Define RPG

[Unbelievably Klane]

The creator of Deus Ex once wrote a book on how to RPG, and his definitions are vastly different from a vast majority in RPGs.

 

To me, an RPG is where you are dropped into a world, are given meaningful choices in the world around you that affect your opportunities, so you can't necessarily see every outcome in one run, yet quite a large percentage of JRPGs don't do this, so it immediately falls short on the RPG descriptor, so it's just 'Japanese'. So what makes it an RPG? The style of combat? Silent protagonist (If applicable)? Levelling up is a huge trope that has spread to dozens of genres like FPS, Strategy games, even online TCGs. The only 'true' RPG's I can think of are DnD and GURPS packs because they allow for virtually any story given the system and enemies. 

 

In fact, I don't think there should be a clear evil or clear good. In Fallout New Vegas for instance, each faction has its pros and cons.

 

Mr House: Advance Humanity but under despot rule

Yes-Man: Independence yet Chaos

Legion: Man under one banner but it's fragile and fraught with slavery

NCR: Man under one banner but it's fragile and fraught with inefficiencies and corruption.

 

You have to make a call on which faction you ally with, and right the way to the end, you can play any faction for fools and turn the tables and talk to Yes Man and commit your force to the independence of New Vegas. At any time! Yet Siding with House and Yes Man turns NCR and Legion on you and vice versa, but you can switch sides before this happens. 

 

 

 

How many RPG's offer an actual choice? And how many of those choices make a difference?

 

[Miror B]

For me, an RPG is something that simply tries to immerse you into the story, which is why I considered Zelda an RPG for the longest time.

 

While choices may be a good medium for immersion, I don't find it necessary to use choice to qualify. (As well as an argument can be made for linear-ish games allowing you to build your character via stats, weapons and such counts as a choice system could be made. See Monster Hunter.)

 

For your final question I can't really give an answer, as I simply game for the topic of "Define an rpg".

[Shradow]

At a bare minimum, an RPG is a game where you assume the role of a character(s) immersed in a world, though there's obviously more to it than that otherwise a lot more games would be considered RPGs. There's also the mechanics involved, which often serve to distinguish RPGs. Leveling up, use of skills, gathering loot, the emphasis of numbers and calculating those numbers for things like stats and combat ability, things like that are usually a necessity to be considered an RPG. Something like Legend of Zelda I'd only consider an action-adventure game, for example.

 

I don't think choices are required for something to be an RPG, either, as least when it comes to video games. RPGs like Deus Ex and Elder Scrolls having choices like they do is cool, and most reminiscent of the early tabletop RPGs, but not every RPG has to do that, nor can every RPG do that. Video games can't really be as open as something like D&D where you and the DM create your own story and can change things as you go with your choices and theoretically go for as long as you want, the electronic media simply has its limitations. Like you've mentioned, a lot of JRPGs don't include choice (beyond simpler things such as character affection or affecting NPC reactions and such, though some do have minor branching storylines/endings/etc.), and instead just tell the story they've set out. And while a lot of the games in series like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest don't technically have role-playing, I wouldn't say that makes them any less of RPGs, just different. Labels are often fluid and not necessarily strict.