"Roleplaying" bla bla bla

[Hory]

I think its a different thing Section8. They can throw as many buzzwords as they like, like "immersion", "rpg elements", "non linear story" etc etc but a game is either RPG, action, adventure,strategy and that's it.

While true, your definitions are still too numerous. To better understand game genres, we need to simplify the taxonomy. I propose a bipolar system: button-mashing games and brain-churning games.
Diablo is quite clearly not a brain-churning game, while Fallout is obvsiouly not a button-mashing one. We can therefore conclude that they are not of the same genre. But one has to be a RPG. You be the judge of which one is.

 

[Squeek]

I think what's been achieved with this analysis is an understanding of how arcade games interpret and represent concepts like identity and self-determination. I enjoy arcade games as much as the next guy, but I don’t view them as the archetype of computer-gaming potential.

The main hurdle that I see tripping up RPG fans is a sort of double-whammy that challenges their technical and creative imaginations with a sort of inertia that's being invigorated by a chorus of conflicting voices on all sides.

Here's where collective thinking at The Codex sometimes gets suddenly and unceremoniously thrown into turmoil. There’s genuine confusion over what's possible with computers, software and the Internet. And the identities provided by arcade games are often confused with the roles provided by RPGs.

Collaboration is the first thing to get straight about RPG. It's completely necessary. It's what makes role-playing worthwhile. Otherwise, without collaboration, role-playing loses its value and quickly becomes meaningless fluff.

By virtue of collaboration, the role-playing decisions a player could make through every step of the game could be counted, measured and evaluated using Boolean logic. They could add up, like daily exercise, and could produce significant results. It’s thinking in terms of cause & effect and is something computers can easily do with the right software.

Arcade games have never worked that way. Arcade games provide you with an identity, but not a role. Arcade games provide the player with an opportunity to steer around and look for whatever’s there to find. They aren’t concerned with style or personality. Arcade games are mainly about action and cool special effects.

CRPGs ought to work that way, because these video games aren’t just arcade games. These games involve role-playing.

 

[mondblut]

RPGs and gaming in general have had a pretty long childhood, and when they start to mature should we really be saying "your doing it wrong" to the progressives and championing throwbacks for their commonality to RPG infancy?

Sounds like something Bethsoft would love to say to Fallout fans.

 

[Warden]

I can empathise with a happy person. If I desired to alleviate their happiness that would be a long way away from compassion. Likewise, I could empathise with someone's suffering and wish more suffering upon them. The "desire to alleviate" bit makes a huge difference, as does the very specific focus on distress.

No, sorry, I think you have a wrong perception of what empathy means.
"Wyschogrod notes a vulnerability in empathy which is indeed more like that of touch; empathy implies that we can be genuinely affected, saddened, grieved, touched by those with whom we empathize."
"Common English usage supports Wyschogrod’s approach. When empathising with another, we are reaching out to the other with our guard down. If the other chooses at that point to lash out, we can easily be very hurt. When this happens, it feels like nothing so much as being punched in the stomach."

So, no, you don't actaully have any empathy with a saddened person if you wish more sadness for him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy (Yeah, I know, a source edited by high-school kids )

Well yeah, because that's what compassion means. It's like saying "Do you want to be truthful toward people you're being honest with?" Incidentally, you're the one who pulled those dictionary definitions to try and prove a point - and now you're selectively ignoring crucial parts of the definition? Well played, sir.

I'm not ignoring crucial parts of the definition. And you're adding some meanings of your own.. Spare your propaganda for something else, sir.

You do realise that synonyms aren't necessarily words with the same exact meaning, right? That would probably be why "compassion" has a dictionary entry of its own and doesn't just say "see pity".

You do realise that synoym has a definition of its own? :

1: one of two or more words or expressions of the same language that have the same or nearly the same meaning in some or all senses

Yes, there are many different words which have the same exact meaning - don't you like diversity?


[/i]

 

[Section8]

No, sorry, I think you have a wrong perception of what empathy means.
"Wyschogrod notes a vulnerability in empathy which is indeed more like that of touch; empathy implies that we can be genuinely affected, saddened, grieved, touched by those with whom we empathize."
"Common English usage supports Wyschogrod’s approach. When empathising with another, we are reaching out to the other with our guard down. If the other chooses at that point to lash out, we can easily be very hurt. When this happens, it feels like nothing so much as being punched in the stomach."

So, no, you don't actaully have any empathy with a saddened person if you wish more sadness for him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy (Yeah, I know, a source edited by high-school kids )

You're using the "Metaphoric Definitions" subheading in a wikipedia article to prove your point?

You do realise that synoym has a definition of its own? :

1: one of two or more words or expressions of the same language that have the same or nearly the same meaning in some or all senses

Yes, there are many different words which have the same exact meaning - don't you like diversity?

Pure fucking gold. :D

Contrasting empathy to other phenomena

One must be careful not to confuse empathy with either sympathy, pity, emotional contagion, or telepathy. Sympathy is the feeling of compassion for another, the wish to see them better off or happier, often described as "feeling sorry" for someone. Pity is feeling that another is in trouble and in need of help as they cannot fix their problems themselves. Emotional contagion is when a person (especially an infant or a member of a mob) imitatively 'catches' the emotions that others are showing without necessarily recognising this is happening. Telepathy is a controversial paranormal phenomenon, whereby emotions or other mental states can be read directly, without needing to infer, or perceive expressive clues about the other person.

And just in case you stumble on any of the big words in that, it even provides simple examples:

Sympathy is, "I'm sorry for your sadness, I wish to help."
Pity is, "Things are bad for you, you seem as though you need help."
Emotional Contagion is, "You feel sad and now I feel sad."
Empathy is, "I feel your sadness."
Apathy is, "I don't care how you feel. "
Telepathy is, "I read your sadness without you expressing it to me in any normal way."

And just for gags, here's what a thesaurus defines as synonyms for "empathy":

affinity, appreciation, communion, compassion, comprehension, concord, cotton to, fellow feeling, good vibes, good vibrations*, insight, pity, rapport, recognition, responsiveness, soul, sympathy, warmth

I look forward to the next chapter in this exciting saga.

 

[Kingston]

Hahahah. Hilarity.

 

[Warden]

And just for gags, here's what a thesaurus defines as synonyms for "empathy":

affinity, appreciation, communion, compassion, comprehension, concord, cotton to, fellow feeling, good vibes, good vibrations*, insight, pity, rapport, recognition, responsiveness, soul, sympathy, warmth

Good you found out by yourself.
If you wish to expand this exciting saga you'll do that alone.

And of course, don't forget to dismiss any source that does not support your arguments by saying it's edited by high school kids. While we're at it - I'm dismissing you as someone who's been edited by high school kids and wikipedia together. Bye bye.

 

[galsiah]

Impressive commitment there Warden. It's traditional to leave a little room for others to chime in though. There's no explicit rule against parodying yourself at every turn, but it's not good comedic form.

 

[Section8]

While we're at it - I'm dismissing you as someone who's been edited by high school kids

She was at least eighteen, I swear.

 

[Andhaira]

Hey its warden sweety!!

*And much hilarity ensued*

 

[Warden]

Hey its warden sweety!!

*And much hilarity ensued*

Since we're at dictionaries:

Hilarity: great merriment

Merriment:
Noun 1. merriment - a gay feeling
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/merriment

I am glad I triggered your gay feelings.. because I'm happy to help someone discover their true identity. Just please, geeks, don't start drooling all over me now.

 

[Andhaira]

i just can't get over the fact he has pix of bioware employee's in his sig