What actually makes a RPG an RPG?

[Nick Schovitz]

I've been wondering this for a while what aspects in a game makes it a RPG? is it the ability to purchase items and equip them? no, then the RE games would be counted as RpGs. Can anyone tell me please, I've been pklaying them for too long not to know what is it exactly.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Management of statistics through items and equipment. Selecting commands from menus as the central gameplay mechanic.

[ljkkjlcm9]

Management of statistics through items and equipment. Selecting commands from menus as the central gameplay mechanic.

that, and designing a character as your own, you actually own the character, it's yours, and nigh impossible to duplicate.

YES, even in FF games no other person will have characters with identical stats to your characters at certain levels. Plus there are bonus items like sources in VII that you chose who receives it.

THE JACKEL

[Rengori]

Management of statistics through items and equipment. Selecting commands from menus as the central gameplay mechanic.
What Kishi said.

[KentaRawr!]

What Kishi said + Whether or not it is an Action RPG depends on the battle system.

[Captain Maxx Power]

Role : A character or part played by a performer
Playing : Activity engaged in for enjoyment or recreation
Game : An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime

So technically a Role-Playing Game is a activity of entertainment and enjoyment wherein you play the part of a character. Hence any computer game in exsistance can be considered an RPG. Even Pacman.

Use this (http://forums.eyesonff.com/showthread.php?t=76886) as a reference.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

An exemplary demonstration of why the technical definition of "role-playing game" isn't at all congruous with what RPGs actually are.

[black orb]

>>> This one is easy, the answer is spiky hair and a oversized sword..

[Prancing Mad]

lkjjlkm 9 (or whatever your friggin' name is lol) has it pretty on the money. To me there are two rpgs. Action rpgs and true rpgs. Action rpgs are real-time and true rpgs are turn-based. In the end though, I haven't nailed it down to a science, but I've thought about it a lot though. If it's turn-based, it is definitely an rpg (with the exception of strategy games, which can be strat-rpgs, or just plain strategy). The difficulty comes when you're nailing down whether an action-rpg is actually an action or adventure game. At that point, it comes down to how far you can customize your character. Then how much strategizing is involved. This is critical. If you find that the majority of strategic decisions MUST be made in split-seconds, then it could be an adventure game. If you have lots of time to decide beforehand, it's probably action-rpg. But it also depends on the storyline (for the most part, having to do with how long it is). If it's huge and engrossing then it's probably an action-rpg. Examples:

Zelda- an adventure game. Why? Nearly no storyline, Little strategic decisions before battle, and nearly-no customization (pretty clear cut)

PE- VERY CLOSE to being an rpg. And it could be called one with a little tweak in my definition. But IMO the storyline is not long enough and world-encompassing. As well, MANY decisions must be made at that moment. (hard to define)

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

lkjjlkm 9 (or whatever your friggin' name is lol) has it pretty on the money. To me there are two rpgs. Action rpgs and true rpgs.You're forgetting strategy/simulation RPGs.

[Mercen-X]

I'm not really sure what an RPG is. I do know what games are not RPGs.

In my opinion, a game cannot be considered an RPG without sufficient story elements. This includes various information and trivia that you learn from non-vital NPCs and "text items" as well as in-game descriptions of what certain items are/do and/or why/how they do the things they do. The characters need to grow and change over the course of the story. The story must clearly affect the character(s) and the character(s) must affect the story in at least some small way.

There's more, but I have to leave for now.

[Skyblade]

An RPG is a plot and character driven game. All other gaming types are defined by their gameplay styles. First Person Shooters focus on gameplay, and only have the outlines of a plot to fill in around the mindless shooting. Puzzle games don't usually have a plot at all, and are focused solely on their puzzles. The pattern continues. But an RPG focuses on plot and characters. The gameplay determines what kind of an RPG it is (Action/Adventure, Tactical, Standard, etc...), but the game itself is not defined by its gameplay. You could have a game which has a completely FF gameplay style, yet if it didn't have the focus on storyline and character interactions that are standard in the FF series, it wouldn't be an RPG.


Role : A character or part played by a performer
Playing : Activity engaged in for enjoyment or recreation
Game : An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime

So technically a Role-Playing Game is a activity of entertainment and enjoyment wherein you play the part of a character. Hence any computer game in exsistance can be considered an RPG. Even Pacman.

Use this as a reference.

Oh, and you are incorrect for defining it like this. "Role playing" is a single term, yet you define it as two seperate words.

