MMORPGs - Ruined By Non Role-Players? 100
Thanks to RPGDot for their new editorial discussing why actual in-character roleplaying in MMORPGs is dying out, as more and more 'action fans' are being attracted to RPGs. The article suggests: "When you take an MMORPG apart to analyze what it is, you discover pretty quickly that it's mostly a huge graphical chat room... the role-playing aspect of an MMORPG is nowhere in the [priority] list, which leaves the few poor souls who are willing to do so in the dust, grinding their teeth at the l337 speech they are subjected to." But it seems in-game bugs and glitches make it difficult for even the most hardcore role-player to keep in-character: "It's hard to sustain a willingness to role-play when the mindless android in front of you swallows your shuttle ticket without so much as an apology."
Not a new problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
The Best solution would be if quests required some degree of roleplaying (thus actually making it a roleplaying game), instead of just having to kill something, find something, or deliver something.
Re:Not a new problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
The author forgot to mention RO (Ragnarok Online): the perfect example everything he complains about. (http://www.ragnarokonline.com)
A Korean beta game that offers no story, no actual quests. Just dungeons for people to go to and kill, find items, and kill in new dungeons. I cannot stress how little story and quests (aside from "search for three of these different rare items to recieve an even more rare item" quests) there are. It makes Diablo 2 look like a classic book in comparison.
In fact, people are paying to play this game now, it's no longer a free beta. Definitely a bad direction for mmorpg's to go.
Re:Not a new problem... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Not a new problem... (Score:5, Informative)
The question is whether the mainstream market is adequately interested in genuine role-playing to make for a worthwhile MMORPG. MMORPGs are not a fad. I believe that the longer they are around, the more diversity we'll see, and the more room there will be for experimentation on the part of the developers.
One problem with role-play focused MMORPGs is that they would be very high-maintainence, most likely requiring more staff than conventional MMORPGs to regulate player behavior and to keep the game interesting.
There are large, persistent, thematic worlds of genuine role-play that exist presently. They're labors of love, and entirely textbased, which is the only thing that makes them affordable. These are termed "RPI"s or Role-Play Intensives.
In these games, there are no experience points. Everything tends to be purely social (although there is a skill element). "But Roxton, what's the fun if there's no room for advancement?" You've been playing conventional RPGs too long, Kemo-Sabe.
The worlds of RPIs are incredibly rich, complete with backstory and detail to rival the best of sourcebooks. Like real life, position and power are not conferred by some universe-implied system. They are conferred by people in positions of power, or by others willing to support you. There are existing power structures in conflict, with checks, balances, and the genuine possibility of one overwhelming another.
There's no formula to it. Perhaps you can sell your skills and become a hired hand. Maybe your heritage entitles you to noble privileges, if the setting is medieval. As a merchant, you'll be involved in city politics and be in a position of influence. Or perhaps you could be deeply involved in one of the world's many variously flavored churches in matters both internal and external.
When you start these games, you spend a lot of time developing a character, complete with backstory set in the rich world upon which the game is based. These games have role-play administrators who are responsible for verifying the quality of these applications, helping new players, and generally policing the in-character nature. While most of the play tends to be wonderfully player-driven, the role-play administrators support the players and also create a few well-made plots of their own, often including a large over-arching story.
In these MUDs, the playerbase drifts away from the immature segment you find on hack n'slash games. You'll find mostly college-aged students and middle-aged history buffs (often SCA types), as well as some bright and responsible younger folk.
One of the ones I've enjoyed is Harshlands [harshlands.net] set in the Harn role-playing universe.
A more popular RPI, though slightly more combat-oriented, is Armageddon, which you can learn about here. [armageddon.org]
Seriously, if text-based gaming is not a serious turn-off for you [And considering the number of CLI-fans in the Linux community, I wouldn't be surprised if that was a great many of you], give it a try. While someday the market will turn its tastes to more sophisticated multiplayer gaming, you can keep on the bleeding edge in the low-tech, non-profit worlds of RPIs.
Re:Not a new problem... (Score:1)
Re:Not a new problem... (Score:1)
It's called Underlight.
