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Pen & Paper v.s. video game RPGs

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42:
So I've been having a discussion with one of my hologram friends about the difference between pen and paper RPGs and video Game RPGs.

One of the things I notice, is that in pen and paper you have more freedom from the rules of the game. This also leads to less compulsion to maximize statistics.

Course, with video game RPGs you don't have to deal with as many unknown factors or personality conflicts.

Also what do you do with a video game RPG player in a pen and paper game?

Tage:
PnP leads to less minmaxing? I don't really agree with that. I mean, you were in the group with Farg. I don't know how much more absurdly minmaxed a character can get.

But putting a CRPG player into a PnP game? Idunno, it's not that hard. I was a computer-only person my whole life until the game we played that you were in. The transition didn't seem that dramatic.

The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers:
I don't know if I agree PnP consciously reduces min/maxing, but it certainly makes it easier to avoid stats if you wnat to.

On the other hand, I don't believe there IS such a thing as CRPG. NWN comes close, but it's the DM running it that does it. The single player story isn't any different than other games.

Note, I'm not saying that what are commonly referred to as RPG video games are crap (though Final Fantasy 7 was). Just that they are not "Role Playing." You're too locked into one story. You can't break out. You have a limited set of choices, etc. There's no room for personal goals or for player influence on the story beyond a few pre-determined sets. It's all about the story goal.

My 2 bits

42:
It rather that CRPG encourages maximizing statistics, where as PnP doesn't. In PnP the players can try to maximize stats, but they don't have to in order to survive the game. CRPG don't have a referee that allows youto play a weak, useless character.

My problem with the CRPG player is that he is quite offensive in a PnP game. He treats the referee like a computer when the referee is not one (expecting instant decisions and results). Also, he fails to pay attention to the needs and wants of the other players. Also, he can't seem to get out of meta-game thinking and into the story-line.

I have to agree with St. Ehlers that, to me, computer RPGs don't seem like role-playing at all. However, it is what many people think of as role-playing (misguided as they might be).

So I'm trying to get this one player away from the direct mono-linear thinking of CRPG and into the problem solving multi-linear thinking of PnP (not everyone makes an easy transition). The other players don't seem to have any problems thinking multi-linear, just this one player gets frustrated by having multiple solutions.

So do I keep giving tough problems with varied answers that aren't easily apparent or should I dumb things down into a hack-and-slash sort of campaign? I think the other players woud enjoy a hack-and-slash type campaign, except for one. Course I think I would tire of a hack-and-slash type campaign after a few sessions.

The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers:
is this the same guy who wants you to USE STRICT; when it comes to the rules?

Again, I think you shouldn't cater to ONE person. If they all want hns style gaming, more power to them, that's what they'll have fun with. However, if most want a complex story that they have influence on, you should be playing that.

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