ID:186844
 Apr 9 2005, 5:57 pm
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See, RPG stands for Role Playing Game (I believe), but in just about all games you play the role of someone, or maybe even yourself. In all RPG's there is action, and in RPGs there is alot of stategies that must be used (who to level up, what techniques to use/learn, mazes, ect..). So what makes an RPG different from an action game or a strategy game or something?
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Uh-oh. Quick, close the can of worms! ... too late. =P
RPG can mean whatever you want it to mean. The game industry generally uses it to mean "game where your character has statistics that get better as time goes on" - usually involving some form of experience and/or levelling. Purists insist that RPG should mean a game where you actually act out a role, and have to be "in character". Just use whatever definition suits you. "Rocket Propelled Grenades", if you like. | |
See, RPG stands for Role Playing Game (I believe), but in just about all games you play the role of someone, or maybe even yourself. In many tactical level games you have no control over the overall strategy of the situation which is generally dictated by the plot. You just handle all the low level tactical skimishes. So because the plot may contain strategy does it make it also a strategy game? Similarly in many games your character does indeed have a role but generally it is the plot that runs the role not you so does that really make it role playing? As far as what the role playing genre is it could be practically anything as everyone seems to have their own idea of what that is. The two main things that end up defining it for commercial products is either having a heavy emphisas on plot or level/stat progression. Though many games will label themselves as having roleplaying elements just because you have something like inventory management in them :P. So I'd personally just steer clear of giving any of your games that title as everyone will have a different impression of what that means for the game. | |
But in my own opinion, role playing is just that, playing the rule of another.
With this argument, many people would say, thats stupid, then every game should be considered a role playing game. which I dont really think is the truth.
Lets use Star Wars, Kinghts of the Old Republic as a example. You actully play as the charater, and grow with the charater, and in a way, you define who they are, and what they do. You are role playing them, and helping them decide what is the best path, and how to deal with things.
Now lets look at Sonic the Hedgehog. While we are still technally "controlling" sonic. We are not talling him to do specific things. We can't tell him to kill the animals he saves, or flip off doctor robotinc. I think in this case, we are more of a helper, then a role player. A overseer if you will.
Alot of people will also argue games with very specific attribbutes and leveling up is the only kind of an rpg, which is not true at all.
Some of the greatest games I have played, like Zork, I consdier role playing, although there is little to no charater growth.
in the end, youll have to look at your own defination and make your decision. casue we cant tell you what it is.