It holds strict to roleplay while remaning inviting to new players. It's very dated though but the concepts would do well to be ported into a newer next gen MMORPG
It's game mechanics and ideas would take me too long to explain here but a google and a check of the forums woulden't be too hard
Quality of Games (Score:2, Interesting)
Hopefully Blizzard's World of Warcraft will be of much higher quality and they will take steps to encourage role playing. This will most likely be the first MMORPG I play, and I look forward to some real role playing. I hope they deliver.
Re:Quality of Games (Score:5, Insightful)
The thing with MMORPGs are that they are in a perpetual state of being broken, right from the get-go. Launches are inherently troublesome times with client bugs and play balance issues. Only over time do these things become lessened. They're still doing fixes to Dark Age of Camelot after what, two years of being in operation? They're primarily fixes to balance issues, the odd glitch, no real show-stoppers.
Once you come to terms with that you'll have a pretty fun time with MMORPGs as a whole. I guarantee you though that WoW will suffer the same problems at launch that they all do. Busted registration/logon servers, lag, goofy gameplay balance, etc, etc, etc. It's the nature of the beast, and don't let the Blizzard name fool you. It's their FIRST MMORPG, and it will be at least one thing to them -- a learning experience unlike any they've had before.
Re:Quality of Games (Score:4, Insightful)
You may be right, but I'm not so sure. Blizzard has a pretty good reputation about delaying a game until it is truly ready to ship. I mean, Warcraft3 took years to make, they cancelled that Warcraft Adventures game because it simply wasn't going as well as they wanted (but come on, they coulda released a dried up turd with the name "Warcraft adventures" on it and sold a million copies - see Enter The Matrix).
So Blizzard may finally get it right. They're not Eidos. Blizzrad could have released a new Warcraft every year since 1998 (like Eidos has done with Tomb Raider), but they like to wait until a product is ready...
Re:Quality of Games (Score:4, Informative)
Blizzard may get the game itself into better shape than some MMO developers, but the servers will be the same old story. The release of a new game from Blizzard has routinely crippled battle.net from it's inception, and Diablo 2 only made it that much worse by hosting the games and character data in addition to the registration/login functions.
When US West became overcrowded because the Asian server(s) went down, Blizzard took action and added more servers in Asia. Unfortunately, it didn't change anything for US West, because all of the Korean players that had been playing on US West didn't want to leave their characters behind, and Blizzard had not supplied any way for them to transfer those characters. Will they have the same types of problems when WoW hits? Who knows for sure until it hits, but even if I were planning on buying WoW, I would wait until at least the first week is over and judge how the servers handled the load.
Beyond that, there're the little things, like bugs in both StarCraft and Diablo 2 when they shipped after much delay that prevented people from continuing with the games until they were patched (or in the case of Diablo 2, if they started over and then didn't duplicate the circumstances that caused the bug). Not to mention the play-balance issues. If WoW gets to 1.03 (assuming a 1.0 release) without an overhaul of some play-balance issue that a large number of people exploited, then I'll be surprised.
Re:Quality of Games (Score:1)
By its very nature as a MMORPG, WoW will require much more player interaction and socialization, and the language barrier will be a big stumbling block for the Koreans who want to play with Americans.
It didn't stop them in Diablo 2, although admittedly you need much less english to get by in that game.
Re:Quality of Games (Score:2)
Moderated MMO's? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Moderated MMO's? (Score:2, Troll)
They are called muds - go to www.mudconnect.com and search through the listings, make sure you check the role-play box.
Oh, wait, you want pretty graphical pictures? Argh!!!! Wait a second, I have an 'Ask Slashdot' question to submit: 'Why Do the Self Described "Role Players" want pretty useless pictures and a graphical world that basically limits what the player can do?'
