a looking glass being viciously attacked and robbed.

Of course you want to get down there as fast as possible, only to discover that the elevator doesn't work and you need a crank. 

Fortunately, you quickly find one. Happy to have found it and eager to help your grandpa, you use the crank on the elevator.
Suddenly, the crank breaks! 
Another ridiculous puzzle follows trying to get the crank fixed.

So instead of furthering the plot, you're stuck up there for 10+ minutes while you imagine your grandpa lying down there waiting for help.

This pissed me off so much, I nearly quit playing.

[Privateer Puddin']

rpg? adventure? totally different imo (well I look for different things in them..)