elements of a RPG

[Joël of the FoS]

From the EnWorld board, here's a list from good old Gygax about...

THE ELEMENTS THAT CONSTITUTE A ROLE-PLAYING GAME:

1. Building (construction, land acquisition, etc.)
2. Business (an occupation aside from "adventuring")
3. Character Development (detailing game persona’s “history”)
4. Combat
5. Economics
6. Exploration (dungeons and for larger discovery)
7. Intrigue
8. Politics
9. Problem Solving
10. Questing
11. Random Chance (encounters, resolution of combat, etc.)
12. Role Assumption (staying "in character" in actions/thinking)
13. Role Playing (ditto, and speaking thus when playing)
14. Story (backstory and in play)
15. Strategy
16. Theatrics (occasional histrionics and sound effects)
17. (You name it and rate it _________________________

I see it as a good survey to ask your players before starting a campaign?

Joël

[alhoon]

Interesting. When did Gygax wrote this?

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

I'm surprised "Investigating" isn't on there.

[JinnTolser]

Yeah, I'd put "investigating" on there too. It's possible to have a roleplaying game without it, but it's 1000% better with it.

And are those supposed to be ranked in order?

[Joël of the FoS]

It was for a survey early in the 80's, at a convention IIRC. Each caracteristic had to be evaluated from a 1 to 9 scale.

Investigating should be in it, indeed. That is perhaps one of the important changes from early D&D. You had problem/puzzle solving, but no real enquiries. Your way to the dungeoncrawl was quick

Joël

[Troile]

Early d&d is pretty messed up.

But then its roots came from board games/war gaming rather than theatre which is where a lot of the role playing aspects have turned to.

*rolls dice*

Its a pleasure to meet you

[Reginald de Curry]

Investigating would probably be an aspect of questing. You quest to find a goal, you investigate to find the truth.

[sawbones]

They forgot the 10x10 room with a treasure chest guarded by an orc.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

They forgot the 10x10 room with a treasure chest guarded by an orc.

You forgot the door in the far wall that leads to an identical room

[JinnTolser]

They forgot the 10x10 room with a treasure chest guarded by an orc.

And the henchman that dies 2-3 times per adventure.

[Bloody Morgan]

It's also in "Role-Playing Mastery," a book by Gygax on the subject... it's not really very good.

Bloody Morgan