I should like to stop arguing and maybe contribute some discussion. This came up in those arguments and I feel it's worth discussing.

What is so unique about RPGs?

My stance: People get together for make-believe that is largely in the control of the participants. It's not like reading a script for a play or a video game with scripted choices. It's not one of those mystery plays with the DVD where you play one of the chapters at each choice. It's people acting in character, acting as the bad guys, reacting to each other and literally editing the world around as they see fit. Sure, some of us like our editing to lean on the cinematic side where some of us may prefer more of a simulation of a genre or setting, but it's all make-believe. It's not day-dreaming per se, but collaboratively day-dreaming shit up together.

Going into a board game or card game or video game (admittedly I don't play many...) you have some ideas on what to expect. I think RPGs present an opportunity to participate in something unexpected. More so, I think the fun comes from the strange mixture of having that control yet not knowing where each reaction or choice will finally take you.

How about you? What do you find unique about RPGs?

Rules without competition between players.

4 sided dice

They cause a bunch of 40-50 year old men to enter frothing at the mouth rages on the internet if they decide you're not playing pretend elves correctly?

Quote from: Marleycat;755479They cause a bunch of 40-50 year old men to enter frothing at the mouth rages on the internet if they decide you're not playing pretend elves correctly?

They do that in board games too...

Quote from: Omega;755486They do that in board games too...

Hmm..seriously I got nothing because it's really just an excuse to hang out with my friends when all is said and done. Because boardgames have dice so that's right out.... .

Quote from: trechriron;755446What is so unique about RPGs?

How about you? What do you find unique about RPGs?

The rules of an RPG allow the participants, Players and GM, to create everything in the playing environment where the playing occurs. You can use pre-generated material (settings, characters, opponents, etc.) but the open-ended nature of the rules allows the participants to tailor how they interact with the game, either through the creating process or the playing process, which creates a tremendous amount of personal freedom in play.

Now lets see if you can do more than troll.

Quote from: Omega;755486They do that in board games too...

Oh gods... Some of the worst freak-outs and bad behavior I've seen were at Battletech tables at conventions. I've stopped shooting at one mech to turn all my weapons on another, further away, mech just to get the player out of the game.

Quote from: Marleycat;755479They cause a bunch of 40-50 year old men to enter frothing at the mouth rages on the internet if they decide you're not playing pretend elves correctly?

This brings win to the thread.

BTT The immersive environment, cooperative action/play, openness and control? Yeah, I got nothing.

Quote from: Marleycat;755479They cause a bunch of 40-50 year old men to enter frothing at the mouth rages on the internet if they decide you're not playing pretend elves correctly?

She knows, brothers!

SHE KNOWS!!

The ability to interact with a fictional universe in any manner imaginable and consistent with the game's premise.

everyone contributes to a shared narrative
no set end point, or "win" condition

Quote from: Sacrosanct;755518everyone contributes to a shared narrative
no set end point, or "win" condition

Hilariously this was one of the reasons board gamers were arguing that RPGs were not "real games" way back. There was no competition and no "winner" or even an "end".

What is unique to an RPG?

Predominantly its freeform nature and improv nature. Even the most railroady of modules still allows you some freedom of choice.

And the world reacts to the players. You can do the unexpected and be creative in solving problems. And the unexpected can happen to you.

You can talk to NPCs. You can negotiate with monsters. You can make enemies your friends and none of it is scripted into the program when done right.

These are things no board game or PC game can cover in the same way an RPG can.

Mm, the OP didn't quite get it right.  There's nothing unique about unscripted roleplaying, staying in character: improvisational actors have been doing that since acting was invented, and they've even done that under the subtle control of a "director" or "stage manager" or "conductor," whatever you want to call it.

It's in the continuity -- that whatever the improv troupe comes up with carries over to (and shapes) the next session, and the next one after that.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;755518everyone contributes to a shared narrative
no set end point, or "win" condition

Oh noes, you said the n word. Clearly you're a charop-obsessed Ron Edwards forger with an obsession about telling stories about combat grids, absolute fair balance, and letting characters have whatever they want while FOLLOWING THE EXACT LETTER OF EVERY RULE EVER PUBLISHED EVER AND NOT LETTING THE GM HAVE ANY CREATIVITY and covering the table in bennies, custom dice, and social justice.

Did I get everything, there? I'd hate to feel I missed a group out.

Anyway.

What makes RPG's unique? The freedom. You're not constrained to a few pre-set options at any point in the game. Books are cool, but there's no choices there; gamebooks are cool, but the choices are very limited; computer games are cool, but they're very much bound by their rule set.

RPG's? None of the above, really.