Role-Playing Games

Computer role-playing games (CRPGs or more commonly, RPGs) are a genre of game that places the player in a fantasy or science fiction setting, driving the gameplay via a prominent storyline. Players must move through the world, completing quests and fighting enemies in exchange for experience and money.

This genre evolved from traditional role-playing games played with pencil and paper (for example, Dungeons and Dragons), with the computer handling all the record keeping and nondeterministic elements such as dice rolling. In the original games, gameplay was usually turn-based, in which the play stopped whilst the player selected the actions they wanted to carry out. Most modern games now involve real-time play and combat.

Character Classes

In most cases, the player takes the role of a particular type of adventurer who specialises in a certain set of skills, such as fighting, spell casting or thieving. These various types of adventurer are known as 'classes' and may include:

• Warrior (combat-based abilities, but little magic)
• Rogue (with stealth- and socialisation-based abilities)
• Mage (physically weak but with powerful magical abilities)
• Cleric (minor combat abilities along with healing and supportive magical abilities)
• Paladin (a cross between the warrior and cleric)
• Bard (a cross between the mage and the rogue)

Although most RPGs follow these general classes, variations exist; for example, in City of Heroes, players may choose their superhero character to be a:

• Blaster (specialising in long range attacks)
• Controller (specialising in controlling enemies)
• Defender (specialising in weakening enemies and healing team-mates)
• Scrapper (specialising in fighting enemies up-close)
• Tanker (specialising in absorbing enemy damage)

Although most RPGs allow players to create their own characters, some (particularly Japanese RPGs) require the player to take control of an existing character, only enabling them to define limited aspects (for example, Final Fantasy).

Games publisher Square was near bankruptcy during the development of the game "Final Fantasy", which was so-named as it was believed that if it flopped, it would be their final game.

Gameplay

Once the player has control of the character, they may move through the world, picking up quests or tasks that can award them with items or money and will help them to develop and advance their character. As the player completes tasks and fights enemies, they gain experience points that enable the character to develop, improving their stats (e.g. their strength or their wisdom) and giving them access to more powerful abilities. The completion (or failure) of tasks may sometimes change the story arc available to the player.

Notable entries in the role-playing genre include series such as Baldur's Gate, Ultima, Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls, Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Quest.

Online RPGs

Role playing games are also the most popular ...