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What makes a game a JRPG or WRPG?

W

Wolf Akela

Member
People seem to be split into one of these two:
A) Based on origin (made in Japan / the West)
B) Based on gameplay mechanics (turn based, linear / real-time, open)

I'm more inclined on A to be honest. I still consider Demon's Souls to be a JRPG since it's made in Japan. There are also games like Lord of the Rings: Third Age which I still consider WRPG even though the gameplay is pretty much like FFX except with straightforward stat customization.
 
Yoshichan

Yoshichan

And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?
StuBurns said:
It's A. JRPGs are made in Japan, WRPGs are made in the West.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is it.
 
K

King Cobra

Banned
Wolf Akela said:
People seem to be split into one of these two:
A) Based on origin (made in Japan / the West)
B) Based on gameplay mechanics (turn based, linear / real-time, open)

I'm more inclined on A to be honest. I still consider Demon's Souls to be a JRPG since it's made in Japan. There are also games like Lord of the Rings: Third Age which I still consider WRPG even though the gameplay is pretty much like FFX except with straightforward stat customization.
Click to expand...
JRPG's have waifus
 
D

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
I have never used the term WRPG. For me, an RPG is either a JRPG style game or an action RPG. Action RPGs are generally made by western developers.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Gravijah said:
This will inevitably turn into a "What is an RPG?" thread.
Click to expand...

Nah, most likely a versus thread.
 
G

Gravijah

Member
Deadly Cyclone said:
I have never used the term WRPG. For me, an RPG is either a JRPG style game or an action RPG. Action RPGs are generally made by western developers.
Click to expand...

So, what is Baldur's Gate II?
 
A

Aeana

Member
What are:
Parasite Eve
Wizardry: Tales of the Forsaken Land (or Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls)
Secret of Evermore

Parasite Eve was developed by Squaresoft USA. Both listed Wizardry games were developed in Japan. Secret of Evermore was also developed in the US.
 
cj_iwakura

cj_iwakura

Member
Well, in terms of gameplay conventions, JRPGs tend to have more traditional turn-based or action RPG combat with random battles(Nocturne, Tales of, Etrian Odyssey), while WRPGs are more open-worldy with action RPG combat in real-time(Oblivion, Bloodlines, Planescape).


There's exceptions when WRPG-styled games come out of Japan(Demon's Souls) and vice versa(uh...), of course.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Aeana said:
What are:
Parasite Eve
Secret of Evermore
Click to expand...

Probably hybrids (WJRPG).

Does The Last Remnant classify as a JRPG? I know Square is claiming it to be a mix of a JRPG and WRPG.
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
StuBurns said:
It's A. JRPGs are made in Japan, WRPGs are made in the West.
Click to expand...
Yes.

Western companies can make jRPGs, though. And when an Asian company makes a WRPG, we call it an ARPG most of the time.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
By the way, do Magna Carta and Zenonia classify as JRPGs?
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Gravijah said:
This will inevitably turn into a "What is an RPG?" thread.
Click to expand...

Mainly because A. Which is wrong.

It's B. Games which play like Dragon Quest, Wizardry, or a weirder/modern take on the minimal movement/position mechanic is a JRPG. SRPGs and WRPGs are pretty much indistinguishable and have their roots in Pools of Radiance. (Perhaps Fire Emblem was a weird coincidence, but unlikely.)

EDIT: Demon's Souls is a straight up 3D Action game. If you want to break it down further then it is in the same family as Assassin's Creed, 3D Zelda, Monster Hunter, The Witcher 2, and Batman AA/AC. Godhand would be quite a stretch, but possible.
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
ULTROS! said:
Probably hybrids (WJRPG).

Does The Last Remnant classify as a JRPG? I know Square is claiming it to be a mix of a JRPG and WRPG.
Click to expand...
Yes. It's a JRPG (country of origin) and a jRPG (genre).

Riposte said:
Mainly because A. Which is wrong.

It's B. Games which play like Dragon Quest, Wizardry, or a weirder/modern take on the minimal movement/position mechanic is a JRPG. SRPGs and WRPGs are pretty much indistinguishable and have their roots in Pools of Radiance.
Click to expand...
No, the genre of stat based characters in turn/menu based combat games like DQ are jRPGs (small j).
 
