So what is a "real" RPG?

[Karthak]

One thing about the DA2 rage I don't get at all is people who say that it's not a real rpg. Umm, what? I presume they are talking about the combat, but what on earth does that have to do with if it's a rpg or not? I've always thought of roleplaying games in term of setting, character interaction, and story, not on how complicated the battle system is. That's why I usually put the difficulty on casual. I don't give two farts about the combat. I'm here for the story. If I wanted to play games that focused on combat above all else I'd buy a FSP.

 

[manaman]

Dungeons and Dragons. When people talk RPG elements those are the arts of the games that have been borrowed and adapted over and over again from the original RPG.

 

[Madkipz]

Well, most of the complaints i would have about dragon age 2 is that the story is shoehorned in and the quests are boring. They could do well to add a little more character freedom or spruce it up with some fable esque innovation.

 

[Exterminas]

That depends on how you define real.
What always turned me off the Bioware RPGs was the fact that they usually involve the same stereotype-characters and a set plot you don't have any major influence on. Sure there are variables but in the end everything is set for you. You just have to sit in and watch the show. It feels more like a movie than a game.

A real Rpg to me is something like Morrowind. They set you lose with your character in a big world full of quests and stuff to explore and letz you go nuts, without anything more than a friendly reminder what you "supposed" to be doing.

 

[New Troll]

A "real" RPG is a role-playing gaming session in which a real person narrates the adventure to other real people, adjusting the story along the way for optimal enjoyment (or more commonly to be a dick.)

 

[Woodsey]

How can anyone claim the combat in DA2 isn't an RPG? The stats are there, as are the feats/abilities/perks (whatever you want to call them), the tactics, and the party combat. The only change to it is the altered difficulty settings, and all you have to do then is, y'know, turn it up one. Its the same!

And I'm with you, an RPG is about more than stats. It can be just as much about character-building and interaction as much as it is about stats. ME2 went in that direction because it looked and played like a TPS in the combat, only it was still being judged by stats in a way that made feel crappy. So they took that series in the direction it needed to go in to make it a better game, and then made character interaction more important.

 

[Odbarc]

A "real" RPG is a role-playing gaming session in which a real person narrates the adventure to other real people, adjusting the story along the way for optimal enjoyment (or more commonly to be a dick.)

Also to counter-dick the players being dicks.
Rocks fall, everybody dies.

 

[Chamale]

A real role-playing game is one where the main character role-plays their own character. By this very broad definition, many games are role-playing games despite some other label. The games that aren't arpeegees are those that have a best way to do the levels, and an expectation that every player will complete the game in roughly the same way.

 

[veloper]

Everything is RPG.

Ask instead, what's a diablo clone, or what's a roleplaying shooter or what's a SRPG.

 

[Kwaren]

This is a real RPG.

 

[magicmonkeybars]

If you love RPGs you are in one of two camps, either you love the math, the mechanics of the game or you love to emerge yourself into a fantasy setting making decisions based on your character's motivations.
What makes a real RPG depends on which camp you're in.

 

[Lokithrsourcerer]

the only "real" RPG games at the moment are pen and paper games like D&D, D20 modern etc

games have to act within restrictions of content and technology so although you may be taking on the part of a role you don't really have the freedom to play your character you can only play the game.

I know there have been some attempts to create the kind of experience you get from a pen and paper game b4. Neverwinter nights had a DM client for one, I'm sure there are others as well but because of the restrictive nature of even the most non-liner game it is difficult to truly "role-play"

 

[darth.pixie]

RPG - Role Playing Game. Emphasis on Role Playing.

I agree that any combat system could be an RPG but they have to maintain the Role Play. You create a character that you want and it fits perfectly into the story. My gripes with DA2 are much more extensive than it not being an RPG...it's more of it being a poor one, actually. But I'm not getting into that more. It's already getting tiresome to talk about considering the fact that it's been discussed even before it was out. Suffice to say, it was one of the worst RPGs I've played.

It did make me want to replay Baldur, so I call it a win.

 

[manythings]

Well a lot of the DA2 hate is kind of weird, like the people who think not being able to change companion army somehow damages role-playing... because in real life you get to decide what your friends wear and it's never weird.

A "Real RPG" is something that has a lot of really superfluous minutia; spending immersion destroying hours weeding through your inventory, crafting systems that are just take this to place and magic happens, combat needs to be really slow because... slow is more... role-playish.

What we could do with are about forty more terms to subdivide this genre since Torchlight is an RPG along with The Witcher, two games with very little in common.

 

[Popido]

Half Life 2 is a RPG.

Theres linear story. Different guns and weapons. Party members. Character customization - your Gordon Freeman can be just like you imagined him to be. Boss fights. Dungeons. Voice acting. Quest to help your party members AND they are directly emdedded in the main story! How cool is that!

Just add little more dungeons and Half Life 2 would be a perfect 10 Role-Playing Game.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

races, classes, skills, perks and feats... that's an RPG for me.

 

[Rayne870]

I'm going to ignore any arguments in here and just say that Skies of Arcadia, and Might and Magic VI were awesome rpgs for their time.

 

[veloper]

RPG - Role Playing Game. Emphasis on Role Playing.

The "Role" originally meant the tactical role; not larping or acting.

A role is also a task or a duty in an undertaking.

RPGSs were originally just derived from table top war games, only on a smaller scale. Your role is to tank or to heal or to disarm traps, etc.

 

[Lokithrsourcerer]

RPG - Role Playing Game. Emphasis on Role Playing.

The "Role" originally meant the tactical role; not larping or acting.

A role is also a task or a duty in an undertaking.

RPGSs were originally just derived from table top war games, only on a smaller scale. Your role is to tank or to heal or to disarm traps, etc.

no, paraphrasing out of context wikipedia a bit there aren't we

depends on which of the 80's RPG's you consider the start if you are a talisman fan then i guess you are right but the phrase role playing game or RPG is sighted as being coined Gary Gygax and D&D even in its first incarnation was always about playing a character not just kicking in doors.