Powergaming
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In role-playing games, powergaming is a particular way of playing in which the emphasis lies on developing a player character that is as powerful as possible.
In Table-Top Roleplaying
Table-top powergaming often involves an expert knowledge of the rules of the game, and knowing how to apply the rules to get maximal results with minimal penalties (often referred to as min-maxing).
Sometimes an active abuse of the rules is implied, when rules that are expected or intended to model a realistic game world (according to some well-understood definition of "realism") are applied in ways that are manifestly at odds with those expectations. For example, a Dungeons & Dragons sorcerer might take a two levels of the paladin class for the attractive bonuses that come with this, even when paladins are traditionally seen as being devoted to their lifestyle, and the profession is not something you could train in briefly. It is important to note that powergaming, in this sense, almost never implies active cheating or circumvention of the rules, merely using them in ways that are technically legal but frowned upon by those who consider the intent of the game more important than its exact implementation.
In Online Roleplaying
On MUD and MUCK systems that typically emphasize social interaction, a powergamer is a player who tries to force others to participate in role-playing they don't want to engage in. For instance, a player who unilaterally describes his character as doing something with (or to) another character that would usually require the other to play along — such as having a fight or a sexual encounter — is considered to be powergaming.
In text-based online environments such as MUSH, MUCK, MU*s and other role-playing (RP) games that emphasize role-play over acquiring levels or skills (as opposed to most MUDs), a player can be described as a powergamer if (s)he presumes or declares that his or her own action against another player character is successful without giving the other player character the freedom to act on his own prerogative.
The Problem of Powergaming
Powergamers often have little to no interest in other aspects a role-playing game may have, like cooperative problem solving or social interaction. Usually they focus only on developing their own character (to the point of ignoring anything that is not an opportunity for showing off their character's exceptional skills), making the game less fun for other players. As an attitude, it is often associated with adolescent males and the desire to be the "best" player in some clear, quantifiable sense.[citation needed]
In such games, in which a sense of community and rapport between players is seen as crucial and conducive to the game's overall well-being, powergaming is generally regarded as bad style at best, and extremely offensive behavior at worst, if it is not stated in the rules as being a bannable offense. It is often seen as synonymous with twinking and closely related to god-moding.
See also
External links
- Roll-playing vs. Roleplaying on TopMudSites, by Wes Platt. An article on the basics of role-play as opposed to 'roll-play' in text-based environments.
- The Official Powergamer Homepage: Real Ultimate Power, a satire on the powergaming concept in the style of Real Ultimate Power