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There are many excellent games that provide instructive examples which we can learn from.
Their achievements and mistakes are both worth analysis. This timeline of similar games brings Empowerment into context as an urge for gamers of all ages to produce a game that embodies the emergingly realistic aspirations of games.
History of Gaming
Previous games have paved the way for Sim Empowerment. Gaming history is filled with innovative ideas that fueled ever-more sophisticated game development.
The grand-daddy of roleplaying games, Dungeons & Dragons was the first game where a Dungeon Master set the stage and asked a group of players the open-ended question: “What do you do?”
Live-action roleplaying brings role-playing games into the theatrical realm, encouraging players to get further into their fantasy. Its success was fueled particularly by the popularity of Vampire with goth fans of Anne Rice’s books.
Computer Roleplaying games have made strides in emulating and competing with traditional RPGs. But CRPGs are limited by their lack of imagination when it comes to unexpected player choices. Most CRPGs have a linear plot with one or two possible endings.
Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying
MMORPGs (Can you say “Memorpogees?”) take computer roleplaying out of the single-player dungeon and into the daylight of interacting with other players in a shared world.
Early roleplaying games are written
Challenges of Roleplaying Games
Roleplaying games alone do not appeal to the wide audience that computer games do. The biggest challenge that faces would-be role-players is the need for an experienced and imaginative gamemaster. Players can jump into the game without prior experience if the GM has all the many skills needed to run the game properly. Gamemastering Empowerment RPG will be a new challenge for Gamemasters who have played conventional action RPGs. Asking a fantasy RPG DM to run Empowerment is like asking John Woo to shoot a documentary. A whole GM education process is necessary. Part of the appeal of Gamemastering Empowerment will come from the human satisfaction of advancing the idea of positive change.
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