A console role-playing game (often abbreviated CRPG or simply RPG) is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in video game consoles and includes game mechanics and, frequently, settings derived from those of traditional role-playing games. An electronic role-playing game is a broad genre of video games. A computer role-playing game ( CRPG) is a broad Video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers The Computer role-playing game (CRPG genre began in the mid-1970s inspired by Role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. This is a comprehensive Index of commercial Computer role-playing games (CRPGs sorted chronologically See Lists of video An action role-playing game or action RPG is a common name for a type of computer or video game which is closely linked to the Console role-playing game genre A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with The history of massively multiplayer online games spans over thirty years and hundreds of Massively multiplayer online games (MMOG titles This is a selected list of massively multiplayer online games which are free to play in some form without ever requiring a subscription or other payment For online games in other genres see List of MMOGs. MMORPGs ( Massively multiplayer online role-playing games are Massively This article contains an almost full table comparison of current Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs A roguelike is a member of the role-playing video game genre that borrows its name and gameplay elements from the 1980 computer game Due to cultural differences between game developers historically different inspirations and origins distinct target audiences and hardware with dissimilar capabilities two main trends or "families" See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. The term also applies to role-playing video games on handheld video game systems, such as the Nintendo DS and PSP. A handheld game console is a lightweight portable electronic machine for playing Video games Unlike Video game consoles the controls screen and speakers The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Nomenclature

For historical, cultural, and hardware-related reasons, console role-playing games have evolved a very different set of features that mark them distinct from other electronic RPGs. Because the vast majority of CRPGs originate in Eastern Asia, particularly Japan, CRPGs are often referred to as Japanese role-playing games^[1] or JRPGs^[2] (although there are non-Japanese console role-playing games in existence). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

A computer role-playing game (also referred to as CRPG) may be marked as a "console-style RPG" by the gaming community if its gameplay and design philosophy is similar to that of most console role-playing games. A computer role-playing game ( CRPG) is a broad Video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers Examples of such games that actively pursued an Eastern style of RPGs include Anachronox and Septerra Core. Anachronox (əˈnækrənɒks is a 3-D, third person Computer role-playing game produced by Tom Hall and the Ion Storm games Septerra Core Legacy of the Creator is a Computer role-playing game (CRPG developed by Valkyrie Studios

The categorization between console and computer role-playing games is sometimes ambiguous for cross-platform games such as the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, or for games that are ported from one format to another, such as the Ultima series, the Wizardry series, Eye of the Beholder or Final Fantasy VII and VIII. Wizardry is a series of Computer role-playing games developed by Sir-Tech, that were popular in the 1980s Eye of the Beholder is a Role-playing game for computers and video game consoles developed by Westwood Studios and published by Strategic Simulations is a Console role-playing game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation in 1999 as part of the

Note: CRPG will always refer to console role-playing game for the rest of this article.

Overview

Most CRPGs place a strong emphasis on storyline-driven arcs and character development, with the payoff almost always based on storytelling instead of experiencing a more dynamic world via nonlinear gameplay. A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as Television, Comic books Comic strips Storytelling is the ancient art of conveying events in Words Images and Sounds often by Improvisation or embellishment

In CRPGs, overall character competence or power is often represented by a statistic called a "level". Typically, characters raise their level by gaining experience through combat or by performing other actions. When the experience reaches a certain number, they gain a level, enabling them to attain greater attributes, abilities, and spells. In the process of gaining these levels characters may gain more useful types of equipment, such as weapons and armor.

Unlike most computer role-playing games, at the beginning of a console role-playing game the player is usually not given the option of customizing a character or making decisions on his/her nature or background. Instead, he/she is offered one or more predefined characters to play as for the rest of the game.

Attributes commonly represented as statistics in console RPGs include Hit Points, Magic Points, Strength, Defense, Speed, among others. Health is a Game mechanic used in computer and Video games to give value to characters, enemies NPCs, and related objects

Navigation

A CRPG often provides several different layers of travel in the form of localized maps in buildings, towns, or dungeons, as well as an overworld with an associated map. At the widest levels, an overlying world map is often used for traveling between countries, continents, or planets. At the beginning of the game, obstacles on the world map such as mountains, rivers, and deserts may prohibit the player from visiting an area until the player has obtained appropriate skills or vehicles. Many CRPG's eventually allow the player rapid movement within the overworld, using such methods as flying,^[3] sailing, or teleporting^[4] to previous locations. Teleportation is the movement of objects from one place to another more or less instantaneously either by Paranormal means or through technological artifice For some games, the player never actually travels on the world map, but rather selects an adjacent location, which repositions the player to that location. ^[5]

Plot

A CRPG plot is often crafted in an intricate fashion into a highly dramatic, strictly directed and linear construct, relying on the viewer to experience most of its twists and turns at predetermined specific times and certain ways. In this sense, a CRPG's execution is quite akin to that of a movie or a novel, using scripted sequences. In Video games, a scripted sequence is a pre-defined series of events that occurs when triggered by player location or actions

Few games in the genre offer branching plots, though some titles such as Final Fantasy VII and Tales of Symphonia do feature alternate storylines depending on the player's conversational choices regarding characters in his party. is a Console role-playing game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the is a Video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2. Other games such as Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross were notable for offering a multitude of decidedly different endings. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Sony PlayStation Video

Console RPG plots tend to resemble anime or manga adventures, often colorful and bright with light-hearted, self-identifiable characters. (anime in Japanese, ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly The storyline in these games usually involves an epic battle between the forces of good and evil, with the player's characters fighting on the good side to avert an apocalypse.

Setting

The majority of console RPGs are set in fictional worlds, which the hero then explores and ultimately saves throughout the course of the game. In most cases (especially in early CRPGs) the game takes place in a medieval fantasy setting, and feature common elements such as mythological monsters to fight (most notably dragons), magic for the characters to learn, and kingdoms to save or conquer. Medieval fantasy is a subgenre of Fantasy that encompasses Medieval era High fantasy and sometimes simply represents fictitious versions of historic events The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide Other settings include steampunk, science fiction and post-apocalyptic. Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and Speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s The Shadow Hearts series takes place in the early 20th century. is a Console role-playing game developed by Sacnoth and published by Aruze Corp in Japan and in the United States and Europe by Midway in 2001 The Shin Megami Tensei series mostly takes place in modern Japan. is a Console role playing game by Atlus that was released on October 30 1992 on several platforms For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

Gameplay

Much like traditional adventure games, most RPG gameplay is built around quest structures. An adventure game is a type of Video game characterized by investigation exploration puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters and a focus on Narrative A quest in Role playing games, including Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs is a Task that a player-controlled character The player is typically required to go through a series of challenges shared from pen-and-paper RPGs, such as clearing a dungeon of monsters, defeating an evil boss, or rescuing a princess. To do these tasks, one might be required to talk to an NPC to receive the quest. A non-player character, often shortened to NPC, is a character that is controlled by the Gamemaster in Role-playing games or one that is not Other missions may include engaging in dialogue, item fetch quests, or locational puzzles, such as opening a locked door by means of a key or hidden lever.

The bulk of most CRPG gameplay is in combat with AI monsters. Traditionally, most games feature turn-based battles,^[6] though several series feature real-time fighting (such as Square Enix's Seiken Densetsu series and Namco's Tales series). A turn-based game is a Game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts called turns or rounds Active Time Battle and Conditional Turn-Based Battle System are examples of popular turn-based systems. There are other hybrid battle systems where the player can affect the outcome of battle through reflex timing. Examples of hybrid battle systems can be found in the games Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Paper Mario and Shadow Hearts. Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, known in Japan as, is a role-playing game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Game Paper Mario, known in Japan as is a role-playing (RPG Video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for is a Console role-playing game developed by Sacnoth and published by Aruze Corp in Japan and in the United States and Europe by Midway in 2001

