MMORPGs

MMORPGs comprise one particularly notable sub-field within the PC RPG game genre. It seemed like only yesterday when they felt more like a curiousity. Now it feels like they're sprouting all over the place faster than you can sing that endearingly annoying Badgerbadgerbadger etcetera song.

MMORPGs possess an appeal all their own. Yes, they're inherently PC RPG games, but they come with an interesting twist: you don't act out your character before NPCs alone -- you act out your character before other player characters as well.

Unfortunately, the RP in MMORPG is a bit of a contradiction in terms, partly because hardly anyone really, truly roleplays in the games. There are exceptions, of course. For example, there are servers in World of Warcrack--er, Warcraft that are assigned as roleplay servers. For the most part, though, you'll need to look long and hard for people who even know what roleplay is and who will also be willing to engage in it with you.

Nevertheless, knowing that there's a living, breathing human being behind that character you're interacting with changes things considerably, even if they're not roleplaying. There's someting wickedly fun about seeing how different people react to what you say and how you act toward them.

As nice at it sounds, delving into MMORPGs isn't all fun and games. There are some very real issues involved. I know -- I've been on the receiving end of some of these, myself.

Besides the very real prospect of rude and abusive players, you'll run into annoying characters controlled by third party programs, swindlers, kill-stealers, hackers and the like -- in short, the dregs of the MMORPG world. In fact, a friend of mine noticed this and remarked how virtual society can be a microcosm of real society. If there are nasties out there in the real world, you can bet your buns that they'll be online, too.

There's a principle in pyschology that applies to MMORPG player abuse. It's called the deindividuation principle. I know it sounds intimidating, but allow me to explain.

The principle simply states that people who can keep their identities anonymous tend to feel emboldened to do things they normally wouldn't do otherwise. That's why you have people doing unmentionable things in dimly-lit theaters.

If you take the appropriate protective measures, though, MMORPGs can be a blast to play. I sometimes fire up my old Ragnarok Online client, if only to chat with reminisce about the good old days with friends who still hang around ingame.

So enjoy the interaction, but watch yourself and steer clear of the less-than-edifying stuff in the PC RPG gaming wonder that is the MMORPG.

PC RPG Games

PC RPG games sure have a way of reawakening your sense of wonder, don't they? Of course, you may argue that all good video games do that, but there's something about the genre that just draws you in. It may be likened to the way a deep sea diver gets tempted to remain underwater indefinitely, simply because it's extremely beautiful down there.

PC RPG games, in my opinion, just resonate with the dreamer in you. You don't merely play the game -- you become the game. Even if the RPG's developers only make preset character features and options in a game, players are usually allowed a certain degree of customization and/or the freedom to act out their character's actions and dialogue. That's what role-play is, after all.

I'll never forget my first in-depth experience with a PC RPG game. Call it an act of serendipity or whatever, but I managed to snag a used, original copy of Knights of the Old Republic from a seller at a local garage sale. It was still in good condition, and it only cost me about twenty-five US cents. Talk about an awesome deal!

Before then, I'd wondered what all the hullabaloo about KotOR was. It wasn't long before I found out firsthand. The game was simply phenomenal. It had all the elements of a good Lucasarts film-turned-video game: a riveting story, adrenaline-pumping action, tongue-in-cheek humor, nasty political intrigue, fun mini-games, and the ever-lovable lightsabers, to name a few.

I thoroughly enjoyed almost every aspect of the PC RPG, but perhaps the most fun part for me involved steering my character toward the Light or the Dark Side with my actions and conversation responses.

I guess that's what sets the genre apart from the rest: few things in life can surpass the indescribable feeling of taking part in an epic adventure, and actually seeing that adventure to its satisfying, kick-ass conclusion. And in the event that the real world seems too boring or painful, it helps to get away for a while, to shut out all distractions, and to just settle down with the RPG of your choice.

Anyway, this is my first blog post on this site, but it definitely won't be my last. I hope to focus on other aspects of the genre in the near future. For now, though, thanks for reading, and be sure to watch this space in the near future for more on PC RPG games.