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Post by gammonstark on Jun 24, 2015 15:47:19 GMT -7
I thought of slapping this into the Questions segment, but I believe since the definition is ambiguous or just plain constantly changing that it could make for an episode.
My recollection is that RPG was first used to describe video games that mirrored table-top RPGs. The games had a party of characters with intertwined stories. Now the label seems to be attached to games that involve some sort of stat boost tied to leveling a single character (and the the previous type of game rebranded as JRPG).
This potential episode could include actual research, but would probably be more UFF style if KnJ just discussed what they think originally made an RPG video game and what it means now to be an RPG video game (and if there has been any significant change in what has been designated an RPG in the past 30 years of video gaming). A discussion on sub-genres could round out the episode.
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Post by husk on Jun 24, 2015 22:42:17 GMT -7
I thought of slapping this into the Questions segment, but I believe since the definition is ambiguous or just plain constantly changing that it could make for an episode. My recollection is that RPG was first used to describe video games that mirrored table-top RPGs. The games had a party of characters with intertwined stories. Now the label seems to be attached to games that involve some sort of stat boost tired to leveling a single character (and the the previous type of game rebranded as JRPG). This potential episode could include actual research, but would probably be more UFF style if KnJ just discussed what they think originally made an RPG video game and what it means now to be an RPG video game (and if there has been any significant change in what has been designated an RPG in the past 30 years of video gaming). A discussion on sub-genres could round out the episode. Fantastic idea for a future episode. This would definitely be an interesting topic to research. |
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Post by Shinryu on Jun 25, 2015 2:38:34 GMT -7
Uh oh you opened a can of worms gammonstark this topic always brings a ton of arguments lol.
Personally I think RPG = game with a story where you develop and progress your characters as the game goes on through the story and their levels, stats progress. Based on the Tabletop RPGs like Dungeon and Dragons or like games like Wizardry on the PC.
Games like Mass Effect get called RPGs because they have these mechanics even though they are third person shooters.
But then people argue that Zelda games are RPGs which they aren't because they are adventure games.
Then you have stuff like Fifa or Call of Duty which have "leveling up" and stats and new gear or equipment that you unlock as you progress but those games aren't RPGs.
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Post by chocobochica on Jun 25, 2015 4:49:14 GMT -7
Uh oh you opened a can of worms gammonstark this topic always brings a ton of arguments lol. Personally I think RPG = game with a story where you develop and progress your characters as the game goes on through the story and their levels, stats progress. Based on the Tabletop RPGs like Dungeon and Dragons or like games like Wizardry on the PC. Games like Mass Effect get called RPGs because they have these mechanics even though they are third person shooters. But then people argue that Zelda games are RPGs which they aren't because they are adventure games. Then you have stuff like Fifa or Call of Duty which have "leveling up" and stats and new gear or equipment that you unlock as you progress but those games aren't RPGs. Can of worms....probably. I agree with you that Fifa, CoD, and yes, Zelda, don't fit the criteria for RPG. I'm probably going to get some flak for that- I love Zelda. IMO, it's more of an adventure/puzzle game with fantasy elements. But....as far as Mass Effect goes- I would consider that, without a doubt, an RPG. It's not a Fantasy RPG, more a Science Fiction, but it definitely is. I love the Mass Effect series, and to me, calling them a third person shooter is a huge understatement. Third person shooter is more like Call of Duty, Gears of War, Unreal Tournament, Resistance, etc. I also think that the Fallout series is an RPG- you are leveling, customizing, and are definitely on an adventure besides "go here and shoot these enemies." Both games also incorporate the notion that your choices in the game directly impact the outcome of the game- how you interact with other factions, what side quests are available, and even the ending of the game. Actually, in my opinion, Mass Effect and Fallout are closer to how a table top game with multiple people would actually play out. |
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Post by gammonstark on Jun 25, 2015 23:45:37 GMT -7
I didn't know about the can of worms... but, yeah, I can totally imagine how it would. I just thought it would be interesting to hear the hosts take on it. But then maybe they don't want to open that can of worms :-)
Maybe when/if they discuss this the steel-cable connection between Fantasy and RPGs will come up. The same thing happened with table-top RPGs. Pathfinder and D&D are the big games so role-playing becomes synonymous with Fantasy. But there are a ton of different settings and even setting agnostic role-playing systems.
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Post by kefkapalozza on Jun 26, 2015 8:18:05 GMT -7
This is such a hard question, some of my friends are more strict then me or way more lenient then me on what they term an RPG, and we can never seem to agree in the end.
Personally for me an RPG has to have.
1. Damage, defense, magic, etc.... what your character can do is determined by stats.
2. These stats have to increase by fighting.
3. Has to have a full fleshed out world with npc's to talk to places to go etc....
4. Has to be some kinda overwriting narrative.
That my 4 basic assumption and standards for RPG's but it can vary a lot from person to person.
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Post by chocobochica on Jun 26, 2015 10:01:32 GMT -7
This is such a hard question, some of my friends are more strict then me or way more lenient then me on what they term an RPG, and we can never seem to agree in the end. Personally for me an RPG has to have. 1. Damage, defense, magic, etc.... what your character can do is determined by stats. 2. These stats have to increase by fighting. 3. Has to have a full fleshed out world with npc's to talk to places to go etc.... 4. Has to be some kinda overwriting narrative. That my 4 basic assumption and standards for RPG's but it can vary a lot from person to person. *clap clap* I like this. I think these are very good standards, and agree with your assessment. I think a lot of gamers just assume that RPG automatically must mean "Fantasy", whereas a SciFi or Action RPG is still very much an RPG. |
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Post by gammonstark on Jun 28, 2015 10:23:57 GMT -7
This is such a hard question, some of my friends are more strict then me or way more lenient then me on what they term an RPG, and we can never seem to agree in the end. Personally for me an RPG has to have. 1. Damage, defense, magic, etc.... what your character can do is determined by stats. 2. These stats have to increase by fighting. 3. Has to have a full fleshed out world with npc's to talk to places to go etc.... 4. Has to be some kinda overwriting narrative. That my 4 basic assumption and standards for RPG's but it can vary a lot from person to person. Great list! Many table-top RPGs have tried to step away from or at least offer an alternative to getting experience only through fighting. This is pretty easy at the table since a GM/Judge can award ad hoc exp as the game progresses. It seems a bit more difficult in a video game, though I know some have tried. |
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Post by gammonstark on Jun 28, 2015 10:26:03 GMT -7
This is such a hard question, some of my friends are more strict then me or way more lenient then me on what they term an RPG, and we can never seem to agree in the end. Personally for me an RPG has to have. 1. Damage, defense, magic, etc.... what your character can do is determined by stats. 2. These stats have to increase by fighting. 3. Has to have a full fleshed out world with npc's to talk to places to go etc.... 4. Has to be some kinda overwriting narrative. That my 4 basic assumption and standards for RPG's but it can vary a lot from person to person. *clap clap* I like this. I think these are very good standards, and agree with your assessment. I think a lot of gamers just assume that RPG automatically must mean "Fantasy", whereas a SciFi or Action RPG is still very much an RPG. Action RPG, your right... his list does not list turn-based combat. Luckily Final Fantasy has helped me see past Fantasy. The title may not suggest it, but we all know better. I still wrestle with turn-based combat being my preference not necessarily a definition for the genre. It was a stage in its evolution. |
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Post by Shinryu on Jun 29, 2015 0:56:04 GMT -7
I never thought RPG = fantasy setting.
Ultima games on PC have had plenty of scifi back in the old days and even games like Star Ocean were like scifi rpgs.
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