W

WillyFive

Member
There are just RPG's for me.

It is stupid to categorize gameplay features with where the game was made, because that is in no way specific to that region.

Like this:

Riposte said:
It's B. Games which play like Dragon Quest, Wizardry, or a weirder/modern take on the minimal movement/position mechanic is a JRPG. SRPGs and WRPGs are pretty much indistinguishable and have their roots in Pools of Radiance. (Perhaps Fire Emblem was a weird coincidence, but unlikely.)
Click to expand...

Completely nonsensical.
 
D

duckroll

Member
I think what makes a game a JRPG or a WRPG depends entirely on the person who is using the term when a discussion originates, and also what the context and purpose of the discussion is. There is not specific rule regarding what it really means because it is not a specifically defined genre term. It is simply something formed out of casual online discussions which somehow stuck over the years.

Sometimes someone might want to talk about games which are generally designed by Japanese developers, and/or contain Japanese art design and direction. In such a discussion the term JRPG might be used. For a discussion about choice-driven PC-centric RPGs, the term CRPG or WRPG might be used to draw attention to the type of RPG the discussion is about. In other cases a discussion might simply be about how RPGs designed in different regions have different quirks, or how they are in turn inspired by each other. In such a discussion JRPGs would refer to Japanese (and sometimes other eastern RPGs from Taiwan, Korea, China, etc), while WRPGs would refer to those developed in the West in the US or Europe.

There is no single answer, and there is no right answer. Personally I prefer to use the JRPG term when talking about more traditional console style encounter based, turn order battle RPGs. And I almost never use the term WRPG. I prefer to use CRPG, roguelike, dungeon crawler, etc.
 
A

Aeana

Member
Riposte said:
Mainly because A. Which is wrong.

It's B. Games which play like Dragon Quest, Wizardry, or a weirder/modern take on the minimal movement/position mechanic is a JRPG. SRPGs and WRPGs are pretty much indistinguishable and have their roots in Pools of Radiance. (Perhaps Fire Emblem was a weird coincidence, but unlikely.)
Click to expand...
So Sir-Tech was making JRPGs even though they were in the USA?
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
StuBurns said:
Nop. LotR: 3rd Age, Sonic Chronicles and Costume Quest are WRPGs
Click to expand...
I said jRPG, not JRPG.

You could technically call them WRPGs (which would be a rather useless demoninator in this case, only denoting their country of origin but nothing about their gameplay), but the useful moniker to use is their genre - jRPG (stat based characters with inventories featuring turn+menu based combat as DQ/FF do).
 
P

Pirabear

Banned
StuBurns said:
It's A. JRPGs are made in Japan, WRPGs are made in the West.
Click to expand...

First post wins again.

Edit:
Riposte said:
EDIT: Demon's Souls is a straight up 3D Action game. If you want to break it down further then it is in the same family as Assassin's Creed, 3D Zelda, Monster Hunter, The Witcher 2, and Batman AA/AC. Godhand would be quite a stretch, but possible.
Click to expand...

Just curious, would you consider the Mass Effect games action games instead of WRPG too?
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Aeana said:
So Sir-Tech was making JRPGs even though they were in the USA?
Click to expand...

Yep. The genre was named after the genre was created. You can call it Wizardry-like if you want, though then, it would still be a misnomer.

EDIT: If it is hard to get your head around, imagine it means Japanese-style (C)RPG.
 
S

Sotha Sil

Member
When I read "JRPG", I think turn-based combat, no choices, world map, random encounters.

When I read "WRPG", I think freedom, choices and bugs.


In my mind, it has nothing to do with the country of origin anymore. Ogre Tactics and Demon's Souls are not JRPGs - and yet they are.

As a "country of origin" distinction, these categories are useless. And as a genre one, they have so many exceptions they are downright ridiculous.
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Haunted said:
Yes. It's a JRPG (country of origin) and a jRPG (genre).


No, the genre of stat based characters in turn/menu based combat games like DQ are jRPGs (small j).
Click to expand...

