The Importance of Gameplay

by Michael J. Eaton

In browsing through RPGamer's editorial archives, I found several articles that supported the importance of plot in RPGs. Their points were good, and I wholeheartedly agree with them. However, a recent submission ("If you don't have Something Nice to Say....") had, instead of stressing the importance of plot in RPGs, derided the concepts of game play that are necessary in any game.

Why do people play RPGs? The story? The battles? The "mad skillz"? I cannot answer what any specific gamer wants. I do know, however, that in any case, what seperates games from other forms of entertainment is the challenge involved in reaching a goal. This is a trait that is in common with all games, be they electronic, sports, or whatever you play. The challenge is the key ingredient in any game; everything else is secondary to that. By challenge, I do not mean impossibility (i.e., enemies with 1 trillion HP or reliance on luck, but reliance on skill, strategy, knowledge, logic, and all that nifty stuff (i.e. Asura from FF4... that fight was HARD, but I enjoyed it).

This isn't a "graphics suck" or "next gen systems suck" article. On the contrary, I believe that new systems can provide a better medium for providing challenge. Cutting-edge grapihcs and sound, if used correctly, can do nothing but good. However, several theories have been given as to why people play RPGs. A sweeping majority says plot is the most important factor. I beg to differ.

The editorial "If you Don't Have Something Nice to Say", which encouraged me to write this long overdue editorial (though a few brave souls have tried before... salute!), shows an attitude destructive towards gaming (and an amazing amount of hypocrisy, too). Mr. Marshall's statement "Indeed, the difficulty factor is irrelevant, and only a hindrance to advancing to the next plot sequence" derides the very nature of the game; challenge. The editoral, from my point of view, expresses game play's subservience to other secondary devices, such as plot. As I said before, and will reiterate again, challenge is what defines a game and seperates it from other forms of entertainment. If the challenge for a game is utterly destroyed, as Mr. Marshall seems to want, that barrier is destroyed, and it feels as if you're not even playing, but just watching.

I'm not accusing any game in particular of being this way (IMHO, FF7 was too easy, but it's flexibility and plot did account for the low challenge), but in light of Mr. Marshall's editorial, I just HAD to voice this. It seems that a growing segment of gamers, even penetrating into the RPGing community, have been pressing that challenge simply gets in the way of plot. On the contrary; challenge is what makes the game.

Original Editorial: If you don't have Something Nice to Say....