Insensitive context - what is an RPG?

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Logan Keller

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Jul 24, 2008
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Iblis seems to have played too many RPG's and has to think of 'himself' when trying to talk to other people.
 

NewClassic_v1legacy

Bringer of Words
Jul 30, 2008
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No offense, Iblis, but I'm going to have to go with Maet on this one.

The review itself, as Decoy put it, is fairly well written, interesting, if not a little minimalist in the scope.

But, Maet pegged the tone dead-on, really. The "old man" third-person tone really goes a long way in alienating the readers in such a way that I felt like I was being spoken down to. Likely not your intent, but no less discontenting when read.

That being said, Maet, you were a little harsh. You had a lot of good points, but bringing them up with such antagonism isn't the way to go about it.

That being said, you too Iblis, did such a good job of furthering your condescending tone toward Maet, and that's something that really can't go unmentioned. Overall, this thread is one that represents what interesting topics could be discussed, and how biases can really destroy the mood for everyone.

Thank you, Decoy Doctorpus for being the voice of reason. I'm out.
 

tobyornottoby

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Jan 2, 2008
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one should not translate RPG literally. As has been said, wRPG's and jRPG's are simply descendants from real RPG's like D&D

Knowing when something should not be taken literally is a true sign of intelligence (and one AI dudes have quite some problems with)
 

BaronAsh

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Feb 6, 2008
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Screw western rpgs. Screw Jrpgs.

This kind of rpg is the best

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/ISF_member_armed_with_RPG-7.jpg/250px-ISF_member_armed_with_RPG-7.jpg
 

haruvister

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Jun 4, 2008
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Iblis post=9.71639.734316 said:
To talk of mechanics when the concept is of philosophy in design is so banal, that Iblis has little option but to point a finger to a deeper discussion of mechanics and perhaps deeper distinguishing features between genres.
Sorry, old-timer, but video games are programmed; they're mechanical, not philosophical. Best write a novel or something. And FFS make it fiction to accommodate all the third person bollocks.
 

AntiAntagonist

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Apr 17, 2008
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haruvister post=9.71639.741475 said:
Iblis post=9.71639.734316 said:
To talk of mechanics when the concept is of philosophy in design is so banal, that Iblis has little option but to point a finger to a deeper discussion of mechanics and perhaps deeper distinguishing features between genres.
Sorry, old-timer, but video games are programmed; they're mechanical, not philosophical. Best write a novel or something. And FFS make it fiction to accommodate all the third person bollocks.
Last I heard puppets are mechanical, but Kermit can still sing "It's not easy being green".

Philosophy of design was what he was speaking of at any rate. IE- the frame of mind used to accomplish the given task, and the feelings evoked by doing as such.

As for the article and resulting posts... the third person usage was irksome in the subsequent posts, but not the original article.
 

haruvister

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Jun 4, 2008
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Sorry, I forgot about the fathomless philosophical depths so frequently plumbed by the Muppets.

The fact is he doesn't seem to want limits placed on his imagination, but unfortunately with video games we're rather more confined. He should just deal with it and go and do something else. Like write a book, as I said.
 

GothmogII

Possessor Of Hats
Apr 6, 2008
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kanada514 post=9.71639.741728 said:
Bottom line, a real RPG has never been released in the video game format.
Let`s not forget the first definition given for what a Role Playing Game is. Gary Gygax made a game that allowed a player do do absolutely anything he or she could do within a defined setting.
I have yet to see a video game that allows a player actual role playing as desired. When you talk to townsfolks in a town, can you tell them absolutely anything you want? Will they answer accordingly? Can you decide to, let's say...throw your armor in a swamp and go talk to the king naked?
Can you hide some gold into a tree to not be robbed in an alley?
Basically, you can't role play.
Because the video game can't possibly adapt to such tremendous of alternatives and choices.
What you do get in a "RPG" video game is a leveling up system, character progression, story, party members, cooperation, but you do certainly not get real role playing.
Because as far as I know, consoles and PC cannot improvise like the human brain can.

