Role-playing game

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This article is about role-playing games as entertainment. See computer role-playing game for their electronic counterparts, or roleplay for a more general definition.
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A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game in which players assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create narratives. Gameplay progresses according to a predetermined system of rules and guidelines, within which players may improvise freely. Player choices shape the direction and outcome of role-playing games.

Role-playing games are typically more collaborative and social than competitive. A typical role-playing game unites its participants into a single team that adventures as a group. A role-playing game rarely has winners or losers. This makes role-playing games fundamentally different from board games, card games, sports and most other types of games. Like novels or films, role-playing games appeal because they engage the imagination.

Computer games incorporating gameplay mechanics from role-playing games are referred to as computer role-playing games, or CRPGs. Due to the popularity of CRPGs, the terms "role-playing game" and "RPG" have both to some degree been co-opted by the computer gaming industry; as a result, traditional non-digital pastimes of this sort are increasingly being referred to as pen and paper role-playing games (PnP RPG or PPRPG) or tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG).

Contents

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Concept

At their core, role-playing games are a form of interactive and collaborative storytelling. Simple forms of role-playing exist in traditional children's games such as "cops and robbers", "dogs and mailmen", "cowboys and indians" and "playing house". Mature role-playing games are more sophisticated. Unlike the childhood game of "cowboys and indians" for example, participants in a Wild West role-playing game will generate specific, detailed characters and an involved plot. Their goal is to reproduce the themes and enjoyment of a Western film or a Western novel. Like the serial Westerns of old movie matinees, such episodic games are often played in regular sessions that continue for months or even years.

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Varieties

The original form of role-playing game was the fantasy wargame, inspired by sword and sorcery fiction and utilizing miniature figurines and scaled terrain grids to illustrate action in a way similar to that of tactical wargames. Whether or not these supplementary materials are still used, this variety of table-top interaction remains a dominant model for role-playing. Participants usually sit around a table and conduct the game as a small social gathering. Tabletop games that emphasize plot and character interaction over game mechanics and combat sometimes prefer the name storytelling game.

A LARP (short for "Live Action Role-Playing"), is played more like improvisational theatre. Participants act out their characters' actions, often in costume. LARPs de-emphasize die rolls and rulebook references. Freeform role-playing games are a subgenre of LARP with minimal rules and a greater focus on character development. However, any variety of role-playing game (with the exception of computer games, in which a player's only interaction is with the computer) can be played as a freeform role-playing game.

Computer role-playing games are a genre within the console game and computer game markets. They develop character and plot more than other computer games, and implement game mechanics derived from tabletop RPGs. CRPGs can be single player or multiplayer, often utilizing networks to allow players to participate with separate computers or consoles, either at remote locations or on a local area network (see LAN party).

Internet role-playing games range from graphical games such as EverQuest to grass roots text based games. For a fuller discussion see Internet games or the articles MMORPG, MUD, MUSH, PBEM, play-by-post gaming, and online text-based role-playing game.

Computer-assisted role-playing games blend elements of tabletop gaming with computer gaming. Computers are used for recordkeeping and sometimes to resolve combat, while the participants generally make decisions concerning character interaction. This may include tools used to facilitate traditional pen & paper games to be played over the internet. Such tools can be nothing but an IRC program, but specialised software include built-in dice, character sheet and mapping functions (e.g., OpenRPG)

There is some dispute to the boundaries of what is and is not a role-playing game, largely centered around what does and does not constitute role-playing. Some exclude computer role-playing games, while others consider collectible card games and gamebooks to be kinds of role-playing games. The categorization of these games is a matter of dispute within the gaming community.

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Game mechanics

Template:Main Despite their generally collaborative nature, role-playing games have rules known usually as game mechanics. Almost all role-playing games require the participation of a gamemaster (GM), who narrates the game session and acts as the moderator and rules arbitrator. The rest of the participants create and play inhabitants of the game setting, known as player characters (PCs). The player characters collectively are known as a "party".

During a typical game session, the gamemaster will outline a story goal for the players to achieve through the actions of their characters. Frequently, this involves interacting with non-player characters, other denizens of the game world, which are played by the gamemaster. Many game sessions contain moments of puzzle solving, negotiation, chases, and combat.

To determine the success or failure of a character's actions, many game systems use weighted statistics and dice rolls. In most systems, the gamemaster uses the rules to determine a target number. The player rolls dice, trying to get a result either more than or less than the target number, depending on the game system.

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Statistics

Characters in role-playing games are usually represented by a number of statistics. Many game systems make distinctions between two key types of statistic: attributes and skills.

Attributes are statistics all characters possess: strength, agility, and intelligence are common examples. These are ranked, often on a numeric scale, so that a player can gauge the character's capabilities. For example, a character's strength rating could be used to determine the likelihood that the character can lift a certain weight.

Skills are abilities that only some characters possess, such as negotiation, horseback riding, and marksmanship. Game systems often define skills that are genre-appropriate. For example, Asian adventures commonly emphasize martial arts. Fantasy settings include simulated magic. Science-fiction settings may contain psionics. However, some skills are found in several genres: a medieval rogue and a Wild West outlaw may both be very proficient at throwing knives.

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Character creation

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Before play begins, players develop a concept of the role they would like to play in the game. They then use the game system's character creation rules to form a representation of their characters, in terms of game mechanics. The character's statistics are recorded on a special-purpose form called a character sheet. Some systems, like the d20 System, use character classes to define character concepts, while others, such as GURPS, allow the player to create unique character concepts by freely assigning statistics.

