Dan,

I'm taking that as a challenge.

I've been working on something that just might turn
out well. Give me a few years, however - been trying
to balance this project with full time job, full time
school, and enough of a life outside of my computer
that I don't go insane. Plus, it just keeps on
growing. Not to mention, I've got a lot yet to learn.


-Sharon Gosselink


--- Dan Pinal <danp--massmedia.com> wrote:
> I think a lot can be said pro and con about RPG vs.
> MMORPG roleplaying, but
> mostly it's con. I really haven't found one yet
> that really allowed
> freedom in creating an actual personna, and I've
> tried several.
>
> In single player games you are typically stuck in a
> particular story path,
> with various "enablers" on the road to completion.
> Enablers are specific
> things the player must do in order to continue the
> story path. Maybe I
> don't want my character Darth Darth Binks to rescue
> the princess. Maybe he
> got pissed off at the king who gave him this quest
> and wants to steal her
> from her captors for his own nefarious scheme. Or
> maybe he's simply an elf
> who would never consider leaving open ground and
> going on some excursion
> deep under ground. Simple things that would make an
> actual role playing
> experience for the player just don't exist yet.
>
> In Ultima Online the best example of roleplaying I
> ever saw was a player
> called Magical Bubba. As a high level villain he
> would block roads with a
> "Stand and deliver!" and allow victims to hand over
> their goods before
> hitting them with the "Bubba Bolt". "Prepare to do
> the Bubba Dance!..."
> cor por... This was pretty much the best attempt
> that you could actually
> call roleplaying. This player was ultimately
> responsible for changing the
> whole alignment system of UO.
>
> Most fantasy MMOGs have what they called roleplaying
> servers. However,
> this generally means everyone goes around talking
> with "thee" and "though"
> like rejects from a renaissance fair and swiftly
> bring down the wrath of
> customer support on anyone attempting "l33t speak".
>
> This is not saying I haven't enjoyed playing UO,
> Everquest, DAoC, Baldur's
> Gate, Neverwinter Nights, etc. I just can't call
> them roleplaying
> experiences. The closest for me personally are the
> Final Fantasy games
> from Square. They don't pretend to give you any
> choices but alternatively
> attempt to bring you into the story by making you
> feel more like an actor
> and hopefully getting you lost in the script.
>
> I'm currently burnt out on the "level grind" type of
> game, there's really
> no reason for it. I don't really enjoy getting
> killed from a paper cut at
> level 1 and withstanding nuclear blasts at level 50.
> Sucking a player into
> months of level building is misdirection to cover a
> lack of content and
> roleplaying.
>
> I'm waiting for the roleplaying game that actually
> allows me to
> roleplay. It's doable, but no one is willing to
> take the risk.
>
> Dan
>
>
>
>
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