What is a pen and paper RPG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What is a pen and paper RPG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jakal Ramaras
12-09-04, 04:49 AM i know what an RPG is but i am compiling research for a college project and i would like your definitions of what an RPG is and, with your permission, use it in my research.

Thank you
:help:
WizO_BigSister
12-09-04, 07:52 AM I think you will find these two links to summaries people have made in response to similar questions in the past extremely useful.

D&D Boards General FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=109287)

TROLLBILL’S UNOFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF COMMON D&D MESSAGE BOARD TERMINOLOGY (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=109235)
Ssussunriyh
12-09-04, 11:14 AM When describing it to someone who doesn't play RPGs, I equate it to improvisational acting. Like a drama club, except that there are no pre-written lines of dialog to rehearse, the script is more like a flow chart with numerous possibilities, and rolling dice determines the outcome of the fight scenes.
Faraer
12-09-04, 11:23 AM I would note that 'pen and paper RPG' is really not a good term. Paper and pencils are involved, but they're just a play aid -- talking is the focus. 'Tabletop RPG' is a better term, though of course a tabletop isn't necessary either.

To keep this Realms-relevant, I suggest you look through the interviews with Ed Greenwood linked to from here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=186519) to see how the creator the Realms views the medium of roleplaying games.
Charlemane
12-09-04, 11:47 PM There are 3 kinds of RPGs that I know of.

1. Pen & Paper RPGs
2. Video Game RPGs
3. MMORPGs

First the pen & paper RPGs are, of course, the original ones. D&D was developed around the mid-70s by an independent designer, and adopted by Milton Bradley after being shot down by many other game companies.This is what I heard from a friend in math class. After Wizards of the Coast established, I think sometime in the 80s, they bought out D&D and blew it into the game it is today.
Video Game RPGs were developed in the mid-80s on the SUPER old computers. This gaming genre later gave way to hit games such as Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, and Star Ocean.
MMORPGs are the last in the cronology of RPGs, this genre started as Everquest. Now, the big thing about these games are the fact that you can play, Role-Playing or not, with other people from around the globe. As freaky as it is, There are stories of people hooking up on these games.
wel that's all I can say about Role-Playing Games. If you have any questions, IM me.
Lashan
12-10-04, 07:01 AM You forgot Live Action Role Playing games (LARP). I think the term Pen & Paper RPGs came out when the other version of role playing games started to be developed. Before that, all RPG's were Pen & Paper RPGs.

Role PLaying GAme= A game or activity where people become the main characters in a story that is told by the Game Master. The players become the various characters in the story and have control over what they would do in given situations. The Game Master is the one to control the environment and usually develops the plot lines. A system of rules defines the physics and dice are added as random elements to control wether an action is possible, if it suceeds, or to end a conflict ("I punch him!" vs "No! I dodge out of the way!").
Charlemane
12-10-04, 07:24 AM Yeah, that is better said. Well done.
Fenalian
12-14-04, 08:50 PM I have been playing games for around 16 years now, and loved every minute of it. For those that do not play, you can see certain examples in modern movies and tv all the time.
Take the characters of the original Star Wars,
Luke would be a Magic User, or Psionist (someone who has the ability to manipulate things with his mind)
Han - would be a Rogue (think a thief, someone who relies mostly on his wits)
Chewbacca - would be like a fighter (someone who relies mainly on strength)
Leia - well, not too sure on that one. A little hard to describe, possibly, a NPC (non-player character. someone run by the DM.)
George Lucas - would be the DM (Dungeon Master, the one who sets the things up)

People, would just be ASSUMING the roles of the characters, Harrison Ford PLAYED Han Solo. Harrison Ford would be the Player, while Han Solo would be the Character. Just like when I played my thief Tanen, I was ASSUMING that character. When the game ended, you did not see me slinking around in the shadows, looking around like I was all paranoid on coke, no. George Lucas wrote, directed and did just about everything for Star Wars, the only difference between a movie director and a Dungeon Master is that the DM will only have a certain 'guidline' for what will happen. He can only 'guess' at will happen. The players will determine what they do and the DM will work around and with it.
So, if the DM has a plan to have a Bandit Lord by the name of Yahlar decide to attack a nearby town where the Players usually go to restock. When the players return to find the town ransacked, it is up to them to decide what to do. Generally the DM will leave clues to aid the players. So at this point the players have found some clues as to razed the town and are off to see why it was done, to avenge the townfolk, to free captives. The DM has not set in stone what actions the players will do. The DM can GUESS that players will eventually find the tunnel complex where he is staying in, but never guess that the players have decided to be sneaky about it and maybe polymorph (basically, change a being into something else, could be pretty much anything. So you could polymorph into a deer if you wanted to) one of them into a goblin to scout the camp and inside tunnels for them. The DM now has to sit back and think "UH-OH, I was not planning on this". So, now the DM has to 'wing it'.

I think it is a great way to get together and have fun.
Gadodel
12-14-04, 08:58 PM i know what an RPG is but i am compiling research for a college project and i would like your definitions of what an RPG is and, with your permission, use it in my research.

Thank you
:help:
What sort of college atmosphere exists where one doesn't know what an RPG is?

:confused:
Lashan
12-16-04, 03:12 PM You obviously haven't been to a frat party at Tappa Kegga.
WizO_BigSister
12-16-04, 03:37 PM OK this thread started out as not really relevant to the Forgotten Realms ... and sad to say it's drifted even further off topic.

