CRPG Analyzer: A checklist for computer role-playing games

In Deus Ex you need many skills to solve certain quests.

Because it is a Shooter (Action) CRPG you need also hand eye coordination skills from the player (not the character).

In Deus Ex you have often the choice to battle through a situation or avoid the combat with your skills.

C6 is new (thank you Cassidy)
S4 is changed
from S4: the story is influenced more or less by your actions
to S4: the story is influenced more or less by your actions and abilities

Question:
How about
E9: The Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can exist and move.

Definition of a CRPG (V0.95)

The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerised game can be defined as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors. Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their Must Have (MH) elements fulfilled to achieve CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also has a related Should Have (SH) sub list, the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (SH) are fulfilled too there's no further discussion necessary -> the game is a true CRPG.

Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.


I. A CRPG is a computer game that fulfills these criterions:

Character Development
Describes ways to change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• Must Have
  C1: you can control one or more characters
  C2: you can progressively develop your characters' stats and/or abilities (=> e.g. through quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …)
  C3: you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire
• Should Have
  C4: you can create your characters
  C5: character development requires careful thought and planning
  C6: Tactical use of character/party skills/abilities are the primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges rather than the player's physical coordination skills.

Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• Must Have
  E1: by exploring the gameworld you can find new locations
  E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only puzzle items)
  E3: you can find information sources (=> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info)
• Should Have
  E4: there are NPCs in the game
  E5: you can choose a path (=> there is at least some branching)
  E6: you can manipulate the game world in some way (=> e.g. pull levers, push buttons, open chests, …)
  E7: the gameworld can affect your party (=> e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …)
  E8: you may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles (=> e.g. unlock locked areas, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …)

Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• Must Have
  S1: you can get info from information sources (=> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …)
  S2: you can follow quests (=> there is at least one main quest)
  S3: you can progress through connected events (= Story)
• Should Have
  S4: the story is influenced more or less by your actions and abilities
  S5: you can interact with information sources (=> e.g. NPC conversation, riddle statue question, …)
  S6: you can make choices in those interactions
  S7: your choices have consequences
  S8: advancing in the story requires thought (=> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …)

Combat
Describes how combat is influenced by elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• Should Have
  F1: Combat efficiency is in some way tied to character stats or abilities (=> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …)
  F2: Combat works with some random elements (game internal dice rolls)
  F3: Combat should be challenging (=> e.g. preparing, use of tactics or environment possible)

Originally Posted by HiddenX
C6 is new (thank you Cassidy)
Question:
How about
E9: The Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can exist and move.

How about

E9: The Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can interact and explore.

I'm more of a gameist, but I also appreciate the value of a explorable, well simulated world.

Yep sounds much better.

We would force the reviewer to make a comment for games like "Banner Saga" in which the simulation of the gameworld/ world interaction/ exploration is absolute minimal.

I want to adjust

E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only puzzle items)
to
E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only puzzle items, quest items or weapons)

That would eliminate most pure Shooters and pure Adventures.
What do you think?

***

I like Trasher's version of E9:

E9: The Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can interact and explore.

Originally Posted by HiddenX
I want to adjust

E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only puzzle items)
to
E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only puzzle items, quest items or weapons)

That would eliminate most pure Shooters and pure Adventures.
What do you think?

Aren't puzzle items and quest items the same?
And perhaps we should extend "weapons" to "combat items". I think most shooters have something like medkits.

yes - puzzle / quest items are synonyms.

Combat items could also mean armor -> which goes into CRPG genre again.
It's a fine line

But medkits, stat boosters is a valid hint.

Maybe something like this:

E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory (=> not only quests items, weapons, ammunition and stat boosters)

Well, "weapons, ammunition and stat boosters" goes into CRPGs as well.

That's how I've understood this MH: There are 3 types of items:

• combat (weapon, armor, ammo, medkit, combat ability booster)
• quest/puzzle
• miscellaneous

To fulfill this MH, there must be items of at least 2 of those types, that can be collected in the inventory.