Re:Moderated MMO's? (Score:2)
The roleplaying servers are watched over in a pretty draconian fasion by the CSRs and a lot of players on those servers will appeal every little thing they find inappropriate in public chat, or name
Re:Moderated MMO's? (Score:2)
Re:Moderated MMO's? (Score:2)
Problem? No Game Master (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem with Role Playing in a computer game is that you are artificially limited by the constraints of the game. If the programmers have decided that you have to get past (kill) target A to get object B, then you have to kill target A to get Object B. In a "true" RPG (DnD, or whatever "flavor" you prefer), there is a DM who may *want* (or goad) you into fighting target A, but in the end, you could at least attempt to bluff your way past it or sneak around or whatever. Also, in a PnP RPG you can interact with your environment in ways that a MMORPG cannot currently let you. For instance, I've never quite been able to walk through tables or other party members in DnD, yet in SWG you have a rather incorporealness that, well, breaks immersion. Also, the NPCs can be only so engaging. If I told an NPC to "blow off" in a PnP game, he'd "hear" me, and react accordingly, whereas unless its a specific encounter, if I type "blow off" to a random NPC he'll simply ignore me.
So it all comes down to the Game Master. Without the human interaction, its very difficult to stay in character, IMHO. Of course, one day that might not be the case, and there isnt anything wrong with MMORPGs, other than they are in fact glorified chat rooms most of the time.
Re:Problem? No Game Master (Score:5, Informative)
This is the only time I've noticed a feeling of true immersion. You don't see the DM rolling dice or looking things up and the only constraints are those imposed by the module/world builders.
When these builders work well with the DMs on a particular server, it's a fantastic experience.
I foresee a future... (Score:3, Interesting)
where someone will be paid minimum wage to play an in game "Non-Player" character. Much cheaper then inventing AI. Give them a script for some events and have them wing it on other occasions. Of course, if you have too many people playing NPCs it could get prohibitively expensive.
Or you could offer someone free in game time or items if they spent a certain amount of time playing a character. It would be kind of funny if teenagers could earn minimum wage sitting behind the counter in a virtual shop, j
Re:I foresee a future... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I foresee a future... (Score:2)
You don't even need to pay them minimum wage, because it's not really a job. You don't need an employment contract, etc. Of course, they do have to be 18 - that way you can treat it like gambling :)
The best thing would be if you could "work" these jobs via mobile device. Then while you were sitting behind the desk at your real job, you could also be working your online
Carrot vs Stick (Score:2)
I'd much rather see this be worked on in the commercial MMORPG world than having a bunch of people yelling at you to speak "Olde English."
If you want RP it has to start in the design process first. Everything from the instructions, tutorials, etc have to have an RP element to them. Now toss in NPCs that you aren't sure are just AI or real people and you'll begin to build a world that lends itself to RP.
Its the classic
Bots, bots, and more bots (Score:1)
Unfortunately, I'm afraid someone would catch on to me once they noticed that my simple bots based on Eliza appeared more intelligent than most of the regular teenaged NPCs. Maybe if I threw in frequent spelling/grammatical errors and a dash of 133t speak...
Re:Problem? No Game Master (Score:2)
1) Most people treat online RPGs in a similar manner to offline RPGs. That is, they treat it as a quest to go through, an item to get, etc. I have to admit that I did this when I played them, too. With such a steep levelling curve, if you don't borg, you get left behind. Now with games encouraging RP less and less, it's just magnifying the "problem." I quote that word because I'm not sure it
Ogres in EverQuest (Score:1)
Tho' it be 'cause it easy ta talk dum.
Oh oh me hab no bandiges. Kin sum smart guy wave hands 'n gib me sum?
Trolls, rarely, because they were more of a powergamer's thing with the regen. But ogres certainly.
In all my travels of my necro through level 51 and counting, I only once encountered a paladin who was roleplaying and refused to help me. Awesome! My necro gnome-ette was a rather Dr. Doomish character in search of raw power. S
Re:Problem? No Game Master (Score:2)
Now there's an idea - treat the non-RPers as an element of the RP world. Treat them literally as barbarians who don't speak your language, and kill them on sight - they'd quickly learn not to cross the borders on their own.
Roleplaying Requires Imagination (Score:3, Insightful)
My 2 cents
Re:Roleplaying Requires Imagination (Score:2)
In running this RP, we drove the point home that it's story-driven, not battle-driven, which turned off a lot of newbies but also brought us great ideas and characters from others. Needless to say, our strongest players were
Re:Roleplaying Requires Imagination (Score:1)
MMORPG or MMOFPS?? (Score:2, Interesting)
We don't serve their kind here! (Score:3, Interesting)
I used to play a lot on a MUD where they had both an age requirement (18 or over, or no go), and roleplaying was required. If you didn't roleplay, the other players simply started to ignore you, and sooner or later the admin would give you the "start acting your role or look for another MUD" deal.
