What exactly makes an RPG?

[Aquilus]

Is it character customization? Skills and stats? Interaction between player and the environment? Or choice to dramatically affect the outcome and ending of the game through progression? To me I don't really know. But I think the idea of making your character the way you want in a specific skill or trade and interacting between yourself and npcs and the environment usually is what makes an RPG for me. That freedom of choice that comes in how you want to play the game and what you want to be in game is usually what makes it to me. To some extent that might Saints Row a bit RPGish but there's no specific trade you can master and interaction between npcs and player are limited. That might also to some extent make RDR a bit RPGish too, but I think it only contains a very few small elements of an RPG, mainly that reputation system and pretty open and lively npc interaction. But what do you think makes an RPG?

Edited March 21, 2016 by Aquilus

[luisniko]

For me, as long as there's skill development, character leveling, and adventuring the world, that game can be considered as RPG.

[Osho]

For me, as long as there's skill development, character leveling, and adventuring the world, that game can be considered as RPG.

Sorry, but that makes it an MMO more than an RPG, in my view.

For me, all the below mentioned factors are equally and extremely important to call a game as an RPG, even as subjective as these may be:-

1. Highly immersive setting

2. Quality lore

3. Well narrated story and interesting characters

4. Complex choices and consequences

[Sir Michael]

You just about covered it. For me, choices in the game and player customization plays a vital role in game to be considered an RPG: the choice to make your character into what you want them to be throughout the story, whether or not you want your character to be a Good Samaritan, an intelligent diplomat, a sniveling bastard, a complete dumbass (lol, low intelligence in Fallout), or Hell on Earth. To add on to this, the choices you make and the things you say can have a lasting impact in side quests and even the main story as a whole. Although character customization is an aspect you see in almost every type of game nowadays, choosing your skills and perks is huge because it'll determine your character's style, whether or not you want them to be the person that specializes in diplomacy, stealth, crafting, magic, small/heavy weapons (knives, swords, big guns, small guns, whatever), you name it. In a typical RPG, you have a fairly big bag of perks to choose from, so the possibilities are endless. For me, if the option is there, I always go for a stealthy diplomat because in a game like Fallout, stealth is OP as f*ck and the speech checks open up some really interesting dialogue and can also open up a new twist in side quests, the ending of the main story or the DLC (well, in New Vegas anyway).

 

There are several games that claim to be RPG's nowadays, but in terms my definition of "RPG," they don't fit the bill: Destiny and Division are the biggest culprits in my book. You can build your characters in somewhat different ways in those games (VERY limited choices in Destiny), but in terms of the story and quest choices like the ones we can make in games like Fallout, Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, and Mass Effect, they fail miserably in this aspect. You have lots to do in Division and kind of a bit to do in Destiny, but in terms of story choices, you literally have none except the way you're going to massacre the countless enemies in your way. The two games take RPG elements such as skill and perk assembly that changes the way you play, but in the end of the day, they have extremely linear plots with no possibly way to change the ending... outside of rage-quitting. This kills the possibility of replayability that we see in lots of RPG games where players go through the game again to try out the other endings, finish quests in different ways, or go for a good, neutral, or evil walkthrough.

 

TL;DR: Choices that greatly affect the story, unique and varying dialogue, building a skillset that fits your needs.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Sir Michael

[Crossed]

Super Mario Rpg was the first I played an a good example. Chrono Trigger aswell. Good story an a well done feeling of growth as you lvl up.

[luisniko]

 

For me, as long as there's skill development, character leveling, and adventuring the world, that game can be considered as RPG.

Sorry, but that makes it an MMO more than an RPG, in my view.

 

 

 

 

So those decades-ago Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Shin Megami Tensei, etc were MMO because they had skill, levelling, and adventuring the world??

Edited March 21, 2016 by luisniko

[Osho]

 

02

For me, as long as there's skill development, character leveling, and adventuring the world, that game can be considered as RPG.

Sorry, but that makes it an MMO more than an RPG, in my view. 02

02 So those decades-ago Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Shin Megami Tensei, etc were MMO because they had skill, levelling, and adventuring the world??

I was talking about the things just limited to what you listed. You're implying like those games had nothing besides what you listed, but in reality they have much more than what you're now using them as examples, but didn't specify earlier.

[bloatedsack]

You pick a role, and then you play it.

 

Frankly, I find about 99% of the video games described as RPGs aren't, but then I come from the oldschool pen and paper background.

 

Examples such as:

Witcher 3: You tell me it's an RPG, but it's not. It's an adventure game in which I'm forced to play the role of Gerald of Riveria, but that's not what I think is an RPG. You're made me who to be, and what to do. My role is pre-defined, ergo not an RPG.

 

Division: I keep hearing this being called an "RPG." I have no idea how. I have a linear growth path, a small subset of of appliable skills or powers,

and... well, nothing else. Maybe it's an "MMO," I don't really understand what defines that (I used to MUD, which were generally true RPGs, and certainly the precursors to the modern MMO), but I know it's not a RPG.

 

Fallout 4: I quit this very quickly because it didn't feel like an RPG, a Fallout game, or really anything. I felt like I was being herded along, and my "role playing" choices were pretty cut back. Again, an adventure game, sure, and certainly some sort of retarded post-apocalyptic Simms, but not an RPG.

