March 25th 06: The story thus far developed is that the story is based loosely on the premise of Stargate SG-1, that there are Stargates linking a number of worlds together and provide the only means of interstellar travel.
However that is as far as it goes, there is no Stargate command, the technology level will be that of a classic dungeons and dragons game the difference being that a combination of magic and science exists, some worlds may skew more strongly in favor of one side then another.
Major Characters: I decided that for each character will undoubtedly result in an overly complex story line, so I’ll start off with three characters.
Felix: A teenager from a mainly agricultural world, he loves to read books and come up with inventions hoping it will help the world some day, until a gang of mercenaries commanded by the infamous Col. Slifer who kidnapped his girl friend named Isabel. However a mysterious and ancient crystal was also stolen and Felix will eventually realize that he has to retrieve it or else risk catastrophe.
Zelik: An Ilythiirian or “Dark Elf” his home world is Shar, a shadowy world, with magic rather then technology. Zelik left his world through the Stargate to get away from it all, eventually he found a High Elf from the world of Avilin and here he fell in love with her and her name was Nerwen. A master of dual wielding enchanted Katana’s he is a force to be reckoned with.
Nerwen: The love of Zelik but is only slightly aware of his affections mostly worried about what an infatuation would cause to her reputation at home. She just past her test of High Magic and is venturing into the world as a full sorceress.
Goal #1: To rescue Isabelle.
Goal #2: To retrieve the Phial of Erebus. Legend has it that this Crystal is an ancient Nexus of tremendous power and to wield would grant the wielder the powers of a God over mortals.
As far as I got so far, can anyone help me out with a name?
[ March 26, 2006, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: Blayne Bradley ]
Posted by Xaposert (Member # 1612) on :
What makes this different from any other RPG?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
that I made it and no other one as far as I can tell made on involving star gates. and yes it will be a workable game when its done.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
Umm.... Posted by Geekazoid99 (Member # 8254) on :
How about make a basic storyline for the entire thing before you even think of a name
Usually name is the last thing you think of for this type of thing
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I have the perfect name:
Displacement Activity
fits with the whole Stargate theme, and well...it's truthful...
you hope.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
no I do the name first and then let the story flow organizally as I work on it.
And the SG-1 rpg doesn't count. I'm only basing it veeeeery loosely, as far as the resemblance goes is just the idea of stargates not SGC, goul'd etc.
what do you mean fits perfectly...... I'm not quite sure if I understand.
Posted by Geekazoid99 (Member # 8254) on :
Personally i would switch them but if you think thats better
i think we need at least a little more to work with
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
Seems like a similar concept to Rifts, imo.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Uh...well...you do know that star gates are used to...um...move from place to place ----> displacement.
And, well...displacement activity is a fancy name for something people use to kill (waste?) time when they should be doing something productive.
...
Oh forget it.
Trust me, it was a great joke.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
well its also rooted somewhat in fantasy, so there's elves dwarves, humans hobbits etc. Populations could be mixed, mono, etc really depends.
rifts link doesnt work.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
this IS productive I wanna be a game designer and this is practice.
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
*I* thought is was a good joke.
Ni!
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I was describing the fact that you (as the game's designer) would want OTHER PEOPLE to spend time using it.
Isn't that sort of the point?
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Thanks kwsni. I was afraid I was losing my touch.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
?? I'm MAKING it, and soon other people will play it, I think you've must've misunderstood me or something.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Blayne...take a deep breath. I know you're MAKING it. You asked for a name for it. I gave you a name based on the premise that other people might PLAY the game...and it's about gates.
I think you must be a bit tired at the moment.
Sleep on it, dude.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
ic
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
Bob. At the joke and your responses.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
What the heck do you need a name for unless you're going to publish it?
Call it "My gates game".
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
It's nice to have a name for your own game. Makes it cooler. I made up a card game with my cousin once and we gave it a name, and obviously it's not going to be published.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
Master Gate!
