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The obvious answer is no.

However, are you implying all RPG games must have armor and weapon systems? Since armor and weapon pertain to combat, are you then saying that all RPG games involve fighting? Finally, if all RPG games involve combat, then why don't we just label these games as action games?

Saying a game has a weapon and armor system isn't a genre. A weapon/armor system is a feature.

EDIT: I'll fix this a little
I think you made this thread just to complain rev.

RPG = Role Playing Game

Ie- Final Fantasy, Neverwinter Nights

And if all else fails Wiki!

Just so you know, there are text role playing games.

Trying to get all the main characteristics of RPG's is like trying to get the characteristics of life. Sure maybe 90% of the RPG's will have certain things in common, but there will always be one that doesn't quite fit, but could be called an RPG. Just like life.

@Golden-Fist: Complaining is not the same as discussing. If you think you know the almightly definition of a RPG game, enlighten us.

@Templar: You give me games, but what ABOUT those games make them RPGs? Is it the battle systems? The statistic system? The level up system?

@Deathhawk: Text-based or not, those games focus on combat.

@Goddidit: A definition of something is either all or none. People describe RPGs as action games, yet they are blind in seeing it. Facing hordes of stupid/weaker enemies is the definition of the action game. If your stats are better, than by most accounts, you should win.

After reading an argument I made elsewhere, I believe RPG games do not exist as of yet, but they can be made. When you are in a role of someone, life isn't just about combat. You also have to factor in the lifestyle of the character. Games like the sims, animal crossing or harvest moon do a better job of role playing because life is not about combat! You also have to eat, sleep, or whatever. Playing a role of someone is not just combat, but all the aspects of life. Many people seem to ignore what role playing is and just focus on the combat part. If you do this though, you make the game an action game.

Yeah, in discussing the person who started the topic has to open their thick skull and try being open minded about things. Complaining is along the lines of Jack Thompson "BLRAG I DUN CAR WUT U THNK URE ALL WRNG!1noo1e"


Yeah, role playing, is when you play a role, thanks for bringing that up. It just so happens that most of those games that do that, the producers thought it would be really boring to just to watch your generated character take dumps for a few hours. I think RPGs should be completely you, KOTOR could be called an RPG, you make up your character, and do what you want. In any FF game you are forced to do certain things, you don't have control over anything. But your character has to have some kind of personality. A game like Tony Hawk Pro Skater when you mostly just stare blankly as your face smashes into a pole. I completely forgot what I was saying so hopefully if you find out whats wrong with my arguement thus far i'll remeber.

I don't get why you would be narrow-minded and focus on pooping as my definition of a RPG game. What I meant was that a RPG should not focus on any particular event. The reason I say FF AREN'T RPG games is that the game is entirely based on combat. From items to spells, everything is combat-oriented. A RPG game in my definition is a game that has no goal, just like life. If you want goals, you MAKE your own goals. In life, you aren't forced to do everything. You can decline things like dressing, but even then, you still proceed. Despite what you do, life goes on and you proceed, unless you die of course. In what you define as RPG games, you can not progress unless you fufill an objective. It's linear.

Sudden change of mind? Before you said RPGs shouldn't exisist at all.
And that's what I was getting at, RPGs are freedom games. You can do what you want, and your doing it, not some computer generated character who talks for you. ALthough in this day of gaming things can not be that open, the most you'll get is around Fable, KOTOR, Sims.
I think we're agreeing, unless you mean something completely different.

I think my views have changed to people misuse the word RPG frequently. I will say FF7 is not a RPG because the brunt of the game is turn based combat, therefore it should be an action game. A game like the Sims is more accurate in the term RPG because it involves the day to day lives of people, their food, houses, and friends.

Do you disagree with me on this one?

GTA is pretty open, freedom wise anyways.

The problem is that you can not advance until you complete certain objectives. True, you do have the flexibility in choosing what to do like shoot people, jack cars and stuff, but the game doesn't move forward, other than time. Events don't happen later, unless you do certain things.

Games like Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing, the Sims or Nintendogs are RPG games, so to speak. Festivals will happen whether or not you watered your crops in HM. You will meet new people in Animal Farm, whether you cut trees or not.

