D&D is a Roleplaying Game
- Thread starter Bullgrit
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Shadowslayer
Explorer
Well, I always took it as a game where the player had full reign to decide on the actions of his character, rather than moving along a predetermined path like in Monopoly. Never really thought that it had anything to do with the theatrical definition of "playing a role"
I'm not knocking the role-players, I'm one and I enjoy that aspect of it, but t is my contention that great stories and "roleplaying" (as in talking in character, telling stories etc) are a byproduct of a good game, rather than the sole reason for it.
But every gamer has their own take on that.
I'm not knocking the role-players, I'm one and I enjoy that aspect of it, but t is my contention that great stories and "roleplaying" (as in talking in character, telling stories etc) are a byproduct of a good game, rather than the sole reason for it.
But every gamer has their own take on that.
Remathilis
Legend
Role-playing: Your pretending to be something your not.
Game: Your using some method or rule-structure in order to have a fun experience.
Role-Playing Game: Your pretending to be something your not using some method or rule-structure in order to have a fun experience.
Simple.
Game: Your using some method or rule-structure in order to have a fun experience.
Role-Playing Game: Your pretending to be something your not using some method or rule-structure in order to have a fun experience.
Simple.
DonTadow
First Post
Role playing in the hobby sense is when a player takes the control of a fictional character in a fictional world.
The role playing game is a game that provides objectives to players whom take on the role of characters in the world. The objectives are handled by acting out the character if possible or relying on the game's "mechanics". Mechanics are used to settle objectives in this world that the player can not logically do. It is acting in a sense, but nly the smallest simiplist sense.
The role playing game is a game that provides objectives to players whom take on the role of characters in the world. The objectives are handled by acting out the character if possible or relying on the game's "mechanics". Mechanics are used to settle objectives in this world that the player can not logically do. It is acting in a sense, but nly the smallest simiplist sense.
Shemeska
Adventurer
Collaborative Storytelling. That sums it up in two words.
A bit more, the following sums up my view on the ideal of an RPG. It will conflict greatly with some other people's views on the game. It doesn't make theirs' wrong (unless I rise to power as supreme overlord... muahahaha...) but this is how I view the purpose and focus of an RPG. This will upset some people, greatly, and it's perhaps lush with stereotypes, so be forewarned and please take no offense, or rather feel free to knock my view around a bit.
It's about character development, not 'but I can get an AoO because he's in this square'
It's about a slowly developing world and a plot in that world which doesn't revolve strictly around the PCs by default, but which they interact with and can influence, perhaps heavily influence. The PCs don't exist in a vacuum.
It's about living, growing personalities of characters you act out, not counting stats on a character sheet to munch them.
It's about exploring a world and developing a character and their place in that world and that context, not about killing things and taking their stuff.
It's a group of characters who have reason to work with one another for mutual, or at least compatable goals, not 'I have no idea who these people are or why I'm here working with them, but we're the PCs and we're the heroes so I'll do this anyways!'
It's about a sense of awe and wonder at a mutual creation between players and a DM, arbitrated by the DM and to a lesser extent the rules as written.
The moment the rules of the 'game' impinge upon creativity, the rules go out the window without a second thought. Rules lawyers are things that wither in sunlight and don't cast reflections. They're not even human.
Miniatures are for playing monopoly with, and for 8 year olds, and basement dwelling 50 year old manchilds to collect along with Yu-Gi Oh cards, etc.
Beer and Pretzels are for bars. Diet Code Red, espresso, and oreos are the true gamers feast.
A bit more, the following sums up my view on the ideal of an RPG. It will conflict greatly with some other people's views on the game. It doesn't make theirs' wrong (unless I rise to power as supreme overlord... muahahaha...) but this is how I view the purpose and focus of an RPG. This will upset some people, greatly, and it's perhaps lush with stereotypes, so be forewarned and please take no offense, or rather feel free to knock my view around a bit.
It's about character development, not 'but I can get an AoO because he's in this square'
It's about a slowly developing world and a plot in that world which doesn't revolve strictly around the PCs by default, but which they interact with and can influence, perhaps heavily influence. The PCs don't exist in a vacuum.
