Pen-and-paper role-playing games typically involve a player called the gamemaster (or GM for short) who can dynamically create the story, setting, and rules, and react to a player's choices. The plot is usually divided so that each game location is an opportunity to reveal a new chapter in the story. New elements in the story may also be triggered by mere arrival in an area, rather than completing a specific challenge. For example, a player may make the decision to join a guild, thus triggering a progression in the storyline that is usually irreversible. While most games advance the plot when the player defeats an enemy or completes a level, role-playing games often progress the plot based on other important decisions. Players of these games tend to appreciate long cutscenes more than players of faster action games.

Because these games have strong storylines, they can often make effective use of recorded dialog and voiceover narration. The story often provides much of the entertainment in the game. Let's face it, about 98% of all CRPGs can be summed up as follows: 'We go out and bash on critters until we're strong enough to bash on Foozle.' That's the plot, and usually most of the supporting storyline, too. This usually involves additional focus on the artificial intelligence and scripted behavior of computer-controlled non-player characters. Role-playing video games also typically attempt to offer more complex and dynamic character interaction than what is found in other video game genres. Often these attributes increase each time a character gains a level, and a character's level goes up each time the player accumulates a certain amount of experience. Players control one or several characters by issuing commands, which are performed by the character at an effectiveness determined by that character's numeric attributes. Role-playing video games typically rely on a highly developed story and setting, which is divided into a number of quests. RPGs rarely challenge a player's physical coordination or reaction time, with the exception of action role-playing games.

A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are typically designed by the player. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in combat. Players control a central game character, or multiple game characters, usually called a party, and attain victory by completing a series of quests or reaching the conclusion of a central storyline. Role-playing video games use much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics as early tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.

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