I think FTL has enough of the RPG tropes to qualify. I mean, when it comes down to it, simulations and RPGs have a lot of similarities. The main difference being that simulations get their rules from reality, where RPGs are based on artificial mechanics. And I think FTL definitely falls in the later category.
Plus, I think one aspect of RPGs is about how they tell a story rather than just allow you to control a situation. FTL allows you to build stories in ways most RPGs don't.
While I tend to agree with /u/KempfCreative that FTL doesn't necessarily feel like it should belong, I agree that it does fit many of the RPG tropes. But that's kind of a problem with gaming genres in general, they're so broadly defined that the characteristics can vary so wildly that it can be hard to pinpoint which games belong in the same genre. This can be especially frustrating when it comes to lists like these or category listings on stores (e.g. Steam), because it can be quite jarring to be looking for something specific that fits within one's own definition and then encounter "bloat" because it's such a vast category.
Yea, I agree about the similarities between categories between Sim and RPG. Although, I feel like RPG elements have just been brought into every other genre, diluting the original definition of 'RPG'. Every game that comes out nowadays has some form of role playing added to it, even sports games and FPS (leveling up, character creation, deep storytelling).
Here is where I draw the line: FTL is procedurally generated. While it does tell a great story, the story is based on an algorithm with some static pieces thrown in. In my mind, a true RPG draws you in by the talent of the director and the copywriters, and you become attached to the characters by the situations they have to get themselves out of. I never got that feeling from FTL (or a lot of those games on that list).
I think FTL has enough of the RPG tropes to qualify. I mean, when it comes down to it, simulations and RPGs have a lot of similarities. The main difference being that simulations get their rules from reality, where RPGs are based on artificial mechanics. And I think FTL definitely falls in the later category.
Plus, I think one aspect of RPGs is about how they tell a story rather than just allow you to control a situation. FTL allows you to build stories in ways most RPGs don't.
While I tend to agree with /u/KempfCreative that FTL doesn't necessarily feel like it should belong, I agree that it does fit many of the RPG tropes. But that's kind of a problem with gaming genres in general, they're so broadly defined that the characteristics can vary so wildly that it can be hard to pinpoint which games belong in the same genre. This can be especially frustrating when it comes to lists like these or category listings on stores (e.g. Steam), because it can be quite jarring to be looking for something specific that fits within one's own definition and then encounter "bloat" because it's such a vast category.
Yea, I agree about the similarities between categories between Sim and RPG. Although, I feel like RPG elements have just been brought into every other genre, diluting the original definition of 'RPG'. Every game that comes out nowadays has some form of role playing added to it, even sports games and FPS (leveling up, character creation, deep storytelling).
Here is where I draw the line: FTL is procedurally generated. While it does tell a great story, the story is based on an algorithm with some static pieces thrown in. In my mind, a true RPG draws you in by the talent of the director and the copywriters, and you become attached to the characters by the situations they have to get themselves out of. I never got that feeling from FTL (or a lot of those games on that list).