Jakal Ramaras if you want more information than you will find at the links I gave you, you need to carry on this discussion where it belongs i.e. Dungeons & Dragons - D&D General (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=42)

Chaps and chapesses ... stop making fun of the newbies or I will be forced to wallop you all with THE INFAMOUS BIG STICK™ :eek:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jakal Ramaras 12-09-04, 04:49 AM	i know what an RPG is but i am compiling research for a college project and i would like your definitions of what an RPG is and, with your permission, use it in my research. Thank you :help:
WizO_BigSister 12-09-04, 07:52 AM	I think you will find these two links to summaries people have made in response to similar questions in the past extremely useful. D&D Boards General FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=109287) TROLLBILL’S UNOFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF COMMON D&D MESSAGE BOARD TERMINOLOGY (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=109235)
Ssussunriyh 12-09-04, 11:14 AM	When describing it to someone who doesn't play RPGs, I equate it to improvisational acting. Like a drama club, except that there are no pre-written lines of dialog to rehearse, the script is more like a flow chart with numerous possibilities, and rolling dice determines the outcome of the fight scenes.
Faraer 12-09-04, 11:23 AM	I would note that 'pen and paper RPG' is really not a good term. Paper and pencils are involved, but they're just a play aid -- talking is the focus. 'Tabletop RPG' is a better term, though of course a tabletop isn't necessary either. To keep this Realms-relevant, I suggest you look through the interviews with Ed Greenwood linked to from here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=186519) to see how the creator the Realms views the medium of roleplaying games.
Charlemane 12-09-04, 11:47 PM	There are 3 kinds of RPGs that I know of. 1. Pen & Paper RPGs 2. Video Game RPGs 3. MMORPGs First the pen & paper RPGs are, of course, the original ones. D&D was developed around the mid-70s by an independent designer, and adopted by Milton Bradley after being shot down by many other game companies.This is what I heard from a friend in math class. After Wizards of the Coast established, I think sometime in the 80s, they bought out D&D and blew it into the game it is today. Video Game RPGs were developed in the mid-80s on the SUPER old computers. This gaming genre later gave way to hit games such as Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, and Star Ocean. MMORPGs are the last in the cronology of RPGs, this genre started as Everquest. Now, the big thing about these games are the fact that you can play, Role-Playing or not, with other people from around the globe. As freaky as it is, There are stories of people hooking up on these games. wel that's all I can say about Role-Playing Games. If you have any questions, IM me.
Lashan 12-10-04, 07:01 AM	You forgot Live Action Role Playing games (LARP). I think the term Pen & Paper RPGs came out when the other version of role playing games started to be developed. Before that, all RPG's were Pen & Paper RPGs. Role PLaying GAme= A game or activity where people become the main characters in a story that is told by the Game Master. The players become the various characters in the story and have control over what they would do in given situations. The Game Master is the one to control the environment and usually develops the plot lines. A system of rules defines the physics and dice are added as random elements to control wether an action is possible, if it suceeds, or to end a conflict ("I punch him!" vs "No! I dodge out of the way!").
Charlemane 12-10-04, 07:24 AM	Yeah, that is better said. Well done.
Fenalian 12-14-04, 08:50 PM	I have been playing games for around 16 years now, and loved every minute of it. For those that do not play, you can see certain examples in modern movies and tv all the time. Take the characters of the original Star Wars, Luke would be a Magic User, or Psionist (someone who has the ability to manipulate things with his mind) Han - would be a Rogue (think a thief, someone who relies mostly on his wits) Chewbacca - would be like a fighter (someone who relies mainly on strength) Leia - well, not too sure on that one. A little hard to describe, possibly, a NPC (non-player character. someone run by the DM.) George Lucas - would be the DM (Dungeon Master, the one who sets the things up) People, would just be ASSUMING the roles of the characters, Harrison Ford PLAYED Han Solo. Harrison Ford would be the Player, while Han Solo would be the Character. Just like when I played my thief Tanen, I was ASSUMING that character. When the game ended, you did not see me slinking around in the shadows, looking around like I was all paranoid on coke, no. George Lucas wrote, directed and did just about everything for Star Wars, the only difference between a movie director and a Dungeon Master is that the DM will only have a certain 'guidline' for what will happen. He can only 'guess' at will happen. The players will determine what they do and the DM will work around and with it. So, if the DM has a plan to have a Bandit Lord by the name of Yahlar decide to attack a nearby town where the Players usually go to restock. When the players return to find the town ransacked, it is up to them to decide what to do. Generally the DM will leave clues to aid the players. So at this point the players have found some clues as to razed the town and are off to see why it was done, to avenge the townfolk, to free captives. The DM has not set in stone what actions the players will do. The DM can GUESS that players will eventually find the tunnel complex where he is staying in, but never guess that the players have decided to be sneaky about it and maybe polymorph (basically, change a being into something else, could be pretty much anything. So you could polymorph into a deer if you wanted to) one of them into a goblin to scout the camp and inside tunnels for them. The DM now has to sit back and think "UH-OH, I was not planning on this". So, now the DM has to 'wing it'. I think it is a great way to get together and have fun.
Gadodel 12-14-04, 08:58 PM	i know what an RPG is but i am compiling research for a college project and i would like your definitions of what an RPG is and, with your permission, use it in my research. Thank you :help: What sort of college atmosphere exists where one doesn't know what an RPG is? :confused:
Lashan 12-16-04, 03:12 PM	You obviously haven't been to a frat party at Tappa Kegga.
WizO_BigSister 12-16-04, 03:37 PM	OK this thread started out as not really relevant to the Forgotten Realms ... and sad to say it's drifted even further off topic. Jakal Ramaras if you want more information than you will find at the links I gave you, you need to carry on this discussion where it belongs i.e. Dungeons & Dragons - D&D General (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=42) Chaps and chapesses ... stop making fun of the newbies or I will be forced to wallop you all with THE INFAMOUS BIG STICK™ :eek: