The Evolution of Console Role-Playing Games (CRPGs) By: Alexander Ortiz

Pre-Console RPGs Pen and paper RPGs Ex: Dungeons and Dragons In depth character development Many different ability scores Much practice needed to become a good player Huge amounts of time taken to increase levels

Pen and paper RPGs

Ex:

Dungeons and Dragons

In depth character development

Many different ability scores

Much practice needed to become a good player

Huge amounts of time taken to increase levels

1980

Akalabeth: World of Doom California P acific C omputer One of the first computer rpgs Third person overhead map First person dungeon Precursor to the Ultima series No plot, just questing and killing monsters Had a food counter which killed the character if it reached zero

California P acific C omputer

One of the first computer rpgs

Third person overhead map

First person dungeon

Precursor to the Ultima series

No plot, just questing and killing monsters

Had a food counter which killed the character if it reached zero

1981

Wizardry Series Sir-tech S oftware, I nc. First person, dungeon crawler Parties could be formed Mainly focused on fighting Story was mostly ignored Only 10% of the screen was used to show graphics, the rest was text

Sir-tech S oftware, I nc.

First person, dungeon crawler

Parties could be formed

Mainly focused on fighting

Story was mostly ignored

Only 10% of the screen was used to show graphics, the rest was text

Ultima series Apple II California P acific C omputer Computer version of the ‘pen and paper’ RPGs of the time Top-down view on surface, dungeon crawler style in dungeons “ Mother of the Role-Playing Genre” – MobyGames Parties could be formed

Apple II

California P acific C omputer

Computer version of the ‘pen and paper’ RPGs of the time

Top-down view on surface, dungeon crawler style in dungeons

“ Mother of the Role-Playing Genre” – MobyGames

Parties could be formed

1982

Dragonstomper Atari 2600 Starpath Corporation First console RPG Focuses primarily on functionality Lacks sound quality Simple controls Random Battles No experience points Character became stronger by using items that changed Strength and Dexterity by a random amount(either raising or lowering it) No save feature Takes around an hour and must be completed in one sitting

Atari 2600

Starpath Corporation

First console RPG

Focuses primarily on functionality

Lacks sound quality

Simple controls

Random Battles

No experience points

Character became stronger by using items that changed Strength and Dexterity by a random amount(either raising or lowering it)

No save feature

Takes around an hour and must be completed in one sitting

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin Intellivision APH Technological Consulting Mix between an RPG and a maze game One of the first 3D games for the Intellivision Real-time battles Large variety of enemies and weapons 256 randomly generated levels 10x10 maze layout and similar passages gets repetitive No saves

Intellivision

APH Technological Consulting

Mix between an RPG and a maze game

One of the first 3D games for the Intellivision

Real-time battles

Large variety of enemies and weapons

256 randomly generated levels

10x10 maze layout and similar passages gets repetitive

No saves

1983-1986 Video game crash

1986

Dragon Quest NES Enix Corporation One of the essential 50 videogames – Classic1up.com The first true role-playing game designed specifically for a game console Opened up RPGs to a whole new group of gamers since it did not rely on previous D&D experience Single-handedly created the Japanese style of RPG creation

NES

Enix Corporation

One of the essential 50 videogames – Classic1up.com

The first true role-playing game designed specifically for a game console

Opened up RPGs to a whole new group of gamers since it did not rely on previous D&D experience

Single-handedly created the Japanese style of RPG creation

Dragon Quest Story heavily emphasized Written and programmed by Koichi Nakamura and Yuji Horii, whose writing experience helped to create a realistic and empathetic story Both had played the American computer RPGs and wanted to expose the style of the game to a wider variety of people

Story heavily emphasized

Written and programmed by Koichi Nakamura and Yuji Horii, whose writing experience helped to create a realistic and empathetic story

Both had played the American computer RPGs and wanted to expose the style of the game to a wider variety of people

Dragon Quest Simplified controls to be playable on the NES Challenging, nonlinear First person, turn based combat system Only one playable character Can only be attacked by one enemy at a time Still used passwords instead of save files Limited amount of spells

Simplified controls to be playable on the NES

Challenging, nonlinear

First person, turn based combat system

Only one playable character

Can only be attacked by one enemy at a time

Still used passwords instead of save files

Limited amount of spells

Dragon Quest Character Design by Akira Toriyama, the mangaka for Dragon Ball and was already famous for Dr. Slump The characters had a sense of craftiness and mischievousness about them as opposed to the dark and evil beasts of previous American RPGs based on D&D

Character Design by Akira Toriyama, the mangaka for Dragon Ball and was already famous for Dr. Slump

The characters had a sense of craftiness and mischievousness about them as opposed to the dark and evil beasts of previous American RPGs based on D&D

Dragon Quest Music by Koichi Sugiyama Soundtrack was “deeper, heavier, and emotional than any other Famicom game” Sugiyama is considered the “Father of Video Game Music” Music is so popular that Sugiyama holds yearly orchestra concerts on Dragon Quest music

Music by Koichi Sugiyama

Soundtrack was “deeper, heavier, and emotional than any other Famicom game”

Sugiyama is considered the “Father of Video Game Music”

Music is so popular that Sugiyama holds yearly orchestra concerts on Dragon Quest music

The Legend of Zelda NES Nintendo Co., Ltd. One of the first action adventure RPGs Save feature Nonlinear Many secret items and rooms Many usable items Had puzzle solving as well as monster killing Unlike most other RPGs, the protagonist does not gain levels, merely gains new abilities with new weapons

NES

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

One of the first action adventure RPGs

Save feature

Nonlinear

Many secret items and rooms

Many usable items

Had puzzle solving as well as monster killing

Unlike most other RPGs, the protagonist does not gain levels, merely gains new abilities with new weapons

