by Mr. Tastix » Sun Jun 29, 08 12:37 pm
He's not totally wrong but it depends on the game. Things like D&D-based RPGs generally involve some sort of leveling up as their main priority but I actually enjoy role-playing in games (which I don't get to do often because most people don't like genuine role-playing or RP at all).
With multiplayer RPGs it's so much different to just leveling up. And I don't mean MMOs, I mean any RPG with multiplayer options. Like Diablo, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect, etc etc. People use emergent gameplay so much in every game and it's not any different with RPGs. When you're not training you can do some PvP, play mini-games, role-play or anything else you can possibly think of.
I do believe RPGs like to level way too much but that's kinda their point. When you level up you gain access to new skills, talents, abilities, attributes, equipment, etc etc. But with first-person shooters, you usually just go in, find some guns and start shooting.
On FPS games your "level" is generally based on your skill as a gamer and how good you are at that game (whether it be Deus Ex, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Halo, or whatever) but on RPGs you actually level up and your level determines your skill. While you still strategise (same as in FPS games) when you come against a harder opponent (or any opponent at all) on an RPG you have more options to be strategic about (what skills to use, what spells to cast, what weapons and armour to equip) and being a higher level helps in battles because you'll have better equipment and skills.
As far as I'm concerned, in most cases (definitely not all), RPGs are harder than FPS games. On an FPS game it's more fast-paced and you have to stay on your toes and be fairly paranoid but on an RPG you have to think of so much more, you're not just working with guns (or in TF2/Battlefields case, "classes" as well) but you're also working with so much more (mentioned above).
Blood is thicker than water and sweeter than candy.