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‘Winning’ In RPGs Part 1 of 3
Most games outside of RPGs have a moment which can be described as the “win moment,” a time when a player (or players) are granted victory, and the game concludes. While the rest of the game is important and often enjoyable, it is for this “win moment” that the game is played.
Traditional ways to win games include:
- Eliminating all other players and forces in the game
- Immobilizing all other players and forces in the game
- Scoring enough points, or goals
- Defeating the final boss
- Attaining another specific and discrete goal
In RPGs, however, the emphasis is instead placed on the journey taken throughout the game and not necessarily on it’s conclusion, which may not be the climax of the story or the most rewarding part of it. Despite this, many players come to RPGs with a desire to a win moment, though it is not always realized or expressed. Fortunately, many principles of winning in other games may be transferred to RPGs, and often are. Many games, for instance, have the goal being to remove a villain from the game, or retrieving (or destroying) a specific item of power.
The problem with the desire to acquire win moments in RPGs is that the continuous nature of the game often makes the moments feel too short lived, which can drive some players to become power-gamers.
Tomorrow, I will continue this discussion and focus on the bad aspects of win moments in RPGs, how they can become problems, and how to spot them before they do.
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[…] ‘Winning’ In RPGs Part 1 of 3 Most games outside of RPGs have a moment which can be described as the “win moment,†a time when a player (or players) are granted victory, and the game concludes… it is for this “win moment†that the game is played. (tags: rpg) […]
“Win moments” in open-ended RPGs are transitory, yes, but they also repeat. The players may defeat a boss and enjoy that win, then move on to work up to another goal.
In this way, “win moments” are less about a final victory. They’re more “cool moments,” and one goal of play is to create “cool moments” for the characters.
Uncle Dark,
I think that ideally, the “win moments” should be transitory while still leaving an lasting effect on the players, and not always through game play. Monty Haul certainly arises from trying to create win moments that affect game play long term, or constantly feeling the need to top them.
Well… Yes.
If win moments are not transitory, then the game falls into the Hell of Spiraling Numbers.