CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Given the choice I'd rather play pencil and paper RPGs (like AD&D, etc). My group gets together most Saturday night for our usual D&D/pub night. It's always a lot of fun. I also enjoy the computer games, at least the better sort that allow you to really develop your character and work through a story line.

It's hard to say which game is my favourite. I like the simplicity of D&D, but I'm forced to admit that any level-based system has problems in terms of character development. I generally think that the points-based approach offers more scope and realism (e.g. Whitewolf, Seventh Sea, etc). The same goes for character construction.

I have always enjoyed all sorts of RPG's, though I seam to mostly play the consol type now-adays. It just seams hard to find enough people willing to make a comitment to playing, to make it fun.

Other than video games, I have always enjoyed:

BESM
AD&D
WH 40k (not sure if that counts)
LOTR

and well, I guess thats all I have played in the last 4 years. But what really makes the game fun is who you are playing with. Also anything having to do with stradegy is way up my ally.

I have currently played 73 games of RISK, only lost 3, 10 were never finished, and 7 were conceited (not by me).

I enjoy almost any form of rpg. Tabletop can be fun, but only with a good system. I'm a big fan of consule rpgs. Forum rpgs are a lot of fun if you like writing, but only if they have good rules to go with them. It's no fun when everyone is omnipotent.

While points provide far more scope, I do like the basics of the level system. Ideally, I like systems in which there are levels, but these allow you a great deal of variation in development.

I love making my own RGP systems up. Im creating this game at the mo that I want to try out with my brother where I make the monsters out of clay and cook them in the oven. I then make statistic cards for each and you play on a board with dice. A bit like Warhammer (do you guys have that over in America?)

Yes, we have a number of games from Games Workshops. (Which, I guess is in the UK).

But there is another game called MageKnight, that sounds similar to what you are describing. There are not any cards though, every thing you need is on the Monsters Base, though there is a separate chart for special effects. They also made Mech Warrior, and Marvel + DC comic variations.
However, in these games you don’t get to pick your stats/abilities, they are already preset for each model.

-kaji

I love all forms of RPGs. Computer based are what I play the most mainly because there isn't much scope where I am for Pencil n Paper RPGs and I don't know enough ppl that play 40K to pit my Biel-Tan Army against!!!

Ahh.... 2 full units of Dark Reapers with exarch shielded by a full unit of Guardians...

Bliss...

I'm only well versed in message board/round-robin style RPGs (like the ones we have going here), but I've dabbled in IM ones too. I am a total newb when it comes to console ones (I'm on the second disc of Legend of Dragoon, my first real turn-based RPG) and haven't even touched a pen and paper one. Personally my favorite kind is the first style mentioned...you have real creative power with your character and aren't focused so much on strategy or points--just development.

I like all roleplaying (very much) except LARPing.

I have mainly played RPGs electronically, meaning computer and console games, and it is one of my favorite game genres.

As for the table top RPG, I only played that once (D&D) a few months ago where the scenario was finding an item in some type of landfill... it was hilarious.

I have yet to click my mouse in the roleplay area here in the CAA. I do not think I can dedicate enough time to enjoy the experience.

I play console, PC, and message board role playing games (I have never done a tabletop RPG, although I have tried to get into Warhammer 40k a few times ).

However, it has always interested me how only certain video games are called "RPGs." In almost every video game, you play a role, either in the form of a premade character, or a custom character from a limited range of options. The distinction is rather arbitrary.

I play 40k, and have a Biel-Tan Swordwind army. I'm thinking about starting an Imperial Guard army with Inquisitional support.

pencil and paper rpg wise it has been pretty much AD&D, Exalted, Palladium Fantasy, WH40k (with the now out of print Alternity system or a modified Inquisitor system)

Console wise, Final Fantasy is pretty much the main rpg for me.

Computer wise, it was Baldur's Gate.

Over all though, I enjoy 40K and pencil and paper rpgs more than computer or console.

Well, WH 40k is a futuristic, military, stradegy game. Games like BESM are also cool, you can just create what ever type of enviroment you want to play in. Future, present, past. You name it, it all works. The system is very flexable.

Oh, Sangoku, I didnt know they still made Palladium stuff. That was the first RPG I ever played. ^^

My friends and I have been playing BESM/AD&D for about six months now..we've been through about 5-6 different campaigns now, I think. I was always of the "D&D is t3h evil" thing but it's really what you do with it that can make it that way. So...rolling d20s is fun.

kaji wrote:Well, WH 40k is a futuristic, military, stradegy game. Games like BESM are also cool, you can just create what ever type of enviroment you want to play in. Future, present, past. You name it, it all works. The system is very flexable.

Oh, Sangoku, I didnt know they still made Palladium stuff. That was the first RPG I ever played. ^^

Really? That's cool, because that was my first rpg as well. Actually I haven't been keeping up with the newer things, but I am almost 100% sure they still are making new books for Palladium, though not as much as they're cranking out D&D books, that's for sure. I'm guessing they're making about 2-3 books per year, which ain't too bad considering. My only gripe about the system is the lack of realism in the fighting, but it is simple and all of my friends enjoy it.

40K is by far my favorite game universe as well as my favorite game.

Lightbringer wrote:Hey responces thats really cool. I see lots of types of games, but does anybody do anything besides fantasy? fantasys cool and all, but sometimes its a little repetisious. Anyone every done any type of military, spy, or tactical games? or maby cyber punk (though that sometimes adds fantasy elements to it), or maby sci-fi games?