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
Funny that the first link doesn't work, I just googled "Rifts rpg" and that site came up. Copied and pasted, but it was the same again.
Here's the basic breakdown of Rifts, published by Palladium Games:
- Rifts are tears in the dimensional fabric that open doorways between worlds. They can be from dimension to dimension, planet to planet, or even from time period to time period.
- Different dimensions have different technology or magic levels, so a high powered being came sometimes step through into a low powered environment and wreak havoc.
- The game combines a mix of fantasy and science fiction elements, such as, but not limited to: bionics, cybernetics, lasers, particle beam weapons, cyborgs, computers/hacking, space travel, AI/Robots, dragons, psionics, vampires, gargoyles, all manner of fantasy creatures, wizards, technowizards, warlocks, demons, aliens, dinosaurs, knights, faeries, etc, etc, etc...
- Rifts from along intersections (nexuses) of lines of mystic energy (ley lines). Upswells of mystic energy sometimes overloads a nexus and creates a tear, allowing any manner of thing into that dimension.
- The history of Rifts is such that there was a world war on Earth that caused untold numbers of deaths in a short amount of time, which flooded the ley lines with energy, which tore into the dimensional fabric. The tears let in all manner of Not Good Things that caused more death and destruction, and in turn more dimensional tears. The setting is post-apocalyptic Earth.
So, some similarities, some differences. There are like 50 or more Rifts books at this point, I think, covering all manner of topics. That was my game of choice in high school before I evolved to White Wolf.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Blayne, out of interest, why not try for something a little more original? Adding gates between worlds doesn't really mix up the formula for players, and probably won't expose them to much that's genuinely new in terms of gameplay or storyline; after all, most computer RPGs effectively have the equivalent of "gates" between regions, anyway.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
I'm used to FF titles, Baldur's Gate, Chrono Trigger and a few others.
This is a title I wanna try first, my second would be something based loosely on the Warring States Period of Ancient China, and another idea I had was to make a game based on europe where your main char was a detective of some sort.
But this is the most original I came up with. Aside from one borrowed premise it is very original.
But ya I am unaware of any rpg's with a "gate" system of any sort, there maybe places which lead to another zone due to say server limitations, but I'm unaware of a similar system.
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
I don't want to sound harsh, but as a gamer formally obsessed with RPGs (computer and P&P) I can confidently say, as others here have, that it doesn't sound like your idea is especially original.
Posted by cheiros do ender (Member # 8849) on :
Give us a synopsis of the storyline already.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Its only been a day I'm configuring my Ipod atm and ya I never ever thought up story lines before I add em on organically, give me some time I'll think of something.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
there we go an update.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I'm not understanding which part is meant to be original here, Blayne. Frankly, I'm much more interested in your "warring states of China" concept, even though that's been done a few times, too.
It may be that I'm just missing the bit that's revolutionary; if so, what is it? What part here stands out?
Posted by cheiros do ender (Member # 8849) on :
My "warring states of Australia" story is cooler than that. Only problem is, who but me is gonna go for some wacky plot like that?
Oh well; beats the rise and fall of intergalactic civilization that almost all my other stories entail...
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
its slightly more original then some other games I have seen, however whether or not its completely original is completely irrelevent and even if it was relevent I could care less, I am working on it, and I am developing a back story.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
No, no, you don't understand my question. I'm asking what, specifically, makes the gameplay and universe of your game feel fresh and new to the player?
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Yes, and why should I care about your storyline if you're making a SYSTEM (keyword there) in which I'm going to place MY storyline?
I'm not particularly wowed by either. Yet. You haven't provided any of the details of the gaming system that make me sit up and say, "Holy freakkin' A+! That makes so much more sense than what WotC is doing!"
And your storyline's just standard RPG stuff. The only thing more cliche than genius inventor farmboys are rich gothic vampire adolescents.
And dark elves. Bleh.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
Hey, give him a break. Why shouldn't he cash in on the apparently vast market for cookie-cutter fantasy settings?