That would be negative for pure shooters and pure adventures, and positive for CRPGs… I think.
Of course we would need a more simple description…

I think this is clear enough:

E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory. There have to be more item types than quests items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters.

Sounds fine.

Don't know if that has been discussed in this thread already, but this MH (before the adjustment as well) would e.g. classify the Mass Effect games as not being CRPGs.
That would be ok for me, but I think it shows that it's important that in a possible sortable/searchable database to show something like the number of MHs that haven't been fulfilled, so one could search for "almost RPGs" also.

E9 is new - thank you Trasher!
E2 is changed - thank you Morrandir!

Definition of a CRPG (V0.96)

The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerised game can be defined as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors. Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their Must Have (MH) elements fulfilled to achieve CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also has a related Should Have (SH) sub list, the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (MH) and (SH) are fulfilled there's no further discussion necessary -> the game is a true CRPG.

Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.


I. A CRPG is a computer game that fulfills these criterions:

Character Development
Describes ways to change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• Must Have
  C1: you can control one or more characters
  C2: you can progressively develop your characters' stats and/or abilities (=> e.g. through quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …)
  C3: you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire
• Should Have
  C4: you can create your characters
  C5: character development requires careful thought and planning
  C6: tactical use of character/party skills/abilities are the primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges rather than the player's physical coordination skills.

Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• Must Have
  E1: by exploring the gameworld you can find new locations
  E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory. There have to be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters.
  E3: you can find information sources (=> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info)
• Should Have
  E4: there are NPCs in the game
  E5: you can choose a path (=> there is at least some branching)
  E6: you can manipulate the game world in some way (=> e.g. pull levers, push buttons, open chests, …)
  E7: the gameworld can affect your party (=> e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …)
  E8: you may have to think or plan to progress or overcome obstacles (=> e.g. unlock locked areas, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …)
  E9: the Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can interact and explore.

Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• Must Have
  S1: you can get info from information sources (=> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …)
  S2: you can follow quests (=> there is at least one main quest)
  S3: you can progress through connected events (= Story)
• Should Have
  S4: the story is influenced more or less by your actions and abilities
  S5: you can interact with information sources (=> e.g. NPC conversation, riddle statue question, …)
  S6: you can make choices in those interactions
  S7: your choices have consequences
  S8: advancing in the story requires thought (=> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …)

Combat
Describes how combat is influenced by elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• Should Have
  F1: Combat efficiency is in some way tied to character stats or abilities (=> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …)
  F2: Combat works with some random elements (game internal dice rolls)
  F3: Combat should be challenging (=> e.g. preparing, use of tactics or environment possible)

Originally Posted by Morrandir
Don't know if that has been discussed in this thread already, but this MH (before the adjustment as well) would e.g. classify the Mass Effect games as not being CRPGs.

That seems wrong somehow. In my view they are Shooter-RPGs. Maybe it would be better to move the second part of E2 to a Should-Have:

MH: "You can find items that can be collected in an inventory"
SH: "There have to be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters."

Or keep the "quest item" requirement in MH to distinguish pure Adventures from CRPGs. Pure Shooters usually don't have an inventory, so that would suffice.

If the MHs are fulfilled, the game is CRPG-ish; if the SHs are fulfilled too, it's a CRPG. The ME games are at least CRPG-ish.

Mass Effect 1 has an inventory and this one feels like a CRPG light already.

Mass Effect 2 and 3 have no inventory, if I remember right, beside armor and weapons. And for me they are feeling more like Adventure games with some first person shooting or a Shooter with some RPG-Elements than a CRPG.

BUT, the armor would "rescue" these games barely to meet E2 in the current form, because this is not a weapon

As a reviewer you have to comment on this minimal inventories in any case.

PS:
found this:

In Mass Effect 2, Commander Shepard starts with the default N7 Armor. This armor can be customized with piecemeal parts for helmet, chest, shoulders, arms, and legs. These parts can be purchased at in-game stores or as DLC. There are also a number of visual customizations available including color, reflectiveness, and color pattern.

