# Clue me in on (computer) RPGs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [February 26, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653 "2011-02-26T01:08:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653/41 "2011-03-01T21:40:02Z")

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If immersion is your thing (and it sounds like it is) nothing beats the original Thief

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653/42 "2011-03-01T22:05:58Z")

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> [@KidCharlemagne](#):
>
> If immersion is your thing (and it sounds like it is) nothing beats the original Thief

A great game, no doubt, but it’s really stretching to call it an RPG.

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**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653/43 "2011-03-06T20:29:54Z")

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Bumping this to a) thank everyone again for the recs and info (which will keep me in good stead once I get my new system) and b) post an interesting article on the “What’s an RPG?” topic.

[What makes an RPG an RPG: a universal definition](http://sinisterdesign.net/?p=785) is by Craig Stern, an indie game developer. I thought it was enlightening, not just in explaining what a cRPG is, but in explaining what it _isn’t_ by showing what sets some games apart from others.

I’d be curious to see what y’all think about his final definition, which I’m putting in a spoiler for those who’d like to read the whole article:

A game is a computer RPG if it features player-driven development of a persistent character or characters via the making of consequential choices.

Thoughts?

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clue-me-in-on-computer-rpgs/572653/44 "2011-03-06T20:54:11Z")

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Choie, you should read these two histories of “Western RPG’s” and “Asian RPG’s” to get a good background of their history and development:

[History of Asian RPG’s](http://www.mobygames.com/featured_article/feature,25/section,178/)

[History of Western RPG’s](http://www.mobygames.com/featured_article/feature,31/)

Very interesting and fun reads.

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