Miscellaneous - ROLE PLAYING GAMES. The history of role-playing games.

<b>Miscellaneous</b> - ROLE PLAYING GAMES. The history of role-playing games.

Role-Playing Games

(C) 1999, E. Nesterenko (Jam / XPJ)
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   Greetings to all fans of role-playing
Games! How do you not an alternative? Then
you will definitely want to check the content of this article 
... ;) 


   So, a little history. What is the role-playing games? In 
English this genre of gaming programs abbreviated RPG, that

stands for "Role Playing Games".
I wonder what role-playing games are not
pure invention of the computer, such as 3-D actions or 
strategies, and have even before the invention of computers in 
the form of board games. That board RPG are classic examples of 
role games, since they have the most extensive

abilities and involve "live" players. What is needed for a 
desktop RPG? First, Dungeon Master - the person who comes up 
with a game module and manages the game. Simply put, this is 
Game Designer. He preparing a map of the playing area, has her 
monsters, treasures, puzzles and traps, and then manages the 
process of the game. Secondly, we need a system of rules. And 
thirdly, we need, of course, players. :) With Dungeon Master'om 
is clear - they can be developed by anyone with imagination

and gaming experience. Players are also not a problem.
But on a system of rules should stay in more detail.

   Generally widespread role
the game got after the sensational trilogy of Tolkien's Lord of 
the Rings. " No matter how strange, but this book became the 
ancestor not only a new genre in literature, but also a new 
game genre, I do not speak about "tolkinistah" and their 
"get-togethers." ;)) After read the trilogy many wanted by

go to a fairy-tale worlds, to go
on a treasure hunt, to fight dangerous
the enemy and capturing the magic of sitting at home,
in a comfortable chair. And such a possibility given RPG.

   Has developed a system of rules for
Desktop RPG, named D'D
(Dungeons and Dragons). It includes options for all types of 
weapons, equipment and characteristics of various races of 
heroes monsters, spells tables, algorithms

battles and much more. Using
such a system could easily determine what would happen if the 
forest gnome dressed in coats of mail, with 11 kilograms of 
cargo in the backpack, a soldier in the professional class, 
attempts to strike copper halberd mountain troll who is 
knee-deep in a swamp and armed wooden shield and oak club. At 
the same time can still be taken into account wind speed and 
direction, the viscosity of the swamp, the current the spell 
and the degree of stomach fullness characters. :) In other 
words, with the help of D'D could be the most

accurately simulate the reality of the game. This
became a distinctive feature of the role
games.

   And to board games still need to add anything to them, each 
player plays his own hero himself, and manages the game is not 
a piece of silicon, but a living man. Play board RPG's never 
boring, because the Dungeon Master carefully watches the game 
and in case of difficult situations can adjust

plot.

   Eg. Detachment of the heroes got into the cave. Slaughtered 
heroes monsters posobirali treasures, and there is no escape. 
The rope by which they descended into the dungeon, and ended 
nowhere passage. In computer game you would have to either hack 
program, or try to learn from friends played this game, or find 
a way "to blue in the face. "Or they throw the game. A

out there, it very close - one of the walls
illusory and can pass through it, but
will not be a player to knock all the walls
forehead, even if he knows that somewhere
is an illusory wall! In the board game
Dungeon Master, seeing that the players are already looking out 
for twenty minutes, may give a clue. For example, when the 
squad will be held near the illusory wall, he says: "Did you 
feel the wind blow ...", or pick up on the road squad scroll of 
"see hidden". That is, it can Improvise. It can sometimes break 
the rules - to make, for example, for the good "implantation in 
the role of" indulgence player who must be killed after the 
attack. Once again I remind you that the role-playing games 
more akin to the theater - they probably do not PLAY to play 
them. But the board RPG very widely distributed only in the 
West, we have the same reason they do not meet. : (



   So, leave alone games and
let's see what we have on the computer
front? Of course, with the advent of computers all rushed to 
create "electronic RPG ". However, these games due to lack of

Dungeon the Master demanded a slightly different
approach and therefore a firm produced a system of rules D'D 
(TSR, Inc.) thought for a moment and ... refine the (rules) for 
use in computer role-playing games. The new, modified system 
was name AD'D (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons). And the 
beginning of a new epoch, the epoch Computer RPG. How do they 
differ from Desktop? There should be to begin to talk about the 
evolution of computer role-playing Games ...




      The era of the first (realist)


   The first RPG from the desktop differed
Only the lack of "improvisation". All
"Graphic" displays in text mode,
symbols. For example, the letter "O" denoting
Orc, the letter "T" - a treasure, and the letter "S" -
your squad. :)) There were detailed
text accompanying actions. Figuratively
speaking, the first computer RPG was akin to the first computer 
adventyuram - hard, reliable, detailed and ... poor. On 
Spectrum, in my opinion, no game of of the "era".




        The Second (graphic)


   What was the fundamental difficulty of creating computer 
RPG? Not in the rules - they have already been detailed in the 
system AD'D. Not in the script - though it was fantasy

more than enough, especially as the fantasy game
could realize the most fantastic, most "crazy" ideas. And the 
problem was in memory. Not in a human, and operational, the RAM 
that is. :) The fact that role-playing games require a huge 
gaming space and a large number of databases - all kinds of 
tables. Therefore, As soon as the machine with more or less

a lot of memory began to emerge, "graphic" RPG. A typical 
example of such a game could provide Spectrum version of 
"Bard's Tale". Why "Spectrum version? Yes, because this

game is at ibm; (three "series") are not
possible that it is on other platforms.



