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The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to Media Finder and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at the Trope Launch Pad.

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Tropiarz Since: Sep, 2022
2025-02-04 08:21:34

That's still Random Encounters, with a specific situation to it.

Also, KC:D is a terrible example, because you can get random encounters both in fast and regular travel. The main difference is that on real time you can simply horsey your way through the ambush, ignoring it, whereas in fast travel, you start with no momentum (but you can still evade them and power through)

BeerBaron Since: Mar, 2012
2025-02-04 09:19:58

Eh, I could come around to maybe this being a sub-trope to that, but these aren't games with your classic Random Encounters, you know? Running around, screen woosh, battle. Every other enemy (even the non-fast travel-ambushes on KC:D) are pre-existing when you come up to them. You can fight them, go around, sneak up and get the jump on them...but they aren't "Random Encounters" in the classic sense either. Hence why I think there should be something else for this "brings you out of fast-travel" situation.

Edited by BeerBaron
Scorpion451 (Edited uphill both ways)
2025-02-04 20:16:33

If it helps, note the Trope Maker was overland travel encounters in tabletop rpgs. A lot of modern tabletop games retain the concepts to some extent, but in the classic form local encounters were almost always "scripted" as part of the local map- the GM might add some unpredictability by having monsters wander around Fog of War style as the players explore the ruins, or goblins might strategically ambush the players only on their way back to camp, but any randomization usually happened during map planning. True "map woosh" random encounters were purely something you encountered while traveling or camping overnight, as a way to add some risk to resting or making quick trips back to town mid-dungeon.

Edited by Scorpion451
BeerBaron Since: Mar, 2012
2025-02-05 04:38:45

^ That's some good additional context if I end up taking this to the TLP, thanks!

Tropiarz Since: Sep, 2022
2025-02-05 06:20:53

It is still Random Encounters. I honestly can see what's the problem here, other than you trying to reinvent the wheel

As for KC:D example - no, they are not pre-existing. They spawn from thin air, even if you travel in real time. And they respawn, too.

BeerBaron Since: Mar, 2012
2025-02-05 07:00:27

Agree to disagree. We'll see if I ever get around to taking to the TLP and see if some others agree.

Again, to me, Random Encounters covers your classic Final Fantasy and Pokemon type encounters - you are traveling on an "overworld", no sign of any enemies, and suddenly, screen woosh, battle.

The ones from DA:O and KC:d aren't like that. It's a different impact. They are "random" in the sense that they may or may not spawn each time you fast travel, but it's a different effect. Different impact. I'm not sure what word I want here, but it's not the same thing.

Scorpion451 (Edited uphill both ways)
2025-02-05 08:13:12

To clarify, I was pointing that context out as a reason that this is Random Encounters

MetaFour MOD (Old Master)
2025-02-05 10:37:47

As the tropes are written, Random Encounters does indeed refer specifically to enemies that are invisible on The Overworld, and the player only discovers them upon bumping into them and getting whooshed away to the pocket dimension where combat happens. Enemies that are visible on the overworld beforehand are classified as Pre-existing Encounters instead.

Is it worth making a separate trope for games where most encounters are pre-existing, but there are a few contexts you can have random encounters (such as during fast travel, or getting attacked during a long rest)? I don't know.

Edited by MetaFour
BeerBaron Since: Mar, 2012
2025-02-05 10:47:11

^ Yeah, that's where I'm at. I'll think about it more and if I feel like it's worth it and want to pursue, we'll let the TLP decide. But thanks for all of the input everyone.

Edited by BeerBaron
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