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Well, he won't be getting MY cash, 'less I see some originality. I want generic, there's OpenSRD.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Blayne, I was puzzling over this--it sounds like you're designing a universe and a campaign rather than an actual game system--when it occurred to me that it was possible you were talking about a computer RPG rather than a pen and paper game. Is that the case?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
wha? design a new system you crazy! I'm using the Japanese designed RM2k3 or RPG maker 2003, Its old looking ff3/terranenigma style graphics.
I'm talking about universe/storyline I'm not making a whole new system and I am not selling it I'll be uploading it for free, since technically enterbrain owns all rights to the maker I don't think it would be ethically right to sell an rpg even if I did make it.
If I made a whole new game from scratch maybe I would sell it, but this is mostly drag and drop, with the only code being swtiches and variables.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Ah, okay, I thought that you were talking about creating a pen and paper role playing game. I think, though I could be wrong, that I wasn't the only one who thought that that was what you meant.
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
I thought that's what he was talking about, too.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
That's what I thought at first too.
I can't think of any titles right now, but I'll think about it and get back to you.
And guys, lay off him about being "unoriginal" For one, in any art, whether writing, painting, poetry, whatever, if you spend all your time worrying about whether a project is original, you never get anywhere. The best thing to do is make something and let it be whatever it ends up being. And besides, "Originality" is what marketing is for.
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
Well, I've made a number of pen and paper campaigns (for my gaming group(s) to play - as I'm guessing others on Hatrack have also done) and there's really not much more depressing than finishing the campaign and realising that it's a carbon copy of fifty other campaign settings.
After playing RPGs (both pen and paper and on the computer) for a number of years, I don't even consider looking at one unless I think it's somewhat original (which means I don't play new RPGs very often).
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Oh, I don't know--Slash's Overlook campaign's brilliance isn't due to the uniqueness of the general outline of the story. If a person were to sum up the larger plot in a few sentences it would probably sound fairly trite. And yet the execution, both on the part of the players and on the part of the DM, is stunningly good*.
*If someone hasn't read the Overlook campaign and checks it out on the basis of this recommendation, give it a little while to get going, while the players find their characters and the plot gets underway. Once it gets going it's a hell of a ride.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
I'm not saying it doesn't have to be original, just that when sitting down to write a plot, you can't worry about that sort of stuff. It clogs up the proverbial creative gears. Leave originality and gameplay for the second/third drafts of the plot and the actual development of the game.
At least that was my impression of Blayne's initial post: that the plot and characters are still being fleshed out and that he's just looking for a good working title. I may be wrong of course. Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Epict is completely right.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:when sitting down to write a plot, you can't worry about that sort of stuff. It clogs up the proverbial creative gears. Leave originality and gameplay for the second/third drafts of the plot and the actual development of the game.
Mmmm... I disagree. If the originality's not there in the first draft, I don't see much point in continuing the development.
That said, I don't think that the author needs to be thinking all the time, "Is this original?" while writing. It may be something you can't see until you take a step back and do a critique.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
I consider it original to the point of doing a rpg game inspired but not based on the ability to use a gateway system between planets, its very hard to make an rpg that doesnt have the generic good guys vs bad guys, in fact for any rpg i doubt its even possible the point is to have a story line with lots of twists and turns that keeps the audiance playing for hours on end to the point of missing food and work.
I'm hoping I can recreate that effect.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
If it's an RPG, why force your players to choose characters of your own making? Why not let them create their own? Half the fun of playing an RPG is making up your own character.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:I consider it original to the point of doing a rpg game inspired but not based on the ability to use a gateway system between planets
But I don't see where that adds originality to the gameplay, Blayne. As I said earlier, many CRPGs already effectively have "gateways" between levels. That you aren't moving from one PLANET to another when you go from the fire level to the ice level is largely irrelevant to most players.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
The players can't very well design the bad guys and supporting cast, though.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:The players can't very well design the bad guys and supporting cast, though.