It did have a chat channel for out of game-talk, though. I pity the soul who used it for metagaming talk...
I think I'll start playing there again. I miss it.
Re:We don't serve their kind here! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:What's really ruining MMORPGs: (Score:3, Insightful)
The role-players should realize that with
Re:What's really ruining MMORPGs: (Score:3, Interesting)
1. Dynamic Content. When I bought Eq, I figured some of my monthly payment would go to create a continuously changing world. The changes don't have to be major, but it's pretty c
Re:What's really ruining MMORPGs: (Score:1)
Of course, it's not actually here, and it's by M$, so you may wish
Re:Linked article (about l33t) (Score:1)
I'd heard "woot" was an abbreviation for "wonderful loot". It still sounds funny.
And I've noticed it creeping into my rl vocabulary.
w00t and pwned (Score:2)
"pwned" was another one. I saw it a lot not only in MegaTF, but more recently in Weapons Factory and CounterStrike. This one, however, I know the origins of...
In MegaTF, there were a handful of players who were so good it was sickening. "Owned!" was a common taunt when someone capped the flag or spectacularly fragged
Re:w00t and pwned (Score:1)
I first heard woot long before I played online games, and w00t is just the obvious 1337 spelling. MegaTF also has a small but hardcore base of players that hate it, myself included
"pwned" was another one. I saw it a lot not only in MegaTF, but more recently in Weapons Factory and CounterStrike. This one, however, I k
um.. role playing? (Score:3, Insightful)
If its your own character, then its your own role and you can't escape it or betray it. That, to me, is the beauty of online role playing games. The universe you're in becomes much more than what you've already seen.
To me, those that complain are the ones that are really, really hardcore, those that demand that you talk in your characters native tongue, and not English, for example. Yes you exist, yes I respect your opinion, but there's a bell curve here, and you're on the edge, and that means you ain't ever gonna get your way, so long as the curve stays where it is. The converse of this in in your guys' favor though, because the people that don't even play according to the universe are few and far between also. What lies in between (the middle of the curve) is what exists in Online RPG's.
RPGs are however they are because the majority of people play the game in that way. That means that the majority of the people playing are happy with it that way. You've been outvoted. Take it or leave it.
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:3, Insightful)
The reason for this has been touched upon by earlier posters: Enforcing true Role Playing is not conducive to Making Big Buck$.
For purposes of this discussion, "Role Playing" is defined as communicating in-game as one's character would, not using 1337-speak, and leaving one's Real Life self and Real Life concerns "at the door". Looking for help with a quest one just recieved wou
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:1)
I think what the previous poster was saying is basically that the 'thees' and 'thous' don't really have a place in most of these games, except in the minds of those that keep insisting they be there. Just because it's a fantasy setting doesn't mean that people talk like that in that par
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:3, Insightful)
It's about the trying to figure out why the 26 year old guy I'm playing with still thinks that naming his avatar "BoogerSnorter Maximus" is even remotely funny.
It's the lack of imagination implied in the avatars in SWG named Duke SkyClocker and Obie's Frend (both real examples).
It's the player who shouts "Wazzup?!!?!!!?? DUDEZ!?!?!!?" for the 40th time to his friends in half an hour, and they all think i
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:1)
Who knows? Some people have a childish sense of humour no matter how old they get. I know people that do this in their normal every-day lives, repeating the same tired old jokes for months, until they find something new ('thats what she said'). I have a good friend that got sick of the whole idea of coming up with character names about 2 years ago
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:1)
Re:um.. role playing? (Score:2)
sure you can. pick up a strategy guide and act upon information that your character should have no idea about, instant out of character action. while you can argue that pumping up your stats and going after cheap and easy XP is in character, it's a weak arguement.
don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with getting cheap, dirty, XXXP and powerleveling. I've been known to do it in more than a few games. but it's sti
The artificial constraints prevent interaction (Score:2, Insightful)
The richness of a given social experience is directly proportional to it's significance, and the amount of options you have. If you have the option of acting maliciously if you so choose, then a positive interaction is more meaningful. In addition, a reputation or something that imparts a co
The persistent world is a slight problem (Score:5, Interesting)
I used to play Dark Age of Camelot. Excellent MMORPG, as well designed as they come. But I've long since stopped playing, because the experience was just too artificial.
