Angthoron
Arcane
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2007
- Messages
- 13,056
With so much controversy going around about the true definition of the RPG genre, I have decided to take a moment and write a comprehensive history of the evolution of the RPGs to end the dispute once and for all. Without further ado, please enjoy and become wise through me.
1. The First RPGs
The first RPGs were developed by the military, developed as early as the 19th century, and it was slowly improved over time. The Soviets excelled at the RPG manufacturing, according to the Wikipedia, and this may explain the tendency of the former Eastern Bloc nations to make RPGs. Anyway, after nearly a hundred years of being used nearly exclusively by the military, the RPGs finally broke through to the private market.
2. The Second RPGs
The second RPGs came out on cassettes, but were soon replaced by the massive floppy RPGs. The first series of floppy RPGs were over 5 inch in size, but just to prove that size doesn’t matter, they essentially flopped in sales. Not much can be said about the RPGs of this era other than very poor graphics, boring gameplay and voiceovers and sound effects consisting of the computer beeps. This was basically the dark ages of the RPG.
3. The Third RPGs
The third RPGs were on 3-inch floppies, and while they were still shitty, they became less shitty with time. Graphics improved a bit, and the games became slightly more tolerable to the ear. The gameplay was still shit though, massively dominated by the turn-based mechanics so common to the games of the time due to hardware back then being unable to process games in real time. I guess they made best use of the hardware of the time but that’s not saying much.
4. The Fourth (almost modern) RPGs
The fourth RPGs started when CDs appeared. The CDs were able to store more information inside their shiny surfaces and so much better graphics and stories could be put onto them. The hardware developed too and now there could be real time play at last even if it was still with pause. The games would still mostly look like piss though because they were for some reason two-dimensional, but developers like Bethesda quickly understood the importance of three dimensions and published Oblivion 3: The Elder Scrolls, which would set precedence to the future of the computer gaming.
5. The Modern RPGs
The modern RPGs have everything modern. From BioWare to Bethesda to LionHead Studios, the developers everywhere have understood the importance of the third dimension and real time (fourth dimension?) and are working hard to make these aspects to be the core aspects of this aged genre. Recent developments, such as streamlining of player statistics, and the introduction of achievements, have brought the decadent RPG genre closer to the more progressive genres such as the shooter and the FPS. Big efforts have been made for self-reference and intertextuality as well, easily detectable by the genre veterans. For instance BioWare game Mass Effect introduces to the arsenal a weapon that can best be described as a futuristic RPG. Is this the future of the RPG? We will find out!
Peace bros, RPG expert signing out.
1. The First RPGs
The first RPGs were developed by the military, developed as early as the 19th century, and it was slowly improved over time. The Soviets excelled at the RPG manufacturing, according to the Wikipedia, and this may explain the tendency of the former Eastern Bloc nations to make RPGs. Anyway, after nearly a hundred years of being used nearly exclusively by the military, the RPGs finally broke through to the private market.
2. The Second RPGs
The second RPGs came out on cassettes, but were soon replaced by the massive floppy RPGs. The first series of floppy RPGs were over 5 inch in size, but just to prove that size doesn’t matter, they essentially flopped in sales. Not much can be said about the RPGs of this era other than very poor graphics, boring gameplay and voiceovers and sound effects consisting of the computer beeps. This was basically the dark ages of the RPG.
3. The Third RPGs
The third RPGs were on 3-inch floppies, and while they were still shitty, they became less shitty with time. Graphics improved a bit, and the games became slightly more tolerable to the ear. The gameplay was still shit though, massively dominated by the turn-based mechanics so common to the games of the time due to hardware back then being unable to process games in real time. I guess they made best use of the hardware of the time but that’s not saying much.
4. The Fourth (almost modern) RPGs
The fourth RPGs started when CDs appeared. The CDs were able to store more information inside their shiny surfaces and so much better graphics and stories could be put onto them. The hardware developed too and now there could be real time play at last even if it was still with pause. The games would still mostly look like piss though because they were for some reason two-dimensional, but developers like Bethesda quickly understood the importance of three dimensions and published Oblivion 3: The Elder Scrolls, which would set precedence to the future of the computer gaming.
5. The Modern RPGs
The modern RPGs have everything modern. From BioWare to Bethesda to LionHead Studios, the developers everywhere have understood the importance of the third dimension and real time (fourth dimension?) and are working hard to make these aspects to be the core aspects of this aged genre. Recent developments, such as streamlining of player statistics, and the introduction of achievements, have brought the decadent RPG genre closer to the more progressive genres such as the shooter and the FPS. Big efforts have been made for self-reference and intertextuality as well, easily detectable by the genre veterans. For instance BioWare game Mass Effect introduces to the arsenal a weapon that can best be described as a futuristic RPG. Is this the future of the RPG? We will find out!
Peace bros, RPG expert signing out.
