Chances are you have heard the term MMORPG before. Most likely it was while passing by the IT guys while they're excitedly talking about their exploits in some fantasy world. Or maybe you overheard a conversation about some epic battle at the last party you were at. You may have even been asked about it point blank and didn't even know. Fact is, more and more people are taking time out of the real world to put real time into MMORPGS. So what are they, exactly? MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. These games are actually giant worlds were thousands of people connected to the Internet can play simultaneously. The setting is often a fantasy world that includes magic and dragons and the like, but there have been successful worlds that take place in the future, in space and even in the Star Wars genre. The idea behind the game is that you create a character in this world that specializes in some skill, be it a fighter, a trader, a medic, a thief, or perhaps a magic user; and set out to make a name for yourself. Players will often start out not knowing anyone in the world. They will play through some beginning tutorials that will both introduce the various play elements, as well as surround the player with other players in the same boat. New players will often group up together to take on similar tasks or quests and in the process, create friendships. These players can then seek each others' company out in the future, to continue on other adventures. At this point you may be wondering, "Well, what's the goal? Is there an end?" And that is where the hook of the MMORPG is: there is no end. Players will constantly strive to improve their skills in the game, be it through working on specific skills, or through gaining experience in the world to gain levels and thus grow stronger. Growing stronger then allows players access into more difficult areas, which has better items, which allows the player to then upgrade their character. This cycle repeats itself many times over in the lifespan of a player's career in an MMORPG and it's up to the particular games to make that process both fun and rewarding. The true hook to these games, however, isn't necessarily in character power, but rather in the actual human interaction between players. Keep in mind, many of the characters you will encounter in these worlds are living human beings just like yourself and thus bonds can be made. You may often find yourself grouping with people who have similar interests and creating real-life friendships through the game. The stories you are able to tell based on your adventures are often epic in scale and usually are quite memorable. And it is the human element of the MMORPG that separates it from the single player alternative. Being able to have an impact on another person by saving their life, or taking down a dragon with a group of friends, or setting free a group of slaves with the help of a complete stranger are all things that have a lasting impression on everyone involved. So the next time you hear people speaking about worlds or adventures they were on, take a listen not only to what they're talking about, but listen also to their excitement about it. The experiences in these worlds is very real and that is what makes all the difference. |
