`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`SEARCH
`
`LOGIN
`
`GAME JOBS
`
`UPDATES
`
` BLOGS
`GO
`
` CONTRACTORS
`
` NEWSLETTER
`
` GAME CAREER GUIDE
`
`SEARCH
`
` GO
`
`ALL
`
`CONSOLE/PC
`
`SMARTPHONE/TABLET
`
`INDEPENDENT
`
`VR/AR
`
`SOCIAL/ONLINE
`
`Member Login
`Email:
`
`Password:
`
`Login
`Forgot Password? Sign Up
`
`Blogs
`What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`by Robert Corrina on 03/11/09 01:49:00 am
`
`5 comments
`
`Share
`
`The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community.
`The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.
`
`What is a Role Playing Game
`
`By Robert Corrina
`
`Edited by Zach Mandeville
`
`What is a Role Playing Game? The purpose of this essay is to examine the history, identify the contents, and
`project the future of the RPG.
`
`To qualify the following essay, it should be stressed that my motivation for writing this essay is, or was, quite
`pure. It was originally intended for my own use and perhaps the edification of members of my club. The
`motivation for posting this essay on various forums, on the other hand, is strictly mercenary. Indeed, this
`essay is posted with every hope that it will gain attention, the kind of attention that leads to career
`advancement.
`
`The fact that this method of posting essays is not one of the preagreed upon avenues to success is quite
`apparent. However, if you wish to utilize your response or lack of response to make this even more apparent I
`can only thank you in advance.
`
`As with any essay some of the topics, examples and criteria mentioned in the following paragraphs could
`easily be expanded. My goal will be to explain any one concept just enough to be clearly understood. Some
`topics may be written up as an interrelated series of essays in the near future.
`
`For many years I have harbored an ambition to design a game, specifically, a computerized role playing game.
`Understanding what a role playing game was seemed to be a vital and fundamental step in the design
`process. Thusly I have spent the last eleven years (part time) identifying and defining the components of the
`RPG.
`
`History
`
`While one may, quite accurately, point to HP Lovecraft, Greek mythology and certain Japanese game
`designers as strongly influential in the creation of role playing games. It is actually widely accepted that the
`RPG (pen and paper) began as a fan response to the popularity of the unauthorized U.S. release of “The Lord
`of the Rings”. All this is exoteric, so let’s jump ahead to the first videogames. There were many worthwhile
`efforts on the Amiga. These largely began with group, or party, character creation then turned to a largely text
`based modes and systems. The Ultima series was perhaps the first to offer full graphical explore mode and
`battle mode. Newtopia Planning (Nihon) later recreated, reworked and refined “Ultima 3: Exodus” for the 8-bit
`Nintendo. The commercial success of this release called for several production runs and the first ever U.S.
`advertising campaign for a computerized role playing game to include television commercials.
`
`Thus far the history section has covered from 1950 to 1990. Sorry to leave off in 1990 but, for the purposes of
`this essay, the release and success of Exodus is the dividing line between the past and present of the RPG.
`
`PROGRAMMING
`
`ART
`
`AUDIO
`
`DESIGN
`
`PRODUCTION
`
`BIZ/MARKETING
`
`Latest Jobs
`View All RSS
`
`July 31, 2020
`
`Plarium Michigan Studio
`LP
`UX Designer
`
`Airship Syndicate
`Senior VFX Artist
`
`Airship Syndicate
`Mid to Senior
`Worldbuilder - Unreal
`Engine
`
`Disbelief
`Senior Technical Artist
`
`innogames
`UI/UX Designer
`
`Velan Studios
`UX Designer
`
`Latest Blogs
`View All Post RSS
`
`July 31, 2020
`
`Systemic Racism in
`Idealized Fiction [1]
`
`Has your game got
`'juice'? (& more!)
