- Characteristics (Codes and Conventions, Audience and Purpose and the Genres changes over the passage of time)
- Narrative Structures (How do player's engage with the Codes and Conventions of the genre.)
- Character Representation (How is the Gender constructed and presented, who is present or absent and who is positively or negatively represented in the games narrative)
The Action-Role Playing Game Genre adheres to many codes and conventions. Such common codes and conventions include an emphasis on Character customisation, a focus on exploring a large detailed open world, and options to pursue multiple play-styles among many other's. These are used to provide a universal identity for Action RPG's and separate them from the more varied general RPG genre. There are many action RPG games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Diablo, The Witcher etc. These all share the same Codes and Conventions, and as such, feature many similarities in their construction. They all are very similar, while at the same time, have numerous differences. They may share Codes and Conventions such as detailed and varied open worlds, vast character creation and customization and a variety of play-styles such as Warriors, Thieves, Mages etc.
The audience of Action RPG's are generally portrayed as young males. While it is inevitable that young males do make up part of the Action RPG audience, they aren't the only demographic. The audience of Action RPG's are varied and many races, gender, cultures etc enjoy and play Action RPG games. While fans of this genre are generally portrayed as adult males stuck in their mothers basement, this is simply not the case. Many people of all backgrounds play RPG's and as a result the main core of Action-RPG's as a genre stay the same, but their are many different takes on the Action-RPG genre. This allows for the genre to evolve and cater to people with different like and interests.
The purpose of the genre is to entertain due to it being the main foundation of a game's game-play and narrative. It is designed to appeal to a specific audience with a liking of a game with Role Playing Aspects with a large and detailed combat system. The other purpose of the genre is to pull in an audience who prefers more detailed and immersive game-play backed up with significant action mechanics. This allows for the industry to cover another audience and expand the potential and growth of the industry. Another purpose of the genre at times is to inform. Some Action-RPG games feature racist themes with in-game minorities being treated as second or even third class citizens. This is partly done as a narrative aspect, but can also be interpreted at a way to inform people of the vile nature of racism and promote to younger players that racism is wrong and ruins and even ends innocent lives.
Over the years, Action RPG's have changed in numerous ways. Their gameplay has changed over the years, as well as their approach to narratives, environments etc. They started off as primarily Eastern based RPG's such as Hydlide. The combat was real time opposed to turn based or text based allowing for game of that nature to branch off from the main RPG genre and form their own sub genre Action RPG. The combat was initially simplistic with buttons or keys simply being used as ways to spam basic attacks. Modern Action-RPG's such as Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have more advanced combat systems with different button presses doing different types and forms of attack. Modern Action-RPG's have more fleshed combat skill tree's allowing for greater variety in combat. Also the improved graphics and animations allows combat in modern game to be more realistic and visceral than the Action RPG's of the 80's and 90's.
Action-RPG's generally have the same or similar narrative structures allowing for them to engage with the codes and conventions of the genre. The overall plot of Action-RPG's have been similar across the years, as has been the plots representation in gameplay. The narrative structures of Action-RPG's adhere to the codes and conventions of the genre to the point certain repeated narrative plot points have become tropes of the genre.. Such narrative codes and conventions used frequently in Action-RPG's are romanticized narratives, Characters born with powers that have to be used to save the world and help others, a person or object that needs to be saved/retrieved etc. The genre and RPG's in general are known for having narratives that never really deviate from the original formula and as such certain narrative points have become tropes. Action-RPG's also are known for working the narrative directly into gameplay. Examples include allowing players to choose how the plot advances such as killing certain characters may deviate the narrative, the option for multiple endings such as in the Force Unleashed where the player can have a light side or dark side ending and morality systems such as Fables alignment system. These mechanic's are seen frequently across the genre and help bolster the game narrative and due to their frequency, they have become codes and conventions themselves.
Across the genre, characters are generally treated the same across most Action-RPG games with deviations becoming more common the further the genre becomes more modernized. Male characters are portrayed as strong and brave, with the hero's in Action-RPG games generally being male, with the only exceptions being if the game features a character creator allowing for a female to be played. Women are usually shown as weak especially in older games however, modern games are beginning to break this trope and women are beginning to be portrayed more realistically and are shown to be just as strong and reliable as the male characters especially in games such as The Witcher. Overall, both male and female characters are presented in a positive light with the occasional deviance especially in the older Action-RPG games. As the genre has developed, the games within it it begin to reflect more modern views such as women being just as capable as men which is reflected in the genre. A notable example of this is Fallout 4 where the player can either be a woman called Nora or a man named Nate. She is given a backstory where she is shown to be a fully qualified lawyer, and the certificate proving it can be seen in the players house at the start. Right of the bat, Fallout shows that women are just as capable as men.
