Hawkes-Robinson RPG Model:
RPG Formats Diagram 1

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, 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 boardgames, Poker cardgames, etc.). This process has lead to the development of 4 top-tier assignations of the 4 RPG Formats.

ADVISORY NOTE: CONSIDER EVERYTHING ON RPG RESEARCH AS A "REQUEST FOR COMMENTS" (RFC). 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.


<NOTE THIS PAGE IS INCOMPLETE AND STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP COMPLETE THIS PAGE, PLEASE CONTACT US>


Video lectures explaining further

More recent at top, 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 (links pending)

All of the information in this section is based on over 40 years of actual real-world experiences in our research, community programs, or evidence-in-practice data from RPG.LLC staff, as well as contributions from others (attributed where applicable).

Accessibility Consideration topics, including pros and cons for each RPG Format, for different populations:

  • Developmental level differences

  • Video. Audio. Text considerations

  • Accessibility considerations for specific populations

  • Medication and treatments side effects considerations

  • Aphantasia

  • Deaf & Hard of Hearing

  • Visual impairments and differences including various types of blindness

  • Learning differences/disabilities

  • Neurodifferences

  • Mental health considerations by diagnostic population

  • Schizophrenia and dissociative related considerations

  • Wheelchair accessible

  • Fine motor skills, grasping, lifting, writing.

  • Brain injury considerations

  • Larp adaptations for Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinsons, and other disorders with similar physical challenges.

  • Computer adaptive equipment.

  • Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)

  • Reaction and coordination adaptations

  • Turn-based rather than real-time.

  • Cognitive impairment adaptations, including processing limitations or speed considerations.

  • Cultural and language considerations

  • Idioms and colloquialisms, including regional variants.

  • Competition versus cooperation

  • Assertiveness versus passivity

This is not an all-inclusive list, and is being updated and expanded regularly. If you have a question about a specific accessibility consideration for a specific RPG format, please Contact Us with your question(s) and we will provide information where possible and/or add your questions to our to-be-researched list.


Level 1 Volunteer Trainee Focus on TRPG Format:



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


Level 1  Volunteer Trainee   Focus on LRPG Format:



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



Level 1  Volunteer Trainee   Focus on ERPG Format:


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


Level 1  Volunteer Trainee   Format on HRPG Format:


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



Level 1 Volunteer Trainee: Discussion on Different RPG Formats:






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Hawkes-Robinson Role-Playing Game Model: The 4 RPG Formats Diagram 1 Revision 20201003q  by W.A. Hawkes-Robinson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://rpgresearch.com/slides/slide/hawkes-robinson-rpg-model-rpg-formats-quintessential-to-non-rpg-fuzzy-distinctions-diagram-only-creative-commons-rev-20200826p-68.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.hawkerobinson.com/contact-info.


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:


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)