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Role- playing video game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"CRPG" redirects here. For the sub- component of the Canadian Forces reserve, see Canadian Rangers. A role- playing video game (commonly referred to as role- playing game or RPG, and in the past was also known as computer role- playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a main character (or several adventuring party members) immersed in some well- defined world. Many role- playing video games have origins in pen- and- paper role- playing games[1] (such as Dungeons & Dragons) and use much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen- and- paper games include developed story- telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replayability and immersion.
The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text- based console- window games into visually rich 3. D experiences. Characteristics[edit]Role- playing video games use much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics as early pen- and- paper role- playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.[2] Players control a central game character, or multiple game characters, usually called a party, and attain victory by completing a series of quests or reaching the conclusion of a central storyline. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in tactical combat. A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are typically designed by the player.[1] RPGs rarely challenge a player's physical coordination or reaction time, with the exception of action role- playing games.[3]Role- playing video games typically rely on a highly developed story and setting,[4] which is divided into a number of quests. Players control one or several characters by issuing commands, which are performed by the character at an effectiveness determined by that character's numeric attributes.
Often these attributes increase each time a character gains a level, and a character's level goes up each time the player accumulates a certain amount of experience.[5]Role- playing video games also typically attempt to offer more complex and dynamic character interaction than what is found in other video game genres. This usually involves additional focus on the artificial intelligence and scripted behavior of computer- controlled non- player characters.[3][6]Story and setting[edit]The premise of most role- playing games tasks the player with saving the world, or whichever level of society is threatened.
There are often twists and turns as the story progresses, such as the surprise appearance of estranged relatives, or enemies who become friends or vice versa.[3] The game world tends to be set in a fantasy or science fiction universe,[7] which allows players to do things they cannot do in real life and helps players suspend their disbelief about the rapid character growth. To a lesser extent, settings closer to the present day or near future are possible.[3]A strong story often provides half the entertainment in the game.[3] Because these games have strong storylines, they can often make effective use of recorded dialog and voiceover narration.[3] Players of these games tend to appreciate long cutscenes more than players of faster action games.[3] While most games advance the plot when the player defeats an enemy or completes a level, role- playing games often progress the plot based on other important decisions. For example, a player may make the decision to join a guild, thus triggering a progression in the storyline that is usually irreversible.[3] New elements in the story may also be triggered by mere arrival in an area, rather than completing a specific challenge.[3] The plot is usually divided so that each game location is an opportunity to reveal a new chapter in the story.[3]Pen- and- paper role- playing games typically involve a player called the gamemaster (or GM for short) who can dynamically create the story, setting, and rules, and react to a player's choices. In role- playing video games, the computer performs the function of the gamemaster. This offers the player a smaller set of possible actions, since computers can't engage in imaginative acting comparable to a skilled human gamemaster. In exchange, the typical role- playing video game may have storyline branches, user interfaces, and stylized cutscenes and gameplay to offer a more direct storytelling mechanism. Characterization of non- player characters in video games is often handled using a dialog tree.
Saying the right things to the right non- player characters will elicit useful information for the player, and may even result in other rewards such as items or experience, as well as opening up possible storyline branches. Multiplayeronline role- playing games can offer an exception to this contrast by allowing human interaction among multiple players and in some cases enabling a player to perform the role of a gamemaster.[3][8]Exploration and quests[edit]Exploring the world is an important aspect of all RPGs.[3] Players will walk through, talking to non- player characters, picking up objects, and avoiding traps.[3] Some games such as Net. Hack, Diablo, and the FATE series randomize the structure of individual levels, increasing the game's variety and replayability.[3] Role- playing games where players complete quests by exploring randomly generated dungeons and include the game mechanic "permadeath" are called roguelikes, named after the 1. Rogue.[9]The game's story is often mapped onto exploration, where each chapter of the story is mapped onto a different location.
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Unlike other linear games, RPGs usually allow players to return to previously visited locations. Usually, there is nothing left to do there, although some locations change throughout the story and offer the player new things to do in response. Players must acquire enough power to overcome a major challenge in order to progress to the next area, and this structure can be compared to the boss characters at the end of levels in action games.[3]The player typically must complete a linear sequence of certain quests in order to reach the end of the game's story, although quests in some games such as Arcanum or Geneforge can limit or enable certain choices later in the game.[citation needed] Many RPGs also often allow the player to seek out optional side- quests and character interactions. Quests of this sort can be found by talking to a non- player character, and there may be no penalty for abandoning or ignoring these quests other than a missed opportunity or reward.[3] Quests may involve defeating one or many enemies, rescuing a non- player character, item fetch quests, or locational puzzles such as mysteriously locked doors.[citation needed]Items and inventory[edit]Players can find loot (such as clothing, weapons, and armor) throughout the game world and collect it.[3] Players can trade items for currency and better equipment. Trade takes place while interacting with certain friendly non- player characters, such as shopkeepers, and often uses a specialized trading screen.