I think video game RPG's should be called something else.
Some older RPG's had that feature, where you can type in words and phrases to elicit a response from an NPC, it is -not- fun let me tell you, you could spend ages just trying to figure out the right wording, really irritating imo.

However, I disagree (well...not really haha!), you -can- account for every instance and variable. But, and it's a big but, most game developers, I'd go so far as to say all thus far, have not the time, nor the money, nor the inclination to actually do that. And I wouldn't blame them either, to make something of that scale is utterly ridiculous, although I would be impressed by someone that could.
 

ThePlasmatizer

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Sep 2, 2008
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Jrpg's are still good representations of rpg's, what you described are sandbox and open rpg's where your decisions determine your path, but both are fair representations of what is an rpg,a role playing game is a game where you play the role of a character regardless of choices and character personality.
 

tobyornottoby

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Jan 2, 2008
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I do have to agree with that weird ibs dude that there's a pretty big difference between wRPG and jRPG... one doesn't give any role-playing freedom while the other doesn't give any story. I wouldn't mind if one of them gets another name.

But young Toby-one-Kenoby does not like the fanboyish tone old ibs uses... besides,

Old Iblis would hope such nuances within genres, especially when so obviously referencing the niche JRPG games
Isn't wRPG the niche here? (maybe not in usa then)
 

M3707ik

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Sep 13, 2008
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Rpg's ie Role Playing Games are RPG's when they include these elements. 1) Growth - they need to include PERMENANT growth based on stats or skills earned by the player for completing chalenges (quests, killing monsters, the Oblvion aproach ie doing what ur trying to improve) and most RPG's, espescially new ones, contain CHOICE- This one is very objective and it ranges from choice between quest lines (Oblivion), Good and Evil (Fable, Mass Effect), character class (ummm like all of them)and so on. All of this is for the purpose of an RPG. In the end you should feel you have undergone an epic journey/strugle and are now better because of it and you should have the HAlo effect of thinking when Moze betrayes you or when Ambassidor Udina stabs you in the back or when you finally kill Manamarco that not Add name here was effected but that YOU were the one affected.
 

The Wooster

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Jul 15, 2008
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Ivoryagent post=9.71639.742634 said:
Decoy Doctorpus post=9.71639.733544 said:
First off, calling the forum pretentious, particuarly when you've been a member for less than a day, is bang out of order old chum.
...Nah, we're pretty pretentious.

Old Ivoryagent says so.
and Ivory agent keeps on getting his ass banned every few days. There's a lesson to be learned there.
 

RedElectric

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May 2, 2008
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Here's the thing with this particular discussion; if you want toget into the 'philosophies' of rpgs, then one has to realize that they are no longer talking about the GAME or GENRE of games themselves, but delving into the realm of meta-gaming. And it's in this realm that satisfaction with ANY game will be found. Game developers, simply put cannot get any person to care.

I am defining caring at this point loosely as the desire or need to dissociate from one's actual self and to associate with any one particular character or group of characters, as well as their background and general world view. Now, without the player's own decision to 'care' about a particular game, there can be no immersion, no meta-game where one makes the choices themselves as far as advancement through the understood universal goals of said game, instead of being carried by the game without deciding whether or not to advance.

The meta-game is where it's at. THAT is what true immersion into a game is. Say for example, I'm playing FFVII and i decide that I personally am too shaken by a certain someone's death to continue playing the game, that's where the meta-game comes in. When I allow myself to connect with what's going on so deeply that i have to put it away to deal with what's going on (or conversely continue on relentlessly to seek justice), that's when I personally have crossed the rubicon and assumed the role myself.

In summary, If you can't connect to the game, can't play the role...perhaps it's not the game at all, perhaps it's you!
 

tobyornottoby

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Jan 2, 2008
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RedElectric post=9.71639.742894 said:
[...]

Game developers, simply put cannot get any person to care.

[...]

In summary, If you can't connect to the game, can't play the role...perhaps it's not the game at all, perhaps it's you!
Game developers have exactly that goal. How to shape the player experience to make them care ^^