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<blockquote data-quote="Mercurius" data-source="post: 8457694" data-attributes="member: 59082">Putting aside the character and story elements--which are the main, or at least most obvious, differences between the two--I'd like to mention two others, which for me are at the heart of why I tend to have little interest in board or video games, but great interest in roleplaying games.One, imagination. A board or video game is not an imaginative experience, or at least not nearly as much as an RPG. Two, and this is related to one, an RPG has no bounds on its possibilities, while a board or video game has limited--even if great in number (especially video games)--possible configurations. These two factors are related and interact together. In a way they can be illustrated by the idea of an old map with &quot;Terra Incognita.&quot; That is part of the fun of an RPG: What's off the map? That element simply doesn't exist in a board game, or at least only in a tiny way. It exists somewhat in a video game, but is still bound by simulation and algorithm.In a way it is like comparing the &quot;menu&quot; of world cuisine and what you can come up with in your own kitchen with access to any and all ingredients, with going to a local food cart or fast food joint. Even if it is a favorite and you like variation, you'll quickly exhaust the menu options. For some, that is fine - there is comfort in familiarity. But for me, I like to mix in Ethiopian, Indian, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Greek, etc et, and then even play with my own ideas and hybrid recipes.That said, I played a lot of Hero Quest one summer, I think back in 1993 or 94, and had a lot of fun. I remember enjoying it a lot more than other D&amp;D-based board games I've played, such as Dungeon (kind of fun, but simple) and Wrath of Ashardalon (terribly boring).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mercurius, post: 8457694, member: 59082"] Putting aside the character and story elements--which are the main, or at least most obvious, differences between the two--I'd like to mention two others, which for me are at the heart of why I tend to have little interest in board or video games, but great interest in roleplaying games. One, imagination. A board or video game is not an imaginative experience, or at least not nearly as much as an RPG. Two, and this is related to one, an RPG has no bounds on its possibilities, while a board or video game has limited--even if great in number (especially video games)--possible configurations. These two factors are related and interact together. In a way they can be illustrated by the idea of an old map with "Terra Incognita." That is part of the fun of an RPG: What's off the map? That element simply doesn't exist in a board game, or at least only in a tiny way. It exists somewhat in a video game, but is still bound by simulation and algorithm. In a way it is like comparing the "menu" of world cuisine and what you can come up with in your own kitchen with access to any and all ingredients, with going to a local food cart or fast food joint. Even if it is a favorite and you like variation, you'll quickly exhaust the menu options. For some, that is fine - there is comfort in familiarity. But for me, I like to mix in Ethiopian, Indian, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Greek, etc et, and then even play with my own ideas and hybrid recipes. That said, I played a lot of Hero Quest one summer, I think back in 1993 or 94, and had a lot of fun. I remember enjoying it a lot more than other D&D-based board games I've played, such as Dungeon (kind of fun, but simple) and Wrath of Ashardalon (terribly boring). [/QUOTE]

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