haxxiy said:
Levels. Stats. Number-based health and damage (HP). Character creation and customization. Narrative-driven with relevant player choice and/or input, that one being more difficult to implement in video games due to budget and time reasons (on the other hand, HP exists in virtually any game even as a hidden mechanic due to that just being how software works). |
Customisation hits the nail right on the head.
Thats in every sense of the word too, even stuff like Haveing various items, and stats, that allow for differnt approaches to combat/problem solving.... is what makes it a role-playing game.
I view something like Fallout 1 & 2, as great exsamples of a RPG in this manner.
Theres plenty of differnt ways to skin a cat, in that game.
Sure theres "in general its best to start with this perk, stats about so and so"... but you can basically get through the game, however you want.
You can make a melee character with bonus movement action points (for movement) that runs down things, and punches them to death.
You can make a 1 handed gun user, that that aims at body parts. A 2handed quick draw type, that just mows things down with big machine guns/rocket launchers ect. You can be a smooth talker, sneaky character, that basically gets through the entire game, without much of any combat. Some charismatic person, that has a big following, that fights for him.
However there are RPGs where theres limited customisation.
You are this person, and this person can only do x,y,z..... and honestly thats fine too.
Like mentioned before, jrpgs typically dont allow nearly as much customisation as the wRPGs do.
Here the player, is the role they are playing, and they have to conform to certain limitations that fit the story/world/character you picked/have to play.
Freedom and choice, are also like key tennents of a rpg imo.
If your choices have little to no impact, and you have limited freedom to do things differntly than others that play said game.....
its not a very good rpg :P
(this is also why a game like Baldur's Gate 3 is so amasing)
