A Rant About Stuff

Blame burnout, blame Disgaea, blame Lando. Just don't blame me.

Anyway, I'm getting a a bit ranty tonight, so bear with. Of course, one person's rant is another person's editorial...

Recently I was thinking about "RPGs" in the videogame sense. Most that are labelled such just aren't - you aren't playing a role, you're just engaging in RPG-style combat in order to kick the game story along and occasionally making a decision that rarely affects anything at all other than crunchy bits. You can't make Cloud decide to turn his back on the world - nor can your character in Diablo turn to a life of violent crime.

Really, what seems to be the common thread in most so-called RPG video games is that you gather stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Weapons, armor, food, magic, medicine, keys, etc. They could be more correctly termed "gathering games", because that's the main goal other than advancing a story (if any). In some games it may be a bit more abstract, worrying more about level increases and special abilities, but the general thread is the same. It could be said that one of the big advancements in may recent successful video game RPGs have taken to making items completely random, thusly making the gathering system much more robust that simply gathering geeps to buy a bigger sword / gun / kumquat than the last one you had.

Thusly, it could be said that an easy way to tell how "hack n' slash" a tabletop RPG by looking at the equipment list. D&D, Rifts, Cyberpunk 2020, Werewolf, etc., all have extensive equipment lists that deeply enhance a character's capabilities. It doesn't really matter whether or not the equipment is combat-based in and of itself... but most such lists are, or at least give you ways to gain power over your enemies and the environment.

A lot of talk is bantered about simulationist vs. abstract and the like in game theory, but I think a long list of equipment is a defining aspect of a game. While things like powers and other things that make characters more powerful obviously has a correlation with combat in a game, extra books and lists of equipment are really a clear indicator.

While there's nothing wrong with having a lot of equipment in a game, it's something to think about in game design. Is there a better way to reward characters than just boosting their capablities? And if so, what is it?