The History of Computer RPGs

[News Reader]

The History of Computer RPGs
Gamasutra is running a series of articles about the history of CRPGs. The first piece covers the early years, from 1980 to 1983, and deals with with games like mainframe dnd, Wizardry, and Ultima. The follow-up, The Golden Years, touches on the gold box Dungeons and Dragons titles, as well as the Bard's Tale games. "The first Gold Box game is Pool of Radiance, a game which marked an important turning point in CRPG history. The game shipped in a distinctive gold-colored box (hence the nickname for the series), which sported artwork by celebrated fantasy illustrator Clyde Caldwell (Caldwell also designed the covers for Curse of the Azure Bonds and several other TSR-licensed games and books). It was initially available only on the Atari ST and Commodore 64 platforms, though soon ports were available for most major platforms, including the NES."




Author: Zonk
Category: rpg
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Source: Slashdot: Games
Description: News for nerds, stuff that matters

[FatherJack]

Not really a review, but an interesting read about the Computer "RPG" genre, particularly good is how they start out emphasing that the "obvious" link to tabletop RPGs isn't necessarily a correct one.

I've always liked CRPGs, but would never dream of playing a tabletop, board or card game.

[Joose]

particularly good is how they start out emphasing that the "obvious" link to tabletop RPGs isn't necessarily a correct one.

well, kinda. Im not sure I totally agree with them though. The first computer RPGs were very clearly based on the idea of trying to get as accurate a representation of the pen and paper RPG on to the computer as the technology at the time allowed. OK, so the first attempts (most famously games like nethack) were not all that much like pen and paper games, but as the technology improves, its getting closer.

In case you havent played a "proper" RPG before, and therefore dont really understand the difference: The biggest difference between tabletop RPG and computer RPG is that with a tabletop game, your character can do anything that he would be able to do were he real. If you want to hide under a table, or poke the goblin in the eyes, or try to magically shrink the hawt elf chicks underwear, then you can (as long as your DM doesnt get upset by the idea). You obviously havent got that flexability on a computer, as theres no way (currently) that programers can take into account every damn thing that you could think of. But all you have to do is look at the difference in what you could do in old RPG's (speak to man, stab man, steal his shit), and modern RPG's, like NWN2 (speak to man, verbally abuse man, try to get off with man, stab man, steal mans dog...) or, even better, Oblivion, which gives you a bunch of stuff happening in a big world, a bunch of physics tools, and tells you to get on with it, and you can see that each RPG that comes out is closer to tabletop games than the last.

I also totally disagree with the notion that computer RPG's are not like tabletop games because they are more like interactive stories is utter balls. In tabletop games, you make a character (under the restriction imposed on you by the game engine), and then take it through a story devised by the GM. The only difference I see there is that on the computer, the story is being run by a computer, not a DM. You still play through a story, whichever you are playing. An RPG without a storyline would be just painfully dull.

I've always liked CRPGs, but would never dream of playing a tabletop, board or card game.

just out of interest (and this really isnt a "omfg u r teh wankar" statement hidden as a question), why not? What is it that differentiates the two? I mean, card game and board games are quite different to computer RPG's, so thats fair enough, but why not "normal" RPG's?

[FatherJack]

just out of interest (and this really isnt a "omfg u r teh wankar" statement hidden as a question), why not? What is it that differentiates the two? I mean, card game and board games are quite different to computer RPG's, so thats fair enough, but why not "normal" RPG's?

Honestly, I'm not sure it's definable. I agree with your points on the similarities, and that newer games, particularly ones in the Oblivion mould, get closer to the tabletop model in that you can do almost anything.

However, I know what I like - and that's computer games. I will play almost anything, including card, board and strategy games - as long as they are computerised. It's not the type of game, as card and board games on computers are deliberately virtually indistinguishable from the their real-lfe counterparts, it's the media.

Perhaps I am just in love with the technology. Perhaps I lack imagination and need information represented on a screen before I can process it. Perhaps I just don't like people, or perhaps I know them too well and would rather communicate through smoke and mirrors where I cannot see the disgust plain on their face as they behold my hideous countenance. Or something.

I'm probably not being very clear, let me try an example.

Once, in WoW I was sitting in the tavern listening to what people were saying, when somebody started talking to me. In character.

I sort of nervously responded in kind, we had a bit of a chat - they were actually just begging for money, but I was so impressed by their spiel, that even though I could see it for what it was, I felt it deserving of a few coins. Immediately afterwards I thought "that was great!", and wondered why all clerics were not so polite.

Then, my blood ran cold. Because, you see, I'd been in character, too. Don't ask me why but it scared the shit out of me, at the thought that for a time, I wasn't me.

I suppose at this point, I'm beginning to sound a bit odd. You're looking at my avatar and wondering how on earth I can be freaked out pretending to be someone I'm not, when I do just that with every post. Rather than being a sandwich, a nice pork pie or maybe some Tesco value crisps short of the proverbial picnic, you're speculating as to whether or not I neglected to bring the picnic basket at all.

Skipping away from those thoughts, or the reasons for them, the truth is that the very thought of getting together with people in the real world and role-playing makes me feel hugely uncomfortable. Like being invited to a Betazoid wedding uncomfortable.

Why? Well, I don't honestly think playing them would make me lose my grip on reality. I don't really give a fuck what anyone thinks of me, so I'm not concerned about people laughing and pointing.

I don't know. I just get an alarm bell in my head when I think of it. Perhaps mother told me it was dirty and bad, perhaps I was bullied out of it at school, I can't remember.

So, for me, there's a big difference, even though I suck at explaining why that is.

[Dog Pants]

Obviously varies with the GM, but I can't see a computer game ever coming close to the open endedness of a tabletop game. They look nicer admittedly, but even with the AI in the world couldn't have the imagination of a good GM and therefore respond on the fly to the whims of the player. Which is a pity because I miss my tabletop games. Maybe that's why I don't get on with CRPGs - they're not really RPGs in my eyes because the closest you generally come to roleplaying is dialogue through pre-scripted options. More like one of those Fighting Fantasy books.

EDIT: Hadn't seen FJ's response before posting this. Maybe it's just a reluctance to slip too far into nerdery. I reckon that might explain my aversion to Sci-Fi and most of our reluctance to play WoW. It's self imposed, because let's face it nobody wants to be what they see as a stereotypical nerd even if we all joke about it.

[Joose]

thingsnstuff

Fair enough. I kinda know what you mean about things being different just because of something intrinsic to the media. I, for example, cant fucking stand football. It makes me want to hurt people, hard, in the face. but for some reason, I quite enjoy football games on the computer (proper ones, where you are actually playing. Not Championship Manager. Thats not a game, its a spreadsheet).

Maybe it's just a reluctance to slip too far into nerdery. I reckon that might explain my aversion to Sci-Fi and most of our reluctance to play Magical Gaaay Fairy Land. It's self imposed, because let's face it nobody wants to be what they see as a stereotypical nerd even if we all joke about it.

heh, I think there is no hope for me avoiding the nerdery. I caught myself yesterday making a maths joke in the in game chat system of Magic Online. I dont think it gets a whole lot worse than that.