nuric:
Honestly, what you're describing sounds more like a novel, or a movie, rather than a game.
You're right, but that's sort of the point. D&D, for example, is set in a quasi-Tolkien world. There's even a game actually set in Middle Earth. There are Star Wars roleplaying games. The clear implication is that the game will emulate those stories. They tend not to, in my experience.
orynnfireheart:
I agree with Nuric. The very essence of an RPG is to take the roles of other personas.
That's why I tried to use a new term.
When I play a roleplaying game, though, I want my characters to succeed and overcome obstacles, but not at the expense of the theme. There might be a better way to succeed than going up against the evil wizard, but going up against the evil wizard (and for the evil wizard to get in some good hits) is the point. So, you've now met someone who would be willing to trump his own character.
gladiusdei:
Games like that are very difficult to create, because they almost never revolve around an equal group of adventurers. Through either varied skill or experience through the story, they will all diverge. Very, very few players are wiling to play in a game like that. And on rpol at least, there aren't many groups of players and GMs that know each other well enough to trust each other to create a game like that, that is still enjoyable for everyone.
I get what you're saying, but I think that much of that comes from the fact that the focus is on the individual character. If the goal was interesting situations, then how good or bad a given character was wouldn't matter.
swordchucks:
Those are a little more mild than your example, though. Games that actually seek to go that badly tend to be collaborative fiction more than games.
I'd be fine with that, or even with a hybrid version of it. Do people play that way? Do people apply some rules to it?
Thanks for the responses.