Obviously not. I'm not sure what your point is here. BB didn't put forth any bad guys or supporting cast-- he posted his three main characters.
This implies to me that the players of this game are going to be forced to choose between premade characters, as is done in many CRPGs.
Posted by prolixshore (Member # 4496) on :
When I play that sort of game, I am looking for a story that will keep me interested. To that end, there usually must be something original in the plot, because contrived devices that I've already seen will not keep me interested. The fact that there have been gates in other games will not matter so long as the plot is different from those other games. I see very little here to tell me about the actual plot, so I can't see a way to judge it's originality.
--ApostleRadio
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Scott, have you played any Japanese CRPGs? I'd imagine that players get ALL THREE main characters, and the plot revolves around their personal stories and/or love affairs.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Tom--
Do you mean that (using Blayne's RPG as an example) players would get to choose if Nerwen and Felix hooked up? Or even Felix and Zelik?
That would make it slightly more interesting...but I think it still violates a fundamental purpose of RPGs. It ceases to become an interactive session as the DM railroads the players into his own plot threads.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Scott: in the best CRPGs (read: Fallout series, Planescape: Torment, Knights of the Old Republic, etc.), you DO have that level of freedom. In most Japanese (meaning "bad") CRPGs, however, they do not. The romantic entanglements and/or villainous decisions are all made in advance as part of the plot, and the player has very little control over the storyline's direction.
And, yes, this is completely at odds with a "real" RPG; there's no real "roleplaying" involved. But for some reason, something is considered a RPG on a computer if it includes characters with statistics and levels that improve, as opposed to roles that are played. Don't ask me why.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
I agree with you, Tom, as far as my knowledge about the subject goes.
I did not like the two Final Fantasy games I played (3 & 7).
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Tom, even in those RPGs you enumerate as the "best," you don't have control of the scope of the overall story. The Nameless One is still the Nameless One regardless of whether you make him a fighter or a rogue, and regardless of whether you make out with the girl with the tail or the girl with the wings. The storyline is still essentially linear in its progression. You have a little more freedom than, say, Neverwinter Nights, but it's still very much on rails. The "freedom" you're lauding so much is essentially two things: (1) more control over character statistics, and (2) greater side quest availability (and broader side quest scope).
All CRPGs offer a "main" storyline that is basically on rails. They differ only in the extent to which they force you to follow it. I think what makes one CRPG better than the next is not the amount of control you have over your character's naughty bits, but rather, how compelling that linear story is. Big winners here are Planescape: Torment and the two Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga games.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
You want a good computer based RPG, you need to go to MMORPGs, in my opinion. And even then you need to stick to "in character" servers.
There have been some linear games that have been pretty good, though. Vampire: Bloodlines was pretty decent.
Of course, I also thought you were talking about pen-and-paper rpg's... since the computer variety are really not really "rpgs" in my mind, at least not in the true sense.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
That depends entirely on your criteria for "good." I trust a game designer to create a believable NPC more than I trust a random person to roleplay one successfully. In general, when I think of MMORPGs, I think of this:
quote:Warrior stops to bitch about noobie priests and hunters stealing his aggro then comes back and hits your ice trapped mob (this is a warrior thing, they believe you trap mobs so it's easier for them to hit them). Your pet is probably dead by now so you run up and either FD/Freeze trap the mob he was on, or just offtank him till warrior and priest finish with other one. Then you all focus on remaining mob and group wipe averted. Expect the priest to /whisper you thanks after this and the warrior to warn "you two noobs that you better not roll on any weapons or armour but hes still rolling on cloth and guns because he needs money for his mount".
And this from a forum where the level of discourse is generally much higher than that. On an "in character" server you might get that with slightly more flowery language.