In a pen and paper or even a computer RPG, the world changes in epic ways as you advance through the story. But because the world of an MMORPG has to be consistent for players, the world cannot change too much. For example, the king of the fairies will have to always be there, you can't guide empires to ruin, buildings stand forever-- the sense of changeability that is otherwise present in RPGs is lost. So is mortality, because you respawn. You might be penalised, but your character can't be dead and gone. Where then is the comradeship? Can you really feel for an immortal character as you would for a real companion (well, RPG companion)? There's a good reason D&D players become very attached to their characters, and spend a lot of time mourning their deaths, but it is partly that mortality that makes their journey perilous and exciting.
I think some of the MMORPGs out there really are very good, but they lack a certain je ne sais quoi that story- driven RPGs have. And that is a problem with the melding of genres, rather than who's playing them. I recognise that there are many more issues to consider, but i feel that this is one of the major ones.
Just my 2 cents.
Re:The persistent world is a slight problem (Score:1)
Immediately after the incident, the group had a "so-now-what" discussion. While the DM seemed open to the idea of a roll back, the players were concerned with the precedence that would set. How would this safety net affect future play? It looks l
Re:The persistent world is a slight problem (Score:2)
Harsh death penalties put people off. I can't remember which developer said that, but it was in a developer interview somewhere, not necessarily on DAoC. Maybe what we're thinking of is really the kind of system that has been implemented in games like NWN.
But I wouldn't give up hope. The gaming indu
Joke right? (Score:3, Insightful)
Who cares how buggy it is, it has to be a step-up from rolling a dice to see how much damage you do (yeah like that is real...).
In fact having fewer uber-geeks who have memorised the rule book, and look at me funny when I order quiche from the tavern vastly improves my gaming experience.
Re:Joke right? (Score:1)
Yes. In a computer, you're restricted by the constraints of the programmer(s). When you're with literally, a party, neat things happen that normally wouldnt.
What matters most
Re:Joke right? (Score:2)
yes, actually it is. I tell the DM that I want to do something and he tells me the results. no lag. no worrying if the game's engine can handle complex dialogue written on the fly, no w
Re:Joke right? (Score:2)
I mean, I can handle non-roleplayers. It doesn't bother me that much (of course, I haven't played an MMORPG in about 3 years now). But the second my party started fighting 'mobs' instead of orcs, gnolls, kobolds, or whatever, it completely ruined any immersion I felt.
--Jeremy
Try DM'd Neverwinter Nights Persistent Worlds (Score:4, Informative)
The problem, of course, is finding a good PW and integrating yourself with the cliques and whatnot that have surely already formed there. Likewise, since these are usually run out of some guy's bedroom or dorm room on their home machine using an existing connection, you're probably not going to get the stability or scalability of a true MMORPG.
On the other hand, the personal touch can be quite nice. It's worth dabbling in, at the very least.
Re:Try DM'd Neverwinter Nights Persistent Worlds (Score:2)
Heheheh, haven't played too many "true" MMORPGs, have you? :-)
Re:Try DM'd Neverwinter Nights Persistent Worlds (Score:2)
Good point. Maybe I should have added: "This may be a good thing"
Alternatives Exist (Score:1, Interesting)
I'm one of 50 or so DM's in a NWN collaborative world project that spans several computers (come check out A Land Far Away [alandfaraway.net] if you're interested). All players are screened and the servers are all 100% roleplay oriented. There are numerous projects out for NWN and many of them offer some gr
Re:Alternatives Exist (Score:1)
Back in the day... (Score:5, Informative)
The nonRP thing is partly because of the Admins, of course, if the admin PCs don't set an example, or reinforce nonRP behaviour, then the online enviroment will devolve into an interactive chat. Or if there is not proper incentive to RP, meaning that experience gathering and item farming is 100% from just plain game interaction, and not social interaction, then people will not roleplay, since it is not required.
