Hi Nicol,
I am assuming by 3D Game you are talking about something in the first 
person or third person style of game play. If so there is a very large 
difference between a first person game and a roll playing game.
Roll Playing Games are largely based on group play, a well crafted story 
driven play, the luck of the dice, etc. While computer based roll 
playing games is becoming more common there is still a lot of them that 
are still your basic paper and pen variety. No matter if an RPG is a 
computer game or the classic paper and pen game there is always one 
player called the Game Master who controls all the enemies, sees that 
the story unfolds ok, and make sures the heroic characters follow the 
game's rules.
For example, when I was in college I use to play the Star Wars RPG guild 
they had on campis once and a while. Each person would pick out a 
character, gather around a big table with a paper and pen, in my case a 
laptop, and the game would begin. The Game Master would read out the 
story of the adventure and lead the game up to the point the players 
could begin trying to do something. Here is an example of a basic Star 
Wars RPG adventure we might play.
Rebel Inteligence has lost contact with planet x in the outer rim. Luke 
Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chebacca set out to make contact 
with Rebel forces on planet x in the Milennium Falcon. Upon landing on 
Planet X our heroes are surrounded by Imperial Storm Troopers and are 
taken prisoner.
The Game Master will then describe that the Star Wars heroes are being 
held in a room with no windows and there is only one exit from the room 
and it is locked. Each member of the team will try and find a way out of 
the room.
Let us assume the Chewbacca character tries to knock the door down. He 
will roll a 20 sided dice and add his strength points to the amount 
rolled. If his roll with the strength points are less than the amount 
required to break the door down he fails to knock the door down. Let us 
assume he fails to break the door.
The Han Solo character decides he is going to try and pick the lock. He 
will roll a 20 dice and add any luck and special smuggler skills to his 
roll. He too fails to get a high enough roll to open the door.
The Luke Skywalker player decides he is going to try and open the door 
using the force. He rolls a 20 dice, and add any force special points to 
his roll. As it happen he also fails to get that door open.
Since all the major players tried and failed to get the door open the 
Game Master will try and introduce a new way out. He might describe that 
foot steps are heard far down the hall way coming towards the room. The 
door to the cell opens and there is a guard with some food trays. Once 
again the game players are given options on how to handle the situation.
For ssimplicity sake let us assume the Luke Skywalker player decides to 
try and influence the guard into releasing them using the force. He 
rolls the dice, succeeds in using mind control. He then instructs the 
guard to give them the keys, his blaster pistil, and after releasing his 
friends they lock the guard in the cell so he won't contact his buddies 
right away.
In a simple example like the one above the game requires a lot of team 
play, and the story unfolds based on the roll of the dice and the teams 
collective choices. As I said before while they can be computer based 
games often as not most hard core RPG players form teams, guilds, and 
sit around a living room or kitchen table carrying out some imaginary 
adventure.
First Person games are exclusively computer games. Unlike RPG, where the 
focus is team play, FPS games are typically single player games. In FPS 
games there is not a lot of change in the games basic story line. In 
order to complete some level or mission in the game you must complete 
some set objectives like kill a certain enemy, find some certain item, 
or find some specific exit from the level.
Since I know you have Shades of Doom and Sarah you are already aware of 
the basic hallmarks of what makes up an FPS game. While different, both 
aren't technically 3D Games, they are still a basic template for the FPS 
style of game play.


---
Gamers mailing list __ [email protected]
If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at
http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org.
All messages are archived and can be searched and read at
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list,
please send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Reply via email to