History Main / RandomEncounters

** It's ''also'' worth mentioning that RandomEncounters in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' uniquely serve a purpose beyond grinding and the games wouldn't work without them (note ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'', which had a rather lukewarm reception). In addition to providing experience points, random encounters ''also'' allow the player to further their overall goal of acquiring more of the eponymous creatures. Without the random encounters, the game wouldn't go anywhere.
** Not true; Pokémon could very feasibly do PreExistingEncounters using overworld sprites from slightly older games, and retooling the encounter mechanics. It's just weird at this point that we almost never see Pokémon in the wild outside of battle.

* ''VideoGame/{{Faria}}'' has random encounters on the overworld which make you fight off enemies in a single-screen battlefield.

* The [[{{GameBoy}} Nintendo Game Boy]] game [[{{GargoylesQuest}} Gargoyle's Quest]] had a small but interesting twist - it was a typical role-playing game, but walking around in the world during overhead view had a chance to throw you into an action/platforming battle sequence with some mooks. Significant because it was more engaging than the typical turn-based battles, and not many [[{{RPG}} RPGs]] at the time had a system like this. Being a spin-off of Ghosts and Goblins, the platformer levels played in the same way as those games.

* The ''StarControl'' series uses these, liberally interspersed with predefined encounters for plot-relevant events.
** In ''StarControl 2'' there are generally only two kinds of ships you can encounter in most areas of Hyperspace ([[spoiler: the native race and Slylandro Probes]]), sometimes more when two territories overlap. You generally know who you're about to meet.

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreExistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters, as well as EscapeBattleTechnique, for the mechanics of avoiding them once they've started. Compare BigLippedAlligatorMoment, where as that trope is about a single random occurrence that goes unmentioned, this trope covers repeating events that are rarely, if ever, mentioned by the story.

** While ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' doesn't have random encounters, its [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 direct sequel]] does.

Typically, random encounters only occur on the WorldMap or in [[DungeonCrawling dungeons]]. If you run into [[DungeonTown a random encounter inside a town]], it's likely a sign that something has GoneHorriblyWrong (unless the town is already known to be a rough neighborhood).

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreExistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters. Compare BigLippedAlligatorMoment, where as that trope is about a single random occurrence that goes unmentioned, this trope covers repeating events that are rarely, if ever, mentioned by the story.

The video game version is becoming something of a DiscreditedTrope nowadays, with fewer series playing it straight, and many of the big series dropping it in recent installments. It's still used, most notably in {{Pokemon}}, but it's not as universal as it used to be.

The video game version is becoming something of a DiscreditedTrope nowadays, with fewer series playing it straight, and many of the big series dropping it in recent installments. It's still used, but it's not as universal as it used to be.

* In ''MonsterRancherEvo'' you have stray monsters with tainted anima that wander around the map and will attack you if you have your back turned. You can purify these monsters and turn their purified anima into skill points for your own monsters by [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating the monsters into unconsciousness.]]
* In the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games, outdoor areas generally limit encounters to areas of tall grass, giving the player some ability to limit how often they have to fight a wild Pokémon; on the other hand, wild Pokémon can show up at any time when exploring underground caverns or surfing across bodies of water. It is also standard practice for shops to sell "Repel" items that will temporarily prevent encounters with lower-level Pokémon.

''(For the proper experience, run the music from [[http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLZwxD8kwc8 this video]] while reading this page.)''

''(For the proper experience, run the music from [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrS523dOHU4 this video]] while reading this page.)''

* The ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea}}'' series has these in the form of the various pirate crews that show up in the Item World, their strength fluctuating between being the same as the other enemies on the floor, to that of BonusBoss levels. They generally appear within the first few turns taken on a floor, and initially are rather rare, though after defeating a group, you get access to something that can be used to make them more common. Defeating them is a requirement for getting access to the toughest post-story content, which can be a pain, as you need to not only hope they show up in the first place, but hope that it's the right pirate crew.

* ''Franchise?FinalFantasy'' games are pretty well-known for this. Several of the titles provide an ability which [[EncounterRepellant reduces the frequency of random encounters]], or stops them altogether, to save the player's sanity.

* In MonsterRancherEvo you have stray monsters with tainted anima that wander around the map and will attack you if you have your back turned. You can purify these monsters and turn their purified anima into skill points for your own monsters by [[DefeatMeansFriendship beating the monsters into unconsciousness.]]

** The fact that Repel items only ward off Mons weaker than yours also makes them useful for locating certain legendary Pokémon who randomly roam across the map, because they are noticeably higher-level than the Mons that inhhabit the area.