All characters in all videogames are stat-based. WRPGs are also menu based, as are just about every strategy game is(which are what JRPGs and WRPGs ultimately are).

Your idea to have two acronyms mean the same thing is stupid as fuck, btw.

EDIT: Though I guess JRPG doesn't necessarily need to be an acronym since it is a misnomer to begin with.
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
Riposte said:
All characters in all videogames are stat-based. WRPGs are also menu based, as are just about every strategy game is(which are what JRPGs and WRPGs ultimately are).

Your idea to have two acronyms mean the same thing is stupid as fuck, btw.
Click to expand...
No?

Link isn't a stat-based character. Ryu Hayabusa isn't a stat-based character.

WRPGs have menu-based combat? I disagree, when I play the Witcher 2 I don't select my attack from a menu.

Looks like you misunderstood a lot of what I'm saying.

Finally, if you can't see the difference between jRPG and JRPG, I'd suggest cleaning your monitor.
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Luminate said:
Just curious, would you consider the Mass Effect games action games instead of WRPG too?
Click to expand...

Third Person Shooter.

I mean people are free to call it RPG and WRPG if they, for example want an excuse to talk about it on a RPG-only podcast or forum, but if you want to get serious about genres then you need to get strict.
 
J

Johann

Member
Back in my day, we had computer RPGs and lite (read console) RPGs. Computer RPGs were typically on computers and had an emphasis on exploration in large worlds, similar to contemporary GTA games. Lite RPGs were usually on consoles and had a linear, guided play experience and simplified mechanics. For example, the computer RPG would have you use a reference rune book to cast magic in the game while the lite RPG would simply have the player select the spell to cast.

So something like Ultima 7 was a computer RPG while Ultima 7: Serpent Isle was considered a hybrid of computer RPG and lite RPG.
 
D

duckroll

Member
This JRPG and jRPG thing sounds more like a personal definition you have come up with, rather than anything authoritative. Why try to argue and suggest that it is correct and that others should accept it, when it is just something you use?
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
Haunted said:
I said jRPG, not JRPG.

You could technically call them WRPGs (which would be a rather useless demoninator in this case, only denoting their country of origin but nothing about their gameplay), but the useful moniker to use is their genre - jRPG (stat based characters with inventories featuring turn+menu based combat as DQ/FF do).
Click to expand...
What is the point of that unbelievably confusing genre name when we have a real genre name that actually makes sense? DQ and FF are Command RPGs, made in Japan. JRPG is a catch all for Action/Strategy/Command RPGs that are made in Japan.
 
Haunted

Haunted

Member
duckroll said:
This JRPG and jRPG thing sounds more like a personal definition you have come up with, rather than anything authoritative. Why try to argue and suggest that it is correct and that others should accept it, when it is just something you use?
Click to expand...
Oh, you always ruin my fun. :(


StuBurns said:
What is the point of that unbelievably confusing genre name when we have a real genre name that actually makes sense? DQ and FF are Command RPGs, made in Japan. JRPG is a catch all for Action/Strategy/Command RPGs that are made in Japan.
Click to expand...
oh shit, I do like Command RPG! Wonder why no one uses that term.


zoukka said:
Yes they are. The way these stats change doesn't have anything to do about it.
Click to expand...
I love semantics. They're characters using stat-based weapons, not stat-based characters.
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Haunted said:
No?

Link isn't a stat-based character. Ryu Hayabusa isn't a stat-based character.
Click to expand...

They all have stats. Health, damage taken, damage done, hitboxes, attack range, movement speed, etc etc. You can even compare these stats to other characters in the game. It is not like they put a human into a coded hologram world, they are apart of the mechanical system just like everything else.

WRPGs have menu-based combat? I disagree, when I play the Witcher 2 I don't select my attack from a menu.
Click to expand...

Witcher 2 is an action game. It doesn't fit in the same genre as WRPGs because it plays nothing like them.

Finally, if you can't see the difference between jRPG and JRPG, I'd suggest cleaning your monitor.
Click to expand...

I see the difference. It is just stupid as fuck.

EDIT: You don't see how how incredibly messy and awkward that is? What if someone wants to type jrpg? Isn't this obvious?
 
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