Our solution was to make higher-advanment contingent on the admins, meaning you had to RP quests socially to advance. Guilds were also good to enforce RP, since most guilds were controlled by people who knew the admins, and had respected status, they enforced RP within the guilds (all of which were storied) and kicked out non-RP players and blatant PKs, and since not being in a guild wasn't advisable in our MUDs since you were fair game without backing, and got no favors from patron gods.
When I was a god on NeoGeno I offered good items to those who RPed their devotion, and did RP quests, with some in game elements and mobs included, but used within an RP framework. Also having good roleplayers causes it to spread, people want to fit in with clans/guilds who have killer rep and resources, and who RP well, and have a damn good story.
One little code snippet we were working on before we lost our server/interest was to have two classes, RP and non-RP characters, like Bad Trip did with PK/non later in its life. People who pick RP auto-ignore OCC and nonRP globals, gain levels faster, can use better EQ, and have PK free areas. Also the admins would favor the RP people in all global quests, and arguements. The nonRP people would have access to a nonRP channel, but not Tells, and could here globals and such, but not Quest channels. They couldn't Pray, and weren't safe from PK at the healers, unlike the RPers, who were safe from PK there, and there were no penalties on nonRP PKs.
As you can see the whole setup has to be indicative to RP, RP has to be a goal during the actual implementation of the code, AND you have to tweak the social enviroment to make RP better for gaining levels and eq (positive reinforcement). But I really don't think the Sony or anyother MMORPG maker cares if the game is RP or Chat, since you still pay for it, and there are more chat people out there than RP people, so it is a better market.
Personally, when I want RP I'll stick with the remaining MUDs out there, or paper&pen RPGs.
Re:Back in the day... (Score:2)
Re:Back in the day... (Score:1)
Eternal Struggle MUD [esmud.com]. 90% of character advancement is done via an "RP AWARD" system where players can reward those who RP well. The old-fashioned SMAUG combat system has been replaced by a shiny emote-fight system, which basically means that combat is resolved via descriptive actions rather than boring "X hits Y. Y hits X." crap. There are MUDs out there that cater to RPers, and no MMORPG will *ever* get this right, so there's no point to even trying to play them.
No Action players in our game (Score:4, Interesting)
We are working hard to achieve that goal, and we have some guidelines and ideas that hopefully will aid us to get rid of l33t people.
First of all, our targeted audience is people in the Spanish Tolkien Society. That give us a strongly motivated public, which will surely enjoy themselves more from a good role-playing than from a killing session.
Second, it will be quite a bad idea to go out there carelessly hunting orcs... because the damage/healing system is intended to be reallistic. It means that if you get hurt it won't be just some Life Points down, you'll have a broken leg or a poisoned injury, and you'll have to be in bed for in-game months to be healthfull again. And only if you don't get killed. No magic potions (remember Frodo?). So, only warrior characters will go to battle, and it will be dangerous.
Third, it will be difficult and dangerous to travel. People will stay at home, and will have social intercourse with their neighbours. Of course there will be adventures, but mostly those that just delay dinner!
Fourth, we will not ban out-of-character speaking... but we will mean it to be rude! 8-D (This is an idea of mine). We hope to introduce a culture in which newcomers, that are not aware of this social rule, will talk about not Middle Earth subjects, and then everyone will get scandalized!
In summary: our game will not be a huge graphical chat room, because it will be socially designed to be a parallel reality not a videogame, and only people in character will enjoy it. Wish me luck!
Re:No Action players in our game (Score:2)
I didn't say it would be impossible to have adventures. It will be HARD, and that's the amusing part. The whole point of having a "good neighbor" life back in The Shire, is to enjoy the contrast when you leave home and get trapped in a dangerous trip, discovering new wonders and peoples and magic at very each step.