These games have no goals that hinder progress. They give you choices on what to do if you want to do them.

Final Fantasy is not turn-based combat, wtf? It's ATB ( active time based ). Please get your facts straight before posting again.

Actually, Final Fantasy involves you choosing what to do, whether it is using attack, spells, items or running. Choosing what to do is turn based because after you choose what to do, the opponent can't do anything. After you do your action, now the enemy does his action, whether it be attacking or using a spell. Maybe you are talking about another FF game, but it sure as heck isn't FF.

Get YOUR facts straight, and please don't tell me what I can or can't post.

Which is why it might be very hard to classify things, and definitions may have to be revised a lot.

You know, I had the same argument in the forums of gamespot, except the people there seem to be more rowdy. Anyhow, there was a person who had great examples, though he seemed exhausted in the end.

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/show_msgs.p...pic_id=23871572

It's 8 pages long, but most of the pages are full of flames.

Final Fantasy 10 is turn-based. I'm telling you not to post false information.

And when did I say FF10 wasn't turn based?

Wikipedia's definition works for me. Although FPS games like Halo do have role-playing, their main focus is not roleplaying.

Well, yes, but that's true in real life in some cases. Like, you can't get a car till your 16, and you can't really move outside the country without a passport. THings like that, even though these are more constrcted, it's a little better. There's a game coming out soon which could argueably be an RPG, i'll mention it to you when it comes out.

Well, yes. But not all RPGs should be like that. In The Sims when your simulating your real life, ok. But in games like Guild Wars, it's not really something I want to do, like eating every few minutes. Maybe if the game was all real time and you didn't have to eat for 3 hours real time, that'd be better. But as seen in GTA: SA eating and working out and such is retarded in Game Time. Or do you think that they can only be RPGs if they add little things like eating and taking dumps.

That's the only turned based FFX game, the enemy can keep attacking you, if you don't do anything in other FF games, but it's still rather turn based, what's stopping me from hitting you twice in a row? A timer?

Rev: Do you think RPGs can still be RPGs if they don't have Eating, Sleeping (All though that can easily be fit in as when you stop playing) and other little things, or does that make them Action Adventures even though you set your own goals and choose what to do completely.

You know, what's the purpose of the quote button, when the reply button to the right of it DOES the job?

Anyway, having individual components like eating or sleeping does not make it a RPG. A "true" RPG game is a game that focuses on living the life as a person. There would be no definite goals and even if you failed something, the game would go on and not let you retry. In other words, there would be no "lives" and no way to "lose" a game, except dying permanently of course. That sounds a bit vague, but they should be games that simulate life from a person's point of view.

Why I don't think FF games are RPGs is because they focus mostly on the combat system, getting the best items and doing the most damage.

Golden-Fist, before we move on, I'd like to ask you a question.

As of right now, the topic has turned into two questions:

- Why action replaces the term RPG
- What exactly are RPGs

What do you pick to talk about first?

Can you tell us why a game focusing on "living life" is more qualified as an RPG rather then a game like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy, I don't remember why a combat system focused game still can't be an RPG.

If a game is focused on combat, it is an action game. The entire game is based on it, from items, weapons to spells.

Role playing doesn't mean JUST combat. You need to factor in the other needs of people. We don't just do our jobs in our life.

A combat focused game requires you to get to a certain level to do a task and proceed. The roadblock itself is there until you finish it. It follows a predestined course.

A true RPG game goes on despite what you do. There may be a fishing contest, but it wouldn't force you to get 1st place to proceed. Heck, you might not even join it and the game would go on.

RPG games should ultimately have no goal, except just to live and do what you want when you want to. In Animal Crossing, there IS no goals. You are just given a couple of things you can do, whether it be looking for items, writing letters or eating apples.

If FF7 did not have a battle system or at least did not require beating bosses to proceed, then it could be a RPG.

Well as of right now I know why Action Games aren't RPGs, but the little things that make the difference between an RPG and an Action game is still not completely, you've said some things but not all of them.

RPG's are adventures not action.

Deathawk for Co-Leader