I think non-MMO CRPGS can be excellent games without meeting the strict definition of "roleplaying game" that you, Tom, and Scott seem to be using. In other words, I'm not too concerned if you want to tell me that Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 (an entirely linear Japanese console RPG with comparatively rote gameplay) fails as an RPG because you don't have much in the way of significant choices to make -- but it's still a very good game. From a story perspective, it's as good as Planescape: Torment.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
See, if you want to call it a "character based game" or a "story based game" or a "strategic character game" or a "leveled character game", then you can apply what standards you will.
When you take out the idea of "roleplaying" and replace it with "choosing from a finite set of options", you end up with one of two things. A) a bad roleplaying game, or B) a game (good or bad) that is not a roleplaying game at all.
MMOs are the closest thing computers have found to true roleplaying, in my opinion, but they are still so very far off. All they have done is increase the number of finite options to such a point you don't notice immediately that you don't have true freedom of action. Plus, your actions have no permanent effect or consequences.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I think the difference stems from the fact that D&D was developed and popularized in North America. This informs our understanding of what an RPG is. The same is not true in Japan.
Characters in Japanese CRPGs are more like actors in a play. You certainly take on the role of the protagonist in the game, and that role is largely scripted for you.
By your standard, there's no such thing as a computer or console RPG, since none of them qualify for the "roleplaying" moniker. If you want to call them something else, you're welcome to invent and popularize your own moniker, but I do think that what are presently called Japanese CRPGs belong in the same overall category as Planescape: Torment. I'll even switch to your preferred moniker once it becomes the accepted term for the category.
It's kind of weird to hear this coming out of my own mouth, as I don't play all that many Japanese RPGs, and generally prefer the BioWare/Black Isle variety. However, I don't think that North American CRPGs are inherently better, unlike what Tom has been saying. The clichés are just different.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:The "freedom" you're lauding so much is essentially two things: (1) more control over character statistics, and (2) greater side quest availability (and broader side quest scope).
Well, almost. In all the CRPGs I cited, you ALSO have the limited freedom to, while still being railroaded down the main plot due to the limitations of a pre-created scenario, make fairly "important" choices that determine how key elements of the game play out. One's experience in P:T, for example, is VERY different if you choose to be an evil, self-righteous mage versus a saintly fighter. I don't think a CRPG has managed yet to give a player complete freedom -- for obvious reasons -- but Japanese CRPGs do a particularly poor job.
In my opinion, Japanese CRPGs are essentially novels that require small turn-based strategy games to be played before each page is turned. American CRPGs often have the grace to recognize that they're not really RPGs at all, and at least throw in the occasional sop to adventure gaming.
quote:I don't think that North American CRPGs are inherently better...
Well, I do. Of course, I also think MOST products of Japanese culture suck major eggs, with the possible exception of some foodstuffs.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
okay making a completely non-linear game with the ability to role play every facet is impossible for only a SINGLE coder and graphics artist. At best I can have side quests that add story and flesh out the characters through dialague and scripting choices but I'm pretty sure that even with my best choise everything will end the same with the "good guy" beating the "bad guys"
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Oh, I'm not actually arguing that you need to make it non-linear. You said from the beginning that you were making a Japanese-style RPG, and I don't expect much in the way of roleplaying from those. But I STILL want to know why you think adding gates makes something inherently original; I want to know what the addition of the gates will add to the gameplay and storyline.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Raw fish from Japan really is much better than raw fish from Kansas.
Trust me.
I admit being rather bored with CRPGs. And twinky's notes on MMORPG's fit my feelings to a tee. (I'm also biased because I can't play them on a dial up... It's a good thing.)
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Pardon my ignorance on this subject, but has anyone programmed a game that "learns" yet, and, if so, what capabilities are we talking about in the program's abilities?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
some games primarily FPS's will have AI that adapts to the tactics used by the player.
Its original in my mind in the degree that I am using a Gate system to allow player to explore different worlds and civilizations as the quest goes on and grows and complexity.
Also in theory I want each planet visited to be fully explorable but that may take awhile and I'm thinking really hard on how to make it so that a player doesnt waste hours exploring a cave with no point.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: American CRPGs
Incidentally, BioWare is a Canadian company. I thought I'd point that out since you mentioned to Knights of the Old Republic. Black Isle, however, was based in Los Angeles. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the latter was responsible for PS:T.
