RPG Model: Add ERPG Place Above CRPG?

RPG Model: Add ERPG Place Above CRPG?

by Hawke Robinson — published 2018/12/05 14:31:00 GMT-7, last modified 2019-03-16T09:24:39-07:00
I am considering changing some phrasing in all our documentations, and would like as much input, discussion (and friendly debate) as possible as I weigh these options. Please read through the explanation and disclaimers before responding. Thanks!

I have a whole document I'm working on for trying to more firmly standardize all of our terminology throughout all papers, but I'll start here with just one area for now, since it is potentially the most complicated.

I've been using CRPG for Computer-based role-playing game to cover most variants that include: personal computer, laptop, server, game consoles, mobile devices, augmented reality, virtual reality, etc.

And that was working adequately. Until I just came across "Audio Games" and "Audio Role-Playing Game" from Greece.

Also as I've been working on some modeling diagrams I created back in 2004, and I was reminded of P2P and both its postal mail and digital forms.

Though nowadays audio is most likely played with a computer-based device, it could be an audio cassette or other analog electronics, and I now seem to recall long ago there were some 8-track based RPG-like games that I had (kind of like audio choose your own adventures). These fall more under "Electronic" than "Computer" and create a differentiation between analog (as in full frequency/spectrum electromagnetic spectrum signals) versus digital signaling.

In this case, CRPG would be a sub-type of ERPG under digital signaling. But I am not aware of anyone ever using ERPG. Though not previously used, it seems a more accurate top of the hierarchy of this classification, so I am strongly considering it.

Would love as much feedback as possible. Here are a few (very early far from complete) draft diagrams to help with context (some of the content goes back to my early work in 2004 that I am trying to bring more up to date) (there are a lot of placeholder sections not placed anywhere in particular yet, and missing categories I will add later), so ignore the placement and connection, other than just the general logic of categorization under the ERPG setion (diagram 2).

Broad view of core RPG components

RPG-modalities-p1-components-diagram-hawkes-robinson-20190220j.gif

Here is diagram 1 level above the ERPG format:

RPG-modalities-p2-diagram-hawkes-robinson-20190220j.gif

 

And then here is diagram 2 focusing on ERPG: https://www.rpgresearch.com/research/archives/public/rpg-research/diagrams/rpg-modalities-and-variants-scheme-hierarchal-diagram-20181204e-p2.gif/view

RPG-modalities-p3-erpg-diagram-hawkes-robinson-20190220j.gif

 

RPG-modalities-p4-interface-senses-diagram-hawkes-robinson-20190220j.gif

Brainstorm of components and variables for consideration in additional model variants and drill-down details.

RPG-modalities-p5-other-considerations-diagram-hawkes-robinson-20190220j.gif

 

 

Appreciate your thoughts on the idea of making ERPG above CRPG.

Document Actions

Bannister
Bannister says:
Dec 05, 2018 06:56 PM
I don't want to upset anything, yet have you considered defining RPG first into the Roll playing game vs Role Playing Game? Often Computer games are nothing more than Maths, 'rolling' random numbers against values on a character sheet to determine outcomes of unclear events. Which is funny, given computer powers to determine details maths, physics level, in an instant, you'd think the CRPGs of today would take all factors into account and provide a non random result.

Some tabletop RPGs claim to be Role playing, yet you don't make any decision based on your role.
Hawke Robinson
Hawke Robinson says:
Dec 06, 2018 10:59 AM
Doesn't upset anything other than a bit off-topic for this specific post, but I very much appreciate your comments. In my larger set of documents there are many other variables taken into account, including a spectrum consideration between ROLL-play versus ROLE-play. These many other components have to be broken into other sub-documents of the higher level model diagram which is already too detailed, and I plan to create a better more abstract level that then drills down into each subsection. That is a whole other conversation that will be posted int he future, for now, for this conversation I am hoping we can just focus on whether ERPG is a better listing as a major subset of RPG instead of CRPG, and making CRPG a subset until ERPG. There are hundreds of other areas we could discuss about the model, but it is not ready for that kind of review yet. I've added a third image to the above posting just to show a brainstorm list of just a few of the variables and components that need to be taken into account at some level or another, which does include the ROLL v ROLE spectrum consideration.
Anonymous
Anonymous says:
Jan 21, 2019 08:05 AM
You might want to consider changing your ERPG... In internet vernacular ERPG means erotic role playing game.
Hawke Robinson
Hawke Robinson says:
Jan 21, 2019 03:08 PM
Thank you for the suggestion! That section of the model is listing formats not genres or play styles. I am aware of the small fringe population using the ERPG term for the genre or style of erotic role-playing gaming, but that is a genre of RPG not a format. Also this model is designed for academics, researchers, and professionals. But you bring up a good point about what to designate that style without too much confusion, and I'll do what I can to incorporate clarification. Erotic RPG content/genre/style could be expressed through any of the RPG formats: ERPG, HRPG, LARP, SABM, or TRPG. Does that help clarify? I'll try to include clarification in the text documents explaining the model. Thanks!