=====Start Dialogue =====

     As I sit here at my old wooden desk listening to fire crackling, the flames dart to and fro in thier chaotic visual symphony and the smell of oil from the torches permiates the room. I am reminded, like the strugling fire that all things come to an end, and even the most meek will fight to bitter ends in hopes that there is a greater power than they themselves can fathom.

     Looking across my desk at the newest generations of warriors and would be heros, my mind is filled with the memories of times almost forgotten that seem too long ago to even be called myth. These men and women that stand before me sweat slightly, looking foward at the wall behind me doing thier best to appear calm and confident in thier agenda for whatever purpose they signed up for.

     This new breed of soldiers and hopeful legends are soft and weak. They slouch when even they try to stand straight. They sweat at the effort of just trying to control thier breathing. Thier bodies and minds are not prepared for what lie ahead though they have already had thier base training.

     I can see in thier eyes that they long for the glory and riches of victory, but do not wish to put forth the effort and suffering that it takes from years of learning and sweat and blood to aquire such rewards. Looking at these men and women before me, I am filled with despair and regret that the age of immersion and depth may soon be coming to a close.

     Though warriors and soldiers of good cause will very seldom admit it, they fight not because they seek glory or riches or fame. They fight not for the joy of killing or conquest, but in hopes that if they fight hard and long enough perhaps there will come a day when there will be no enemies left to fight and they will no longer have to. Soldiers and Warriors above all know the cost of killing and long for days of peace where thier children and loved ones can live in a world unscathed by darkness and oppression

     As I shift foward the battle hardened, leather straps that hold together the pieces of my long time trusted steel plate creek filling the room with a sense of forlorn and untiold discipline. 

     "You", I say to one of the larger men standing before me. "What do you seek?" "Glory my lord", he answers with sureness that could stop even the strongest of bulls.

     Absently looking to another, I ask the same question. "Glory my lord, and riches", she answers with anticipation.

     "And you sir?" I question further down the line. "My lord", he says with well practiced confidence, "I seek victory and honor for my kingdom." I smile to myself at this last one's arrogance and presumption in mistaking mimicked preparedness for the real thing. This one will be one of the first to fall screaming to the heavens and wondering where he went wrong.

    Shifting my gaze to the very end of this tweanty-odd line of new recruits, my eyes are sullied by the vision of a young man, maybe 18 or 19 slightly hunched, suredly scared, and most likely at the end of the line forced there by all the other more large and greedy enrollies. This small one looks almost sick and hopless standing with these...wolves of opportunity  and social capitalists.

     Slowly standing I lean on my fists and speak to the pathetic soul before me. "Sir, how you made it thus far I can not imagine, but tell me now as no doubt you have suffered to still be standing here, what is it that you seek?" Raising his sight to me, the young man replies almost in a whisper as a fire of vengence and justice ignites in his eyes, "Sire, I only wish to live, and live as I may, or die as I may so that my love...my betrothed, Lacey might live."

     As this 'one' speaks my heart suddenly fills with the remeberance of what it once felt like to fight and rage for a cause worth persuing. My mind now aflood with the visions of good battles won and righteous wars victoried. I am reminded yet again that it is always those that seem insignifigant, it is always those meek that seem to be the glue and backbone of survival and greatness. It is those that we miss for our own arrogance that rage with unimagionable passion  and fight more fierce than we can comprehend.

     Making my way to stand in front of the young man, I lock my gaze to his. "You, sir I believe. You I would follow that your heart, your motives are pure."

=====End Dialogue =====

     The point is, I see people complaining about how they hate the grind of getting to 50 or 60 or 70 etc... I see people complain about end game content. I see people complain about how there isn't anything to do after they power leveld to X level after having only played the game for a month. I see alot of people complain about alot of topics and I just don't get it. What is the point of playing any game such as EQ, AOC, AO, or any of the other dozens of MMOPGs if all GamerX is concerned with is uber gear and phat loot.