Screenshot of Final Fantasy IX during a battle. A screenshot, screen capture, or screen dump is an Image taken by the Computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) and the ninth installment in the Final Fantasy series The enlarged bars represent the Active Time Battle system used in various Final Fantasy installments

Combat in CRPGs is often heavily abstracted in comparison to other video games. Player actions, such as attack or defend, are chosen through a series of menus. The results of a battle are regulated through statistical probabilities based on the characteristics of the opponents, such as a sword's strength level rolling against the armor class of an enemy monster. Combat in tactical RPGs is more closely related to that of traditional wargames. Tactical wargames are a type of wargame that models military conflict at a tactical level i Combat in action RPGs is based on the reflexes and quickness of the player. An action role-playing game or action RPG is a common name for a type of computer or video game which is closely linked to the Console role-playing game genre

Strategizing also plays a larger role than in most video game battles. Nearly every CRPG has the player controlling a party consisting of several characters, each with unique abilities, and managing each character's powers and deciding when and where to use these resources adds to the complexity.

The majority of battles in traditional CRPGs are generated from random encounters. A random encounter is a feature commonly used in Hack and slash Role-playing games and computer and video games whereby encounters with Non-player In modern titles, combats are increasingly becoming scripted with persistent monsters other than the requisite boss monsters. A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in Video games Their purpose is to test the skills that the player has accumulated over the course of a game

Console RPGs are famous for their inclusion of "minigames," usually small puzzle or arcade games embedded within the main game itself to provide brief diversions and moments of relief from the main plot. A minigame (also spelled mini-game or mini game) sometimes called a subgame, is a short Video game often contained within another Minigames may also be used to advance the plot or complete a quest. In Knights of the Old Republic II, the protagonist may free a Twi'lek slave by winning a game of Pazaak, while in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, the player must score in a Yoshi's Cookie-inspired crate pushing game to clear an area. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords ( KotOR II) is a role playing Video game released for the Xbox This is a list of fictional games, that is Games which were specifically created for works of Fiction, or which otherwise originated in fiction Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, known in Japan as, is a role-playing game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Game Yoshi's Cookie is a Computer puzzle game made for the NES, Game Boy, SNES, and the Wii Virtual console.

Notably, early games such as Dragon Warrior forced the player to repeatedly fight monsters unnecessary for completing the storyline in order to level up their character(s) to a point where the next challenge can be overcome, a process called grinding. Grinding is a term used in Computer gaming to describe the process of engaging in repetitive and/or non-entertaining gameplay in order to gain access to other features within Though grinding persists as a way to obtain powerful characters or items earlier in the game than is intended, CRPGs have gotten easier, partially in order to appeal to a larger audience. This has led to criticism by fans and detractors of the genre alike. Others contend that video games as a whole have gotten easier along a roughly similar timeline. However, later in the development of the CRPG genre, games have often balanced these easy segments with the inclusion of optional and challenging boss battles and puzzles to appease more seasoned gamers. Some examples include the battle with Emerald Weapon from Final Fantasy VII, Omega Weapon from Final Fantasy VIII, and the Crossbone Island challenge from Golden Sun. IMPORTANT NOTICE As per the usual policies we have decided to consolidate the bestiary into this succinct page IMPORTANT NOTICE As per the usual policies we have decided to consolidate the bestiary into this succinct page Golden Sun, released in Japan as, is the first installment of a series of role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published In these cases, the battles are typically more challenging than the game's true storyline-based ending.

