In a recent video on his YouTube channel, legendary developer Tim Cain weighed in on one of the great RPG debates: Turn-based, or real time? But Cain doesn't see it as a zero sum game, instead staking out a sensible, radical moderate position on a topic that can prompt forum knife fights.
One unique aspect to Cain's perspective: He zoomed out to "real time" period, not just the OG Baldur's Gate-codified "real time with pause" (RTWP) where you can queue up commands to multiple characters while the game is stopped. The specific contrast of turn-based and RTWP is more often the center of debate, given that they have both been ways of digitizing tactical, often tabletop-adapted combat.
But Cain doesn't see one style as being inherently superior to another, pause or no pause. He thinks each has pros and cons, and reflects on them more as tools available to dev...
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