* The original ''VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar'' game used random encounters, but the remake made encounters [[PreExistingEncounters visible on the dungeon map]] and potentially avoidable. In Theory, at least.

* ''FinalFantasy'' games are pretty well-known for this. Several of the titles provide an ability which [[EncounterRepellant reduces the frequency of random encounters]], or stops them altogether, to save the player's sanity.
** While ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' is notorious for its high encounter rate, some of its more infamous battles were not due to RandomEncounters at all but specific squares (often in front of important treasure chests) that were 'spiked' to always generate an encounter there, and usually against monsters otherwise not native to the dungeon.

** While ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' doesn't have random encounters, its [[VideoGame/{{FinalFantasyXIII-2}} direct sequel]] does.

* ''Superhero League of Hoboken'' has random encounters in every map, but if you win a fixed amount of battles in a map, you'll be informed that it's cleared (and you won't meet any more random encounters there).

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' games that have Random Encounters are pretty infamous by this - it's undeniable that, good or not, the rate is INSANELY high , to the point of physical pain. While this is "good" in terms that "adds to the games' {{Nintendo Hard}}ness", playing ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'' for 5 hours straight can test a man's sanity.

** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has forsaken random encounters entirely. While scripted encounters still exist, such as NCR or Legion death squads if either of them dislike you, they happen at fixed points. The weirder Special Encounters largely replace more mundane ones, and are accessed via the [[WeirdnessMagnet Wild Wasteland Trait]] (for example, Wild Wasteland replaces an ambush by some well-equipped Mercenaries with a battle with three crash-landed aliens).

* In the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games, outdoor areas generally limit encounters to areas of tall grass, giving the player some ability to limit how often they have to fight a wild Pokemon; on the other hand, wild Pokemon can show up at any time when exploring underground caverns or surfing across bodies of water. It is also standard practice for shops to sell "Repel" items that will temporarily prevent encounters with lower-level Pokemon.
** The fact that Repel items only ward off Mons weaker than yours also makes them useful for locating certain legendary Pokemon who randomly roam across the map, because they are noticeably higher-level than the Mons that inhhabit the area.

** Not true; Pokemon could very feasibly do PreExistingEncounters using overworld sprites from slightly older games, and retooling the encounter mechanics. It's just weird at this point that we almost never see pokemon in the wild, outside of battle.

** And on the Gamecube version you get the White Map shortly before you can skip encounters completely. Whee. On the Dreamcast version you get the White Map for finding all the discoveries, which means that you're probably near 100% completion of the game and [[BraggingRightsReward you don't really need it anymore]].

** [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/169933 Behold]], [[WebAnimation/FF7AboutRandomBattles an explanation of the random battles]]!

* The [[{{GameBoy}} Nintendo Game Boy]] game [[{{GargoylesQuest}} Gargoyle's Quest]] had a small but interesting twist - it was a typical role-playing game, but walking around in the world during overhead view had a chance to throw you into an action/platforming battle sequence with some mooks. Significant because it was more engaging than the typical turn-based battles, and not many [[{{RPG}} RPGs]] at the time had a system like this.

Monster battles that spontaneously occur at random intervals while the player travels across an RPG. They are the same thing to video game {{RPG}}s that ConstructAdditionalPylons mechanics are to RTS games, VideoGameLives are the Platformers, and [[TheManyDeathsOfYou dying every ten minutes]] is to {{Sierra}} [[AdventureGame adventure games]]: practically synonymous with the genre, and annoying as often as not.

* ActionRPG ''MetalWalker'' has these in ''spades''. This is mainly why it's NintendoHard.

The video game version is becoming something of a DiscreditedTrope nowadays, with fewer series playing it straight, and many of the big series dropping it in recent installments.

* ''EtrianOdyssey'' has a strange variation of this. On the bottom right corner of the screen, there's a circle that changes colour depending on how close you are to encountering an enemy. This can be reset via switching floors and going back on the first game, but only gives you a few free steps in the third. It's even entirely possible for the player to take a few win a battle, take a few steps, then enter ''another'' battle four steps later! Alternatively, it's possible to go through an entire floor without encountering a single enemy. Fortunately, there are skills that decrease (or increase) the encounter rate. The Farmers in 3 even have a skill that temporarily removes random encounters entirely!

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreExistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters.

''You finished the page! You gain FortyTwo ExperiencePoints, [[MoneySpider $]][[Manga/DragonBall 9001]] [[Franchise/FinalFantasy gil]], and a [[RandomDrop Unicorn]] [[VideoGame/GoldenSun Ring]].'' [-[Insert {{Fanfare}} [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFch6XO5I_c here]]!]-]