Why I don't play MMORPGs
I've never got into Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs like Ultima Online or Warcraft. Raph Koster's lament explains why...
The most important thing in the world is slaying something that will be back the next day... before anyone else gets to slay it.Nothing sleeps.
Nothing dreams.
There is art and beauty in the world, but you can't be responsible for any of it.
There is no death; there is simply a failure to show up.
Because of this, there is also rarely any mourning.
I've heard some Ultima Online addicts claim that UO represents deep immersive roleplaying, but I'm not convinced. Give me human-moderated text-based games any day. Ones with actual stories and plotlines, where the actions of players within the game can make meaningful changes in the world.
Posted by TimHall at February 26, 2006 05:53 PM | TrackBackHere's why I never play MMORPGS:
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That's a perfecly valid reason. Dreamlyrics isn't free, but it still represents better value for money :)
Posted by: Tim Hall on February 26, 2006 09:07 PMThe main reason I don't play these games is a lack of time. Over the years (IIRC the first incarnation of Conteck in one was in MUD2 in 1985) I have had a lot of fun in text based games and I have been happy to make financial contributions towards one or two.
I tried UO once and I didn't like it.
I once visited a game where the mobiles only existed to be killed and when I asked about RP aspects my guide didn't understand the question.
I currently monitor the development of Coffee Mud (a Java based system) and if I ever have the time I will develop a Mud myself using that framework. I doubt people will pay to play it though!
Posted by: Michael Orton on February 27, 2006 12:19 PMI think text-based games engage the imagination in a way that graphical games don't seem to.
The latter don't seem to have evolved past adolescent DnD "Kill the monster and take it's stuff".
Posted by: Tim Hall on February 27, 2006 06:56 PMIndeed that would seem to be the style of a large proportion of such games, but there are worlds with other approaches. After all, what of "Second Life"?
I submit that "Second Life" is the way an online RPG really ought to be. Had I the time and money I would love to incarnate Conteck there in his "real" body.
Posted by: Michael Orton on February 28, 2006 12:26 PMI tried "Second Life" for a month.
It's pretty and kind of cool to fly around, but it gets old fast. At heart, it's nothing more than a giant chat room with pretty 3D graphics. And most of the participants are about as deep as your typical chat-room denizens.
Posted by: Amadan on March 3, 2006 11:41 PM>>And most of the participants are about as deep as your typical chat-room denizens.
There's the rub. The problem with MMORPGs is that the people with the largest amounts of free time to spend in them are kids; most grown-ups have busier lives. And any MMORPG is only as going to be as good as the other players.
Posted by: Tim Hall on March 4, 2006 08:11 PMIn the light of those comments, I will rephrase my wish. I would like the now extinct online world of "Lap of the Gods" back, with the same group of characters I used to play with, but using "Second Life" technology.
Using a MMORPG as a chatroom is fine, but there needs to be things to do.
Posted by: Michael Orton on March 8, 2006 01:02 PM