View Full Version : what is a "role playing" game?
02-28-2002, 07:39 PM
i see this new game called "knights of the old republic" is caled a "role playing" game, but i've yet to figure out exactly what that means.
i play all kinds of video games, and in them all, i assume a role, but this "role playing" stuff kind of sounds like you really don't get to play the game. do you just push a button and "things happen", or do you actually get to interact with the game environment?
i would consider "the legend of zelda" a role playing game, but i hear the final fantasy games are too. i tried to play one of these games, but was very bored. please tell me this game will be more like zelda and less like final fantasy.
02-28-2002, 08:21 PM
Originally posted by derek
i see this new game called "knights of the old republic" is caled a "role playing" game, but i've yet to figure out exactly what that means. i play all kinds of video games, and in them all, i assume a role, but this "role playing" stuff kind of sounds like you really don't get to play the game. do you just push a button and "things happen", or do you actually get to interact with the game environment? i would consider "the legend of zelda" a role playing game, but i hear the final fantasy games are too. i tried to play one of these games, but was very bored. please tell me this game will be more like zelda and less like final fantasy.
Role Playing games are generally more free form then just your basic adventure games. You have more options and alot of them, especially the online RPG's are open ended. They don't end and you have pretty varied options as to what your charecter does, how they do it, what weapons they use. Stuff like that. The best examples are Ultima Online, Everquest, and Asheron's Call. They are usually highly emmersive, and customizable. Everything from your race, clothing, choice of weapons, whether to go on the quest for the gold helmet, or the quest for the fire sword, or just hang around town and get drunk at the pub. You don't have, point A leads to point B, where you can go to point C1 or C2. It's somehwat difficult to explain sometimes. Hope this helps a little bit. Hehehe. :D
MTFBWY and HH!!
Jar Jar Binks
03-01-2002, 12:21 PM
Some examples of Role Playing games:
Some of these games have action scenes where u actually control the fight. (Zelda) So u can say that "knights of the old republic" will be like that and not like ultima or Phantasy star. Hope that helps.
03-01-2002, 02:07 PM
Role Playing Games usually involve some kind of "Quest" as I like to think of it. Also there is no special order that things need to be done in, or any certain amount of time, or any certain place to go to first. Usually RPG's are games that take a long time to complete and require saving multiple times. Some examples are
Any Zelda game
Any Final Fantasy Game (the originals for NES and SNES are way better than the newer stuff for Playstation)
Dragon Warrior (NES)
Any D & D game
Hope this helps.
03-01-2002, 03:42 PM
A GUIDE TO VIDEO GAME GENRES
BY: TC GAMERS
WHAT FOLLOWS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE MAJORITY OF VIDEO GAME GENRES AND SUBGENRES.
Action focused games were extremely popular on 8 and 16 bit systems, but that has waned in the "next-generation" era. These games usually consist of running to the right while holding down the fire button. Classic examples include Contra and Ikari Warriors, both for the NES. Character enhancements are limited to temporarily acquiring stronger weapons, and possibly getting shields. At the end of each level, there is usually a large boss which must be defeated.
Adventure focused games usually have enemies as kind of an amusement. A classic example is Super Mario Brothers. Games of this type usually have a more focused, and usually more noble goal than strict action games.
jumping is important in both sub-genres, with things like collapsable bridges and moving platforms in abundance. There's almost always a time limit, "One ups", and continues. Probably the most accessible of any game type, action/adventure are most players' introduction to gaming. *Super Mario Brothers (series)(by Nintendo)
*Mega Man (series)(by Capcom) *Sonic the Hedgehog (series)(by Sega)
*Castlevania (series)(by Konami) *Metroid (series)(by Nintendo)
*Earthworm Jim (series)(by Shiny)
The following genre involves shooting things on screen. It has been divided into three subcatagories: shooter, first person shooter, and vehicle shooter. a) Shooter: these involve holding a light gun in your hand and blasting away at various enemies on the screen, while avoiding the good guys. These games are best enjoyed with a fake gun.
*Duck Hunt (by Nintendo) *Terminator 2: Judgement Day (publisher unknown)
*Virtua Cop (Series)(by Sega) Time Crisis (by Namco)
b)First Person Shooter: In these games, you see the icon of your weapon on the screen as you run through a 3D or pseudo-3D environment, once again shooting all the bad guys. The major differences between these and regular shooters is that there are no good guys in these games, and they have a much more action/adventure feel to them. This genre was popularized on the PC with Doom and Wolfenstein, both by id software, but have conquered the console market as well with the advent of 32 and 64 bit systems.
*Wolfenstein 3D (by id) *Doom (by id)
*Duke Nukem 3D (by 3DRealms) *Quake (by id)
*Hexen (by id)
c)Vehicle Shooter: Usually fly or drive on the back of a vehicle. You have very limited control over where it goes within a screen, but it's on a track. The biggest difference between this and other shooters is the massive amount of enemies that sweep across the screen.
*Space Harrier (by Sega) *Afterburner (by Sega)
*Panzer Dragoon (series)(by Sega) *Star Fox (series)(by Nintendo)
Race vehicle around a track. The type of vehicle varies, terrain comes in all kinds, and racing styles can range from simulation to arcade. *F-Zero (by Nintendo)
*Roadblaster (publisher unknown) *Super Mario Kart (series)(by Nintendo)
Daytona USA (by Sega)
4. ROLE PLAYING GAME (RPG)
Roleplaying games involve fantasy and/or sci-fi characters and settings. The storyline is long and involved, and embraces legions of characters.
*Dragon Warior (series)(by Enix) *Final Fantasy (series)(by Square)
*Phantasy Star (series)(by Sega)
*The Legend of Zelda (series) (by Nintendo) - [is more of a hybrid between Action/Adventure & RPG genres rather than a true RPG]
Pick from an array of characters, then fight. Frequently fantastic special moves are involved, like teleports and fireballs.
*Street Fighter (series)(by Capcom) *Mortal Kombat (series)(by Midway)
*Virtua Fighter (series)(by Sega)
Strategy games have enjoyed most of their popularity in recent years on the PC.
* Sim City (series)(by Maxis) *Civilization (series)(by MicroProse)
*Warcraft (series)(by Blizzard) *Dune II (by Westwood Studios)
These games attempt to be an absolute, 100% realistic rendering of a real life activity.
*Microsoft Flight Simulator (by Microsoft)
*Need for Speed (by Electronic Arts)
Sort of like simulations, these games put you in the middle of some kind of sporting activity.
*John Madden Football (series)(by EA Sports) *NBA Jam (by Midway)
*World Series Baseball (series)(by Sega) *NBA Live (series)(by EA Sports)
9. GRAPHIC ADVENTURES
Generally dominated by LucasArts and Sierra.
*The Secret of Monkey Island (series)(by Lucas Arts)
*Sam n' Max Hit the Road (by Lucas Arts) *Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within (by Sierra)
A puzzle game is very simple. Solve a puzzle, then solve a similiar one faster before time runs out.
*Tetris (many different publishers)
*Columns (by Sega) *Zoop (by Viacom)
*Minesweeper (by Microsoft)
03-01-2002, 04:39 PM
if "KOTOR" is anything like zelda, i'll be very happy. but what's the difference between"knights" and "SWgalaxies"? i know galaxies is an online game, but is it also going to be a "role player"?
the legend of zelda on the nintendo 64 is one of my most favorite games. if they can merge star wars into gameplay something like that, i'll be happy.:D
I'm just as confused as you are, derek.
04-19-2008, 03:22 AM
I'm just as confused as you are, derek.Maybe even more I'd say.
So... did KOTOR end up being anything like Zelda?
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