It's about living, growing personalities of characters you act out, not counting stats on a character sheet to munch them.
It's about exploring a world and developing a character and their place in that world and that context, not about killing things and taking their stuff.
It's a group of characters who have reason to work with one another for mutual, or at least compatable goals, not 'I have no idea who these people are or why I'm here working with them, but we're the PCs and we're the heroes so I'll do this anyways!'
It's about a sense of awe and wonder at a mutual creation between players and a DM, arbitrated by the DM and to a lesser extent the rules as written.
The moment the rules of the 'game' impinge upon creativity, the rules go out the window without a second thought. Rules lawyers are things that wither in sunlight and don't cast reflections. They're not even human.
Miniatures are for playing monopoly with, and for 8 year olds, and basement dwelling 50 year old manchilds to collect along with Yu-Gi Oh cards, etc.
Beer and Pretzels are for bars. Diet Code Red, espresso, and oreos are the true gamers feast.
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Shadowslayer
Explorer
I'd also mention that the definition of roleplaying seems to vary from game to game.
Many of the things that the previous poster said is not roleplaying, are in fact a very large part of the D&D game.
If roleplaying is not "but I can get an AoO because he's in this square", then obvously somebody buggered up when classifying D&D as a roleplaying game...because AoOs figure pretty prominently in the rules. In fact I find many pages devoted to AoOs and other such tactical considerations...but very little on playacting. Obviously if it were meant as being that large a part of the game, there would probably be more mention of it in the main book, no?
So who's right?
Maybe it could be said that the World of Darkness games buy into a different definition of roleplaying than does the D&D game? I'd be willing to bet that for every definition of roleplaying that gets coughed up here, there's probably an RPG that defies the definition.
Many of the things that the previous poster said is not roleplaying, are in fact a very large part of the D&D game.
If roleplaying is not "but I can get an AoO because he's in this square", then obvously somebody buggered up when classifying D&D as a roleplaying game...because AoOs figure pretty prominently in the rules. In fact I find many pages devoted to AoOs and other such tactical considerations...but very little on playacting. Obviously if it were meant as being that large a part of the game, there would probably be more mention of it in the main book, no?
So who's right?
Maybe it could be said that the World of Darkness games buy into a different definition of roleplaying than does the D&D game? I'd be willing to bet that for every definition of roleplaying that gets coughed up here, there's probably an RPG that defies the definition.
mhacdebhandia
Explorer
"Roleplaying" means playing a (usually singular) character in the context of a collaborative story.
"Game" is the (relatively) impartial means by which complications in the story are resolved.
The story may be entirely concerned with the challenges faced by the characters, in which case the "game" side will dominate play; it may be entirely concerned with the interactions between the well-drawn personalities of the characters, in which case the "roleplaying" side will dominate play. Usually the two are fairly well balanced against each other.
There are different types of stories that can be created through the interaction of the game and the role-playing, but ultimately I think a role-playing game is about what happens to the characters, which makes it a story even if the characters are zero-dimensional "Fighter McFighterson" and his friends.
"Game" is the (relatively) impartial means by which complications in the story are resolved.
The story may be entirely concerned with the challenges faced by the characters, in which case the "game" side will dominate play; it may be entirely concerned with the interactions between the well-drawn personalities of the characters, in which case the "roleplaying" side will dominate play. Usually the two are fairly well balanced against each other.
There are different types of stories that can be created through the interaction of the game and the role-playing, but ultimately I think a role-playing game is about what happens to the characters, which makes it a story even if the characters are zero-dimensional "Fighter McFighterson" and his friends.
mhacdebhandia
Explorer
Quoted for violent disagreement. Honestly, saying that roleplaying is always "pretending to be someone else" is like saying that roleplaying games are always D&D.
ThirdWizard
First Post
mhacdebhandia said:
In what context is roleplaying being (pretending to be?) one's self?
EDIT: Thought of one. Roleplaying a future interview.
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