Some time ago a friend asked me to help him with his Jailbreak-like game. I wasn’t much help because I didn’t understand what the game was about. I mainly like adventure games with story or obstacle games, but role-playing games (like jailbreak, mad city, etc.) which are among the most popular, never really appealed to me. I play them from time to time to understand them and try to find that attraction they have that makes them so popular, but I can’t find it.
Could you explain to me what this kind of games are about from a Game Design point of view and help me understand why they are so popular? Links to other articles would also be great. Thank you very much.
I wouldn’t say Jailbreak and MadCity are roleplay games, sure you can roleplay in it, but the main thing in it is the jail break experience and living the life of a robber.
Roleplay games are often things that brings people to do things they normally can’t do, like living in a dragon world or in a distopia, roleplay games gives people the ability to control their gameplay and play how they want, i think that’s why people like roleplay games so much.
Roleplay games gives a feeling of living a cooler life.
For example: A life of a professional Robber might sound fun and suspenseful but since its a bad thing, we dont tend to act like a robber irl. But in a game where u can fulfill that feeling, gives a sense of pleasure and theres nothing to stop you.
In royal high as well, u can dress up as beauty queens by wearing beautiful clothes which they dont find in catalog itself, and moreover, they cant wear such clothes everyday irl lol. So roleplaying that, knowing that theres nothing to stop u within the game, gives u the satisfaction u know.
Thats mainly the appeal of roleplay games but theres still a lot to discuss about.
Anyways, have a good day.
by wearing beautiful clothes which they dont find in catalog itself, and moreover, they cant wear such clothes everyday irl lol. So roleplaying that, knowing that theres nothing to stop u within the game, gives u the satisfaction u know.