RPG Role-playing games
<p>A <b>role-playing game</b> (sometimes spelled <b>roleplaying game</b><sup id="cite_ref-secondperson_1-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-secondperson-1">[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-gurpsrp_2-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-gurpsrp-2">[2]</a></sup> and abbreviated to <b>RPG</b>) is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game" title="Game">game</a> in which players assume the roles of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_character" title="Player character">characters</a> in a fictional <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setting_%28narrative%29" title="Setting (narrative)">setting</a>. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acting" title="Acting">acting</a> or through a process of structured decision-making or character development.<sup id="cite_ref-Cover_3-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-Cover-3">[3]</a></sup> Actions taken within many games succeed or fail according to a formal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game_system" title="Role-playing game system">system of rules</a> and guidelines.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-4">[4]</a></sup>
There are several forms of RPG. The original form, sometimes called the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabletop_role-playing_game" title="Tabletop role-playing game">tabletop RPG</a> (TRPG)</i>, is conducted through discussion, whereas in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game" title="Live action role-playing game">live action role-playing games</a> (LARP) players physically perform their characters actions.<sup id="cite_ref-TychsenEtAl2006DefiningLARP_5-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-TychsenEtAl2006DefiningLARP-5">[5]</a></sup> In both of these forms, an arranger called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_master" class="mw-redirect" title="Game master">game master</a> (GM) usually decides on the rules and setting to be used, acting as referee, while each of the other players plays the role of a single character.<sup id="cite_ref-whatisnarrative_6-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-whatisnarrative-6">[6]</a></sup>
Several varieties of RPG also exist in electronic media, such as multi-player <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_text-based_role-playing_game" title="Online text-based role-playing game">text-based</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD" title="MUD">MUDs</a> and their graphics-based successors, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_role-playing_game" title="Massively multiplayer online role-playing game">massively multiplayer online role-playing games</a> (MMORPGs). Role-playing games also include single-player <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_video_game" title="Role-playing video game">role-playing video games</a> in which players control a character or team who undertake quests, and may include capabilities that advance using statistical mechanics. These games often share settings and rules with tabletop RPGs, but emphasize character advancement more than collaborative storytelling.<sup id="cite_ref-Tychsen2006CollaborativeNarrative_7-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-Tychsen2006CollaborativeNarrative-7">[7]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Crawford_8-0" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-Crawford-8">[8]</a></sup>
Despite this variety of forms, some game forms such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trading_card_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Trading card game">trading card games</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wargaming" title="Wargaming">wargames</a> that are related to role-playing games may not be included. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing" title="Role-playing">Role-playing</a> activity may sometimes be present in such games, but it is not the primary focus.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game#cite_note-9">[9]</a></sup> The term is also sometimes used to describe <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roleplay_simulation" title="Roleplay simulation">roleplay simulation</a> games and exercises used in teaching, training, and academic research.</p>