 

Fallout 3 NV: Well, sh*t. Yes, this is an RPG. You pick your role, and then you play it. You have boundless choices in the world, and to make the world as you see fit. You're not bound to a few small choices, and you're not stuck living out one character archtype. It's open, and it's big, and I'm free to define the role I wish to play in a game. That's an RPG.

[D9fred95]

Fallout 3 NV: Well, sh*t. Yes, this is an RPG. You pick your role, and then you play it. You have boundless choices in the world, and to make the world as you see fit. You're not bound to a few small choices, and you're not stuck living out one character archtype. It's open, and it's big, and I'm free to define the role I wish to play in a game. That's an RPG.

Technically New Vegas is more of an RPG than 3 since it has more choice diversity so I personally wouldn't latch them together.

[bloatedsack]

I didn't. Or Iwould've said "Fallout 3 and Fallout 3 NV."

 

However, Fallout 3 gave me much more in the way of options and choice than FO4 or W3, for sure.

 

Dragon Age Inquisition is also a great example of an RPG. Sure, your overall path was defined but how you got there and what happened was directly influenced by your choices.

[AmigaMix]

I didn't. Or Iwould've said "Fallout 3 and Fallout 3 NV."

[...]

Then why call it: Fallout 3 NV? It's like calling GTA Vice city - > GTA 3: Vice City...

Sorry, I get emotional when it comes to Fallout.

[Vaulttec]

You pick a role, and then you play it.

 

Frankly, I find about 99% of the video games described as RPGs aren't, but then I come from the oldschool pen and paper background.

 

Examples such as:

Witcher 3: You tell me it's an RPG, but it's not. It's an adventure game in which I'm forced to play the role of Gerald of Riveria, but that's not what I think is an RPG. You're made me who to be, and what to do. My role is pre-defined, ergo not an RPG.

 

Division: I keep hearing this being called an "RPG." I have no idea how. I have a linear growth path, a small subset of of appliable skills or powers,

and... well, nothing else. Maybe it's an "MMO," I don't really understand what defines that (I used to MUD, which were generally true RPGs, and certainly the precursors to the modern MMO), but I know it's not a RPG.

 

Fallout 4: I quit this very quickly because it didn't feel like an RPG, a Fallout game, or really anything. I felt like I was being herded along, and my "role playing" choices were pretty cut back. Again, an adventure game, sure, and certainly some sort of retarded post-apocalyptic Simms, but not an RPG.

 

Fallout 3 NV: Well, sh*t. Yes, this is an RPG. You pick your role, and then you play it. You have boundless choices in the world, and to make the world as you see fit. You're not bound to a few small choices, and you're not stuck living out one character archtype. It's open, and it's big, and I'm free to define the role I wish to play in a game. That's an RPG.

glad you left fallout 4 behind it does not need you or anyone that's hate it for not being a "RPG" last I check you are playing a role so fallout 4 is a RPG this is coming from a D&D player going on close to 20 years. and I have played and a own every single fallout game out there plus all the collector editions for them all

[Ruin]

^ Lol someone got mad.

 

 

 

 

On topic: Pretty much what the first 3 people said.

[bloatedsack]

glad you left fallout 4 behind it does not need you or anyone that's hate it for not being a "RPG" last I check you are playing a role so fallout 4 is a RPG this is coming from a D&D player going on close to 20 years. and I have played and a own every single fallout game out there plus all the collector editions for them all

 

Techncially, I'm playing a role when I'm playing Q-Bert, too, but that doesn't make it a "role playing game."

 

BTW, D&D's been utter sh*t for nearly 20 years now, too. 3rd Edition was the first step towards being bad, and 4th Edition is just about the worst thing I've ever played, and that comes from someone who's played Palladium games.

[Aquilus]

You pick a role, and then you play it.

 

Frankly, I find about 99% of the video games described as RPGs aren't, but then I come from the oldschool pen and paper background.

 

Examples such as:

Witcher 3: You tell me it's an RPG, but it's not. It's an adventure game in which I'm forced to play the role of Gerald of Riveria, but that's not what I think is an RPG. You're made me who to be, and what to do. My role is pre-defined, ergo not an RPG.

 

Division: I keep hearing this being called an "RPG." I have no idea how. I have a linear growth path, a small subset of of appliable skills or powers,

and... well, nothing else. Maybe it's an "MMO," I don't really understand what defines that (I used to MUD, which were generally true RPGs, and certainly the precursors to the modern MMO), but I know it's not a RPG.

 

Fallout 4: I quit this very quickly because it didn't feel like an RPG, a Fallout game, or really anything. I felt like I was being herded along, and my "role playing" choices were pretty cut back. Again, an adventure game, sure, and certainly some sort of retarded post-apocalyptic Simms, but not an RPG.

 

Fallout 3 NV: Well, sh*t. Yes, this is an RPG. You pick your role, and then you play it. You have boundless choices in the world, and to make the world as you see fit. You're not bound to a few small choices, and you're not stuck living out one character archtype. It's open, and it's big, and I'm free to define the role I wish to play in a game. That's an RPG.

Fallout 4 in my honest opinion really wasn't an RPG. I disliked it, I think Fallout 3 did a better job at "trying" to be an RPG. But on topic wise I think Open world and RPG fit together perfectly. There shoudn't be a whole lot of empty in between though.