Alternatively, Commander Shepard can swap out the N7 Armor for another set of non-customizable armor available via DLC. Armor sets for squad members are predetermined in stats and appearance, and alternate appearances can be unlocked by completing the squad member's loyalty mission, or by purchasing an Alternate Appearance Pack DLC.

Mass Effect 3
Main article: Armor

Shepard can purchase different pieces of armor from vendors on the Citadel, as well as finding them on missions. The Commander starts the game with the standard N7 Armor and the areas of customization are Helmet, Chest, Shoulders, Arms, and Legs with a wide array of customizable colors. On the other hand, non-customizable sets of armor are available for purchase on the Citadel, while some are delivered directly to the Normandy. These include Inferno Armor, Blood Dragon Armor, Collector Armor, Cerberus Armor, N7 Defender Armor, Terminus Armor, and Cerberus Ajax Armor. Each armor piece and set has its own boosts to various stats.

Armor for squad members has a predetermined bonus, and two different outfits are available immediately, with each providing a different boost for that particular squadmate. Additional outfits can be gained from the Mass Effect 3: N7 Collector's Edition Pack (for Kaidan, Ashley, James, and Liara), Mass Effect 3: From Ashes (one extra outfit for everyone except Javik), and the Alternate Appearance Pack (for Garrus, EDI, and Liara), although some outfits share bonuses with previously-available outfits. Changing the outfits of squadmates can drastically affect how they perform on certain missions. Liara can have up to five outfits depending on DLC, though not necessarily five different stat boosts.

True, I forgot about all the armor stuff.

I'm busy implementing a tag system for our tags. It would be nice if we could have a short descriptions for every tag name. While we probably know what everything means, new and uninitiated gamers might not.

Anyone interested in writing some text?

Adding tags or tag groups is very easy, so if something is missing that should be included … I removed CRPG and Non-CRPG from "Genre", as that can be derived from the MH/SH check list. Voice acting and playtime are new; took those from our database.


Genre

Action: The combat is real time without pause.
Adventure: The main emphasis of the game is on Exploring and Story, less on Character Development.
Dungeon Crawler: Closed environment where a lot of content is organized around dungeon interaction (traps, levers, buttons, teleports, riddles…) rather than story.
Hack & Slash: Many enemies, most of them easy to kill, respawning of enemies, much loot.
J-RPG: Manga Style graphics, turn based combat, Eastern style CRPG.
MMORPG: Many players are questing simultaneously online.
Non-Combat: The game features no combat.
Puzzle: The game's main emphasis are puzzles.
Rogue-like: The main emphasis of the game are on Exploring and Character Development, less on Story. Often features permanent death if a character dies and random generated levels.
Sandbox: Open environment where a lot of content is organized around simulation rather than story.
Shooter: Combat is mostly ranged and requires hand eye coordination and reflexes from the player.
Sneaker: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better.
Strategy: Additional troop (not your party) management available.
Tactical: The game puts an emphasis on player tactical skill over character skill, often multiple squads (party splitting) are possible.
Thief-like: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better, thief-skills are essential (lock picking, ambush, hiding, sneaking,…)
W-RPG: Western style CRPG.

Setting

Fantasy
Historical
Modern
Post-apocalyptic
Real World
Sci-fi
Steampunk
Technofantasy

Multiplayer

Co-Op
Single-player
Multi-player
Massive Multi-player
PvE: Player vs. Environment
PvP: Player vs. Player
RvR: Realm vs. Realm

Combat Style

Real-time
Pauseable Real-time
Time-based turns: Includes timed turns, ticks & rounds, active time battle and similar.
Turn-based: Includes simultaneously executed and clock-based turns, unit initiative and acting outside one's turn, special turns and phases.

Point of View

1st-person
3rd-person
Floating Camera
Isometric
Side-scrolling
Top down

Color Palette

Subdued
Realistic
Whimsical
Dazzling

Control

Full Control: Full control over every party member's action in combat.
AI Control: You only control part of the party directly, others are controlled by AI while they may accept general commands.