`
`The Morality of Being
`The Bad Guy in
`Videogames [1]
`
`Exploring the AI of
`Command & Conquer
`[1]
`
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`1/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 1
`
`
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`Consider the access of the 1988 audience to video games. Access to the arcade required timing, money and
`possibly transportation. The arcade did not offer RPGs. The Atari offered a home version of a literally retarded
`arcade experience. The RPG lived only on the personal computer. The gaming audience did not have direct or
`full time access to a personal computer. At the time personal computers were considered to be neither for
`communication nor word processing nor even gaming but for ‘work’.
`
`The 8-bit Nintendo was a dedicated gaming machine. On this machine, the audience found, were not only
`arcade games but also ‘computer games’. With the release of Exodus, possibly the first RPG release free of
`fatal bugs, on the NES the audience had direct and full time access for the first time.
`
`To underline this crucial history: Tolkien, totally unsatisfied with the King Arthur legend becomes obsessed
`and decides he must invent a neo-mythology himself. Eventually, “LotR”, after a modest UK release, is seized
`upon by publishing pirates and transformed into a torrential downpour of misprinted paperbacks. These
`paperbacks are widely popular and a huge commercial success. American fans wishing to reexperience “LotR”
`create a new gaming concept, the pen and paper RPG. American garage programmers inspired by all of the
`above begin to design and program RPGs for the new personal computers. The prevalence of the 8-bit
`entertainment system allows some of these computer games to be ported from the PC audience to a wider
`array of gamers.
`
`Definition of Terms
`
`‘System’ n. For the purpose of this essay a system is a game feature.
`
`‘Mode’ n. For the purpose of this essay a mode is a system in which the player spends the majority of their
`game hours. The rules and objectives of a mode often change at least once in a game.
`
`RPG n. An acronym which stands for Role Playing Game. For the purpose of this essay an RPG is a symbiotic
` collection of ‘systems’.
`
`For the purpose of this essay an RPG is a video game played on a computer or other electronic device.
`
`Minigame n. When a symbiotic system is not meaningfully integrated into the RPG it is considered a
`minigame. Therefore a minigame is an independent non-integrated system.
`
`Grind v. When a player deliberately triggers winnable encounters in hopes of gaining enough points to
`ameliorate the difficulty of future challenging battles.
`
`Grind n. The amount of repetitive activity the developer expects from the players.
`
`‘RPG elements’ n. A tag applied to games. Usually indicating that a character customization system has been
`grafted onto some other game
`
`type.
`
`Biofeedback n. For the purpose of this essay biofeedback is used loosely to describe the enjoyment that
`players, who obtain alpha state (This is the state of brain activity characterized by waves ranging from
`8 to 13 cycles per second. Resembling a light trance, it is the condition one experiences during
`meditation.), derive from simple stimulus (input) response (output).
`
`RPG as Gestalt
`
`This essay proposes that the RPG, like the human animal, is a symbiotic collective.
`
`The possible systems of the symbiote being: Inventory management, story, explore mode, battle mode,
`character creation and customization, the save game system and the multiplayer system. Through integration
`the RPG becomes greater then the sum of its parts. Still, as a beginning, one must understand what each
`system is and why it is essential to the larger symbiote.
`
`Inventory Management is quite old, dating back to pen and paper character sheets. With the advent of the
`computerized RPG concept of key items (correspond to a specific obstacle) was added to upgraded weapons
`and armor items. Inventory management, while desirable, is actually a strange little puzzle game unto itself.
`Where it touches on the character customization feature this system of the symbiote becomes more
`integrated.
`
`The puzzle of sets is an attempt by the player to complete a matching set. The player is motivated by personal
`satisfaction or, more rarely, a bonus or key.
`
`The puzzle of completion is the compulsive journey to collect every single item in the game, regardless of the
`items utility, worth or prestige.
`
`The puzzle of optimization is the players logistical attempt to acquire and equip only the most powerful (and,
`due to the internet, popular) items for maximum utility in other game modes.
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Historians play Ghost of
`Tsushima
`
`Press Releases
`July 31, 2020
`
`Games Press
`
`Road Rage Royal
`e: First major update...
