The Lists

Here are the boring bits for my Round Table post.

The fried onion appetizer, if you will, before the thick steak.

Four genres. Strategy, Racing, Sports and Roleplaying.

I am going to make them have as few elements as possible. Very stripped down models, partly because I'm lazy and partly because it's easier to remain true to my framework by keeping things simple.

Strategy:
1. Focused on careful planning (strategy OR tactics) rather than reflex-based gameplay.
2. Must have a resource management component - acquisition and expenditure.
3. The player will be in charge of multiple units with none representing their specific avatar.
4. Unit interaction is primarily governed by the interplay of various stats rather than specific input by the player at the time of that interaction.

Racing - defined in my previous post, but to reiterate:
1. The greater majority of gameplay must consist of piloting some kind of vehicle.
2. The player must be in competition with at least one other vehicle.
3. The player must navigate some kind of course.
4. Time and/or position will be the factor in determining the player's final standing.

Sports:
1. Must be a sport that has an established professional presence.
2. Contains no authored narrative structure, only the structure imposed by the typical sequence of competitions and downtime.
3. If a team-based game, the player must exert some measure of control over team and individual choices; If an individual sport the player must have direct control over that individual.
4. Must maintain the basic rule framework of its source sport.

Roleplaying:
1. The player must willingly take on a role or avatar used as a fantasy projection of their 'self' into the imagined worldspace.
2. There must be a progression of character abilities and/or skills and/or stats from simple/weak to complex/strong.
3. Must allow at least minimal customization of the player's avatar.
4. Must have an inventory system.