The Oblivion of Western RPGs

1up has a piece looking at how Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion may just be what the western RPG genre needs to spring back from the brink of nonexistence. From the article: "Western RPGs focus on the characters, and the world around them is a tool to let the player-as-character do and see more. Eastern RPGs focus on the events unfolding around the characters, and how the characters affect the world around them. Western RPGs are based on the experience of tabletop role-playing games, limited only by the imaginations of the players and the game master, where Eastern RPGs are more re-creations of traditional storytelling. Oblivion has taken huge strides toward meeting fans of MMOs halfway by building A.I. that really lives alongside the player and ensuring that the actual missions are easily pursued."

Comments

Personally, I like Black as a Western RPG

[WillAffleckUW]

Because, when you come down to it, using your gun to make big holes in people in buildings is what I play Western RPGs for.

And I thought...

[Loibisch]

And I thought this was about nobody making a good RPG settled in a Western environment. You know, like with six-shooters, silly hats and indians.

Yee-haw, that would be fun :)

I prefer Polar RPGs

[WillAffleckUW]

In Polar RPGs, from countries like Russia, Canada, Norway, and the like, oh and Australia and South Africa, you get richer art content, more humor, and insane pop songs that richochet in your head.

Oh, and igloos and caribou.

Plus penguins. You can never have enough penguins.

Re:Western RPGs ARE RPGs!

[jdog1016]

> In Morrowind once, I had a weekend off and nothing else to do, so I set about
> stealing every last spoon in the game (I think - I may have missed a few, but I
> had a good couple hundred of them), and then writing "I AM THE KING OF SPOONS"
> with them on the roof of the Underskar... Just because I could.

Wow. You are the coolest person I've ever met.