Lay out YOUR definition of an RPG here

[MrVicchio]

What makes an RPG? Lets lay that out then compare those to PS for fun while we wait for the goodies to roll in

[Airlift]

My definition is a grenade propelled by rocket

Or in a less smart-assed vein, check out http://www.rpg.net for lots of good definitions and fun for the whole pedantic family. I personally think the definition will boil down to a game where the central focus is on the portrayal of characters in a story.

[Ludio]

This is sort of a difficult question, but I'll give it a shot.

An RPG is any game in which the players skills are not directly relied upon.

To flesh this out a bit I will give some examples. In an FPS the player obviously has to aim and depending on how good you are, determines how you do in the game. In an RTS a players skill is shown in build orders and tactics. In a sports game it is reflexes and tactics. In a sim it is similar to a FPS except you have to control movement more carefully. Puzzle games rely on your brain to work.

Adventure games are sort of like RPG's so they are difficult to classify. They don't rely on a players skill (except for puzzles, which some RPG's have), so they could come under the same category as RPG's.

Of course our usage of RPG's also implies leveling and improving your characters skills as a form of advancement. And often includes having an inventory and acquiring items.

This is why Planetside is said to have RPG elements, because it has items and advancement. In a sense any game, in which you can get better without improving your own skill is an RPG.

And of course RPG's are supposed to be based around interesting characters and storylines, otherwise why would you play a game that didn't have anything to do with your skill?

[Tobias]

Everquest, a game I dearly love, is, for the most part, not an RPG. I did play on the FV server for a bit before I left the game, and there were alot of good role players, and we had great fun, and that was good RPing, but as with most computer games it was not an RPG. Morrowind is a killer RPG, as are the games in the Icewind dale and Bulduars gate series, and spiderweb software makes some great RPGs that have kinda crappy graphics but kick ass story.
An RPG is a game where you leave behind your body and enter into that of your character, speaking as you think that character would speak, acting as he would act. I personaly plan to RP in PS, but not so much that I annoy otheres.

[Sputty]

RPG = Role playing GAme. Basically every game is an RPG. But on the other hand, by RPG there's two types. Action RPGs like zelda which have new skills you can learn but you still execute them yourself and often it is still based on character skills rather than player's ability to play well and are often known as adventure games though so I'm ruling those out. An RPG is based more on character stats and character skills and things like that rather than player skill like an FPS. PS isn't an RPG for those reasons IMO. It may ahve elements of RPGs it's still an FPS.

[Unregistered]

Let's just decide that Planetside is not an FPS, nor and RPG. It is a hybrid of the two and as such requires a new acronym.

Planetside is the worlds first RPS (Role Playing Shooter). Now get my trademark lawers on the phone before Sony slaps that on the box without giving me credit!

Ok. I don't need credit, but a free month for coming up with nifty marketing slogans would be coo

[ABRAXAAS]

PS is a MOMRPGFPSADVENTURESCIFISIM

[Sputty]

I think Unreg is going to make alot of money soon. I say we all suck up ot hi---Errr...I mean be as nice as we always were and show him that we are his true friends