Roll ya role: ROLEplaying vs ROLLplaying

James J Skach · January 01, 2007, 12:13:43 PM

Back in the day, I can recall a different dichotomy attached to the roll versus role.

When you used metagame information, you were roll playing. When your character acted only on information he knew, you were role playing.

This was the distinction; different then hack 'n slash, which meant you preferred to shoot first and shoot later; different than munchkin, which meant you gamed the rule system to come up with the most powerful character possible; different than gamer, which meant you focused on strategy and tactics as opposed to plot/story.

YMMV, IMHO, etc.

Blackleaf · January 15, 2007, 07:57:11 PM

Most people think of the "role" in roleplaying as in "a theatrical role", but here's a somewhat different take on what "role" mean, from a noteworthy source...

Over on Dragonsfoot, Mike said

Quote from: MikeI realize the term "roleplaying" was not used right at first, but when it was used, what did the term ROLE signify? Today most people consider role to mean you invent a fictional persona complete with emotions and feelings and then somehow try to faithfully become that person. I suspect that it was not nearly so pretentious way back in the day, that role simply meant you had a job to do (I'm the cleric!) or perhaps the psychological sense of role-play (what would you do if you were in this situation?) Was there a pretentious thespian elite right from the beginning?

To which Gary Gygax responded

Quote from: Gary GygaxHeaven forefend!

Back in the day all the participants realized it was nothing more than a game for diversion and amusement, did not pretend to thespianism or consider play an "art form."

These days some do give themselves airs in order to try to elevate their hobby activity into something grander in the eyes of others, perhaps even to fool themselves.

I must say that you absolutely nailed the sense of what the term role-playing was meant to mean--a role in the game and role assumption in regards to problem solving.

Cheers,
Gary

So really, "Roleplaying" might not mean what you think it means...

RPGPundit · January 15, 2007, 08:59:12 PM

I think you want to be careful not to read too much into his statements; it mainly just means that back then people didn't think it was "Art". Its not that they didn't make backstories and play in character with their PCs. They clearly did.

RPGPundit

lev_lafayette · January 15, 2007, 09:25:51 PM

Quote from: YamoForsaking Forgeisms, as always, I prefer to invoke the classic archetypes of the Method Actor (who cares only about acting the roles of characters and exploring the game world) and the Fantasy Wargamer (who cares only about tactical challenges, mechanical rewards, and learning and mastering the game system).

Accordingly, I'd set my own role/roll ratio at 35%/65%.

Method actor versus Wargamer is as good a distinction as any. Under that criteria my breakdown is about 80%+ for method actor and less than 20%+ for wargamer. I go out of my way to put my own characters in terrible danger, if that's what their personality demands.

Another important question that ought to be raised in this context however is what is the role (ahem) of rolling? What is it supposed to represent?

lev_lafayette · January 15, 2007, 09:30:44 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditsince almost all of them insist on trying to resolve anything that normal gamers resolve through roleplaying by the use of gimmicky mechanics instead.

Or, as one commentator on HeroQuest said: It narrates the combat and rolls for the social interaction.

Not quite true, but still +1 insightful.

Roll ya role: ROLEplaying vs ROLLplaying

James J Skach

Blackleaf

RPGPundit

lev_lafayette

lev_lafayette