[ljkkjlcm9]

An RPG is a plot and character driven game.........You could have a game which has a completely FF gameplay style, yet if it didn't have the focus on storyline and character interactions that are standard in the FF series, it wouldn't be an RPG.

***(I disagree, Gauntlet is typically an RPG nowadays, like Gauntlet Dark Legacy (haven't played any after that), but there is no character development at all, and the story is minimal. But you choose a character class, name them, choose a color, and can even buy stat boosting items to design them how you want. It is therefore your character and completely your own. Yes at a certain point every character maxes out in games like this, but it was and is still your very own character.)*** scratched from definition, but still an RPG aspect of the game

Typically yes, you're correct in that it has a lot of character growth and a long story, but not always. THE KEY, is developing the character how you want, making them very unique to your game. How often have we had threads on here in FF games that are like, what's you characters stats, and they're never identical. That makes the RPG. It's your character, you made them how they are.

I get mad when people say Zelda is an RPG. You don't make Link how he is, he gets basically all his items for the actual story. In RPGs, those have a category called key items, and a whole other category of items that you don't even need to get, sometimes exceeding 1000s of possibilities. You don't even need to get any of them. There are maybe 5...6 items in Zelda that are bonus, little side quests, but it's still an adventure game. Nintendo pushes it as an RPG because they didn't really have one. They should have released Fire Emblem in the US a long time ago, because that is a great strategy RPG.

Just playing a role does not make it an RPG. Mario is not, Megaman is not, Sonic is not, etc..... It's making your own unique character, that defines RPG, and if you disagree, look back at Dungeons and Dragons, the "original" RPG, board game or whatever you want to call it, didn't really have a board. You drew what your character looked like, you rolled dice to set their stats, no-one else had the same character as you, it was your own, and that's what RPGs go off of, technology couldn't always meet this, but as you can see, more and more RPGs have you designing your characters look and class more and more. Eventually they'll have RPGs where you completely design the main character yourself, choose how they look, their weapon (from a list) and their character class, then distribute stats accordingly. NOT an online game, just like your typical FF game, except you designed the main character, need voice actors? have one set for males, one for females. There would still be a preset story, but your character would definitely define RPG to the fullest. Maybe even make decisions during the game that changes what happens, but only into the different stories that were written for the game, you can't program limitless endings. Either way RPGs now adays, are still pretty good at getting unique characters.

Anyone who disagrees with this definition, I would like to hear your argument, because this is by far, the truest sense of a what an RPG REALLY is.

THE JACKEL

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

There are maybe 5...6 items in Zelda that are bonus, little side quests, but it's still an adventure game. Nintendo pushes it as an RPG because they didn't really have one.Actually, I'm pretty sure Nintendo has never claimed Zelda to be an RPG. They categorize it as adventure (http://www.nintendo.com/search?query=the+legend+of+zelda&category=games), like rational people do.

[NeoCracker]

I don't really think ljkkjlcm9's thing about how much you can customize your character is right. Take FF 4, you don't get to decide how your characters develope. They develope according to a preset level, and its definatly an RPG. The only customizing you can do is the equipment, which even in zelda, which you say isn't an RPG, you can do in. And as a side note, I consider Zelda an RPG, though I do live in a delusional world of Obscure Views.

[a nirvana fan]

what makes a RPG in my opinion is yes of course the stats, eqiupment, unique characters but the way you get into the mind of your character as YOU yourself needs to get to level 99 not the in game character but yourself.

[ljkkjlcm9]

I don't really think ljkkjlcm9's thing about how much you can customize your character is right. Take FF 4, you don't get to decide how your characters develope. They develope according to a preset level, and its definatly an RPG. The only customizing you can do is the equipment, which even in zelda, which you say isn't an RPG, you can do in. And as a side note, I consider Zelda an RPG, though I do live in a delusional world of Obscure Views.

NOT TRUE, you play your game, and get your character to level 50, I bet you my character stats would be different from yours. I'm saying that in each game, your character is unique. YES, every game has you learn certain spells at certain points and stuff, but no character in any other game will be identical to yours. Throw in items like golden apple, and soma drop, you choose who get those giving greater difference between characters


Actually, I'm pretty sure Nintendo has never claimed Zelda to be an RPG. They categorize it as adventure (http://www.nintendo.com/search?query=the+legend+of+zelda&category=games), like rational people do.