1987

Dragon Quest II NES Enix Corporation Much like Dragon Quest Had 3 playable characters, each with special traits Could fight up to 6 enemies at a time Passwords instead of save files Even more spells and weapons Much larger world map

NES

Enix Corporation

Much like Dragon Quest

Had 3 playable characters, each with special traits

Could fight up to 6 enemies at a time

Passwords instead of save files

Even more spells and weapons

Much larger world map

Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei NES Atlus Co., Ltd. Japanese version of the dungeon hacks popular in American computer RPGs Innovative party system which consisted of being able to have a conversation with most enemies and with the right words you can persuade them to join your party. Conversations and party formation involve a lot of strategy to avoid battles and gain items A large knowledge of the demons of the game is needed as you can combine them to make stronger ones An alignment category is added, your choices affect your alignment: Chaos, Law, or Neutral Very difficult and had confusing level design

NES

Atlus Co., Ltd.

Japanese version of the dungeon hacks popular in American computer RPGs

Innovative party system which consisted of being able to have a conversation with most enemies and with the right words you can persuade them to join your party.

Conversations and party formation involve a lot of strategy to avoid battles and gain items

A large knowledge of the demons of the game is needed as you can combine them to make stronger ones

An alignment category is added, your choices affect your alignment: Chaos, Law, or Neutral

Very difficult and had confusing level design

Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished Omen MSX, later for NES, SMS Nihon Falcom Corp. Action RPG No attack button, you just run into an enemy and if you are stronger or hit them correctly then they get damaged more than you do Has excellent soundtrack Popular anime-style illustrations

MSX, later for NES, SMS

Nihon Falcom Corp.

Action RPG

No attack button, you just run into an enemy and if you are stronger or hit them correctly then they get damaged more than you do

Has excellent soundtrack

Popular anime-style illustrations

Final Fantasy MSX later for NES Square Co. Ltd 6 different classes to choose from Nice, 3 rd person combat system Random battle system tended to generate too many battles Wide variety of enemies and equipment Music varied and high quality

MSX later for NES

Square Co. Ltd

6 different classes to choose from

Nice, 3 rd person combat system

Random battle system tended to generate too many battles

Wide variety of enemies and equipment

Music varied and high quality

Final Fantasy If you had a character attack an enemy and that enemy is destroyed before the character has a chance to act, the attack is useless. Instead of MP which usually determines magic use, FF uses charges of spells, each spell can be used a limited number of times before the character has to rest

If you had a character attack an enemy and that enemy is destroyed before the character has a chance to act, the attack is useless.

Instead of MP which usually determines magic use, FF uses charges of spells, each spell can be used a limited number of times before the character has to rest

Phantasy Star SMS SEGA Enterprises Ltd. First console RPG to be released in the US First person, real-time dungeons Third person overworld Various amount of items Unique combination of technology and magic Four playable characters All had distinct personalities Excellent backgrounds and graphics Great soundtrack Option to talk to the monsters, who sometimes are friendly

SMS

SEGA Enterprises Ltd.

First console RPG to be released in the US

First person, real-time dungeons

Third person overworld

Various amount of items

Unique combination of technology and magic

Four playable characters

All had distinct personalities

Excellent backgrounds and graphics

Great soundtrack

Option to talk to the monsters, who sometimes are friendly

1988

Dragon Quest III NES Enix Corporation One main character Can recruit 3 others of six different classes Unique class system Characters can change their class after level 20 but lose their experience and half their stats This allowed a new angle for gameplay since spells learned is dependant on the class of the character Even larger world with even more variety of spells, items, equipment, and enemies.

NES

Enix Corporation

One main character

Can recruit 3 others of six different classes

Unique class system

Characters can change their class after level 20 but lose their experience and half their stats

This allowed a new angle for gameplay since spells learned is dependant on the class of the character

Even larger world with even more variety of spells, items, equipment, and enemies.

Final Fantasy II No experience points but an innovative character upgrade system where the more you used a stat, the more proficient you become in that stat. Creatures are unbalanced, they do not attack as randomly as they should. Very nonlinear gameplay, you can explore many places that are supposed to be explored later in the story Dungeons very long and without save points. New “word memory” system where the player ‘memorizes’ a phrase in the game and can later retell it to another NPC to further the story

No experience points but an innovative character upgrade system where the more you used a stat, the more proficient you become in that stat.

Creatures are unbalanced, they do not attack as randomly as they should.

Very nonlinear gameplay, you can explore many places that are supposed to be explored later in the story

Dungeons very long and without save points.

New “word memory” system where the player ‘memorizes’ a phrase in the game and can later retell it to another NPC to further the story

1989

Tengai Makyou: Ziria TurboGrafx PC RED Company First console RPG to be on CD-rom Very similar to Dragon Quest in play style First semi-humorous RPG Good music Poor graphics for the system Good animated cutscenes with voice actors Simple story but unique setting (early Japan) and unique way of learning magic, finding it

TurboGrafx PC

RED Company

First console RPG to be on CD-rom

Very similar to Dragon Quest in play style

First semi-humorous RPG

Good music

Poor graphics for the system

Good animated cutscenes with voice actors

Simple story but unique setting (early Japan) and unique way of learning magic, finding it

Mother NES APE Set in modern times Magic replaced with PSI Creatures replaced with people and possessed things Weapons replaced with bats, yo-yos and frying pans No overworld, the world was one continuous map Similar battle system to Dragon Quest Four set playable characters Isometric graphics – the character could move in 8 directions

NES

APE

Set in modern times

Magic replaced with PSI

Creatures replaced with people and possessed things

Weapons replaced with bats, yo-yos and frying pans

No overworld, the world was one continuous map

Similar battle system to Dragon Quest

Four set playable characters

Isometric graphics – the character could move in 8 directions