Just to let you know thill, I myself have roleplayed in Diablo 1 and 2 quite alot. Most of my friends at a local gaming center had fun doing this almost every night. Roleplay in my definition is putting yourself into something you are not. In todays clarification of RPG, diablo had that plus some. And everything about diablo screams action. My definition of action is promoting movement in something and at a mass amount. Meaning in diablo i could kill more than just one entity at a time, provoking action. And diablo and HGL are by far not silly games. They have been games that have created an easy play style for anyone from serious gamers to non serious gamers and those who fall in between. Its like playing killer instict on crack. But you can level that same character and develop your own story of that. Now as to the story of Diablo and you saying that the game has no storyline. For that i say your simply blind. The man who wrote the diablo books is nothing short of a phenominal writer. The storys he portrays are really deep. You must be a person who goes through games, not reading quests, nor caring to understand the game. Because if you werent then you would easily see Diablo has a fantastic storyline that continues throughout 3 books. One of them yet to be published until a such and such movie comes out. (Rumor Only) I only read a small sample of some of your other replys because frankly people like you are the same people i dont talk to for obvious reasons. You take something, and judge it on its cover, without reading deeply. Now the last thing im going to state on this is one thing you posted that is false but by no means is it your fault. You posted a quote stating the HGL was created by the core creators of diablo, which in all truth is not true. If im wrong then ask me this HGL staff. Who was diablo 1 and 2's lead designer? Who did almost half of diablo 2 and lod expansion packs art? Were are these people? Apparently not on your staff. You guys seriously need to drop the crap about being core creators of diablo 2, and just state you worked on the game. Yeah you have some core members, but not nearly as much as you portray. Its almost like you guys are using it to sell some half -#$% game. Dont get me wrong, ive never played HGL and never will. Im a fan of diablo, and will always be. But I will not try to play a game based off some false advertisement of lies you use to sell your game. Now i wonder why blizzard really got rid of blizzard north team? Care to share light on that subject.

    RPG.. What makes an RPG? 

It comes from Pen & Paper D&D type games started by Gary Gygax.  Its not just playing a ROLE anymore since every game has you playing a ROLE.  Its about having a character with statistics governing its abilities such as Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, etc that increase over time as the character gains experience.  Its formed the basis for 100s of thousands of games to come out since.  An RPG has to have leveling of your character, the ability to equip different items, and classically to play as different types of classes, although not always.   Oldschool RPG games use dicerolls for most everything.  But they dont have to stay Oldschool to remain RPGs. such as Spellborn which drops all dicerolls, and allows pure action and use of skill to matter and pretty much reworks all the old RPG conventions in very interesting ways, especially as an MMORPG.

Diablo IS an RPG.  Its just not one with much depth of story and character development other than statistics based.  The characters have no personality.  Its purely for action gaming.  Thus Action RPG, Hack N Slash. is that genre.

Just like music can have sub-genres.  Like Electronic music has Trance, Breakbeat, Jungle, Ambient, and a slew of other specifications.  RPGs can and do also. 

MMO's also have specifics. Like MMORPG.   And while Hellgate fits the RPG part, it fails in the MMO part.  There is nothing Massively Multiplayer about it.  Its just a multiplayer game like most all the other multiplayer games out there like Counterstrike or Halo.  Having a 3D lobby where a few more players can hang out, doesnt make it an MMO and you'd be a naieve to believe it is at all.   Its not a persistant online gameworld.  It doesnt require near the work an MMO takes to establish and maintain. 

To the OP:

What do you seek in a game?  That it must fit your specific unique definition of RPG before you will open the box?  That it must be made by some authority in that game genre?

Come on, do you enjoy the game per se, irrespective of who make it and who is who?  If you do not enjoy HGL, move on.

Or, well, have you ever played it yet in some depth?  Starting a flame war on who is authority is like arguing whether pepsi taste better than coke.  What for?

Originally posted by Thillian

This is the text from Hellgate overview.

