I would not consider that a construction purpose. That’s purely aesthetic. Decent plaster will far outlast wallpaper anyway. The paper in modern gypsum board i

I would not consider that a construction purpose. That’s purely aesthetic. Decent plaster will far outlast wallpaper anyway. The paper in modern gypsum board is not there to prevent “cracks”, either. Without the paper, gypsum board has essentially no strength and couldn’t even be hung. The paper replaces the “brown coat” of traditional plaster by adding fiber for strength.