JRPGs and Western RPGs in the Relationship between Gameplay and Narrative - Coursework Example

HOW DO JRPGS AND WESTERN RPGS DIFFER IN THE WAY THEY PRESENT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GAMEPLAY AND NARRATIVE? By Business The Name of the School (University) The City and State Where It Is Located The Date HOW DO JRPGS AND WESTERN RPGS DIFFER IN THE WAY THEY PRESENT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GAMEPLAY AND NARRATIVE? RPG (Role-Playing Video Game) is a typical genre of computer video game. It is also known as the CRPG, role-playing game, or computer RPG. In this game, the player actively controls the actions of a certain protagonist. The protagonist, who is usually immersed in a purely fictional world, can be several party members adventuring together. Many role-playing video games have been developed in the modern days. They take the typical form of traditional pen and paper role playing games like the Dungeons & Dragons. They use virtually the same game mechanics, settings, and terminologies. Dormans remarks that, “…one player is assigned the special role of gamemaster. The gamemaster is in control of the game. She describes the setting, judges the effects of the actions of the player-character, applies the rules and plays the role of all characters that are not controlled by the players…”.This implies that the RPG is has a game master, who regulates the game (Dormans 2006, 49). They are increasingly getting popular because of the exquisite 3D experiences. Additionally, each of the modern role plays video games, whether Japanese or western, showcase a complex storyline. The characters are designed to move through different various place, communicating with friends while combating adversaries. According to Ito (2005, 87), both the JRPGs and Western RPGs rely so much on the use of a highly-developed story. This is usually divided into a given number of quests. The player uses the commands to control the characters. These games are typically designed to provide users with more dynamic and complex character interactions than other types of video game genres. Even so, this is not the only reason the world is open to western RPGs. The western RPGs are developed to provide strong storylines. Because of their strong storylines, these role-play video games are able to provide dependable and operative voiceover narration and recorded dialog. The western RPGs also differ from the Japanese RPGs in their ability to provide players with more long cut scenes. Players love the cut-scenes, especially if they are prolonged. The benefits of long cut scenes are innumerable. For instance, they make the game more interesting to play. Secondly, they ensure that players are engaged effusively as they continue playing the game. Role plays video games, whether Japanese (JRPGs) or western by origin, includes both elements of narrative and storytelling in the gameplay (Ito, 2005, 87). The only difference is how the two are presented. In addition to these two elements, both the JRPGs and Western RPGs features complexity, player character development, as well immersion and replay ability. They share a lot of similarities in these major areas. According to Harris (2009, 39), the JRPGs and Western RPGs have over a period progressed from simple text-based window games to virtually rich full 3D experience. Role-Playing Video Game incorporates the various visual forms of information and media in modernism. A shift from text and oral based presentation of information to visual presentation of information has been experienced in the present world. This has simplified the communication process, given that a single image is equivalent to many volumes of data in the case of textual representation of information. The paradigm shift in communication has been attributed to the societal embracing of visual culture especially in advertisements. Japanese video games help in the communication of product or service information to the public through visual tools like images, graphics and other forms of design. In this regard, organizations have found business growth in visual culture. This aspect has transformed the lives of the masses because of its efficiency, convenience, and precision of ideas. Despite these similarities, both the JRPGs and Western RPGs show striking differences, especially in the design of gameplay and narrative. First, the JRPGs role play games are provided more linear in narrative. This linear nature of narrative causes serious effects on the gameplay. For instance, it limits the ability of the story to provide an interesting entertainment exposition. In the main, a good role-playing video game should be half way games and half way entertainment. On the other hand, the western RPGs do not rely on a linear narrative. This makes it provide more entertainment as compared to the Japanese RPGs. This has resulted in a colossal inclination to western RPGs worldwide. Another striking dissimilarity is that the Japanese RPGs provides more dramatic storyline and narrative than the western RPGs. When making the JRPGs, Japanese prefers to focus on more dramatic storyline and narratives. The Japanese create storylines and narratives that are led by attractive young protagonists. In addition, these role plays video games are designed to provide outlandish styles. This is another area where the Japanese RPGs differ significantly from the western RPGs (Salen, 2009, 21). The narratives are developed to value perseverance and teamwork. They are also developed to encompass a wide range of cultural themes. This is another significant feature of the Japanese RPGs that distinguish it from the western RPGs. JRPG customizes the character on the actual emphasis on the exploration of basics while the western RPGs focuses on large fields. There is more freedom on JRPGS than in the western RPGS. The former have more linear environments