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« on: August 07, 2014, 01:47:31 AM »
Most MMORPGs have some sort of main story quest, similar to one that might appear in a typical JRPG: do a bunch of tasks, kill bosses, fight the story's end boss. Story-based JRPGs also only fit the definition of game loosely because of how integrated the narrative elements are into the total experience of the player.
Diablo II, an action RPG, resembles a JRPG or MMORPG in its inclusion of a story quest, but in many cases the appeal to players comes not from conquering the story mode but from repeatedly completing certain levels that give good loot. The goal of the player is not to challenge themself by completing particularly difficult content, but rather to swiftly and efficiently clear said content in hopes of getting the rewards that result. This activity could be said to have given rise to the "raid" activity that is common in many MMOs.
I think it is reasonable to constrict the definition of "game" to exclude the above examples of media that are otherwise commonly known as "video games". However, one should be aware that not all "games" are about simply scoring points: they might be about efficient use of time in procuring rather arbitrarily determined rewards. Similarly, while an MMO experience as a whole might not count as a game, the subgames involved in both the genre of MMORPGs and RPGs in general almost certainly merit discussion even in the narrower context of "games" which you prefer.
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