Re: What is an RPG? (was Re: New mailing list)

From: madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)

Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

>>Go say that in the rec.frp.* hierarchy and see what it gets you...<<

You get genre nerds in every community.
Anybody with even the vaguest understanding of both the English language and/or
the history of the gaming hobby can see that Rob is right, roleplaying is a
very general term which can mean a lot and which no two players will precisely
agree on.

Example:-
You can ''roleplay'' Monopoly, but its not a roleplaying game.  Unless six of
you get together and PLAY IT as a roleplaying game, roleplaying characters
throughout and discussing all deals/purchases in character.  With a bit of work
it can become a roleplaying game (and its fun too, try it!)  ''But that's not
what the rules say'' cry the purists.  Well, if you want to be pedantic, AD&D
is seldom played by the rules either, but adding ''house rules'' doesn't stop
it being AD&D, so adding house rules to monopoly doesn't stop it being monopoly
either.

I'm being silly of course, but you see what I mean!  In response to this email
various 'know it alls' will probably attempt to state what is and isn't
roleplaying.  They can't really though.  Nobody owns the term.
Like I said, you get genre nerds in every community.  Everybody can have an
opinion on what roleplaying is, but none are any less valid than any other.  I
don't feel a wargame is an RPG, but I couldn't specifically say a wargame
producer was wrong if they claimed it.  Neither can the rec.frp guys, as much
as they wish they could.

Steve Tierney

References

Re: What is an RPG? (was Re: New mailing list)
silver+news@phoenyx.net (Karen J. Cravens)
Sun, 07 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000