Written References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy
http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/fantasy-genre-codes-conventions/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_role-playing_game
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Nora
Visual References:
http://www.gamer-buzz.com/the-gamer-stereotype-is-finally-dead/
https://www.cosplayhouse.com/The-Eldar-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Thalmor-Justiciar-Cosplay-Costume-Version-01.html
https://www.vg247.com/2015/04/30/new-the-witcher-3-screenshots-show-combat-exploration-and-general-carousing/
http://pixelgate.co.uk/morality-systems-need-to-be-less-black-white-video-games/
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Sole_Survivor
The audience of Action RPG's are generally portrayed as young males. While it is inevitable that young males do make up part of the Action RPG audience, they aren't the only demographic. The audience of Action RPG's are varied and many races, gender, cultures etc enjoy and play Action RPG games. While fans of this genre are generally portrayed as adult males stuck in their mothers basement, this is simply not the case. Many people of all backgrounds play RPG's and as a result the main core of Action-RPG's as a genre stay the same, but their are many different takes on the Action-RPG genre. This allows for the genre to evolve and cater to people with different like and interests.
The purpose of the genre is to entertain due to it being the main foundation of a game's game-play and narrative. It is designed to appeal to a specific audience with a liking of a game with Role Playing Aspects with a large and detailed combat system. The other purpose of the genre is to pull in an audience who prefers more detailed and immersive game-play backed up with significant action mechanics. This allows for the industry to cover another audience and expand the potential and growth of the industry. Another purpose of the genre at times is to inform. Some Action-RPG games feature racist themes with in-game minorities being treated as second or even third class citizens. This is partly done as a narrative aspect, but can also be interpreted at a way to inform people of the vile nature of racism and promote to younger players that racism is wrong and ruins and even ends innocent lives.
 |
| By adding in racist factions such as The Thalmor, it brings attention to the racism problems of the past and present and gives the game, and the genre a more mature tone otherwise unseen in past Action-RPG's. |
Over the years, Action RPG's have changed in numerous ways. Their gameplay has changed over the years, as well as their approach to narratives, environments etc. They started off as primarily Eastern based RPG's such as Hydlide. The combat was real time opposed to turn based or text based allowing for game of that nature to branch off from the main RPG genre and form their own sub genre Action RPG. The combat was initially simplistic with buttons or keys simply being used as ways to spam basic attacks. Modern Action-RPG's such as Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have more advanced combat systems with different button presses doing different types and forms of attack. Modern Action-RPG's have more fleshed combat skill tree's allowing for greater variety in combat. Also the improved graphics and animations allows combat in modern game to be more realistic and visceral than the Action RPG's of the 80's and 90's.
 |
| Action RPG's are known for their emphasis on combat and Action RPG's such as the Witcher are no exception. |
Action-RPG's generally have the same or similar narrative structures allowing for them to engage with the codes and conventions of the genre. The overall plot of Action-RPG's have been similar across the years, as has been the plots representation in gameplay. The narrative structures of Action-RPG's adhere to the codes and conventions of the genre to the point certain repeated narrative plot points have become tropes of the genre.. Such narrative codes and conventions used frequently in Action-RPG's are romanticized narratives, Characters born with powers that have to be used to save the world and help others, a person or object that needs to be saved/retrieved etc. The genre and RPG's in general are known for having narratives that never really deviate from the original formula and as such certain narrative points have become tropes. Action-RPG's also are known for working the narrative directly into gameplay. Examples include allowing players to choose how the plot advances such as killing certain characters may deviate the narrative, the option for multiple endings such as in the Force Unleashed where the player can have a light side or dark side ending and morality systems such as Fables alignment system. These mechanic's are seen frequently across the genre and help bolster the game narrative and due to their frequency, they have become codes and conventions themselves.
 |
| Fable is one of the most well known video games to feature a full blown morality system |
Across the genre, characters are generally treated the same across most Action-RPG games with deviations becoming more common the further the genre becomes more modernized. Male characters are portrayed as strong and brave, with the hero's in Action-RPG games generally being male, with the only exceptions being if the game features a character creator allowing for a female to be played. Women are usually shown as weak especially in older games however, modern games are beginning to break this trope and women are beginning to be portrayed more realistically and are shown to be just as strong and reliable as the male characters especially in games such as The Witcher. Overall, both male and female characters are presented in a positive light with the occasional deviance especially in the older Action-RPG games. As the genre has developed, the games within it it begin to reflect more modern views such as women being just as capable as men which is reflected in the genre. A notable example of this is Fallout 4 where the player can either be a woman called Nora or a man named Nate. She is given a backstory where she is shown to be a fully qualified lawyer, and the certificate proving it can be seen in the players house at the start. Right of the bat, Fallout shows that women are just as capable as men.
 |
| If the player chooses, Fallout gives the player an option to play as a female character who is shown to be just as capable as a male character. |
Written References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy
http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/fantasy-genre-codes-conventions/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_role-playing_game
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Nora
Visual References:
http://www.gamer-buzz.com/the-gamer-stereotype-is-finally-dead/
https://www.cosplayhouse.com/The-Eldar-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Thalmor-Justiciar-Cosplay-Costume-Version-01.html
https://www.vg247.com/2015/04/30/new-the-witcher-3-screenshots-show-combat-exploration-and-general-carousing/
http://pixelgate.co.uk/morality-systems-need-to-be-less-black-white-video-games/
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Sole_Survivor
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