If my title didn't give it away enough, I'm a roleplayer. That rare breed of gamer who get ridiculed and persecuted in nearly every video game they join, even in the dedicated RP servers. I just don't get it - why can't we rip the piss out of the grinders or the hoarders or the griefers? It's just a different style of gaming. And hey, even if it is geeky, isn't playing MMOGs insanely geeky anyway?
Hmm. I tell you all this because I'm in need of a new roleplay idea. And it is a need too - once you've roleplayed once, be it Dungeons & Dragons, roleplay-enforced MUDs or just general forum roleplay, you so get the taste for it. I've been doing it for about 18 months now, and hell, I wouldn't look back.
It all started on Adellion, a game in development which will be for roleplayers - PKing without a valid roleplay reason is banned. This is a good thing. The games market needs something which will live up to the true definition of an MMORPG. Because, frankly, WoW and Guild Wars and even EQ2 are all tending towards the hack 'n' slash 'n' rinse 'n' repeat style of gaming.
It's not my thing. Repetition just isn't in general, but immersing myself in a character and escaping from this dimension for a little while is more entertaining and rewarding than being a level 75 Paladin in a world of level 75 Paladins. I want to impress others with my writing ability and my storyweaving skill. I don't want to have to become a twitchy gamer to succeed.
I guess it doesn't help that I really suck at that kind of thing. I played PSO for a bit and found it so devoid of RP opportunities that it just turned me off mainstream MMOs. So I'm holding out for Adellion, and in the meantime playing Firan from time to time.
It's good, actually - positively healthy, I'd say - to depart from your own body and think about what the character would do in that situation. Try it in the next game you play; it even works for single-player games like Zelda.
Yeah, it all sounds a bit nerdish and maybe even like an exercise in Buddhism, but it's a brilliant way to get to know yourself and how you interact with others in a reasonably peaceful manner. It's all good. Roleplayers aren't capable of hurting other people, anyway.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Congratulations Mr. RPer... This is Spikelema BTW. I myself am one of the rare few who feel that RPG's are turning into more of a game where the person who can get on for the longest to grind their skills is always the most popular. Bah I await a system where I can run a bank because people trust me. Not because I have leveled up my "Bank" skill and "Shopkeeper" skill.
Absolutely! I 100% agree with you - it's such a shame that such games can be allowed to call themselves RPGs.
Why, over here in the European Union, we have a wonderful thing which doesn't allow champagne to be called champagne unless it was grown in the Champagne district of France...Now maybe we should have something similar for MMORPGs - they can only be called MMORPGs if they're made for roleplayers!
There'd be a lot less, which would make the whole thing a lot more desirable!
Here's to Adellion. The champagne of MMORPGs. Anything less is barbaric.
This is Archaaz by the way, I'd give you kudos for your excellent post if this thing allowed it.
You know, I've tried to roleplay in D&D. Suspense of disbelief they say. Goddam miracle I say. Clerics with create food and water, purify drink and cure major wounds, resurrection and commune with infinitely well informed divinities - on a daily basis.
And even so nice people have to die. Even so healing costs money.
"Look, Mr. Cleric, it's almost midnight, and I know you get new spells in the morning anyway, can't you at least give a couple of minor cures?"
Post a Comment