`
`Road Rage Royale mise
`
`à j
`
`our majeure
`disponible...
`
`THE DAY OF THE
`NECRONATOR
`IS HERE! THE FULL
`GAME...
`
`KILL IT WITH FIRE’S
`LAUNCH DATE WILL BE
`AN...
`
`//HEX Out Today on
`Steam
`Bank hacking simulator
`
`View All RSS
`
`About
`Editor-In-Chief:
`Kris Graft
`
`Editor:
`Alex Wawro
`
`News Editor:
`Alissa McAloon
`
`Contributors:
`Chris Kerr
`Bryant Francis
`Katherine Cross
`
`Contact Gamasutra
`
`Report a Problem
`
`Submit News
`
`Comment Guidelines
`
`Blogging Guidelines
`
`How We Work
`
`Download Media Kit
`
`Gama Network
`If you enjoy reading this site,
`you might also want to check
`out these UBM Tech sites:
`
`Game Career Guide
`
`Indie Games
`
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`2/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 2
`
`
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`Inventory management is a system unto itself (distinguishable from the character creation and customization
`system) and necessary to the RPG because of greed. Greed is one of the primary psychological motivators of
`the RPG player. “Diablo 2” (Blizzard North, PC and Mac, 2001), although not an RPG, utilized greed beyond
`what had previously been imagined. In “Diablo” there were items of varying rarity that might be dropped upon
`the defeat of any monster. Also there were items with slots meant for yet more items. Yes, even the items had
`items.
`
`Now a single system has been covered but what is an RPG? Do the gamers and designers who champion a
`specific RPG as a ‘real’ RPG have a basis for their rubric?
`
`An RPG is a collection of symbiotic systems. With this in mind, perhaps all interested parties can agree that
`entertainment value alone cannot qualify a game as an RPG. Thus a new rubric could be established. This
`new perspective could be based on how effective the symbiote is and on how many robust and integrated
`systems the symbiote contains.
`
`Before listing further examples of agreeable and effective systems from game history the viability of a
`symbiote or gestalt should be established. For a game to be viable it must function for the gamer. If there is a
`serious underlying problem in the game programming, hardware and or interface which destroys stability and
`usability then it is disqualified.
`
`The story system of a game is simply a fictional novel or an anime that unfolds piece by piece every time the
`player completes a set of tasks. To discuss the story system one must first admit that all games have a story.
`There is an expectation among players that if a game is labeled an RPG it will have a robust story system.
`Conversely, players and industry observers expect a game with a strong story system to be an RPG. Unlike
`inventory management (a minigame that got promoted) the story system was the first true system.
`
`“Time Hollow” for the (Tenky and Konami, DS, 2008) is almost entirely composed of story. I have chosen
`“Time Hollow” as an example to illustrate the confusion of gamers in distinguishing between the story system
`and the RPG.
`
`“Time Hollow” is essentially a descendent of “Myst” or what is sometimes labeled “a point and click
`adventure”. In other words, this is a game in which the player clicks on a limited and reoccurring series of
`background images in order to see the next part of the story. Unfortunately there are inevitable sticking
`points where the player cannot discern the series in which the objects are supposed to be clicked.
`
`Within the parameters of this essay “Time Hollow” is basically a one system organism. (There is a little bit of a
`‘find the cat’ minigame which does not qualify as an explore system.) The game is an extremely linear story. Is
`this an RPG?
`
`Certainly, the story is compelling and contains up to date sci-fi themes and sensibilities. Certainly the game
`is worthwhile as entertainment to the player. It is and well executed and educational for the game designer.
`
`Because of its merits one is sorely tempted to grant this one+ system game RPG status. But is RPG status
`some sort of generic prize or ribbon? No. The RPG is not a prize it is a genre, a definable genre. “Time Hollow”
`is not an RPG nor does it even contain ‘RPG elements’.
