The Hawkes-Robinson RPG Model: RPG Formats

About the Hawkes-Robinson RPG Model

This model is by RPG Research's founder, W.A. Hawkes-Robinson aka "Hawke Robinson".

Reference Link

What Is A Role-Playing Game?

Reference Link

The Hawkes-Robinson Role-Playing Game Model: The 4 RPG Formats

This portion of the RPG Model is meant to help gain, at a practical level, a better understanding about which activities are role-playing games, and which are not role-playing games.

These are fuzzy boundaries really, but there are some extremes that we can establish consensus about what is and is not an RPG at the far ends of the spectra.

We start with the extremes of what everyone can agree is an RPG (quintessential RPG is the original Dungeons & Dragons, now retronymed "OD&D"), and on the other end of the spectra, what is not an RPG (Tetris, Candyland, Chess: boardgames; Poker, Hearts, Cribbage; cardgames, etc.).

This process has lead to the development of 4 top-tier assignations of the 4 RPG Formats.

Video lectures explaining further

The more recent links are near the top, and the older, earlier versions, further down the list.

Introduction to the RPG Formats

Additional video, audio, and text links on this topic pending. You can find on our Youtube channel until then.

Accessibility & Inclusiveness Considerations for Role-Playing Gamers

Reference Link

Tabletop TRPG Format

• RPG Training Tiers 1-2 - Mon. Dec 29, 2019 TRPG & BFRPG training. TRPG Format (Dec. 30, 2019) (Danielle Whitworth): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvcMKh-s63Q
• RPG Training Tiers 1-2 - Sun. Dec 29, 2019 TRPG & BFRPG training. TRPG Format (Dec 29, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsGIQPEKIT8

Additional video, audio, and text links on this topic pending. You can find on our Youtube channel until then.

Live-action LRPG Format

Additional video, audio, and text links on this topic pending. You can find on our Youtube channel until then.

Electronic ERPG Format

Additional video, audio, and text links on this topic pending. You can find on our Youtube channel until then.

Hybrid HRPG Format

Additional video, audio, and text links on this topic pending. You can find on our Youtube channel until then.

Solo Adventure Books & Modules SABM Sub-format of the HRPG Format

History of Interactive Fiction (IF), Solo Adventures (SA), and Solo Role-Playing Game Books & Modules (SAB / SAM)

Focus on SAB

Focus on SAM

Legal Ramifications between SAB and SAM

Volunteer Trainee: Discussion on Different RPG Formats

Notes on RPG Formats Discussion

Looking at the RPG Formats "Amoeba" Venn-ish diagram, discuss first the examples of what are “Not RPGs” and verify consensus for agreement from the participants.

Then discuss and find consensus that OD&D is the quintessential RPG.

Then everything else in between is fuzzy fuzzy boundaries between these ends of the spectra: "Not RPG" and "RPG".

Then start covering the 4 Major formats (TRPG, LRPG, ERPG, & HRPG), and some of their subtypes.

Very briefly showing examples for outliers like IF, and how they relate to "inliers" like SABMs, etc.

Each format it then delved into more deeply in the 4 separate format sessions later.

RPG Format Discussion: TRPG

RPG Format Discussion: LRPG

RPG Format Discussion: ERPG

RPG Format Discussion: HRPG

RPG Sub-format Discussions

RPG Sub-format Discussion: HRPG: SABM

RPG Sub-format Discussion: HRPG: SABM: SAB

RPG Sub-format Discussion: HRPG: SABM: SAM

RPG Sub-format Discussion: HRPG: Diceless

RPG Sub-format Discussion: ERPG: ARPG

RPG Sub-format Discussion: ERPG: CRPG

RPG Sub-format Discussion: LRPG: Larp

Non-RPG Format Discussions

Non-RPG Format Discussion: IF (analog and electronic interactive fiction / branching narrative non-game)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: IF: CYOA (trademark specific sub-format)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Reinactment Groups

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Reinactment Groups: SCA

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Wargames (board, miniature, military live-action, others)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Audio Books

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Game Books

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Board Games

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Card Games

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Dice Games

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Gambling

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Literature / Story-telling

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Theater/Drama/Improv Role-play

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Dinner Theater (audience limited participation a la Medieval Times, etc.)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Participatory Mystery Dinner/Theater (audience participation)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Therapeutic Role-Play (non-gaming)

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Board Games

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Sports

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Challenge Courses

Non-RPG Format Discussion: Video Games

Non-RPG Format Discussion: <pending>

Pros & Cons of each RPG Format

• RPG Format Pros & Cons: TRPG
• RPG Format Pros & Cons: LRPG
• RPG Format Pros & Cons: ERPG
• RPG Format Pros & Cons: HRPG

Caveats for specific role-playing game systems/settings (advisory game tier rankings):

TRPG Game Tiers

LRPG Game Tiers (coming soon, see TRPG page for now)

ERPG Game Tiers (coming soon, see TRPG page for now)

HRPG Game Tiers (coming soon, see TRPG page for now)

The following video is somewhat out of date from the latest terminology, but other than the specific initialisms, the concepts mostly hold up still

RPG Research Pros & Cons of all 4 Role-playing Game Formats: CRPG, LARP, SABM, TRPG (Aug 4, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCkRTDe7MIA

Disclaimers

ADVISORY NOTE: AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH, ALL INFORMATION IS PROPOSED BASED ON THE LATEST RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-IN-PRACTICE INFORMATION. WE WELCOME DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, PERSPECTIVES FROM MANY DISCIPLINES, ALTERNATE THEORIES, AND ESPECIALLY _CONSTRUCTIVE_ CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK. AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH IT IS AN ITERATIVE BEST EFFORT APPROACH THAT GROWS THROUGH THE INVOLVEMENT OF MORE AND DIVERSE CONTRIBUTORS.