From Pixels to Paper: Core Differences between cRPGs and TTRPGs

Last week we established the fact that for me, a cRPG player, the idea of TTRPGs is fascinating. But what are the core differences between the two game formats that makes the analog version so appealing? Let’s take a look at some key differences between the two formats.

In a cRPG, the games’ environments are crafted through coding and graphics. While many wonderful computer games can boast of stellar settings, your exploration is limited within the constructs of what was created by others. Once you’ve explored everything, there is no more unless the developers come up with new content in the form of expansions.

With a tabletop game the environment is controlled by the gamemaster, or dungeon master depending on what system you use. This flexibility in the world’s settings can be added to from modules or the GM’s imagination. With this type of flexibility, the game world becomes nearly infinite, provided the party stays alive to witness it all!

Another core difference between the two styles is how the players interact with the game and each other. In cRPGs, you interact via a keyboard and mouse, where the graphics dictate to you the story, how it looks, etc. The people you play with, should the game be multiplayer, are beyond a screen and often people you’ve just met and don’t know. Conversations tend to be more surface level and rarely do you develop deep, meaningful bonds with other players this way. That’s not to say that it’s impossible to do, but highly unlikely.

Just as often, however, a cRPG is a solo player experiences and your only interactions are those with the NPCs (or non-playable characters) that are coded with set lines and dialogues. While some NPCs can be very well thought out and verbose, such as in Baldur’s Gate 3, they’re extremely lacking in other games.

Compare this with the TTRPG style of gaming. Pen, paper, physical books (or ebooks on a tablet) provide a tactile feel and a sense of weight and ‘realness’. Frequently, the people you play with are people you know in real life. You meet at someone’s house, around the dining room table. Or you meet up at a diner somewhere and grab a table. Perhaps you all meet at the local library. Regardless of the setting, being among others creates a sense of a friend group as you get to know each other, talk about the game, life … whatever’s on your mind. Rarely do you ever play a TTRPG alone, though solo adventures exist too, and can be quite fun.

Then there’s the matter of the game itself and the rules. In a computer game, your actions, attacks, skills, armor and weapons are predetermined by the game. The rules are inflexible. You don’t get to step outside the bounds or decide that X rule doesn’t fit your playstyle and you prefer Y. You get what you get and you either like it, accept it, or don’t like it and stop playing.

A game run by a DM, on the other hand, has a lot of flexibility. The story, much like the environment is created from their imagination or by using one of a multitude of game modules available for use in various game systems. He can follow the rules as set forth, mix and match rules for different versions of a system, or create rules on the fly to suit the campaign and situation. This flexibility creates an ever changing gaming landscape that can be beneficial for everyone at the table.

And, as a final nod to story itself — While in a cRPG the story has been written out and rarely ever changes from playthrough to playthrough, it is far different for a tabletop setting. There, not only does the DM control the story, but so too do the players with their characters and the choices they make. The same campaign could be run multiple times, yet each have completely different outcome. Flexibility indeed!

While computer games will always be my go to for enjoying a great RPG story and world, I can see myself easily enjoying the perks of playing a tabletop game too. But what do you think? Do you have experience playing TTRPGs and what are some of the benefits you would point out to a new player?

Until next time, bye for now!