Voice Acting

Fully Voiced
Partially Voiced
Text Only

Playtime

Up to 10 hours
10-20 hours
20-40 hours
40-60 hours
Over 60 hours
Unlimited

Setting

Fantasy
Fantasy settings work with supernatural and magic elements for the plot. The most popular imaginary worlds use a medieval setting and often copy from J.R.R. Tolkien's book Lord of the Rings.

Science Fiction
In this futuristic setting imaginary technology is used for space and time travel and the discovery of the universe. The contact with extraterrestrial life so called aliens leads to adventures, conflicts and challenges of all kind.

Originally Posted by Arhu
J-RPG: Manga Style graphics, turn based combat, Eastern style CRPG.

Do JRPGs really always have TBC?

Sneaker: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better.
[…]
Thief-like: Combat is possible, avoiding it with stealth is better, thief-skills are essential (lock picking, ambush, hiding, sneaking,…)

That's quite the same, isn't it? We could drop one.

Voice Acting

Fully Voiced
Voice output for virtually all dialog lines in the game, including all player characters and non-player characters.

Partially Voiced
Voice output for some dialog lines, e.g. the player character and/or important non-player characters.

Text Only
No voice output at all.

Suggestion for a new tag group:

Player character background history

Predefined background
The background of the PC is completely predefined. (Witcher series, Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age 2, Fallout 1-3 & NV)

Predefined background with selectable details
The background of the PC is mostly predefined. You may select details from a list. (Mass Effect)

Selectable background
You can select from a list of predefined backgrounds. (Dragon Age 1)

Free background
The PC has no explicit character background. (Gothic)

@Morrandir

Player character background history
-> good suggestion

The tags Thief-like and Sneaker are very similar, indeed. The term Sneaker is not very common.

C1 changed -> exclude pure strategy games with troops
E1+ E9 = new E1 (was too similar)
E8 changed (was too vague)
S4 changed (was too vague)
F3 changed (was to subjective)

Definition of a CRPG (V0.97)

The three core categories Character Development, Exploration and Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerised game can be defined as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors. Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their Must Have (MH) elements fulfilled to achieve CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also has a related Should Have (SH) sub list, the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (MH) and (SH) are fulfilled there's no further discussion necessary -> the game is a true CRPG.

Optional elements are listed in the Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.


I. A CRPG is a computer game that fulfills these criterions:

Character Development
Describes ways to change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• Must Have
  C1: you can control one or more unique characters (Not only uniform troops)
  C2: you can progressively develop your characters' stats and/or abilities (=> e.g. through quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …)
  C3: you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire
• Should Have
  C4: you can create your characters
  C5: character development requires careful thought and planning
  C6: tactical use of character/party skills/abilities are the primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges rather than the player's physical coordination skills.

Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• Must Have
  E1: the Gameworld is simulated by consistent rules and mechanics in which the character/party can interact, explore and find new locations.
  E2: you can find items that can be collected in an inventory. There have to be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters.
  E3: you can find information sources (=> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info)
• Should Have
  E4: there are NPCs in the game
  E5: you can choose a path (=> there is at least some branching)
  E6: you can manipulate the game world in some way (=> e.g. pull levers, push buttons, open chests, …)
  E7: the gameworld can affect your party (=> e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …)
  E8: to progress or overcome obstacles (=> e.g. unlock locked areas, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …) you have to enhance your characters abilities or solve some quests or puzzles.

Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• Must Have
  S1: you can get info from information sources (=> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …)
  S2: you can follow quests (=> there is at least one main quest)
  S3: you can progress through connected events
• Should Have
  S4: the story is influenced by your actions and character stats/abilities/skills
  S5: you can interact with information sources (=> e.g. NPC conversation, riddle statue question, …)
  S6: you can make choices in those interactions
  S7: your choices have consequences
  S8: advancing in the story requires thought (=> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …)

Combat
Describes how combat is influenced by elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• Should Have
  F1: Combat efficiency is in some way tied to character stats or abilities (=> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …)
  F2: Combat works with some random elements (game internal dice rolls)
  F3: Combat should provide some challenge (=> e.g. preparing, use of tactics or environment possible)