It isn't real, you cant take it out of the game, and it holds no real value. Now people, that is something different. Imagination and time, just the same. For those of you that are into powergaming, I say run with it, but stop once in awhile to look around and remember the point to playing a game with a sc-fi or fantasy or any other theme. Become part of the story, Try just playing the game and not just skating through as fast as you can. once you take away immersion and self creation, you're just left with a little yellow ball going around in circles just trying to eat as many dots as you can.

Just what in the hell is the point of this post ?   

His point is MMOs are about the journey not the destination.

Unfortunately the people who don't get the post, just won't get it.  Games are about having fun! Developers put lore into games to try and help increase the fun.  If you aren't having fun, try soing something in a different way.

Fun little side story, enjoyed reading it a lot more than some of the other posts I've seen.

Well at least we agree on something. And in my opinion, that's a good start. Unfortuneatly I still have to disagree about the writing thing. It may have been bland, but I can't in good conscience say it was bad. After all, there are people out there that think Woddy Allen is genious, but personally, I think the guy is a total retard...perception.

Originally posted by skeaser

His point is MMOs are about the journey not the destination.

What's the point in that?

I played EQ once upon a time and the highest character I ever attained was a 46 cleric. I think it took me 6 months to get that high. Just simply because I enjoyed more,  just spending time with guildies, planning storylines, etc...

The sad part was, after I spent time helping guildies quest and level and get decent gear, they turned on me because I was no longer of use to them. The worst of it was, I was the guild commander.

So when I started booting ungrateful people, thier "friends" in the guild got all hurt and threatened to leave. So I booted thier sorry asses too.  They all thought the "power" guilds were so much better because they could get uber loot and such.

All thier whining pissed me off after awhile and so I waited one night untill I was the only one on and disbanded the guild. The funny part is, after a couple of weeks, they started sending me messages begging me to restart the guild because all the guilds they were in just grinded every night but never held events, storylines, had no roleplaying and rank structure, etc...

I told 'em all to piss off since I was still level 46 and I spent the last 6 months helping make thier playing experience super cool and they took it for granted thinking the grass was greener on the other side.

They found out that after they reached max level and got all the epic gear and such, the only part of the game left unplayed was the stuff you make up yourself. Which is why I never was in a hurry. I know what the end result is.

After you're maxed, all that is left is roleplaying.

Originally posted by Cephus404

 

Originally posted by skeaser

His point is MMOs are about the journey not the destination.

They should be.  Unfortunately most of them aren't.  Most are a mad dash toward high levels without ever stopping to smell the flowers along the way.  It's grinding through level after level so you can get to the end-game and then... do it all over again or change games.

 

What's the point in that?

Why do I get the feeling that you are forced to grind to level cap as quick as possible?
You choose your own path... chillax man 

Originally posted by skeaser

His point is MMOs are about the journey not the destination.

extract !! nowdays games are so many  too many however,  it's still in its growing phase..games will become more varietious and more interesting~

I think people play games, just as they live their lifes. Running to reach max level and get a lot of money as quickly as possible.

Status symbols have become more important than family, friendship and/or enjoyment of life. Many people I know, have large houses and drive big cars. But they are almost never at home (because they work so much to get the money for the house), don´t talk to each other much and spent their time being angry about gas prices :D.

It´s almost as if they are afraid to calm down, stop running and just start to enjoy their lifes. They delay fun and say to themself: "If I have this and that, I will start to have fun." As soon as they have it, they want something else :D. This way fun will never come!

I prefer to have less stuff, but more time to enjoy, what I have :). And games I play the same way. But to me, MMOs are boring, because usually there is no one, who takes a seat in the pub with me. Just as it is in real life, everybody is in a hurry.

Yes.  Take time to enjoy the slime and weak wildebeast...

Well done Mithios.  Unfortunately there are too few that remember (or care)  when games were simply  the little yellow ball running around eating pellets or the little pixel guy with a pixel sword that in your head was more detailed by the story line than what was displayed graphically.

Great post.

So many seem to complain about the lack of RP  in MMORPGs - so little is done. May I ask why?