than the western games. However, there is a slight difference in the ability of both elements’ ability in the exploration of the environment. When a player is free they usually break the story. JRPGs do not eliminate the basic details pertaining to a story, but enhance its preservation (Harris, 2009, 39). This is accomplished through the creation of environments, which are linear. This environment provides a player with some side quests, which give an attractive appearance of an open world. The completion of side quests in the case of RPG results in the breakage of the game. However, the original story of JRPG remains whole. This is partly because the advancement of events cannot be discarded. The Japanese video game entails the creation of mental images of products in the mind of customers. This form of games includes the use of media, billboards, picture words and the internet. The power of images is unmatched in any advertisement. The media takes lead in the visual advertisements. Incidentally, it is possible for a television to transmit images that can be either live or past. The transmission of commercial events depends on the transmission frequency. This is because of the message and entertainment viewers attained from watching the product program. A recorded product program aired on the television has the same meaning as the live one aired. Time is the central difference that might occur between a recorded and a live product program. Despite this, a television can still act as a live medium that can create the same feeling of a recorded as the live product program. Another significant difference of the Western RPGs from the Japanese RPGs is that the plot of the story progresses based on certain important decisions that the player has made. Although the Japanese RPGs are also built on the same principle, they do not match the standards of the Western RPGs. With the western RPGs, a player can make several important decisions that alter influences the plot of the story. Several decisions may also be combined to create a single impact on the storyline. Role-Playing Video Game has gained widespread popularity because of their immense contribution in visual advertisement. Many business organizations possess television sets that enable people to monitor the current business progress situation in the world. The transmission of information through images has made televisions the central mode of public opinion pertaining to certain products and services. The widespread use of televisions at business premises has led to their common use as a vehicle for marketing. Many companies and organizations use Role-Playing Video Game to advertise their products to potential clients. The advertising message that a television conveys to potential clients makes it a live event. Since some of the viewer’s often purchase the products advertised immediately, this process considers televisions as a live event. The Japanese video games also use imagery as the center of entertaining. This acts as a persuasive tool for potential customers of the games. The images communicate all the information pertaining to a product in perspective. Salen (2009, 32) asserts that Japanese video games employ virtual systems, which are based on visual culture. These systems enhance visual marketing given that people can meet on this platform through visual representation and do business. This eliminates the wastage of time in physically travelling to venues. Japanese video games are enhanced by the visual culture. The imagery representation of products on the internet platform largely contributes to visual operations. This tool helps the customers across the globe to identify with the product because they can see it at a glance. Unlike the western JRPGs, the Japanese JRPGs are usually battle systems that are turn-based. For that reason, the Japanese JRPGs develop narrative and storyline based on turn systems that focus on attacks using certain menu keys. With these JRPGs, one selects the skills, attacks, and items. According to Salen (2009, 45), western JRPGs are designed to focus more on character development. Furthermore, the western JRPGs give more attention to creativity. This feature is overly missing in the Japanese JRPGs. By these virtues, the western JRPGs are more open-ended and are developed to provide more lore as compared to the Japanese in gameplay, narrative, and character development. The Japanese video game strategy has culminated in large volumes of sales because of a widespread market niche. The use of pictures and words have also enhanced visual advertisements. Pictures naturally attract people, and in consequence, the information intended for the public is easily conveyed in this manner. This also depicts the power of imagery in advertisements. The other form of visual advertisement is printed images. These include the graphic images of the products portrayed, especially on huge billboards. These serve as enlightenment to the public pertaining to any upcoming product or commercial service. This creates awareness of the products and services within a short time because many people lack time for libraries and journals. All the same, they both provide the much-needed entertainment and adrenaline rush. List of references Dormans, J. (1December 2006), On the Role of the Die: A Brief Ludologic Study of Pen-And-Paper Roleplaying Games and Their Rules. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 6, Issue, pp. 51-70. Harris, J., 2009, Game Design Essentials: 20 RPGs. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, Volume 1:3, pp. 27-43. Salen, K. (2009). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, Mass, MIT Press. Ito, K. (2005), Possibilities of Non-Commercial Games: The Case of Amateur Role Playing Games Designers in Japan. The Journal of Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, vol. 1:3, pp. 81-99. Read More