CRPG 101

What The Hell Are You Going On About?!?
(Glossary)

Player Character
Also known as the PC, this is the character (or, sometimes, in plural, the party of characters) which you control. For example, your hero in Diablo, or your party in Knights of Legend.

Non Player Characters
Also known as NPCs , these are all other characters in the game, i.e. the ones not under your control. While in actual fact all other creatures in the game are NPCs, the term is usually applied to intelligent beings which you have to interact with in ways other than fighting; townspeople, and the like.

Parties
Some RPGs allow you to have a group of characters, who you either create at the beginning of the adventure (as you do in the Dark Sun games), or recruit from the NPC population during the course of the game (as in Ultima 7).
Recruited characters will usually become PCs under the player's control, although in some games, you'll run accross characters who will travel with you, but who you won't have control of.

Where's The Fight?
(Battle Tips)
Ranged attacks can save lives. At start of combat make use of magic and distance weapons such as bows and throwing daggers. This particularly applys to into the screen RPGs such as Ultima Underworld and Eye of the Beholder.
When enemy closes, use weapons such as swords and axes.
After you've crushed your enemy into a bloody pulb, always remember to rummage through the corpses for weapons, treasure and other goods. To the victor go the spoils, after all.

Return to Book of Mirrors Index
Return to Main Page