Comparing Roleplaying Games

Roleplaying games are often easiest to understand by contrast.

They are not like board games, where the rules define every possible action and the objective is clearly stated. In a roleplaying game, the rules guide play, but they do not attempt to cover every situation, and there is no single way to “win.”

They are also not like video games, where the world is pre-programmed and only responds in ways the system allows. In a roleplaying game, the world is interpreted and responded to by the Game Master, so players are not limited to a fixed set of options.

As a player, you control what your character attempts, not what happens as a result. The kind of character you choose to play—cautious or reckless, disciplined or impulsive—will shape the risks you take and the choices you make. Your influence depends on your actions and on who you can persuade, rely on, or oppose within the world.

This is different from collaborative storytelling, where participants may decide together what should happen next. In a roleplaying game, outcomes are not determined by agreement. They are resolved by the Game Master, sometimes with the help of rules or dice, and the result may not be what anyone intended.

Collaboration does exist, but it takes place within the game itself. Characters can work together, form plans, argue, and persuade one another. Those interactions happen through play, not by stepping outside the game to decide the outcome in advance.

The story emerges from these decisions and their consequences, rather than being directed or negotiated ahead of time.

Roleplaying games are not all played in the same way. Different games—and different groups—emphasize different styles of play.

Some games focus on clearly defined rules and procedures. Actions are resolved in consistent, mechanical ways, often using dice and tables to determine outcomes. Players work within a well-specified system, and much of play involves understanding and applying those rules.

Other games place more weight on interpretation and judgment. The rules provide guidance, but not every situation is defined in advance. The Game Master is expected to decide how events unfold based on context, and outcomes may depend as much on the situation as on any specific rule.

Some games go further still, treating the unfolding events almost entirely as a shared narrative. In these, players may have more direct influence over how the story develops, and the structure of play is looser and more flexible.

Most roleplaying games fall somewhere between these approaches, combining elements of structure, judgment, and narrative depending on the system and the group.