Yes well often times when you got to online sites like
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?navLevel=5&type=category&navHistory=cat00000%2Bcat02000%2Bcat02119%2Bcat02130&id=cat02373
They put Zelda under the category of RPG, as you can see it's at the bottom of the list there. And because of this, many people argue it's an RPG

and even on nintendo.com
Going into Gamecube and selectin to search for RPGs
http://www.nintendo.com/gamecategory?cf=RPG&sf=NINTENDO+GAMECUBE&ef=
Zelda: Wind Waker is on that list

THE JACKEL

[Skyblade]

I disagree, Gauntlet is typically an RPG nowadays, like Gauntlet Dark Legacy (haven't played any after that), but there is no character development at all, and the story is minimal. But you choose a character class, name them, choose a color, and can even buy stat boosting items to design them how you want. It is therefore your character and completely your own. Yes at a certain point every character maxes out in games like this, but it was and is still your very own character.

Typically yes, you're correct in that it has a lot of character growth and a long story, but not always as I pointed out. THE KEY, is developing the character how you want, making them very unique to your game. How often have we had threads on here in FF games that are like, what's you characters stats, and they're never identical. That makes the RPG. It's your character, you made them how they are.

I get mad when people say Zelda is an RPG. You don't make Link how he is, he gets basically all his items for the actual story. In RPGs, those have a category called key items, and a whole other category of items that you don't even need to get, sometimes exceeding 1000s of possibilities. You don't even need to get any of them. There are maybe 5...6 items in Zelda that are bonus, little side quests, but it's still an adventure game. Nintendo pushes it as an RPG because they didn't really have one. They should have released Fire Emblem in the US a long time ago, because that is a great strategy RPG.

Just playing a role does not make it an RPG. Mario is not, Megaman is not, Sonic is not, etc..... It's making your own unique character, that defines RPG, and if you disagree, look back at Dungeons and Dragons, the "original" RPG, board game or whatever you want to call it, didn't really have a board. You drew what your character looked like, you rolled dice to set their stats, no-one else had the same character as you, it was your own, and that's what RPGs go off of, technology couldn't always meet this, but as you can see, more and more RPGs have you designing your characters look and class more and more. Eventually they'll have RPGs where you completely design the main character yourself, choose how they look, their weapon (from a list) and their character class, then distribute stats accordingly. NOT an online game, just like your typical FF game, except you designed the main character, need voice actors? have one set for males, one for females. There would still be a preset story, but your character would definitely define RPG to the fullest. Maybe even make decisions during the game that changes what happens, but only into the different stories that were written for the game, you can't program limitless endings. Either way RPGs now adays, are still pretty good at getting unique characters.

Anyone who disagrees with this definition, I would like to hear your argument, because this is by far, the truest sense of a what an RPG REALLY is.

THE JACKAL

You claim that Gauntlet's an RPG, but get upset if someone says the same thing about Zelda? Gauntlet's an action game. Just being able to increase levels doesn't make a game an RPG.

[Trumpet Thief]

chaos: I always thought that turn-based combat allowed a game to be an RPG. :)

Rubedo: But besides that, if it's got a party of characters that you can give jobs, different kinds of equipment etc., that's what else makes a game an RPG, in my opinion.

Albedo: *laughs maniacally*

[ljkkjlcm9]

You claim that Gauntlet's an RPG, but get upset if someone says the same thing about Zelda? Gauntlet's an action game. Just being able to increase levels doesn't make a game an RPG.
No, but you grow the character how you want them to be and that is an RPG aspect. Course, I didn't think about the equipment aspect of the RPG, so ok, gauntlet is not an RPG

on another note.... I'm quite sure I never said anything about levels

THE JACKEL

[Obsidian]

I think that if Gauntlet was set, for instance, in New York during the 1980's and had you play as a team of guys with mullets, the argument as to whether or not it is an RPG would be the last thing on anyone's mind... Despite the play mechanics being exactly the same. Gauntlet is an action game that just-so-happens to have a cast strait out of the D&D motif. :D

And yes, Zelda is an adventure. However, you can have an adventure game with RPG elements, such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Alucard can level up and get a whole succession of stat-changing weapons. Link can not do either of those things, unless you could the fact that his sword gets two or three modifications before the end. Zelda is strictly adventure.

[Sir_Auron]

I've been wondering this for a while what aspects in a game makes it a RPG? is it the ability to purchase items and equip them? no, then the RE games would be counted as RpGs. Can anyone tell me please, I've been pklaying them for too long not to know what is it exactly.

Good Question, The Only Simple Answer I Could Really Give You Is The Fact That RPG Stands For 'Role Playing Game', Basically Anything To Do With Role Playing, But Within A Game.

