Talk:Action roleplaying game

message: Some mention of the term hack and slash should be made, as it's nearly synonymous with Action RPG. SharkD 04:27, 31 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Synonymous term

message: "However, RPGs that use this style of combat system but give equal focus to non-combat elements such as non-player character interaction and character development (such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) are instead referred to as computer role-playing games."
What about Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, which markets itself as an action RPG, yet gives equal focus to non-combat skills? SharkD 20:18, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: In the industry, "action RPG" seems to refer primarily or even solely to the use of a real-time combat system. To RPG players, however, "action RPG" typically equates to a Diablo-esque focus. Of course then the question has to be whose naming we go with, the one given by the company or the one indicated by the traditions of the RPG genres. Still, that's something worth a mention just like Zelda games not being RPGs. GarrettTalk 04:25, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: OK, I copied what you said, word for word. How does it look? SharkD 12:18, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I removed it again. It just didn't sound right for some reason. Plus, I feel bad adding unsourced statements. SharkD 12:27, 8 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: The problem with what Garret stated as far as what RPG players feel is that there are some RPG players who go by the definition he attributes to the industry. That is, an Action RPG being an RPG with a real time combat system, one focused on action reflex gameplay. Still, I guess it's up to the interpretation of the individual, as game genres do not have hard and fast definitions (or rather the subgenres don't). That's what these wiki articles are about: trying to come up with hard and fast definitions.Therealspiffyone (talk) 15:31, 18 January 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree with you. Maybe a mention of the differing opinions should be made in the article. SharkD (talk) 02:23, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Question

message: As some know, there are games that are placed in the "FPS" type of Action>shooter genre that have a strong focus on RPG level/stat building. Deus Ex and System Shock 1 and 2 comes to mind. As Action RPGs are RPG games with real-time action reflex combat systems, wouldn't a game that combines FPS gameplay (an action gameplay convention, focusing on reflex shooting combat) with a strong focus on character building/creation (like the aforementioned games) be an Action RPG?    
I would think so. Apparently Deus Ex and System Shock 1 and 2 were (and are) labeled as RPGs by their developers, despite being considered FPS by some gamers. In fact, aren't they both? Some gamers (and pro reviewers) label them as "FPS/RPG"...but "FPS" isn't really a genre unto itself, but rather a type of game in the Shooter genre which itself is a type of game in the Action genre. As such is the case, and Shooters are types of Action games, it would seem that calling such games Action RPGs is entirely within the definition of the Action RPG genre. Therealspiffyone (talk) 15:41, 18 January 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree with you; however, this does not reconcile the fact that there is a difference in interpretation of the term. Simply changing the definition from one to another meaning wouldn't be prudent, in my opinion. SharkD (talk) 01:59, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

text: I agree. Also - BioShock and Fallout 3! --KpoT (talk) 20:06, 5 November 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  So-called "FPS/RPGs" as Action RPGs? 

message: From the article:
"Diablo's effect on the market was significant; it had many imitators and its style of combat went on to be used by many MMORPGs that came after.[citation needed] For many years afterwards, games that closely mimicked the Diablo formula were referred to as "Diablo clones." The definition of a Diablo clone is even vaguer than that of an action RPG...
...
Diablo II's effect on the gaming industry led to an even larger number of "clones" than its predecessor, inspiring games for almost a decade."
I've heard much talk about these numerous Diablo Clones but I've yet to see a list of them that doesn't include RPGs that don't resemble Diablo in the least. Should some examples be included here? Would a list or group be called for? --The Extremist [User, Talk] 09:56, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Diablo clones? 