Purchased items go into the player's inventory. Some games turn inventory management into a logistical challenge by limiting the size of the player's inventory, thus forcing the player to decide what they must carry at the time.[1. This can be done by limiting the maximum weight that a player can carry, by employing a system of arranging items in a virtual space, or by simply limiting the number of items that can be held.[3]Character actions and abilities[edit]. Character information and inventory screen in a typical computer role- playing game. Pictured here is the roguelike.
S. C. O. U. R. G. E.: Heroes of Lesser Renown.
Most of the actions in an RPG are performed indirectly, with the player selecting an action and the character performing it by their own accord.[3] Success at that action depends on the character's numeric attributes. Role- playing video games often simulate die- rolling mechanics from non- electronic role- playing games to determine success or failure. As a character's attributes improve, their chances of succeeding at a particular action will increase.[3]Many role- playing games allow players to play as an evil character. Although robbing and murdering indiscriminately may make it easier to get money, there are usually consequences in that other characters will become uncooperative or even hostile towards the player. Thus, these games allow players to make moral choices, but force players to live with the consequences of their actions.[3] Games often let the player control an entire party of characters.
However, if winning is contingent upon the survival of a single character, then that character effectively becomes the player's avatar.[3] An example of this would be in Baldur's Gate, where if the character created by the player dies, the game ends and a previous save needs to be loaded.[1. Although some single- player role- playing games give the player an avatar that is largely predefined for the sake of telling a specific story, many role- playing games make use of a character creation screen. This allows players to choose their character's sex, their race or species, and their character class. Although many of theses traits are cosmetic, there are functional aspects as well. Character classes will have different abilities and strengths. Common classes include fighters, spellcasters, thieves with stealth abilities, and clerics with healing abilities, or a mixed class, such as a fighter who can cast simple spells. Characters will also have a range of physical attributes such as dexterity and strength, which affect a player's performance in combat.
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- League of Angels LOA is a free MMORPG featuring intense combat and beautiful visuals, making it one of the best online games in its genre and ranked in the top 10 RPG.
- A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as role-playing game or RPG, and in the past was also known as computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game.
Action role- playing game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Action role- playing games (abbreviated action RPG, action/RPG, or ARPG) form a loosely defined subgenre of role- playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action- adventure games, emphasizing real- time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn- based or menu- based combat. These games often use combat systems similar to hack and slash or shooter games.[1]Early real- time elements[edit]Early dungeon- crawl video games used turn- based movement: if the party didn't move, neither did the enemies.[2]Dungeons of Daggorath, released for the TRS- 8. Color Computer in 1. The game lacked numerical statistics such as hit points or vitality, but instead used an arcade- like fatigue system where the heart pulsates to indicate the player's health,[4] a concept inspired by the 1. Space Invaders where a heartbeat- like sound gradually increases pace as enemies advance towards the player.[5]In 1. ASCII released the Sharp X1 computer game Bokosuka Wars,[6] considered an early example of an action RPG,[7][8] though it is also considered an early strategy RPG.[9] In Bokosuka Wars, each soldier was able to gain experience and level up through battle,[1.
Also in 1. 98. 3, Nihon Falcom released Panorama Toh (Panorama Island) for the PC- 8. It was developed by Yoshio Kiya, who would go on to create the Dragon Slayer and Brandish series of action RPGs. While its RPG elements were limited, lacking traditional statistical or leveling systems, the game featured real- time combat with a gun, bringing it close to the action RPG formula that Falcom would later be known for. The game's desert islandoverworld also featured a day- night cycle, non- player characters the player could attack or converse with, and the need to survive by finding and consuming rations to restore hit points lost with each normal action.[1. Classic action RPGs / hack & slash[edit]Early 1. While Western computer developers continued to explore the possibilities of real- time RPG gameplay to a limited extent,[1. Japanese developers, with their recently aroused interest in the RPG genre, created a new brand of action/RPG, combining the RPG genre with arcade- style action and action- adventure elements.[1.
This trend of combining RPG elements with arcade- style action mechanics was popularized by The Tower of Druaga,[1. Namco in June 1. 98. However, the company often considered the pioneer of the new action RPG genre is Nihon Falcom,[1] which produced the Dragon Slayer series and won its reputation as the progenitor of the action RPG genre.[1.
Dragon Slayer was created by Yoshio Kiya,[1. RPG elements of his previous game Panorama Toh,[1. The Tower of Druaga.[1. Falcom's Dragon Slayer series abandoned the command- based battles of previous RPGs in favour of real- time hack- and- slash combat that requires direct input from the player, alongside puzzle- solving elements.[1] The original Dragon Slayer,[1. PC- 8. 80. 1 computer in September 1. RPG.[1. 7][2. 0] In contrast to earlier turn- based roguelikes, Dragon Slayer was a dungeon crawl RPG that was entirely real- time with action- oriented combat,[2.
RPG mechanics found in traditional RPGs like Wizardry and Ultima.[1. Dragon Slayer also featured an in- game map to help with the dungeon- crawling, required item management due to the inventory being limited to one item at a time,[1.
The Legend of Zelda.[1. Dragon Slayer'soverhead action- RPG formula was used in many later games.[2. Both The Tower of Druaga and Dragon Slayer laid the foundations for future action role- playing games such as Hydlide and Ys as well as The Legend of Zelda.[1. Another early action RPG was Courageous Perseus,[2. Cosmos Computer for Japanese computers in the same month as Dragon Slayer.[2.
