That 80's Gamer
Given the accepted use of the term in referring to these new games, traditional RPG'ers might wonder what, then, puts the "RPG" in "MMORPG," or in any electronic game, for that matter? Perhaps the answer can be found by comparing traditional role-playing games to their computerized counterparts.
Field of Play
Having been introduced to gaming with the first fabulous pencil-and-paper role-playing adventure games in the early 1980's, I have always defined RPGs as games where the action takes place in the collective imaginations of the participants - not in a third party, visual medium, such as on a computer screen. I was never a fan of painted lead miniatures for the very same reason, because they tended to take the focus out of players' heads and place it on external objects.
In this context, the term "role-playing" can be simply taken to mean "pretending to be somebody else."
The role-playing that players enact in a pencil-and-paper RPG may or may not include impersonating the gestures, speech or physical behavior of their characters (if they happen to be dramatically inclined), but always includes the experience of seeing the action in their imaginations, and having a sensation of "being there" in the fantasy setting.
In electronic gaming, watching an animated, third-person version of a character interact with a rendered environment (even one that includes visual representations of characters controlled by other players), does not necessarily require players to "pretend" to be anything at all. Nor does it imply that they are actually experiencing the sensation of "being" somebody else in their mind's eye. Very little effort (none, in fact) is required of players to portray a fictional character in a computer game.
Given their objective, external focus, if today's electronic games can legitimately be categorized as "RPGs", then by extension, so can other computer games in which players assume control of such characters as "Mario," "Sonic the Hedgehog," or even "Pac-Man." But this is not the case.
A Social Affair
Next, traditional RPG sessions are social events. Players gather in person in the same physical location to interact with one another and imagine that they are fictional characters embarking on an adventure that everyone then contributes to and plays out together.
Because games frequently take place in somebody's home, players will typically already know each other and be friends, and any newcomers will invariably become better acquainted with the other players during the course of play.
Some level of social etiquette is expected of players, so that everyone can effectively communicate, interact, and settle disputes. Players who don't behave themselves might be asked to leave, and may not be invited back.
During the course of playing the game, it is not uncommon for players to eat and drink together, share stories, and generally have a good time enjoying each other's company. Typically informal, game gatherings offer a similar type of fun and can be likened to a kind of party.
In an MMO, players enter a diverse user base, typically segregated by server and geographic area, and are frequently separated by great distances. Unless they have arranged to play together beforehand, players' real-world identities remain hidden from others during the course of play. As many people prefer to maintain their anonymity, players usually come to know each other by their digital character (or "avatar"), but not as real people. Whereas this is probably a good practice given the potential security hazards in any random online community, I have always found these "virtual" friendships to be hollow and unsatisfying.
In addition, the enforcement of acceptable conduct in a massive multiplayer environment is largely non-existent, and players must expect to endure elements of foul language, bad behavior and random levels of maturity from others, which can quickly become irritating and severely inhibit their enjoyment of the game.
In lieu of interacting with other human beings face-to-face, the social element in MMOs is relegated to players typing text messages or sending 2-way voice communications to each other, or having their avatars perform a variety of "emotes," gestures conveying a simple feeling or message - all the while sitting alone and staring at a computer screen.
The Humanity
Lastly, RPG sessions are led by one player called the Game Master (or similar variation of that title) who creates and conveys the details of the fictional setting to the other players, acts as referee and adjudicator during an adventure scenario, and serves as final arbiter in all events that transpire during play - in essence, a living "portal" through which players access the game world.
As such, a traditional RPG progresses conversationally, in a sort of back and forth dialog between the players and the GM, who then employ some method of randomly determining the outcome of actions, such as dice or cards.
The presence of a human GM guiding a traditional RPG session offers players the ability to experience an unlimited level of interactivity with the game world, and imbues the entire role-playing experience with the infinite range of possibilities inherent in everyone's collective imaginations. By virtue of the intrinsic humanity rooted in the minds, hearts and voices of its participants, what comes into being during a traditional RPG is a truly novel, unprecedentedly flexible and open-ended evolution of the art of storytelling - an activity practiced by our earliest ancestors at night around the fire, and a continuance of a distinct part of our unique heritage as human beings.
Perhaps the most distinct indication of the rift in genres between traditional RPGs and MMOs is the fact that, in electronic games, the term "GM" is used to refer to individuals employed by the various game companies to help resolve trouble tickets, and provide occasional in-game administrative and technical support!
Conclusions
In my opinion, MMOs (and other RPG-style computer games) are actually hybrid creatures, a vision of the original RPGs as interpreted by the technology and economy of modern times.
In the end, however, although both traditional RPGs and MMORPGs bear a surface resemblance to each other and incorporate the same acronym in describing themselves, the two would seem to share little else in common.
In addition to the fundamental differences between traditional RPGs and MMOs, it is also worth noting that many online computer games enact a monthly fee to continue playing them, thereby regulating the progress an individual can make, with the ultimate goal of enticing players to continue to pay. More so than other electronic titles, these games are designed to tantalize and tease, offering players a taste of what the far less costly and more socially satisfying traditional RPGs offer in abundance.
The Bottom Line
So, are MMOs indeed RPGs? The answer, no matter how much the term "RPG" has been stretched and thrown around these days, is subjective.
If you've only ever experienced RPGs in the form of electronic games and MMOs, then yes, they are.
If you've played pencil-and-paper RPGs before, but don't necessarily make a distinction between them and controlling a digitized character running around in a rendered environment on a screen, probably yes.
But if you're into traditional RPGs and appreciate them for the unique and richly fulfilling experience they offer, I'm willing to bet...not so much.
Still undecided? Just ask yourself, what do you really have left when the power goes out?
Till next time, have fun, and thanks for reading!