... Don't look at me. I'm just a humble fella. I don't have too many resources, and the projects I've been involved in did not get enough support from those who whine for RP most. I smell idleness?

Nice writing there!  You're right on target in my opinion (as many in the thread have stated).  I play my game the way I want.  I immerse myself in the world and roleplay almost always.  I don't expect everyone to, and I would never force my gameplay style on others, but I enjoy it and that's what matters to me.

I also document and write about my adventures.  I'll shamelessly link my blog here.  

This is the second entry. :)

I believe that at one point in time I was a roleplayer in games like UO and EQ unconciously.  Somewhere along the way I became a powergamer who wanted to be the most powerful class, max level, with the best gear.  I don't know when this happened, but ever since I feel like I am not enjoying games when I play them.  I used to imagine myself as heros such as Drizzt Do Urden slaying gnolls outside of Qeynos or Tannis Half-Elven the goodly half-elf Ranger.  As soon as I saw a Druid in EQ do so many things that I could not as a Ranger I believe that was the beginning of my deminse.  Right now I am trying to get started on a simple game and hope to bring some of these things back for myself because I can't seem to find it the way MMOs are setup these days.

Indeed, I too have seen the levelmonster gobble up good roleplayers' time just so they can keep up with the Jones'. Once they get to the top, they seem to have forgotten where they came from and why they started in the first place. There is 'nothing else to do', as you say. Games are designed to make the player feel compelled to get to that next level, or find that rare item. They are so good at it that players will go through countless hours of mind-numbing boredom just to get there. Those hours translate into money. Your loss, their gain. Not to mention the time they robbed from you. They make 'training' a montage in movies for a reason. It is boring.

Roleplayers generally have a vision of the character they want to play. That vision is stifled the moment they step ingame. They are forced to do something they don't wish to just to get to the point they wanted to be at. By the time they do get to that 'level', their character has devolved into something less than their original vision, and they feel compelled to level on. Perhaps a higher level will fill the void for them? Maybe that next weapon? It won't. The point is that unless you actually want to play the role of a peasant who trains mindlessly to become 'that guy', you do not have a place in most ORPGs.

I have always wondered what would happen if 'leveling' was made completely optional (with reasonable limits). Many new ORPGs run up the banner "Do what you want to do. Become whatever you want to become!" For once, I would like to see a simple "Be what you want to be." Go into creation and toss out the dice and point limits. Just create the exact character you wish to play. Now, I know a lot of you might be screaming "NO! Then you will have a flood of high powered noobs who know nothing about roleplaying!" Look around you, folks. That day is here already. How many roleplayers do you know that are 'maxed' out? How often can you mention roleplaying or -heavens forbid- try to actually roleplay with a random group in an ORPG without getting heckled from all sides?

The truth is, Roleplayers would rule the game worlds and be a force to fear... if they were given the tools to do so. Roleplayers are writers and entertainers, even if they are doing so solely for their own entertainment. That drives them to create even when there is 'nothing to do'. Gamers (levelers and such, who I hold nothing against) do not have that drive, and grow bored when they reach the top.

I very much doubt if you will ever see the above implemented in any bit ORPG. They are too busy charging people to be bored. Maybe I can convince the folks I write for at PlaneShift to give a nod to RP, and finally give a path to those of us that find 'leveling' detestable.

-end rant

Originally posted by UtMoon

Indeed, I too have seen the levelmonster gobble up good roleplayers' time just so they can keep up with the Jones'. Once they get to the top, they seem to have forgotten where they came from and why they started in the first place. There is 'nothing else to do', as you say. Games are designed to make the player feel compelled to get to that next level, or find that rare item. They are so good at it that players will go through countless hours of mind-numbing boredom just to get there. Those hours translate into money. Your loss, their gain. Not to mention the time they robbed from you. They make 'training' a montage in movies for a reason. It is boring.