I've done a few, but not many lately:

Horror: Call of Cthulhu, Kult
Sci-fi: Cyberpunk 2020, Dark Conspiracy, Paranoia, Aliens, Conspiracy X, Rifts, Shadowrun

That's about it. I've never LARPed, nor am I especially interested in it.

Technomancer wrote:That's about it. I've never LARPed, nor am I especially interested in it.

I definatly agree with you there, but I would be interested in hearing any storys anybody has. on another note, does anyone have any charicters their particularly proud of, that they might want to share, or any game worlds they may have made up that they would like to tell everybody about?

Lightbringer // Aaron

cbwing0 wrote:However, it has always interested me how only certain video games are called "RPGs." In almost every video game, you play a role, either in the form of a premade character, or a custom character from a limited range of options. The distinction is rather arbitrary.

You are correct, if you assume that the only distinction of an RPG is its acronymic value: role playing game. I believe that we (that is, society) has altered this distinction considerably.

I've dabbled in some non-fantasy RPGs, not a great many. I do enjoy a great deal of variety in fantasy. There is quite a bit of space to work within.

uc pseudonym wrote:You are correct, if you assume that the only distinction of an RPG is its acronymic value: role playing game.

The similarities are not just limited to the fact that you are playing a role. Many games include lots of "RPG elements," such as level progression, item hunting, a party system, dungeons, or anything else that might be considered unique to RPGs.

I suppose that this is true, just out of my common experience, as I mainly play games that are RPGs in name. It makes sense, however, that elements of character development would be incorporated into many games. In my mind, most of these elements are good ones, and the industry would discover that these work very well.

But there is no real need to make such distinctions... there are games, good and bad. If I enjoy a particular game, I have no need to place it into a specific category.

uc pseudonym wrote:But there is no real need to make such distinctions... there are games, good and bad. If I enjoy a particular game, I have no need to place it into a specific category.

Agreed.

RPG elements do work very well, adding depth to games that would otherwise lack it.

Lightbringer wrote:That being said, fantasy does in fact have massive amounts of room to work with but i would submit that science fiction has just as much room if not more. Such a veriety of planetary animal life, dementions that are acsessed by technology instead of magic. Special abilitys that are natural or cybernetic in nature instead of magic, In most ways i prefure sci-fi when it explains everything, because magic always seems like its a shortcut to story, "oh i dont need to have a reason for this because its magic" that sort of thing.

You do have a point. However, a great deal of "science fiction" is actually fantasy. While you can use magic to explain away things, there are also quite a few shortcuts that boil down to "oh, I don't need to have a reason for this because it's science." True science fiction is based upon real science, with often considerable amounts of serious thought put into it. Star Wars and many others aren't really of the same class (properly speaking).

For me, RPGs are mostly about character development. That's part of what makes it enjoyable.

I like paper-and-pencil RPGs, with a good GM. There's a group of us from church that get together and role play every now and then; it's fun. The only ones I remember having played are Pendragon, Deadlands, and Shadowrun.

I'm also semi-addicted to Neverwinter Nights.

I paragraph RP (no maps, character sheets, fights, etc., just characters and scenarios) every day for at least 2 hours. xD I suppose you could say I'm a bit obsessed.

I'm an old veteran to console RPGs..... my first two RPGs were Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. My interest really picked up when I played Breath of Fire (more or so watched my mom play) and Final Fantasy 2. Then of course came the rest of the SNES' brilliant RPGs..... I miss those days..... I never was a fan of Gameboy RPGs until the GBA came out, because they were just boring and I was too cheap to buy batteries. I don't play that many RPGs on my computer, but if one catches my attention, I'll stab at it. Occasionally, I'll try out MMORPGs...... if and only if it's a FREE trial. Mainly, because.... they lose my interest the day before the trial ends and I'm cheap. Though, I am interested in getting World of War Craft.

I enjoy the RPG style on the forums, although the only one I've done was on here. Never tried pen and paper ones.... not my thing.... yet, I was into 40K.... when I had a job.

In short.... I'm interested by online RP, but I really like the single player stuff with a good story.

I used to play D&D in High School (AD&D actually)... the group I layed with where pretty neat, they had some interesting things they added to the game (made up a few things that really made it fun). The leaders of the group where so good at what they did that they eventually hacked out a whole new world based on D&D rules, and added their own to it, however they where 2 years ahead of me and I lost contact with them when they graduated.

I don't really have anyone down here to play any P&P RPGs with, though I'd not be apposed to it if I could find a decent group. The last person I played with turned out to be a professing satanist... and I honestly didn't like his attitude toward me and my style of play (I tend to play my characters within the bounds of my own beliefs... compared to his chaotic evil character I was a little goody two-shoes.

I've never done the RPGs like what we have here, with the posting on forums, I guess I should pick one and read through it to get an idea of how it works, it might be fun to have a go at it.

[quote="Lightbringer Special abilitys that are natural or cybernetic in nature instead of magic, In most ways i prefure sci-fi when it explains everything, because magic always seems like its a shortcut to story, "oh i dont need to have a reason for this because its magic" that sort of thing. anyway i'll stop it here.[/QUOTE"]

It's pretty rare to encounter hard sf in most campaign settings. Like what UC said, a lot of technobabble is used to explain away some desired effect, but it may as well be magic. Think about all of the non-sensical gobbeldygook on Star Trek and you'll see what I mean*. I'll admit though that it does change the feel of the setting, since there's a rational, knowable explanation (at least if you make your Tech roll).


*My personal favourite is the episode of STNG where they need to get rid of all the baryonic matter on the ship.