   Graphics noticeable revived the role play,
however, it adversely affected the text
maintain, and narrowed the possibilities of the genre.
Still, I would say that it is the RPG
this era are the best, such "golden mean" as it was in its time 
and adventyurami.




        Epoch Three (DOOMovidnaya)


   Graphics capabilities of computers grew, and with them grow 
up and requests for gamers chart. Although, oddly enough, on 
the role games, it's almost not reflected - they lasted longer 
than any other genre. Even when adventyury become "quests"

RPG continued to adhere to the "classical" rules of design: as 
a rule, it was "Step-doom" with step by step the same treatment

battlefield. If anyone does not believe, let there at the HRC
episode, "Might'Magic # 1-6" and observe at
example of the evolution of these games ... :) Well, of course, 
began to emerge and new solutions, as, for example, "Eye Of The 
Becholder". There has already been applied realtime, as in the 
mode of travel, as well as in combat, the truth "doom" was 
incomplete - 90-degree rotation. 

   At Spectrum example of this - "Bloodwych".
If you peer into this game, then there is all
signs of degeneration: a simplification and professional 
classes (eg, crackers and the priests in the game have 
absolutely no meaning), and the absence of a parameter setting, 
and the monotony of the game space, and a small amount of NPC, 
and much more. Practically the whole point of the game

is reduced to drawing maps for finding
out of the maze. : ((



   A realtime just added extra problems: Well, agreed, as it is 
convenient to operate in "Bloodwych" two magicians at the 
battle, if for each casting

need to do such manipulation:


   1. Select a player.

   2. To open the book of spells.

   3. Select the desired page (1 of 4)

   4. Point to spell.

   5. Put spell power.

   6. Press the icon "utter."


   And the enemy at this time methodically ticks for you to 
blow ... 



     The era of the fourth (strategic)


   Actually, the hexagonal version of the graphic realization 
of role-playing games was first used for a long time, even 
during the the time of the second period. But the true 
recognition he received after "Diablo" - the typical "hodilki 
with elements of RPG". On Spectrum is a much better quality

version of such a decision - "Hero Quest # 1'2", with the only 
difference being that there not-realtime.




   But the thing is done, and soon some clever smart enough to 
cross your RPG with strategy ... From the "Warcraft" games such 
differ only by a constant set of players between the level and 
availability of items for sale / purchase of inventory and 
magic. One of the Recent examples on the PC - "Rage" (Russia, 
by the way, the game). 


   What's next? Perhaps the role of tetris.
Yes, forgot to tell you about AD'D. The point
that there are many games that use the system AD'D while RPG is 
not are. What is this game? At Spectrum,

For example, it is "Swords'Sorcery", "Heroes Of
The Lance ". Although clearly draw the line between these 
genres is difficult, but you can make a rough list of the 
distinguishing features of role-playing games, to be was 
somehow guided in this matter. 



    Distinctive features of "classical"

               RPG

 1. Players must be a few. Mill
    Dart - four, but can be up to 8-10.

 2. The large size of the playing area.

    That is, the number of locations measured

    tens and hundreds of thousands.

 3. Required Settings "parameter
    moat "(the choice of prof. class, race, etc.)

 4. Itemized options heroes. Simply

    speaking, your heroes should not be

    two parameters (as in Hero Quest) - B
    la and mind, and not less than ten. Reason
    is, all these parameters should be on that
    or to influence and develop with increasing

    hero's level.

 5. A variety of NPC, equipment and situation
    onnyh locations. Here, of course not

    specific restrictions, but the more

    so, accordingly, the better. :)) Who

    like, if you're on the road

    meet only two types of "monsters"

    to beat:) which sponsored the game

    There are three types of weapons: Birch
    curve Axe, Iron Axe, and the myth
    sterile Axe ...



             RPG on the Spectrum


   As is also the case with role-playing games
on the Spectrum? Compared with other platforms - very bad, 
compared to the amount Spectrum games from other genres - 
Disgusting. : (I personally know of two games on the Spectrum, 
which can be attributed to the role. That the above-mentioned 
"Bard's Tale" and "Bloodwych". Well, even with a large stretch,

"Hero Quest". This is because of brand. With regard to 
SNG'shnogo software, it was a lot of ambitious proposals for 
upcoming RPG, were and a demo version, but in 1999 I saw

only one complete game - "12 Secret
Books "by Demiurge Ash, and even then, role
this game could be called a stretch to argue.

   The reasons for such low-interest game-RPG maker'ov to 
explain a very trivial - Under 128 KB of hard to make a decent 
game. The reader may ask: "What "Bard's Tale" fits in a 48 kb? 
.. "Fair enough. But there is only one problem: a who now will 
play a game with SO interface, graphics and design? Yeah,

right - play it will be only a couple of maniacs like me, and 
then by virtue of (very much zadalbyvaet drawing maps and 
wretchedness of the interface). 


   But I do not want to so sad
note, check out this article. Last
time on the Spectrum there is a distinct
tendency to build up the amount of RAM, and it
gives us hope that our platform
will, finally, interesting, modern
design and interface role-playing games.

   And I also still say goodbye to the readers and invite them 
to "disperse" to play until the "Hero Quest 1'2", "12 Secret 
books "," Bloodwych "and" Bard's Tale ", and in that order. The 
last two games You can search in spectrophone # 22 and # 18,

and with all the necessary details for the game, and "Hero 
Quest 1'2" - in Spf # 8. 

   If someone wants to discuss the contents
this article, or suddenly have a presence not
mentioned herein Spectrum RPG, are invited to contact me - must 
answer, and in the magazine as well. 
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