History

Final Fantasy VII is one of the biggest-selling RPGs to date and remains very popular among RPG fans. is a Console role-playing game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the

The earliest console RPG was Dragonstomper (1982) on the Atari 2600. Dragonstomper is a role-playing video game programmed by Stephen Landrum and published in 1982 by Starpath. The Atari 2600 is a Video game console released in October 1977 ^[1] Later, in 1986, Chunsoft made the NES title Dragon Quest (called Dragon Warrior in North America (the series would retain that name until the 8th game in the series)). is a Japanese Video game developer specializing in console RPGs. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by Dragon Warrior, also known as in Japan is a role-playing Video game developed by Chunsoft and originally published in Japan by Enix This was followed shortly by ports of the computer RPGs Wizardry and Ultima III, as well as a number of Japanese RPGs, such as Phantasy Star (1987) from Sega, and Final Fantasy (1987) from Squaresoft. Ultima III Exodus is the third game in the Ultima series Exodus is also the name of the game's principal antagonist is the first installment in Sega 's renowned series of the same name. is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer is a Console role-playing game developed and published in Japan by Square (now Square Enix) in and published in North America by Nintendo was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. These games proved popular and spawned their own series of sequels. (The Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series remain popular today, Final Fantasy more so in the West, and Dragon Quest in Japan. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. )

The original Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy both borrowed heavily from Ultima. Dragon Warrior, also known as in Japan is a role-playing Video game developed by Chunsoft and originally published in Japan by Enix is a Console role-playing game developed and published in Japan by Square (now Square Enix) in and published in North America by Nintendo For example, leveling up and saving must be done by speaking to the king in Dragon Quest. In order to rest and get healed, the characters must visit the king (Dragon Quest) or stay the night at an inn (Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy). The games are played in a top-down perspective, much like the Ultima games. Top-down perspective, also sometimes referred to as bird's-eye view, overhead view or helicopter view, The combat style in Dragon Quest was borrowed from the Wizardry series of computer role-playing games, and Dragon Quest's medieval setting is also remarkably reminiscent of Ultima.

Dragon Quest did not reach North America until 1989, when it was released as Dragon Warrior, the first NES RPG, and, thus, one of the major influences on early CRPG development. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by Many early console RPGs were essentially clones of Ultima and various other PC RPGs until the genre came into its own in the following years.

The Pokémon franchise is one of the best-selling RPG series of all time

The next major revolution came in the mid 1990s, which saw the rise of optical disks in fifth generation consoles. If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else The fifth-generation era (more commonly known as the 32 bit era and occasionally after the release of the Nintendo 64, the 64 bit era and more rarely The implications for RPGs were enormous—longer, more involved quests, better audio, and full-motion video. The explosion of Final Fantasy VII's sales and the ascendance of the PlayStation were proof of this and represented the dawning of a new era of RPGs. is a Console role-playing game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console Backed by a clever marketing campaign, Final Fantasy VII brought the first taste of CRPGs to many of the uninitiated in 1997. ^[7][8] Subsequently, CRPGs, previously a niche genre, skyrocketed in popularity.

In 1997, a new Internet fad began, influenced by the popularization of console RPGs. A large group of young programmers and aficionados began creating and sharing independent CRPG games, emulating the gameplay and style of the older SNES and Sega Genesis games. A programmer is someone who writes Computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist For the television channel see GamePlay HD. Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems especially formal The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was The is a 16-bit Video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 North America in 1989 and the PAL region in 1990 The majority of such games owe their achievement to simplistic software development kits such as the Japanese RPG Maker series. A software development kit ( SDK or " devkit " is typically a set of development tools that allows a Software engineer to create applications RPG Maker, known in Japan as, is the name of an expansive series of programs for the development of role-playing games (RPGs first created by the Japanese group ASCII

Popularity

The best-selling CRPG series worldwide is Pokémon. If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else It has sold over 155 million units as of November 2006. ^[9] The second and third best-selling series worldwide are Square Enix's Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series, respectively. published as Dragon Warrior in North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King, is a series of role-playing As of December 2005, Final Fantasy has sold 63 million units, while Dragon Quest has sold over 40 million units. ^[10]

See also

• Computer role-playing game
• Cultural differences in computer and console role-playing games
• Tactical role-playing game
• RPG Maker, a series of tools for non-programmers to create console-style RPGs

References