`
`However, if a symbiote is admirable enough can its systems be dissembled and grafted seamlessly into a new
`symbiote?
`
`Whereas the story system provides motivation through plot devices, exploration provides the freedom to
`investigate the setting or game world. Here the designer decides who and what the player can interact with.
`The explore mode is an endangered species. It is the most subtle system and its value to the player is
`complex. The best way to understand explore mode is to look at “Pokemon”. Traditionally (and in the current
`release) the game begins with the character in his room. One of the players’ choices (and likely the players’
`first impulse) is to leave the room and begin the adventure. There is a second choice, to search the room. In
`the search one finds a text prompt “Your wii is hooked up to the television” and a dismissal “the TV is off”.
`The main purpose of these is to validate the searchability of the room and the game. Within the storage
`capacity of the device in the characters room is the explore reward, a potion. This reward has the potential to
`alter the mindset of the player
`
`“I knew to act with patience and tenacity”
`
`“I have played RPGs before and have become wise in their lore”, etc.
`
`Further it establishes early trust between player and designer. The player suspected there was a reward and
`the designer was thoughtful enough to anticipate this suspicion.
`
`The battle system is the game within the game. It is also the primary interaction that the explore mode
`delivers. The possible battle systems available to the RPG overlap entirely with the battle system available to
`any game. The problem is that it is generally considered unwise to be a pioneer. In other words it is advisable
`to use only battle systems whose RPG integration has been perfected. The chess like battle system and the
`menu driven battle system qualify. A menu driven/3D platformer hybrid battle system has been tried many
`times; I would not describe it as perfected. The choice the designer must make in regards to the battle system
`is what kind of control is most exciting for the player to have.
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`3/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 3
`
`
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`A character creation and customization system is a method by which the player makes choices about the
`characters stat bonuses and appearance. This system is widely considered to be the ‘Role’ in ‘Role Playing
`Game’. To prepare for the battle system the player optimizes and grinds. Grinding is generally rewarded with
`optimization ‘points’ which are the currency of the character customization system. But, instead of delving
`directly into the delightful minutia of the character creation system let us look at the ways in which a player
`attains a character. Consider the controversial “Final Fantasy Tactics” (Square Soft, PS, 1997). An anathema
`to some and nostalgic gold to others this contribution to the RPG is that it contained no less than four ways
`to acquire a character. There were pregenerated or story characters. There were player generated characters,
`which were presented in the game as mercenaries. There was a monster recruitment option by which non-
`human enemies could be persuaded to join the team. And there was a sort of monster breeding side effect
`which was triggered randomly. Some of the monsters had utility or unusual properties that differentiated
`them from the other ally types. The chocobos could be used as mounts (a character would mount and
`assume the monsters movement and jump points). The fire monsters would heal rather than take damage
`from a magic fire attack. It is easy to see that “FFT” including a remarkably robust character creation system.
`
`The save system is a file which allows the game to be initialized at a point other then the default point. This
`file is created by the designer as part of the play experience thus the save system is not considered cheating.
`The minutia of character creation needs to be reflected in the save game system. The save game system
`encapsulates the designers philosophy and understanding of psychological appeal. Furthermore the designer
`must prioritize which parts of her design necessitate tracking from one gaming session to the next.
`
`Ask any sports video game fan about the importance of tracking statistics and the importance of designer
`priorities as they relate to regard for the players will become clear. Finally, the designer must decide what
`information is integral to the game but also hidden from the player.
`
`The Multiplayer System is game designed with multiple inputs so that more then one player can participate
`in the game simultaneously. There are two distinct types. The first type involves a cooperative mode. The
`second involves a competitive battle mode. Same site multiplayer systems refer to games played as a group
`in a gaming venue or in one of the players’ homes. The advantage to the designer in this situation is that a
`group tends to assume the highest enjoyment level of any individual in their group. In other words they gain
`the best suspension of disbelief. To enjoy any entertainment one must suspend ones own disbelief.
`
`To understand the use and abuse, the power and the providence, of the site to site multiplayer system one
`must remember two facts: Firstly, the system is the newest and the youngest system, the metaphorical baby
`of the RPG family. Secondly, the system, or more accurately, the technology backing the system has not
`always functioned properly or reliably. The internet, wireless technology, the networking ability of operating
`systems themselves did not function circa 1995. A few short years later the system and the underlying
`technology began working nearly perfectly and remains to this day (2009) a monument to human ingenuity
`and determination. At the absolute vanguard of the success and reliability of this system was blizzard
`entertainment. One must remember that, before blizzard, any game company claiming to offer site to site
`multiplayer capability had been lying. Regardless, gamers returned again and again with dollars in their
`hands. They were more and more skeptical, bracing themselves for disappointment each time.
`
`So, upon their arrival, it seemed that Blizzard had made the impossible possible. A disc from Blizzard meant
`that everything was going to work. It was the literal panacea, the puss in boots, of desktop computer gaming.
`No longer did the gamer have to be some sort of MacGyver to have any hope a multiplayer experience. No
`wonder that a celebratory attitude prevailed among the gaming audience. One can only hope that the
`individual specialists who perfected these technologies shared in the companies eventual and well deserved
`success.
`
`Human achievement tends to involve taking one step forward and two steps backward, so it was with the site
`to site multiplayer system. The enthusiasm for the new multiplayer system and the concurrent rise of 3D
`came at the expense of all other systems, integration and design.
`
`The Future
`
`If you are looking for what is wrong with a game simply discover what cheaters are doing to change the
`experience. This section will begin by covering cheating in a single player context. Fundamentally the cheater
`disputes the designers implementation of the explore system and/or the save system. The most
`understandable dispute is a consequence of the designers not including an explore or save system at all. In
`this case cheating becomes a surrogate system. Consider such a game; assume it contains a ‘lightning power
`up’ which is located at the midpoint of the game. The player has played to this midpoint and gained the
`power up but then had to shut the game off for some reason. Through cheating the player can cause the
`game to initialize in such a way that he has the ‘lightning power up’ at the beginning. Notice that the player
`now has the power up from the starting point, something the designer never intended. The player becomes
`curious and wishes to compare this enhanced experience with the standard game experience. He begins to
`experiment, the process of discovery is engaged and a rudimentary explore system is born.
`
`A more complex dispute between cheater and designer occurs when an explore system is included but the
`cheater has deemed it banal fare. Further, if the cheater is highly technical and the cheating method is
`undeveloped or underdeveloped then he may seize the opportunity to explore the very code of the game and
`plumb its secrets. This process may include reading strange arcane languages, sifting thorough vast ‘data
`dumps’ for the proverbial needle in a haystack and employing (or even creating) applications to assist him in
`
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`4/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 4
`
`
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`these tasks. Phase two involves trial and error, input and output, all to determine what type and amount of
`cheater code the game immune system will accept. Phase three includes actually employing the forbidden
`powers in the game and spreading the newly discovered dark magic to other cheaters via the internet.
`
`…
`
`To create a truly rich RPG experience one must constantly reexamine the promise and disappointments of
`pen and paper. The weaknesses of the pen and paper RPG are deep and many. I think the following quote
`from the preface of “D&D Players Companion: Book One” (1984) encapsulates these problems nicely:
`
` The original ideas were both simple and complex. They were simple, giving the briefest
`instructions for various new concepts, but complex in their implications…. Lacking time,
`space, and experience with the new game system, the designers left much for future
`development – and their future has now become our present.
`
`Every pen and paper RPG begins with either this admission of unplayabilty or a promise that all the readers
`wildest dreams are about to come true. They then proceed to deliver more of the same. At the end of the day
`customers are and were paying for permission to engage in pretend time. Here is the great negative of the pen
`and paper RPG. And yet, what a tantalizing problem this negative is for an enlightened game designer to
`solve.
`
`For the positives, the first is obvious, the invention of the character creation and customization system.
`Randomly creating characters is pure fun and a game unto itself. Any time a designer combines gambling
`with creative user input it is easy to score points. The second positive, has gone unrecognized by most game
`designers. The RPG architecture implies a game that does not have to end.
`
`…
`
`Anyone can create a robust system but all endeavors are for nothing if the system is not integrated. Sadly,
`the afore mentioned character creation system of “Final Fantasy Tactics” is a prime example of poor system
`integration. The character generation system was at odds with the battle system, the save system and the
`story system. The lack of integration caused a destructive chain reaction and any positive effects gained from
`including a robust system were lost. Specifically, the player was offered four ways to acquire characters and,
`predictably, began a process of accumulating all four types. To accommodate this influx the save system
`should have supported a vast amount slots in its character roster but the designers allowed for only 32 slots.
`There were almost that many story characters and so the player soon found himself forced to dismiss
`characters he had spent a great deal of time, thought and grind acquiring. There seemed to be some cruel
`recognition of this dichotomy in the pitiful pleas of the dismissed characters asking if they had done
`something wrong. But there was no hope, the story characters continued to be foisted onto the player and
`were undeletable. Similarly the battle system allowed only from three to six characters to be deployed in a
`battle. Any monster (including a chocobo mount) would be counted towards one of these slots. Because the
`monsters were vastly weaker then the other types of characters their availability in the game broke the
`illusion of choice.
`
`Thoughtful refinement and improved integration were needed but never implemented in any future release of
`“FFT” nor in any other title. Therein lays great opportunity for the future designer.
`
`…
`
`Limitation and risk are great friends to both game design and narrative. For example the characters inventory
`should be limited. Thus gaining an item slot or a storage container is enabled as a medium reward. Further
`the storage container could begin as a risk as well as a privilege. So there is a chance for the storage to be
`robbed by an npc. If the designer stops here it is a sign of amateurish understanding of limitation and risk,
`this will be interpreted as senseless player abuse, which it is. To complete the thought the designer must add
`hooks to this incident. It must be possible for the player to track down the random burglar and even regain
`his items. Once the player pursues these events there is every reason to catch the player with a subplot hook
`or even a plot hook. The point is that limitation and risk lead to incident and to the egalitarian designer
`incident is an illusion used to draw the player into the game world.
`
`I propose that stringent limitations should govern game narrative. To play a role the role has to be defined.
`The virtual risk that the player is willing to endure can be matched to this limited narrative. This narrative
`formula is complex and I will provide an essay on the subject.
`
`…
`
`It is vitally important for the design to contain an availability of viable strategies or multiple and customizable
`strategies for battle system success. If these paths were properly implemented the designer could arouse the
`players’ suspicions that the character creation and customization system includes these strategic
`possibilities. Then the player can pursue these possibilities as part of the games process of discovery.
` Ultimately, as an extension of customization, the battle system would be perennially fascinating instead of a
`potential for player burn out.
`
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`5/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 5
`
`
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`Tic-Tac-Toe is a game with only one path to victory. Although it offers 5 million permutations, chess is also a
`game with only one path to victory. There is almost no difference between these two games. Except this one
`difference, the easily mystified human brain tells us that these two games are completely dissimilar. This
`trick of the mind is the illusion of choice that the enlightened designer must seize upon.
`
`When a player sits at a chess board he eagerly anticipates: taking control of the center, robbing his opponent
`of material, taking advantage of his opponents’ mistakes, checking the enemy king in an attempt to cause
`panic, promoting his pawns and finally keeping all his pieces protected in a web of his own design etc. To
`oversimplify matters, and at the danger of being taken literally, all the designer need do is offer three of the
`above six choices, a limited subset of chess, to the player as strategic options of the games’ battle system. Of
`course, to keep the design subtle, the player should unknowingly make these choices under the guise of other
`choices. Again, for the sake of simplicity, he could be choosing the first when he chooses his character, the
`second when he chooses an ally and the third could be tied to some narrative choice.