[Nick Schovitz]

Wow thanks everybody, I was just expecting 1 or 2 replies, thanks, now i know what it really is.

[Twilight]

It depends on the person really!! I mean...the makers can make a totally new first-person shooter view yet your wearing armor and a sword and you level up but you drive a motor cycle yet you can fly..superman-style...eh..
what im trying to say is that the world games today is competing with awesome graphic systems. I wouldn't be surprised if they changed it a little.
An RPG is based on the player and the makers of the game, and how both their minds link

[NeoCracker]

Let me refrase myself a little, in the american SNES release there was no items to increase your stats, which was changed in later releases. At least I wasn't aware of any. Also you can alter the life and magic of Kratos in god of war, also you chose how to power up your spells. yet i dought that god of war is an RPG

[ljkkjlcm9]

Let me refrase myself a little, in the american SNES release there was no items to increase your stats, which was changed in later releases. At least I wasn't aware of any. Also you can alter the life and magic of Kratos in god of war, also you chose how to power up your spells. yet i dought that god of war is an RPG

sounds like it could be considered an action RPG, along the same lines as X-Men legends, you choose what abilities to level up in that game and life and magic stats, and that is an action RPG...

And even without the stat raising items, your character was unique from any other FFIV game, just compare your character stats to anyone else's. Like I said, there are restrictions on the actual programming of the game.....

THE JACKEL

[NeoCracker]

You also do it with the hearts in zeldo though, and you can go out of your way to advance your weapons and in some of them learn more spells and power up your magic meater, get abilities ot decrease the amount of MP used, thus also giving you custimization in that game, which you say is an RPG Element. Im just saying think about your view a little, it seems well thought out for the most part, but just a few things that seem a little skewed to me.

[ljkkjlcm9]

You also do it with the hearts in zeldo though, and you can go out of your way to advance your weapons and in some of them learn more spells and power up your magic meater, get abilities ot decrease the amount of MP used, thus also giving you custimization in that game, which you say is an RPG Element. Im just saying think about your view a little, it seems well thought out for the most part, but just a few things that seem a little skewed to me.

It's the uniqueness of your character that is key. Yeah you can do all that stuff in Zelda, but in any game anywhere, it is easy to duplicate that. Play through any FF game 10 times, doing the exact same thing, and your character will be different stat wise in each game. I think that's what makes it an RPG, that your game has unique character stats.... which can't be done in Zelda.

THE JACKEL

[Skyblade]

It's the uniqueness of your character that is key. Yeah you can do all that stuff in Zelda, but in any game anywhere, it is easy to duplicate that. Play through any FF game 10 times, doing the exact same thing, and your character will be different stat wise in each game. I think that's what makes it an RPG, that your game has unique character stats.... which can't be done in Zelda.

THE JACKAL

So you're saying that an RPG is an RPG because it has random, instead of set, stat growth? I think that's a little ridiculous criteria to define a game's genre on, isn't it?

[Mercen-X]

So far, many of things mentioned are found in a lot of recent games. These particular games, however, admit to including "RPG elements." You cannot define an RPG by any single statement in this thread.

Take all the singular views and opinions on what makes an RPG what it is and mash them together. If one of the factors mentioned is missing, most likely, the game is no longer an RPG.

One of the basic things to know about an RPG is that the character's story is your story. You are deeply involved in it no matter what other gaming elements are included. It's true that there are some RPGs whose stories don't keep you involved, but such are games that are RPGs only because the producer called them that.

[NeoCracker]

So far, many of things mentioned are found in a lot of recent games. These particular games, however, admit to including "RPG elements." You cannot define an RPG by any single statement in this thread.

Take all the singular views and opinions on what makes an RPG what it is and mash them together. If one of the factors mentioned is missing, most likely, the game is no longer an RPG.

One of the basic things to know about an RPG is that the character's story is your story. You are deeply involved in it no matter what other gaming elements are included. It's true that there are some RPGs whose stories don't keep you involved, but such are games that are RPGs only because the producer called them that.

Just because one or two elements isnt' there doesn't make it not an RPG, though I think you implied that but thought I'd mention it since I'm not sure. One way to explain this is a comparison to Oats. When you buy Oats there are things in there that arn't Oats since it can't all be clean out without paying a lot of money. THere is so much non-oat stuff you can put into an oat and still call it oats. Just like there is so much non-RPG you can have in an RPG and still call it an RPG. I t hink that makes sense, I'll just assume it does and get on with my life.