The CRPG:The Genre that Came from another Genre

orthe Joy of Systemization

The Genre of the CRPG

CRPG can be contrasted with RPG’s in there other main medium, the tabletop.

Richard Gariott, aka Lord British created one of the earliest examples of the genre in 1979

Many look towards Tolkien-esque worlds, but some are more adventurous (Planescape: Torment, Mass Effect, SW:KoToR)

CRPG’s “prioritize inductive and quantitative reasoning” leading to things like theorycrafting, and the like (6).

The Genre, Continued

Our authors claim that the genre is stacked on a numbers-based leveling system (7). Do you think this is the case?

Tactics and skill are key to this genre as well (397)

Sidenote: Does anyone use the term “Munchkin” anymore (10)?

What is a Crpg (does that term even make sense?)

The History

The Dark Age 74-79; no games known

Bronze Age: 79-83: Ends with Ultima and Wizardry

Golden Age: 85-93: Bard’s Tale, Pool of Radiance, etc

Platinum Age: Baldur’s Game, Planescape, Fallout, arcanum

Modern Age: Kotor, Neverwinter Nights

The Pyrite Age?: Dragon Age, Dragon Age 2, etc

Question: Gaming Systems

JRPG’s System (Yes, a huge stereotype)

Oblivion System

Baldur’s Gate System

Zelda System

Diablo System

Other systems...

MMORPGs: THe founders

Ultima Online

PKing

PLayer Ownership and World interaction

Everquest: Setting the bar for hardcore so high no one ever wants to go that high ever again (

Estate of Unrest: Trash

“Camping”

Risk versus reward

MMORPGs: Turbine Innvoation

Asheron’s Call: Changing Story in a persistent world (Turbine)

Allegiance System

new Stories

Asheron’s Call 2

World without NPCs

MMORPG: The Other Folks

DAOC: Dark Age of Camelot

City of heroes: Why don’t I have a cape?

Anarchy Online

Eve

Question: Thinking on Systems in MMOS

To what extent is an MMOrpg system’s Power connected to the model of its system?

Wow Model: Theory Crafting for eternity

Diablo model: Random Drops and Random drops

JPRG Model: Leveling up and Leveling UP

Other models

Question: Thinking on the RPG

What is the RPG?

What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses?

How do modern versions of the genre handle each and build on them?

How do they push the genre?

Is the genre conservative? Is this a good thing?