What makes an RPG?

RPG is used for so many differen't types of games anymore. MMORPGS, Action RPG etc etc

So what makes an RPG an RPG?

Corridors, I think.

I think some form of character progression and a stats based battle system is a good start. The story is also an important element of an RPG in that there should be one.

It should have "RPG" in its genre classification.

If you look at some of the original RPG's their stories were no more complex then the original side scrollers though. We may come to expect that these days, but it's not always the case.

In terms of system, I guess I would define an RPG by, in terms of combats, being heavily a numbers game.

You get games like the original FF where there is no twitch reflexes involved, just planning your attacks based off the damage they shall do or mitigate.

Compare that any FPS, where your focus is a lot more on reactions, timing, ect. Compared to an RPG FPS's aren't near the numbers game.

Yes, pretty much all games are a numbers game, but an RPG is a genre that takes that to one of it's logical extremes.

Nothing. There are almost no pure genres anymore. Every game is a bit two dozen different genres, all boiled together to some stew of varying quality.

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Originally Posted by NeoCracker

If you look at some of the original RPG's their stories were no more complex then the original side scrollers though. We may come to expect that these days, but it's not always the case.

In terms of system, I guess I would define an RPG by, in terms of combats, being heavily a numbers game.

You get games like the original FF where there is no twitch reflexes involved, just planning your attacks based off the damage they shall do or mitigate.

Compare that any FPS, where your focus is a lot more on reactions, timing, ect. Compared to an RPG FPS's aren't near the numbers game.

Yes, pretty much all games are a numbers game, but an RPG is a genre that takes that to one of it's logical extremes.

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I find myself leaning towards this explanation since it makes the most sense to me. I never really thought about it before.

RPGS are games that can trace their ideas back to their tabletop namesake. Numbers are important, as Neo suggested, but they usually also need to incorporate some form of randomness along with conflicting checks against other numbers.

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Originally Posted by Lekana

So what makes an RPG an RPG?

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Bards.

The RPG has become a supertrope.

The immersion! :bigsmile:

For example when I was playing the original witcher going around screwing anything that have holes, I just can't immerse myself into it. :(

But when I am playing Skyrim slaughtering innocent townsfolks and adopting their children, I feel so immersed in it. :bigsmile: