I've seen a lot of comparisons between TES games and modern shooters, and they all confuse me. It seems that the lines between the genres have really gotten blurred. I'm obviously not talking about games like sidescrollers or platformers.

What I mean to say here is this:

Unless the normal course of your everyday life includes wielding weapons and wiping out threats to society, then when you play either style of game, you're playing a role. Even if you're a Navy SEAL playing COD, it can still be said that you're playing a role.

Now, there are a lot of things that differentiate between the two styles, Differences in mechanics, settings, skill and attribute implementations, magic.... But isn't that all just flavor?

I agree

For me, RPG's are about choice. Most shooters don't offer you much choice in your course of actions.

Shooters are not open worlded and they don't give you choices, it's all scripted.

To me, what defines an RPG (aside from playing a role) is progression and customization.

If I can't get a feeling that my character is getting better at something, and making the choices(with consequences) I want them to make, then I can't really get immersed in the character.

A lot of modern games have stat points and upgraded gear and all of that, but that doesn't necessarily make it an RPG. Just a game with RPG elements.

That's right. Role-playing means you have CHOICE, there is no such thing in FPS where you are walking down narrow corridors or pathways. RPG's also have character development, you get better.. ect.

Ditto

Yep. Any game in which you embody someone is an RPG.
But, in games, RPG refers to a certain mechanics set, a way of allowing you to play that role that dwells in thought, planification and decision-making, rather than thumb skill.

For me, it's about playing a role in the game, albeit how the story, character progression, etc pans out.
COD is more of a linear sort of game in which there aren't many choices to be made.
But, yes, they are all technically RPGs.

Except maybe The Sims...

RPG refers to a relationship with the tabletop genre of games. It's line of descent. It is not descriptive.

Aren't all rulers princes? Etymologies, how do they work?

Lol have you ever played Final Fantasy? Not open world. 100% scripted. One of the best rpg series of all time

Wow lol


might as well say Shooters are RPG's to, and they have choice. the choice on who to shoot first.


You do see the Fallacy of saying all games are RPG's right?

For me, table top RPG's are the true RPG as they have most freedom of choice. TES games are second best thing, due their massive open worlds and ability to play your role even if they are dumped down for more casual market.

:thumbsup: I believe an RPG should allow you to make impact on the gameworld in your own way, not just following a character through a scripted story.

Well, aside from combat style and which upgrades you choose, most JRPGs don't offer a whole lot of choice either, but they're considered role-playing games as well. :shrug:

See, but all of the "I think an RPG should be/have" statements are really just defining subcategories of a genre. Openworlded RPG, Linear RPG, MMORPG, Capture the flag RPG, etc. You're playing the game and portraying a role. Advancement mechanics and the weapon in hand have a bearing on that role, but don't negate that you're playing one.

Simply defined, a Role Playing Game is any game where there are more RPG features than there are features from other genres.
RPG features are usually any feature where the skills, abilities, or knowledge of character you are playing (i.e., the role) are used to determine the outcome of the player's choice.

They certainly have elements that many consider "RPG elements", but it all depends on what definition you want to use.
Some D&D pen and paper zealots might say that only pen and paper + DM + dice rolls can ever truly be "role playing".

one of infinite definitions

Not really. If you think about it, my definition does a pretty good job of encapsulating nearly every aspect of every other definition.

You can role play in almost every game, that doesn't make them all RPGs.

To me, an RPG needs leveling up, skills and choice. If a game doesn't have them, then I wouldn't call it an RPG.

Right

And so when I played Donkey-Kong in arcades back in the 1980s, I was playing an RPG. I was Mario. Hey man, that's your logic, don't be hatin.

You can imagine yourself as the leading character in a movie, but that doesn't make it Roleplaying, because there's no feedback for anything you do or choices you make (other than turn the movie off), and it's certainly not a game. You can make "choices" while playing Tetris or Checkers, but there's not a lot of point or satisfaction with imagining yourself as a block or checker, so it's not a RPG, it's a Strategy game. Without interaction, at least the possibility of feeling yourself "being the character", positive feedback based on your choices, and the ability to do "what the character would do", either it's NOT a RPG, or else it's not a very good one.

With some FPS games, you can imagine yourself as the character, but the game limits you to few or no choices that have any impact on the game (aside from winning or losing). They may incorporate a few RPG features, like character advancement, but aren't really RPGs, or are BARELY RPGs. The reduction of the character's importance and the increase in reliance on the player's own skills reduce the ability to RP, but don't necessarily eliminate it completely. It's still potentially a RPG, but less of one for it.

Most of the games on the market seem to have at least SOME elements of RPG, even though it's not their main focus. Calling them all RPGs is like calling all motor vehicles (including motorcycles) "trucks" (or "lorries" for those of you on the UK side of the pool), because they all have at least a limited cargo capacity.

"Every game is a role playing game" --> the term RPG becomes pointless. It has no use.

Definitions of words are decided by common usage, not "logic".

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. disagrees.

They are FPS/RPG hybrids like Fallout3 and NV, but lean much (MUCH) more heavily to the FPS side than those two. Still open world with quests with choices (IIRC, it's been a while).