What is an RPG?

[ljkkjlcm9]

That's it, I'm getting tired of always arguing with people about what is an RPG.

Here it goes:
It's not just playing a role, because that'd be 90% of games.
It's not collecting items and running around exploring, that's adventure.
It's not just cause it has turn based battles.
It's not because you gain experience points.
It's not because your characters have levels.
IT'S NOT ZELDA!!!

It's because you create and mold the character, ie develop them, HOW YOU WANT!!!

Again:
An RPG allows you to take a character and develop them HOW YOU WANT. You can not decide how Link develops (except in Zelda II, but I'm arguing the series in general).

Every real RPG I have ever played has allowed me to customize my characters as I see fit. Zelda does not give me that freedom. That's my main argument, if you can argue a known RPG to not have that quality, then please do...

THE JACKEL

[Monol]

preach it brother *still shakes fist*

[Krystic]

How you want? what are u talking about? Last time i checked most RPGs are very linear, and u cant make em how you want, they are who they are, you play their story. Unless ur talking about an MMORPG then i guess ur right. Or SW: KotOR, or DnD type games.

Ex: FF7-Cloud, yep, i made him the way i wanted him to be....yep...i sure did. Am I missing something here?

[Rase]

It is different with each persons opinion.

[Destai]

A role playing game is only a role playing game when the official creator says its a role playing game. If you take the term role playing game literally every game is an RPG and with lots of games these days its not uncommon for them to have parts of different genres. The catagorey isnt a big deal anyway. It just helps random buyers get an idea of what theyre purchasing. I guess Id consider it a role playing game when the main aspect of the game is the story rather than gameplay. Thats why Id call Legend of Zelda an adventure game.

[ljkkjlcm9]

How you want? what are u talking about? Last time i checked most RPGs are very linear, and u cant make em how you want, they are who they are, you play their story. Unless ur talking about an MMORPG then i guess ur right. Or SW: KotOR, or DnD type games.

Ex: FF7-Cloud, yep, i made him the way i wanted him to be....yep...i sure did. Am I missing something here?

Did you not give him the materia you wanted? Did you not choose his equipment, to use stat raising items? Did you not choose which limit break to set? Did you not choose the other characters to use in battle? I'm not saying you choose their story, I'm saying you choose how they develop and how to use them throughout the game.

THE JACKEL

[Krystic]

well obvisously u would have to do that, or you wouldn't be playing much at all now would you?
I know what you mean. But think about it.
U equip/use items in Action/Adventure (MGS, DMC)

A n00b to RPG's would say that "its only an RPG cause its like....40 hours long." Which is true, RPG's are the longest lasting type of game out there. Plot progression wise.

[Rase]

[QUOTE=ljkkjlcm9]Did you not give him the materia you wanted?

Did you not choose which limit break to set? Did you not choose the other characters to use in battle? I'm not saying you choose their story, I'm saying you choose how they develop and how to use them throughout the game.

THE JACKEL

Using that though, here is how Zelda could conceivably be considered and RPG game. I'll use Ocarina of Time as an example.

Did you not give him the materia you wanted?

You could explain this as not getting, say, the three Fairy Crystals.

Did you not choose his equipment, to use stat raising items?

There's plenty of equipment you don't need in Zelda, nor must you collect the hearts that bosses leave, or collect Heart pieces.

Can't do anything with amteria or choosing companions, sorry.

Just trying to show how you could say Zelda is and RPG. I myself prefer to call it an Adventure/RPG.

[ljkkjlcm9]

AHH that's all adventure game stuff. Do you even have statistics in Zelda, NO. And most of the items in zelda are required, you don't need to get anything for you characters in RPGs, you'll be weak, but you don't need them. You people know their is a big difference in equiping items and using them in Zelda, and equiping and using them in final fantasy games, yet you're still arguing it. They're different and you know they are, yet you're trying to say it's the same!

THE JACKEL

[Rase]

I myself prefer to call it an Adventure/RPG.

That would not be the same. It would be a mixture of the two, with the Adventure part placed in fromt to show that it is predominent. Happy?

[Krystic]

you dont NEED a sheild and u can have a crappy sword the whole game in Zelda... Sure you get items you can equip onthe way that would benefit you, but the same happens in RPGs

[ljkkjlcm9]

actually in ever new zelda you do need a shield, and you need to upgrade to the master sword(at least) and another shield at some point.

THE JACKEL

[Rase]

That's something I hope they change in the next Zelda, the ability to just un equip everything and beat the crap out of monsters barehanded. Doubt it'll happen, but...

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Here's the crucial difference. In an RPG, to swing your sword, you press a button to select "Swing Sword" from a menu. In an adventure game, to swing your sword, your press a button that always causes your hero to swing his sword, regardless of context. The Legend of Zelda series is a series of adventure games.

[Rase]

So which would Tales of Symphonia (or any Tales game) fall under?