"The RPG Authority – Flagship Studios was founded by the core creators of Diablo, one of the biggest PC gaming franchises in history with over 13 million units sold worldwide – they are the first, last and only voice in the world of action RPGs. "

Is this a joke? I mean.. Diablo was a RPG? That's some bloody news for me. Is Tropico a RPG too because you roleplay el presidente on tropical island?

Can we call Maxis studio The RPG Authority, because they were the creators of Sims, the best RPG ?

You know RPG requires more than just building a character and smashing your right mouse button. Someone should tell those guys ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game

Just read that...please. 

-Vin

on a side note:

the actual developer who designed and conceptualized diablo 2 DOES NOT WORK for FSS. He is at perpetual entertainment.

So in a sense, HGL is not really made by the creator of the diablo franchise, but rather the grunt workers who were told what to do at blizzard north. Roper was just the manager over seeing the project.

Just a bit of useful info for those claiming the whole "its make by the makers of diablo so there fore it must be good"

And I guess you kould kall it an action rpg.. kinda old skool arcade like as well. but there have been better RPGs that were just as simple graphics wise. Final Fantasy has been a klassic for ages and really pulls you into the character of a role playing game, at times even characters

Originally posted by Ogrelin

Fantasysetting = RPG in the gameworld....

All games are fantasty

Originally posted by Vaden

And I guess you kould kall it an action rpg.. kinda old skool arcade like as well. but there have been better RPGs that were just as simple graphics wise. Final Fantasy has been a klassic for ages and really pulls you into the character of a role playing game, at times even characters

 

Originally posted by Ogrelin

Fantasysetting = RPG in the gameworld....

 

All games are fantasty

Yeah the old console final fantasy games got some deep storylines.

Originally posted by sacredcow4

If anyone has a right to claim the title of "first, last and only voice in the world of action RPGs"...

it is the guys who created Diablo, and Ultima Online

 

anyway you look at a game... you are smashing buttons in one way or another, cry about it dude, an RPG is an RPG... it doesn't matter how many or what keys you use to play it.

You guys convinced me in one thing, that tropico has become the best RPG I have ever played. I think Topop software are currently the RPG authorities and they have the right to call themselves that way. And I wish they will release Tropico Online soon. Ultimate economical, political MMORPG

In addition why is someone giving links to wikipedia. If someone doesn't have enough trust even to sites like ign.com or gamespot.ign why should someone has to have it for wikipedia.

Originally posted by Thillian

 

Originally posted by sacredcow4

If anyone has a right to claim the title of "first, last and only voice in the world of action RPGs"...

it is the guys who created Diablo, and Ultima Online

 

anyway you look at a game... you are smashing buttons in one way or another, cry about it dude, an RPG is an RPG... it doesn't matter how many or what keys you use to play it.

Take a deep breath, calm down, call forth composure.

 

You guys convinced me in one thing, that tropico has become the best RPG I have ever played. I think Topop software are currently the RPG authorities and they have the right to call themselves that way. And I wish they will release Tropico Online soon. Ultimate economical, political MMORPG

In addition why is someone giving links to wikipedia. If someone doesn't have enough trust even to sites like ign.com or gamespot.ign why should someone has to have it for wikipedia.

Rather than use the roleplaying game link from wikipedia I think this one is more apt:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_role-playing_game

If you want to have the section that describes the Op its this part:

"CRPGs often face criticism from players of traditional RPGs. A common reason for this is the fact that many CRPGs focus on combat and statistical character management instead of storytelling and thorough characterization ." 

When Diablo first hit the shelves and had all the articles etc. It was touted as an "Action RPG". Prior to Diablo  the phrase wasn't used.  Much like EA/mythic and their desire to copyright realm vs realm due to DAOC first using the terminology.

And yes, the Sims games are an RPG so is Tropico, however, in your rush to jump on some huge crusade you completely ignored the fact that the Sim franchise (short for simulation)  was created and marketed to avoid the RPG stigmata which back in the day was not really a positive thing what with pnp DnD being the Devil's tool.  Its all just marketing talk and doublespeak, much like the OP trying to foist his OPINION of an Rpg as the majority opinion. When NO GAME played on a pc/mac/console is a true RPG, they are CRPGs, if you dress up and run around you are larping.  Hell, if you play a racing game it could be considered a RPG since you play the role of a race car driver going through the racing season.