Game mechanics are not a substitute for a character concept. For example, one Wild West gunfighter may become a quick drawing revolver marksman, whereas another with similar game statistics could be a mounted rifle expert.

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Genres

Role-playing games can also be divided into genres by the fictional setting where they take place.

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Fantasy

Fantasy role-playing games draw their inspiration almost exclusively from fantasy literature, such as the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The setting in these games is usually a world with a level of technology similar to that of medieval Europe. Fantasy elements include magic and supernatural/mythological creatures, such as dragons, elves, and orcs. The genre can be subdivided into high fantasy where supernatural events are commonplace, and low fantasy where there are few or no supernatural aspects. When the main setting of the game is not taken directly from the history of our world (as in games set in feudal Europe or Japan) they still tend to draw heavily on historical models, though distorted by the presence of magic; also, as gods often have direct and tangible interations with the world, religion tends to be very unlike our world, maintaining polytheism at technological levels that were historically associated with monotheism.

Because the world's most popular role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, is part of the fantasy genre, fantasy is also the most played role-playing genre. RPGs are sometimes collectivelly called "Fantasy role-playing games" ("FRP").

See Category:Fantasy role-playing games

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Science Fiction

Science fiction role-playing games are inspired by science fiction literature. The setting is generally in the future, sometimes near future but also quite often in the far future, though in many cases the setting bears no connection to the world we live in, e.g. Star Wars. Common elements involve futuristic technology, contact with alien life forms, experimental societies, and space travel. Psionic abilities (i.e. ESP and telekinesis) often take the place of magic. The genre can be divided similarly with science fiction literature into sub-genres, such as cyberpunk or space opera. SF is the second most played genre after fantasy.

See Category:Science fiction role-playing games

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Historical

Historical games take place in the past. Because historical games often overlap the fantasy genre, a distinguishing mark is that fantasy games are set on a "fantasy world" similar to but distinct from Earth, while historical games are set in the past of Earth. Settings that have been explored in role-playing games include Pendragon (Arthurian), Sengoku (Japanese warring states), Recon (Vietnam War), and Fantasy Imperium (historical Europe).

See Category:Historical role-playing games

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Horror

Horror games take their inspiration from horror literature. Horror Roleplaying can be divided into two major groups. The first are those in which generally normal people fight against malevolent supernatural entities. Such games often are structured as a straightforward "monster hunt", though the leader of this style of horror game, Call of Cthulhu, also involves a great deal of investigation and clue-finding. The second style of horror game reverses the roles, with the player characters being such supernatural creatures as vampires and werewolves. The originator of this second style was Vampire: the Masquerade. A series of games by the same company (White Wolf) followed, forming a collective milieu called the World of Darkness.

The setting in both these styles of horror games is often contemporary, between the 19th century and the current day. Creating the correct mood and air of suspense is very important in these games.

See Category:Horror role-playing games

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Comic Book superhero

Superhero role-playing games are inspired by superhero comic books and graphic novels. The setting is generally the present, sometimes near future or past, though in many cases the setting is significantly different from the real world. Rubber science, viable mutants, and space aliens are all common in the genre. The RPG games themselves usually have the players as super heroes, saving the common people from crime and supervillains. The genre can be divided into sub-genres that mirror comic book genres and time periods: for example, Golden Age where the heroes are always virtuous and morality is black and white, and Silver Age where the distinctions are less clear.

See Category:Superhero role-playing games

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Humor

Humor games are based on creating situations which are funny. Humor is not usually a genre in itself (although it can be), but a modifier added to other genres.

See Category:Comedy role-playing games

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Multi-genre

Multi-genre games that mix elements of different genres together. For example, Deadlands presents a Wild West in which elements of horror and magic are prevalent and Castle Falkenstein that presents a Victorian-era world with Jules Verne and H.G. Wells inspired technology along side Fantasy elements like magics and the denizens of Faerie.

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Universal

Universal or Generic games are based on creating a generic system that can be adapted to any genre. In practice, universal games are often biased toward a specific style or genre and adaptable to others.

See Category:Universal role-playing games

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Indie

Indie games are published independently of the larger publishing houses. Free from the pressure of having to create games with broad appeal, the Indie role-playing game community often produces games with a very specific setting and rules tuned to that setting. In this respect, games in the Indie category can be seen as the opposite of Universal games. Not all Indie games follow this concept though and games can go from being within the category of Indie into that of the larger commercial market if they become popular or find a sponsoring publishing house. Fudge is an example of an Indie game that became more widely distributed and was designed with a more universal or multi-genre usage.

See Category:Indie role-playing games

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Licensed

Licensed games are tie-ins to larger media franchises. They were once rare but the number of these games is increasing. Licensed games are usually considered part of their franchise's genre rather than a genre in and of themselves. Many licensed products are now defunct because of license expiration.

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See also

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Famous writers

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Famous artists

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Events

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Types of RPGs

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Lists

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References

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External links

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Lists and reviews

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Community

  • RPG.net - One of the largest general role-playing game fan-sites.
  • RolePlay onLine - One of the largest forum-based roleplaying and collaborative storytelling site on the Internet. See also Roleplay Online.
  • The Forge - a site maintained by Ron Edwards, dedicated to the promotion, creation, and review of independent role-playing games.
  • FreeRoleplay.org - a site for developers and players of open-source RPGs; includes a mailing list
  • RPG Wolfpack - An online community dedicated to the design and creation of many forms of role-playing games.
  • The Escapist - A role-playing advocacy website devoted to dispelling the myths and urban legends and promoting the hobby through positive means.bg:Ролева игра

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