Roleplayers generally have a vision of the character they want to play. That vision is stifled the moment they step ingame. They are forced to do something they don't wish to just to get to the point they wanted to be at. By the time they do get to that 'level', their character has devolved into something less than their original vision, and they feel compelled to level on. Perhaps a higher level will fill the void for them? Maybe that next weapon? It won't. The point is that unless you actually want to play the role of a peasant who trains mindlessly to become 'that guy', you do not have a place in most ORPGs.

I have always wondered what would happen if 'leveling' was made completely optional (with reasonable limits). Many new ORPGs run up the banner "Do what you want to do. Become whatever you want to become!" For once, I would like to see a simple "Be what you want to be." Go into creation and toss out the dice and point limits. Just create the exact character you wish to play. Now, I know a lot of you might be screaming "NO! Then you will have a flood of high powered noobs who know nothing about roleplaying!" Look around you, folks. That day is here already. How many roleplayers do you know that are 'maxed' out? How often can you mention roleplaying or -heavens forbid- try to actually roleplay with a random group in an ORPG without getting heckled from all sides?

The truth is, Roleplayers would rule the game worlds and be a force to fear... if they were given the tools to do so. Roleplayers are writers and entertainers, even if they are doing so solely for their own entertainment. That drives them to create even when there is 'nothing to do'. Gamers (levelers and such, who I hold nothing against) do not have that drive, and grow bored when they reach the top.

I very much doubt if you will ever see the above implemented in any bit ORPG. They are too busy charging people to be bored. Maybe I can convince the folks I write for at PlaneShift to give a nod to RP, and finally give a path to those of us that find 'leveling' detestable.

-end rant

I think that's really well said.  There is a problem though:  What about the inexperienced role player who wants to roleplay something godly, or something outside of the settings?  That's the reason most roleplayers will level and level and level... because the character they want to be is the best fighter in the world, or the most powerful mage, or the whatever.

And what if the settings of the game, the thing that tells us who we are and what we're doing, tells us that we're nobodies when we start to play?  If you were to enter the game as a somebody, then you would be in defiance of the settings.  You wouldn't be playing the game as it's meant to be played.

It's a difficult question...

Originally posted by pstruth

I think that's really well said.  There is a problem though:  What about the inexperienced role player who wants to roleplay something godly, or something outside of the settings?  That's the reason most roleplayers will level and level and level... because the character they want to be is the best fighter in the world, or the most powerful mage, or the whatever.

And what if the settings of the game, the thing that tells us who we are and what we're doing, tells us that we're nobodies when we start to play?  If you were to enter the game as a somebody, then you would be in defiance of the settings.  You wouldn't be playing the game as it's meant to be played.

It's a difficult question...

I guess it´s mostly low self-esteem of the player, if he wants to be the best fighter, richest character of the server or whatever. You can´t compensate with money and/or level for a lack of personality. This does not work in real life and it does not work in MMOs.

If you have a strong personality, you always will be SOMEBODY. Even a level 1 character can be known by most players of a server. I think, e.g. of the role-played waitress of a pub. E.g. a waitress with humor, who makes all her guests laugh ...

Problem is, it´s player-skill, what is necessary here! No one without the skill can role-play such a character. A beginner has to learn, how to do it. Leveling works automatically. Even the most stupid players can reach max level, just be investing a lot of time. No effort is needed!

People are lazy! They prefer to give their characters a uber sword instead of a personality, because role-playing the personality is much more difficult.

Well said Lilalu

Nice writing yourself Malivius

I agree Flyte27 that developers often times make classes based on what the masses want instead of how they should be. This makes is hard to not want to get the next level so you can have the abilities you should have had to begin with so you can properly RP your character/class.

UtMoon and pstruth are both right. It's hard sometimes to find the balance between Rping and getting the most out of your character.

What people don't realize is that when the movies portray "adventure", they often leave out the parts where the "heros" are running scared out of thier wits, or sleeping soaked and wet in the rain, or using old beat up gear and barely making it out of the battle with thier hide still attached. The movies rarely show the hero crying themselves to sleep because they're scared, hungry, and just wan to go home. True heros don't want to be heros. Therein lies the escence of true roleplaying...the struggle.