@ OP

Diablo and the likes are hack&slash RPGs with the emphasys on Hack&Slash and less on Roleplaying. But the system that allows you to modify any part of your character is a part of the RPG universe, hence, RPG.

Diablo has been an RPG since before you were born likely, so ehh..who cares what you think ^^

Originally posted by Umbrood

Of all insane claims I have seen in this place, this takes the price.

Diablo not an RPG?

Mate, do your research, Diablo invented the action RPG genre.

Diablo is not to be measured against other RPG's for determening wether or not it is one, all other games are measured against diablo to determine wether or not is an action RPG.

But as you say, you do not even care what other thinks, it is not an RPG in your book, and that is fine we are all entitled to our opinions after all.

But why then even bring it up?

You are not going to change your view regardles of what arguments we put forth obviously.

But to be frank the "We who do not think diablo is an RPG club", is by all probability the loneliest club in the gaming community.

Since its release this is the first and only time I have heard this claim.

I migth not agree with the statement that FSS is THE authority on action RPG's.

But Diablo and DiabloII with their expansions are still the yardstick against wich all others are measured.

Saying that they are not RPG's is like saying a meter is not a distance.

 

 

I'm not saying this to be rude man really.  If you are going to tell someone to do research you really should have done your own.  The Diablo series is credited for "revitalizing" the action rpg market but is in no way whatsoever considered to be the first of it's kind.  That title goes to far older games such as the Mana series and hell even many games made back in the 80's are thought of as early action rpgs because they used elements such as character progression, economy, exploration, loot and other stats while keeping a more "action" based combat system.  Those are the games that gave birth to Diablo later on.  Like I said I'm not trying to be a jerk it's just some of us are old enough to remember enjoying the "action rpgs" long before Diablo ever came around.

Yes Diablo seems to have always been considered a rpg, because it falls under the label of action rpg which really only means in technical terms that a game with the typical elements that make a rpg is more focused on real time combat rather than turn based such as traditional games like Fallout, Baldurs Gate, Arcanum etc..hence the word action.

Anyhow, the best part of this thread though has been the repeated non-sense you always see someone post about where basically any game you can "roleplay" in can be classified under the rpg genra title..

If that was the case than every single game ever created could be called a rpg...

Yup Quake was an rpg because I roleplayed some space marine killing demons..

Thought Crysis was a first person shooter? nope it's an rpg because I roleplay that I'm a guy in a nanosuit killing N. Koreans..

Supreme Commander a RTS? Wrong, you guessed it..rpg.  I'm roleplaying that I'm a big robot building armies..

Point is rpg as a gaming genra does in fact have some type of guidlines that make it such.

PS: Here ya go went ahead and did the research for some..though I personally think wikis are a joke to base an argument off of this does at least list many of the early action rpgs under the History section.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_role-playing_game

What a nice, friendly thread.

I just have one thing to say: I liked Diablo. Stop. Is diablo an rpg? Is diablo an actionrpg? Is Tetris an action game? Is Revenge of the mutant camels a space sim? I really, really, really don't care about genres. It happens with music, cinema, games.... a lot of people arguing about the perfect way to define a game. Just play it, if you like it.

Well, that's my point of view... I respect yours :)

Originally posted by emanjonez

What a nice, friendly thread.

I just have one thing to say: I liked Diablo. Stop. Is diablo an rpg? Is diablo an actionrpg? Is Tetris an action game? Is Revenge of the mutant camels a space sim? I really, really, really don't care about genres. It happens with music, cinema, games.... a lot of people arguing about the perfect way to define a game. Just play it, if you like it.

Well, that's my point of view... I respect yours :)

Wow, first post on this nonsense? Really after 3 years of a nonposter that is impressive.

Originally posted by emanjonez

What a nice, friendly thread.

