s69-5 said:Well, since the numbers are what make it an RPG, I'm gonna say: Emphatic no.
Who the hell plays an RPG to not understand the stats behind item A or character B. That would make it an action game... and not an RPG.
Edit: People on this site seem very confused as to what is an RPG (video game). Sorry, but RPG may be a misnomer, but the numbers are still what make it so. "Role play", that is more akin to improv acting, is better suited to the other kind of RP - table top.
Remove the stats and it ceases to be an RPG.
In my opinion, if it maintained those things, it could very well still be an RPG. I see it a bit like how the pokemon games have hidden values attached to each pokemon. Sure, there are still regular stats, but if you want the best pokemon possible, you have to figure out how to measure each of those hidden values.Wikipedia said:Role-playing video games (commonly referred to as role-playing games or RPGs) are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games[1] such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests. The major similarities with pen-and-paper games involve developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replayability and immersion. Electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences.
OP: I'd play it so long as it still had a clear HP and MP bar. I feel that without those two things a lot of the strategy of conservation would disappear. I need to be able to know how many magic missiles I can cast before I'm out, and I need to not find that out while facing down some big mother-hubber.