`
`For example, the player has his first character but he is interested in gaining board control. The player
`notices that among the possible allies is a giant. Guided by his intuition and backed up by his experiences in
`the game the player believes that the giant will take up multiple squares on the chess board. The player
`recruits the giant and gets into a battle to test his theory. The giant does indeed take up multiple squares and
`acts as an obstacle to the enemy pieces movement. All that remains is for the player to refine, perfect, expand
`or even change his strategy.
`
`There are two caveats to employing multiple and customizable strategies for battle system success. The first
`is that the subtle choices must match up thematically with the strategic options they represent (the giant
`takes up space). To do otherwise would be repugnant and defeat the entire purpose of a character generation
`and customization system. The second caveat is that, while maintaining the concept of unequal forces and
`rejecting the misguided notion that the designers job is to make things ‘fair’, no combination of three choices
`above should result in useless garbage.
`
`This is a hypothetical example of how to employ, innovate and integrate one of the most familiar RPG battle
`systems. To answer the question from a previous section, yes, this essay proposes that all the finest systems
`from game history can be utilized in this way.
`
`…
`
`Unlike TV, movies, comics and works of fiction the suspension of disbelief for the gaming audience becomes
`more difficult to maintain with each game release (successful or unsuccessful) and with each passing year.
`Luckily the solution to this problem is manifest. The RPG should be reinstated as a genre and imbued with
`the level of craftsmanship which all audiences demand. Designers should learn from and use the world of
`cheating and piracy to the fullest advantage. Games should be created, in both complexity and content, for
`adults. The players bear part of this burden and so they must give up denying that their knowledge and
`imagination are equal to the designers.
`
`Related Jobs
`
`Plarium Michigan
`Studio LP — San
`Mateo, California,
`United States
`[07.31.20]
`UX Designer
`
`Airship Syndicate —
`Austin, Texas, United
`States
`[07.28.20]
`Senior VFX Artist
`
`Airship Syndicate —
`Austin, Texas, United
`States
`[07.28.20]
`Mid to Senior
`Worldbuilder - Unreal
`Engine
`
`Disbelief — Chicago,
`Illinois, United
`States
`[07.27.20]
`Senior Technical Artist
`
`[View All Jobs]
`
`Sponsored Content
`How to Get a Job In Games During a Pandemic
`AI Programmer Firas Hosn and Career Specialist Maxine Schnepf discuss what's
`changed in the game industry and how to stand out in today's job market
`Brought to you by CG Spectrum
`
`Comments
`https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RobertCorrina/20090311/83491/What_is_a_Role_Playing_Game.php
`
`6/9
`
`Supercell
`Exhibit 1009
`Page 6
`
`
`
`7/31/2020
`
`Gamasutra: Robert Corrina's Blog - What is a Role Playing Game?
`
`Bart Stewart
`
`11 Mar 2009 at 9:41 am PST
`
`Some very interesting ideas here. I look forward to seeing the individual sections expanded.
`
`In the meantime, I'd like to suggest a couple of thoughts for this current essay:
`
`1. In a piece of this length, it's helpful to include a "Conclusion" section that briefly and
`clearly answers the question posed by the essay's title.
`
`2. After reading through this essay, I was surprised that roleplaying was never described in
`terms of actively "playing a character in an invented world." Some of the system-elements of
`games commonly considered to be RPGs were mentioned and discussed, and that's
`appropriate. But what about understanding what "playing an RPG" means from the
`perspective of the player?
`
`What, for example, is a "role?" Is it a generic function, like a fighter or a thief, with clearly
`delineated gameplay? (Numerous younger gamers, whose only experience of RPGs is playing
`one online computer game such as World of Warcraft, have insisted to me that this is the
`only valid definition.) Or should "role" be understood in its dramatic sense, where an actor
`who takes on a role pretends to be a specific individual character with a unique personality
`and history? When we talk about des