T& E Soft's Hydlide, released in December 1. The Tower of Druaga and possibly Dragon Slayer,[1. For example, Hydlide introduced the ability to switch between attack mode and defense mode, quick save and load options which can be done at any moment of the game through the use of passwords, and the introduction of a health regeneration mechanic where health and magic slowly regenerate when standing still.[2. Another influential early action RPG was Namco's 1.
Dragon Buster,[2. Vitality" in- game.[2.
It also introduced side- scrolling platform elements and a "world view" map similar to Super Mario Bros. Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu, released in 1. RPG with many character stats and a large quest,[2. RPGs.[1] It also incorporated a side- scrolling view during exploration and an overhead view during battle,[2.
The game also allowed the player to visit towns, which had training facilities that can improve statistics, and shops that sell items, equipment that change the player character's visible appearance, and food that is consumed slowly over time and is essential for keeping the player alive. It also introduced gameplay mechanics such as platform jumping, magic that can be used to attack enemies from a distance,[2. Karma morality system where the character's Karma meter will rise if he commits sin which in turn affects the temple's reaction to him,[2. It is also considered a "proto- Metroidvania" game,[3. RPG turned on its side" that allowed players to run, jump, collect, and explore.[3. The game gained immense popularity in Japan, setting records for PC game sales by selling more than 4.
Xanadu Scenario II, released the following year, was also an early example of an expansion pack.[2. The way the Dragon Slayer series reworked the entire game system of each installment is considered an influence on Final Fantasy, which would do the same for each of its installments.[3. According to Dragon Slayer creator Yoshio Kiya in a 1.
Dragon Slayer, "Wizardry and Ultima were the only two kinds of RPGs," and so he "wanted to make something new" with Dragon Slayer which "was like a bridge" to the "action RPG" genre and Xanadu took "those ideas to the next level," after which "more and more action RPGs were released" to the point that action RPGs became "one of the main genres of computer games." He also avoided random encounters because he "always thought there was something weird about randomized battles, fighting enemies you can't see, whether you want to or not."[3. Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness, released in 1. Justice, Normal, or Evil, which is affected by whether the player kills humans, good monsters, or evil monsters, leading to townsfolk ignoring players with an evil alignment, denying access to certain clues, dialogues, equipment, and training.
The game also introduced a time option, allowing the player to speed up or slow down the gameplay.[2. Magical Zoo's The Screamer, a 1. RPG released for the PC- 8.
Late 1. 98. 0s[edit]The Legend of Zelda (1. Nintendo, was an important influence on the action RPG genre.
The next two years, 1. RPG genre in Japan. An important influence on the genre was the 1. The Legend of Zelda, which had many features in common with RPGs and served as the template for future action RPGs.[3. In contrast to previous action RPGs such as Dragon Slayer and Hydlide which required the player to bump into enemies in order to attack them, The Legend of Zelda featured an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen.[1.
It was also an early example of open world, nonlinear gameplay, and introduced innovations like battery backup saving. These elements have been used in many action RPGs since.[4. The game was largely responsible for the surge of action- oriented RPGs released since the late 1. Japan as well as in America, where it was often cited as an influence on action- oriented computer RPGs.[4. When it was released in North America, Zelda was seen as a new kind of RPG with action- adventure elements, with Roe R. Adams (who worked on the Wizardry series) stating in 1.
CRPG."[4. 2]The Legend of Zelda series would continue to exert an influence on the transition of both console and computer RPGs from stat- heavy turn- based combat towards real- time action combat in the following decades.[4. Due to its similarities to action RPGs and its impact on the genre,[4. The Legend of Zelda should be considered an action RPG.[4.
The Legend of Zelda series was for a long time synonymous with action RPGs, but as the genre expanded to include more RPG mechanics, The Legend of Zelda games were eventually recategorized as action- adventure games.[1. The Tower of Druaga, The Return of Ishtar,[4. RPG[4. 7] to feature two- player cooperative gameplay,[4. Other 1. 98. 6 titles were Rygar and Deadly Towers, which were notable as some of the first Japanese console action RPGs to be released in North America, where they were well received for being a new kind of RPG that differed from both the console action- adventures (such as Castlevania, Trojan, and Wizards & Warriors) and American computer RPGs (such as Wizardry, Ultima, and Might & Magic) that American gamers were previously more familiar with at the time. Deadly Towers and Rygar were particularly notable for their permanent power- up mechanic, which at the time blurred the line between the power- ups used in action- adventures and the experience points used in RPGs.[1. In 1. 98. 7, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link implemented an RPG- esque system, including experience points and levels, with action game elements,[4.
RPG than other Zelda games.[5. Zelda II was also one of the first video games where non- player characters (NPCs) walked around and seemingly had their own agendas, giving the world a life of its own rather than being a simple stage for the story to unfold.[5. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest was an action RPG that combined the platform- action mechanics of the original Castlevania with the open world of an action- adventure and RPG mechanics such as experience points.[5.