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Haplo
Village Dweller
Joined: 29 Nov 2002
Posts: 1
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I'm taking a survey for an interactive design class and was wondering what everyone here defines RPGs. What are they made of? Why are certain games labled RPGs and others not? |
Fri Nov 29, 2002 5:59 pm |
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Danicek
The Old One
Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 5922
Location: Czech Republic |
For me it is mainly character developement (I say it is main thin for [b]me[/]). Then there should be interaction with other NPCs and good story. But what is needed to be in game to make it RPG? I am not sure but complex story with dialogues with NPCs and character developement will do it. |
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Fri Nov 29, 2002 6:08 pm |
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dteowner
Shoegazer
Joined: 21 Mar 2002
Posts: 7570
Location: Third Hero of Erathia |
We've had several discussions on this topic in this forum. You can get the complete scoop by going back a page or three if you so desire. I will attempt to give you the Cliff Notes version.
1) There is a clear distinction between the definitions of an RPG and a computer RPG. The former (think pen-n-paper) is defined by using your imagination to actually become your avatar, interacting with whatever world and situation the session's creator has, errr, created. The later is constrained by the fact that a computer cannot mimic the infinite adaptability and creativity of the human mind.
2) Since (I assume) we're talking about CRPGs here, this is basically what we came up with. Well, more precisely, these are the words I threw out there and most everyone seemed to accept, albeit with additions and subtractions.  The essence is the interaction between character and story. That is, the character must have some effect on the world he/she/they are placed in. This could be a wide variety of story types- save the world, recover the lost knick-knack, rescue the fair maiden, unite the clans, control the guild, conquer the world... you get the idea. Now, we all remember from our school days that interaction is a two-way street! The world must have some effect on the character as well. Since changes you can't see (moral growth, maturation, and such) aren't much fun or take too long to manifest, CRPGs rely on giving the character some "ladder" to climb. The "steps of the ladder" can be any of a number of things- experience points, levels, skill points, ranks, money, better equipment, power/influence, whatever. Something to show the player that their avatar is different after an hour in front of the screen.
3) Obviously, there's lots more to it- a while back some of us (rather, two people that did a ton of work, and the rest of us that did just enough to say we were involved ) created a grading system for RPGs that would generate an "RPGDot Factor". You can go back a few pages and find that thread to see what we considered important pieces of the CRPG puzzle, but every one of them were still secondary to the interaction of story and character development, just like Danicek mentioned previously.
I suppose I should have tracked down those other threads and linked them for you, but I'm a little too lazy for that. Hope this bit helps, at least.
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Sorry. No pearls of wisdom in this oyster.
RIP Red Wings How 'Bout Dem Cowboys! |
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Fri Nov 29, 2002 9:10 pm |
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Jericho
Chicken?
Joined: 16 Oct 2002
Posts: 1535
Location: Toontown with the SANDY BEACHES |
@Sam So you would call Nolf2 a RPG? or a FPS?
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Never argue with the insane. They will only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
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Quote from Val to Jericho: "You're an evil little cat, you know that."
Quote from Dhruin: "*Sigh* If only I was as perfect as Jericho"
Quote from Mr Roach: "We all wish we were perfect as Jericho" |
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Sat Nov 30, 2002 6:03 am |
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Danicek
The Old One
Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 5922
Location: Czech Republic |
quote:
Originally posted by xSamhainx
Character advancement in skills.
I would say character developement. As I said in my previous post this is most important part of RPGs for me. Very linear game with simple story and with complex character developement is RPG for me. Maybe not very good RPG but still RPG.
But games with just some character developement like NOLF2 is not really RPG, just game with some RPG elements in it. |
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Sat Nov 30, 2002 1:03 pm |
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Joey Nipps
Orcan High Command
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 849
Location: Outer Space |
As others have said, the most important factor in defining an RPG (or CRPG) is quality character definition and character development (these are slightly different but interrelated things). The character definition is extremely important (one where most CRPGs fail to some extent at least) because it is this that allows one to create and play several different character types (villain, good guy, Paladin, thief, etc.). Where most CRPGs fail is that the game doesn't provide the depth of story and/or game options so that one can truly play the significant differences between the character types. For instance, many (if not most) CRPGs technically allow you to make a thief vs a warrior character - BUT most fail because they do not design in adequate game mechanic and/or story differences so that the game truly plays differently for the thief character vs the warrior character. Another example would be games that technically allow for good and evil characters - but in truth both do virtually the same tasks for the same reasons in the game, with no significant story differences and no significant npc interaction differences. Thus, although the game might technically offer these different character types to be built - they play the same.
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When everything else in life seems to fail you - buy a vowel. |
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Sat Nov 30, 2002 3:23 pm |
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Danicek
The Old One
Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 5922
Location: Czech Republic |
quote:
Originally posted by Joey Nipps
As others have said, the most important factor in defining an RPG (or CRPG) is quality character definition and character development (these are slightly different but interrelated things). The character definition is extremely important (one where most CRPGs fail to some extent at least) because it is this that allows one to create and play several different character types (villain, good guy, Paladin, thief, etc.). Where most CRPGs fail is that the game doesn't provide the depth of story and/or game options so that one can truly play the significant differences between the character types. For instance, many (if not most) CRPGs technically allow you to make a thief vs a warrior character - BUT most fail because they do not design in adequate game mechanic and/or story differences so that the game truly plays differently for the thief character vs the warrior character. Another example would be games that technically allow for good and evil characters - but in truth both do virtually the same tasks for the same reasons in the game, with no significant story differences and no significant npc interaction differences. Thus, although the game might technically offer these different character types to be built - they play the same.
Nice article and truthful. Really they are not big enough differences when you play with really different characters at least in nearly all RPGs. |
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Sat Nov 30, 2002 4:01 pm |
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GhanBuriGhan
Noble Knight
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 208
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These are some key elements of CRPG's for me:
- character development. As stated above this is a staple of the genre that can be acomplished in very different ways
- character creation / character shaping a RPG must allow the freedom to develop different types of characters be it through character creation at the beginning or through choices made later in the game. Jeoy Nipps pointed out some good points on this although that is more about what makes a good RPG then what defines it.
- Elements of exploration: discover and progress through a virtual territory
- Finding you own way. Connected to the previous point. Even a linear RPG must allows more freedom than a mere level-to-level progression. Some element of freedom to go where you want is defining to the genre.
- Combat. I could imagine that a RPG without combat is possible, but I have yet to see one and in most its quite central.
- IMHO not necessarily genre-defining, but contributing to a GOOD CRPG are:
- A story (some games I would consider great RPGS can be played without making use of the storyline e.g. the TES series)
- Character interaction (one could argue if the System Shock's had character interaction or not - the narrative element was mostly moved to voice recordings you could find. In most games this is very central, but I could imagine a RPG without it that would still be a RPG. |
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Sat Nov 30, 2002 4:58 pm |
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