I just have one thing to say: I liked Diablo. Stop. Is diablo an rpg? Is diablo an actionrpg? Is Tetris an action game? Is Revenge of the mutant camels a space sim? I really, really, really don't care about genres. It happens with music, cinema, games.... a lot of people arguing about the perfect way to define a game. Just play it, if you like it.

Well, that's my point of view... I respect yours :)

Yes of course it does matter in this situation, because Flagship Studios called themselves the RPG authority.

And poster HoldMe thanks for your post. It summarizes the points perfectly as I see them, I couldn't explain it better.

The thing is i consider Diablo as hack'n slash action game with RPG features. Even if you dare to call it action RPG, it's noway near to agree with that Flagship self-title RPG Authority.

Flagship Studios is far from the RPG Authority. I chuckled the first time I saw them use that.

Originally posted by Thillian

 

Originally posted by Coman

 

You also gonna make thread about the 100s of Asian MMO website claiming they have the most awared game in [Instert Asian country]?

 

Also Diablo is an action RPG, infact seeing there core members have created Diablo they have an right to claim the titel for first, last and only voice.

No Diablo is not RPG nor action RPG nor combat RPG or whatever. And I don't care who or what calls it that way, I don't care if those 18 years old kids called reviewers, writing for pseudo review websites like IGN or gamespot. RPG is a genre with its specifications. Diablo doesnt meet any of those.

 

Is tropico a game called political RPG? Sims called life RPG?, Europa 1400 Guild called economical RPG? No same as Diablo is not action RPG, it's just action game.

 In tropico or Europa 1400 guild you have a story, you have a character with traits you pick and improve. That's just not enough to call a game a RPG. And Diablo has nothing more.

Ahahaha. D2 is an rpg and so is hellgate. It may be different in some ways then other rpgs but it is still classified as an rpg. Tell me what makes it not?

Why are you so eff'in butthurt?  Hellgate is an RPG.  I dont know about the "Authority" but its a good game and its an RPG in which i can play online with massive amounts of other people.  I guess that makes it an MMORPG.  Not on the same scale as WoW or EQ of course but an MMORPG none the less.  Im playing the roll of a dude with purple hair.  He wields two automatic handguns, blows zombies heads off, levels up, and gains new skills and attributes.  I have a blademaster friend.  Hes got grey hair.  He wields to swords and spins through crowds of zombies, dismembering and decapitating as he goes.  He levels up as well.  We meet people as well and they join us on our crusade to rid london of hell's minions.

This in turn takes us to harder areas of the game where i find a Volt Rifle from a Boss Mob that fires faster then nailguns in Quake.  Now i'm on a crusade with others to stop these demons from invading humanity.

I guess thats pretty RPG.  You know i am playing the role of someone.  In a fantasy setting a bit off from reality.  Its kinda sick. 

Imaginaaaaaaition.

Originally posted by Ilshi

Why are you so eff'in butthurt.  Hellgate is an RPG.  I dont know about the "Authority" but its a good game and its an RPG in which i can play online with massive amounts of other people.  I guess that makes it an MMORPG.  Not on the same scale as WoW or EQ of course but an MMORPG none the less.  Im playing the roll of a dude with purple hair.  He wields two automatic handguns, blows zombies heads off, levels up, and gains new skills and attributes.  I have a blademaster friend.  Hes got grey hair.  He wields to swords and spins through crowds of zombies, dismembering and decapitating as he goes.  He levels up as well.  We meet people as well and they join us on our crusade to rid london of hell's minions.

This in turn takes us to harder areas of the game where i find a Volt Rifle from a Boss Mob that fires faster then nailguns in Quake.  Now i'm on a crusade with others to stop these demons from invading humanity.

 

I guess thats pretty RPG.  You know i am playing the role of someone.  In a fantasy setting a bit off from reality.  Its kinda sick. 

Imaginaaaaaaition.

ahahaha awesome post

God damn useless post. And just for the record, the team who created Diablo was Flagship , previously a part of Blizzard and they left a bit before or after Burning Crusade ( world of warcraft ). So if you say the creators of Diablo are "The RPG Authority" and not Flagship....contradiction... and now a spinning smily :

Yes, the authority with the worst programmers (Electronic Arts).