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: I don't think a CRPG has managed yet to give a player complete freedom -- for obvious reasons -- but Japanese CRPGs do a particularly poor job.
In my opinion, Japanese CRPGs are essentially novels that require small turn-based strategy games to be played before each page is turned.
I understand this. What I'm not getting is why this makes them bad games. I don't think gameplay freedom is a necessary condition for a game to be good.
Of course, I think that the best games of the last couple of years were Shadow of the Colossus and Resident Evil 4. Atmosphere and cohesiveness are worth a lot in my books, more so than story freedom.
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Of course, I also think MOST products of Japanese culture suck major eggs, with the possible exception of some foodstuffs.
Insofar as this is true, it's also true of MOST products of American and Canadian culture. So I'm still not following the inherent "betterness" of all things North American that you seem to be suggesting.
If you were to say that the best North American CRPGs are better than the best Japanese CRPGs, I'd probably agree -- and I definitely prefer North American ones as a general rule. I don't, however, agree that it's true in the general case. There are plenty of relatively uninspired North American RPGs. As I said, the clichés are just different; you simply prefer our clichés because you, like me, are culturally North American. This often translates to a preference for gallant dragon-slaying heroes, power-mad wizards, and skulking stealthy rogues over slender 17-year-old boys with large swords and angst issues.
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: Pardon my ignorance on this subject, but has anyone programmed a game that "learns" yet, and, if so, what capabilities are we talking about in the program's abilities?
Yes, there have been multiple games that used some sort of adaptive "AI." The most obvious example is Black & White, where you played a god and could "train" your animal avatar to perform various tasks by rewarding some behaviours and punishing others. The techniques the developers used were pretty basic -- the AI was just a decision tree, but it was reinforced by the player's "training," meaning that certain paths through the tree were weighted preferentially. Other kinds of more "advanced" AI -- neural networks, genetic algorithms -- take hundreds or thousands of iterations (or generations in the latter case) to "learn" anything of consequence, making them somewhat impractical for a game where they would learn by processing player input.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
You know what my problem is? I totally missed Blayne's post where he states he's using an RPG-making software to make a CRPG.
My apologies, Blayne. None of my advice counts for CRPGs.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
twinky, you're right. By my standard there is no such thing as a true computer or console rpg. They don't exist yet, though computer programming may some day evolve to the level where they might.
The term "roleplaying game" has two entirely separate meanings. Either you are discussing a "pen and paper roleplaying game" or a "computer/console roleplaying game". The two are very, very different, as you are well aware I'm sure.
When I read Blayne's first post, being a pen and paper gamer, I understood him to mean an rpg in that sense. Someone else who does not game with pen and paper but is instead immersed in computer/console gaming would understand him differently. Thus, some confusion by many of us.
It's more a matter of context than anything else, I think. If I'm listening to someone talk about computer/console rpgs, I know to expect one type of experience. If they're discussing pen and paper, I'll expect another. If they say "roleplaying" I'm going to naturally assume the meaning I'm most familiar with, though I understand others will take a different connotation.
It's like saying "animation" - and not differentiating between Monsters Inc (computer animation), Claymation (stop motion animation), or Snow White (hand-drawn animation). Just confusing, is all.
(Edit: In fact, strange as it may sound, if I'm talking about a computer or console game, I'll call it an "RPG" almost exclusively, while I'll refer to a pen and paper game as a "roleplaying game" more often. I think calling it an RPG divorces it a bit from what those letters actually stand for and makes it a little more palatable.)
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Okay I got a rough draft of the script, not very much I wrote it in story mode aka as a novel.
About 2 pages and doesnt go very far maybe 10 minutes of game play but it sorta serves as an introduction to the game, but the problem is I wrote it using a type writter at school so it may take me a while to copy down into word.
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Bob. At the joke and your responses.
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