message: Super Chinese?Evaunit♥666♥ 16:44, 29 September 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Super Chinese

message: I think this article is diverging a bit from how the phrase is used in the media and in the marketing of games itself. Many of the games mentioned, like Star Ocean, Tales of Phantasia, and Baldur's Gate are almost never called Action-RPGs. They may be RPGs with action elements, but I think the article is taking greater liberty with the term than its use outside of wikipedia justifies.  
I would propose that the term is a relativistic one, describing an RPG with a greater emphasis on real-time action over strategy compared to its contemporary peers. For example, Dark Messiah was billed as an Action-RPG, but Oblivion, while it does contain action, was not. At the very least, some acknowledgement should be made that the term in Japan refers more specifically to games that merge RPG elements with action-adventure conventions, but is seldom ever applied to games with fusion real-time/strategic systems like Tales or Star Ocean. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.125.113.35 (talk) 00:35, 9 April 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I couldn't agree more with the above. It's probably the only sensible thing I've seen written here -- either on the article itself or the discussion around it. This section needs some real work. 86.20.205.210 (talk) 14:48, 16 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Someone must have slipped in Oblivion at some point, as it was not there a year ago. I'll remove it. However, the article talks about Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, not Baldur's Gate. These are very different types of games, and I don't see an issue with calling it an action RPG. SharkD (talk) 01:33, 17 July 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion needs clarifying, obviously. Because it's action oriented cRPG. Sir Lothar (talk) 13:13, 3 August 2009 (UTC)

text: Vide infobox, Sir Lothar (talk) 13:23, 3 August 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Liberal application of the term 

message: Everything is wrong in the article, real-time or turn-based are irrelevant to the term, the important is if the game features an RPG system or features an gameplay similar to action games. Leveling-up is an universal element, tuning your car (racing game), picking an weapon (shooter), discovering new tech (strategy) etc... These are all Level up mechanisms, well, im not sure if the genre even exists —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.69.242.106 (talk) 17:11, 16 September 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  The article needs an complete overhaul 

message: If I could find a reliable source that gives a definition for "action RPG" I would use it. However, I can't find one. For now, I argue that my definition which was reverted is better than the one that replaced it. My version:
:Action role-playing games (action RPGs) are a loosely-defined sub-genre of role-playing video games. Action RPGs feature real-time combat and usually place heavy emphasis on combat-related activities.  
The old version:
:An action role-playing game is an loosely-defined video game genre based on role-playing combat systems. Games in the genre features an gameplay much more similar to action games rather than an genuine Role-playing game system.  
First off, this version has grammatical problems. Second, it contrasts action RPGs to "genuine" RPG systems, implying that one necessarily precludes the other. I disagree with that judgment. At any rate, what was the objection to my revision, and how can we compromise? --Cornprone (talk) 23:44, 21 September 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: If there are no reliable sources, I would prefer your version(the first one) but rephrase the last part and usually place heavy emphasis on combat-related activities. The reason for this is only because this sentence sounds very WP:OR and controversial. It is pobably why it was reverted in the first place. I don't know if it is correct or not, and I cannot think of any examples to counter it, but better play safe if someone reverted it. —Preceding signed comment added by MythSearchertalk 01:04, 22 September 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I guess it's true that we should leave the definition as vague as possible to avoid possible controversy. It'd be different if any of us had reliable sources, but we don't. So for now, I propose this: "Action role-playing games (action RPGs) are a loosely-defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate some elements of action games." How's that? Now as far as finding sources for statements, the best I can find are mainstream gaming news sites referring to specific individual games as "action RPGs." So we could at least use those as examples of what games are included in the genre. --Cornprone (talk) 01:10, 23 September 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: The first suggestion sounds OK to me. SharkD  Talk  11:35, 15 December 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Introductory paragraph 

message: Shouldn't they be mentioned in this article?
Rogue: The Adventure Game - and all its derivates - is often seen as a precursor to Diablo and the whole "Hack & Slash" genre.
Gauntlet has "RPG elements" and is definitely an action game. Perhaps too light on RPG elementes to be considered a "Hack & Slash" game?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.159.164.158 (talk) 15:30, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Generally, only real-time games are called action RPGs, AFAIK. Rogue on the other hand pauses after each action, giving you a period of analysis before deciding on your next move. SharkD  Talk  00:09, 6 April 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Roguelikes and Gauntlet