[prof1515]

It all comes down to several factors. First, the question has to be asked if you've even played an RPI before given the degree of abuse to which the term is subject to by various games (coincidently beginning about eight years ago). Can't tell you how many times people have commented on RPIs without having ever even played one. Even if you have, if you've only been playing RPIs for eight years then you started as they were beginning to go downhill.

Second, you have to have been involved enough, knowledgeable enough and experienced enough to recognize a decline. Limited knowledge, experience and involvement might not see that which someone with far more of each would. My perspective comes from my experiences with RPIs as a player starting in 1999 and as an admin starting in 2004 as well as from conversations with a variety of players and admins whose experience predates mine by many years.

Finally, there's the need for objective observation. To players playing a game, there's an emotional attachment which has to be removed from the equation before an assessment is likely to carry any accuracy. It's difficult to do, especially with MUDs where loyalty tends to cloud people's impression of their game or other games. My overwhelming cynicism tends to counter that a bit but I'd be lying if I said I didn't once have a higher opinion of the RPIs than I do today. Over time I learned more and more about them and saw more and more problems with them. While I still think they have incredible potential, my overall view of them is no where near as positive as it once was.