Besides that, there ARE people who really ENJOY playin
When I think of roleplayers... (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't know about RP'ing, when I play games it's to have fun - occasionally it may involve some RP'ing - but I'm not going to be 'forced' into playing a role all the time. I know the hardcore RP'ers always have to point out that an MMORPG is, in theory a ROLE PLAYING Game (usually typed just like that), but let's face it in computer-land an RPG means you have a character(s) with stats and upgradable weapons, armour, magic/psi powers etc. That is the 'vernacular' I believe for a CRPG.
The majority is out there playing and having fun, and sometimes I can't help but resent the roleplaying types - at least the 'aggressive' ones that feel you should play 'their way'.
Re:When I think of roleplayers... (Score:2, Informative)
Oh, and the big monster guy is looking for a Mountain Dew.
And I agree, it's one of the funniest things I've ever seen
Re:When I think of roleplayers... (Score:1)
Playing to Win (Score:2, Insightful)
The problem with modern online role-playing games is that the vast majority of players are simply playing to win. "Win" is defined, in their opinions, as increasing experience, beating quests using any means necessary, and aquiring gobs of "phat l3wt".
Why? Because the game engine is spewing tons of this kind of information at them: stat points, hitpoints, experience, weapons which do Xd6 damage and have Y enchantments, etc... Numbers, numbers, and more numbers - none of which have anything to do with
Well... (Score:2, Insightful)
I really do enjoy people who Role Play, ya know, assume a role and stick with it. This does not mean the l337 h4x0r posing as a level 5 mage. I want the game to keep the concept of role playing. However, not everyone sits behind their computer with a Jolt Cola in one hand and a direct copy of Sting
Guilds often can make a difference... (Score:1)
No way around this (Score:1)
And whose to say the people that aren't 'acting' like some people want them to act aren't roleplaying in their own way?
yeah yeah yeah (Score:1)
If you want enforced RP (Score:2)
Re:If you want enforced RP (Score:1)
Role-playing doesn't just mean acting anymore... (Score:3, Insightful)
Role-playing games are not the same as acting. Some of them get a good approximation thereof (like Mind's Eye Theatre stuff from White Wolf and a hard-nosed DM on a Neverwinter persistent world) but what your looking for is over there with all the theatre majors. Final Fantasy VII isn't an acting game, it's a role-playing game. The term has come to define that style of game, and all kinds of variations on the theme, but acting ain't a part of it. Most MMORPGs that have ever been are just the same kind of thing with you able to talk with tons of other people and interact with their versions of Cloud Strife, Tifa, Cid, or whomever. Frankly, Warcraft 3, Shogun: Total War, Quake, Half Life, and just about any other non-puzzle game in existance is as much an acting game as Everquest, Baldur's Gate, or any other so-called "role-playing" game.
I actually like acting, but a game is at best a mediocre stage, and online gaming is the worst of the lot. There are people who have a blast doing it, and more power to them, but acting like the rest of us are ruining your performance is sad.
Roleplaying/Immersion (Score:3, Interesting)
To me, a shining example of good roleplaying is when the character does something that the *player* knows will be really bad for them, but the character wouldn't have. I've almost never seen that happen in online games.
But to me, the biggest problem with nearly every online game I've tried is mentioned in the article, but I don't think it's a "roleplaying" thing. It's language.
One of the reasons I like games is... immersion. Escapism. I can come home after a bad day at work and go into a world where magic works, where the good are rewarded, and where I can slay great evil beasts.
That is almost *totally* destroyed when there is a continuous scroll of "lol!!!!! I 0wn3d j00r k177!!!!" type stuff. To me, it destroys the immersion and snaps me back into the real world I'm trying to escape when I meet an elven princess who immediately says "greetz!! grp me!!! grp me!!!"
That's one of the main reasons I abandoned EQ and DAoC (the other being time). Take away the immersability, and I find it hard to see why anyone would play any of the MMORPGs.
- Muggins the Mad
First step...words that will get you banned (Score:2)
Another potential solution is to allow players to rate other players. Slashdot type moderation but with more adjectives. "Lamer," "AOL User," "asshole," etc.
For the ambitious you could also set up an automated system of stats that is affected by your words and actions. Everytime you attack something you get a point for agressivness. Everytime you use strong language you get a point for foul mouthed. E
Paid Actors (Score:1, Insightful)
Role Playing and balance of play (Score:1)