Here's a leaner version, with some things, which weren't really that central or relevant, deleted.
The Dogma-cRPG Manifesto
What the Dogma-cRPG Manifesto is:
The definition of Dogma-cRPG.
A small set of bare-bones design guides/rules.
What the Dogma-cRPG Manifesto is not:
Any attempt to define/explain/discuss what an “RPG” is.
Any attempt to define/explain/discuss what is/has been considered “dogma” in relation to RPGs, by any person or any group of people.
Any attempt to define/explain/discuss what is a “good” cRPG. (There are many great cRPG which don't implement the Dogma.cRPG rules.)
The purpose of Dogma-cRPG:
The Dogma-cRPG rules are intended to preserve the qualities which can make specifically cRPGs interesting in their own specific RPG manner, rather than interesting in other manners, like of FPS, console-fighters, platformers, whatever, may be interesting to some people.
These rules also form a set of “labels”, which should be helpful for both customers and publishers, to more accurately describe the genre and character of a game. A cRPG 's combat system may be described as implementing the Dogma-cRPG combat rule, for instance.
There is no requirement to implement all Dogma-cRPG rules. The system is of course entirely voluntary, in parts or whole.
Philosophy of Dogma-cRPG:
One overriding concern has been to try not to be conservative, not to be in the way of the evolution of cRPGs. Thus Dogma-cRPG only tries to nail down essential values in the gameplay, not mechanics. It does not try to conserve or define anything that is/has been/may be called “RPG elements”. It may do so, but it does not try to do so.
The Dogma-cRPG manifesto sees “RPG” as something that eventually may be much different in its forms, from RPGs existing today.
The intent of Dogma-cRPG is to help preserving gameplay that allows the player to role-play a player designed character, in a tradition that traces back to the PnP meaning.
The Dogma-cRPG definition:
Dogma-cRPG Rules:
Dogma-cRPG Player Character:
1:- Any PC shall be *to a considerable degree* created by the player. This shall include a choice of gender and ethnic/race belonging.
2:- Any PC shall not do or say anything not decided and controlled by the player. (With the exclusion of tedious trivia, as eating, exchanging coins, recovering arrows...)
3:- Any PC shall be *to a considerable degree* customizable in terms of apparel, equipment and progress.
Other Dogma-cRPG playable characters:
Some games may elect to give player some control of some other characters. In that regard, Dogma-cRPG has no rules to offer, but recognizes the following labels:
Dogma-cRPG Full Party: Every such playable character is a PC, as per above, and as per combat control definition.
Dogma-cRPG Party: Every such playable character implements point 3 of the Dogma-cRPG PC definition and the Dogma-cRPG combat control definition.
Dogma-cRPG Squad: Every such playable character implements the Dogma-cRPG combat control definition.
Dogma-cRPG Companion. Every such character is possible to communicate with, and will follow the PC as long as the PC satisfies the Companions demands (whatever those are), but will otherwise, as in combat, follow their own will and whims as NPCs.
Again, these are just labels. Dogma-cRPG offers no rules or guidance for “other playable characters”.
Dogma-cRPG Gameplay:
The player shall decide.
The player character shall take action.
The player shall provide the character with voice, mood, morality and motives.
Dogma-cRPG Character Progress:
PC development/progressing shall be an explicit means to overcome challenges.
Dogma-cRPG recognizes that progress may be satisfying in itself, but demands that it is a factor incorporated in a relevant way, into both the story and into the gameplay mechanics.
This means that these challenges, which can only be overcome by character development, must always be available in the game. And it's the character's choice when and how to tackle these challenges.
The availability of this choice is essential in how character development becomes a meaningful gameplay element, instead of just compensating along for increased difficulty, while the game mainly stays the same. Let the player beware.
Dogma-cRPG World:
The environment shall not balance itself.
The world shall not change, in any way, to the strength of the PC or PC's party, (or even the difficulty setting).
It shall always be the same, the same opponents, same AI, same environment.
It shall be entirely up to the player, where to go, when to go, which challenges to face, alone or with companions.
The game may “lock” off areas or sections for various story/quest related reasons, but it shall never lock off areas for balancing purposes.
Let the player beware. In the Dogma-cRPG world, there should be no safety net.
Dogma-cRPG Difficulty:
Difficulty settings shall avoid affecting any other experience of the game.
Difficulty settings shall never affect how fast the PC progress.
Difficulty settings shall never affect the numbers or nominal composition of opponents.
(There are any number of other ways, like scaling amount of health, damage dealt and taken, or scaling any amount of health recharge.).
Dogma-cRPG Combat:
Combat shall not rely upon any element of quickness, dexterity or timing from the player.
The combat system shall not be designed in any way that must - to a significant degree - take hardware performance into account. (Essentially, it should allow combat of 100 against 200, as well as 1 against 3, or 6 against 1, or 6 against 34.)
In any other regard, the player decides, the PC takes action.
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