[MUD-Dev] What is an RPG? [Was: Playing catch-up with levels]

[Sean Middleditch]

On Wed, 2004-05-05 at 12:41, Darksuit wrote:
> Sean Middleditch Wrote:

>> To be honest, a true role playing game have absolutely no ability

erk, typo.  that should've been "game *may* have..."

>> development at all, or even any measurable abilities _to_
>> improve.  A lot of interactive fiction (See the newly released
>> book "Twisty Little Passages" for more information on IF) falls
>> into this category.

> I dont find this to be true at all.  What it really breaks down to
> is Role Playing Vs. Roll Playing.

> When playing a Role it is all about advancement in some
> way. Whether thats through the use of a story or the advancement
> to different abilities and adapting to different situtations, and
> exporing those situtations through the eyes of the Character. The
> lack of a ability in a game master and the players to help foster
> this should not be dumped on the the game system itself.

Correct.  But you don't need ability (and by that I mean numbers; I
should have been a bit clearer there) advancement.  You don't have
to say, "hey, my character has earned more EXP" or "hey, my strength
score went up" or "hey, my sword calls 5s instead of 4s now!"  None
of those are required for story, plot, or character advancement.
They are, in your terms, only needed during Roll Playing.  Even if
the goal of a player is to increase character power or skill it is
possible to play a game without using any measurement there-of.

And then, even so, my original point still stands.  By your
definition even, Doom is a role playing game.  You are advancing
through the hell-ridden space station mission by mission, usually
searching for better equipment along the way, and experiencing Hell
on Mars through the eyes of a lone, stranded space marine.  Later
FPS games even add in some character interaction, permanent powerups
(numerical advancement), puzzles (more environment interaction and
advancement puzzles), and so on.

So, again, what really separates "role playing" from every other
game out there?  (Save maybe Tetris.  That would be a hard one to
put the RPG label on.  ~,^ ) I am still of the belief that it is a
game which provides the player the opportunity to make all choices
for the character.  Yes, Doom then is an RPG.  Most computer/console
"RPGs" are definitely not, as they force decisions/actions on the
player in cut-scenes or limited NPC interaction.  Doom at least made
the lack of such interaction understable, as everything in the game
was a monster looking to kill you.  If a game takes away your
ability to play the role, it's not an RPG.

--
Sean Middleditch <elanthis at awesomeplay.com>
AwesomePlay Productions, Inc.
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