The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games by Michael J. Tresca

Author:Michael J. Tresca
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: McFarland & Co.
Published: 2012-01-31T05:36:15+00:00

Risk

Unlike the more forgiving forms of fantasy gaming, IF can be extraordinarily harsh on players. Underlying Dungeons & Dragons, miniature wargames, CRPGs, and massive multiplayer online role-playing games is a statistical challenge. Combat challenges can be overcome through careful planning, strategy, and a little luck. By balancing a dizzying array of statistics, including race, class, and magic, players know that although they can’t always defeat a monster, they at least have a chance.

IF, on the other hand, is an either/or proposition. Although failure doesn’t always result in the death of the player’s character, it is not usually up to chance. Excluding the Fighting Fantasy–style gamebooks, IF is usually a series of riddles. Gamebooks involve picking the right path, where IF involves entering the correct keywords for the game’s parser. These limited choices with dire consequences can be extremely frustrating, but also equalizing. Just as authors use riddles to engage the reader, so choices made in IF are a challenge to the player’s—not the character’s—mind. There is no intelligence or wisdom roll to determine if a character makes the right choice, it’s up to the player to figure it out.

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