[DonathinFrye]

I'll continue to avoid the contention and arguments, because it's a never-ending cycle on these forums when it comes to flame wars over the definition of an RPI. I will, however, momentarily jump back into the mix.

Players have come and gone on RPI MUDs, because as younger players got older, they got wrapped up in real life and had less energy (or time) to play a game that is pretty demanding on your time. That is a flaw of an RPI; it is difficult to play casually, unless you desire to play an entirely social character that does not need to be wrapped up in ongoing plot.

Players have also continued to find RPIs, and there are as many RPIs with as strong of playerbases now as ever.

<another plug for Atonement>If you are an RPI Veteran, it is very likely that you will like Atonement. It's where many ex-SOI and ex-ARM Vets have gone. I can assume its originality and fresh face are reasons for their patronage, but I'd like to think that we do some things right that other RPIs have not managed to do (at least, in recent years). That's obviously personal bias, but our playerbase seems to agree. </another plug for Atonement. Why? Because it's really that good - and I believe that its inception, direction and success is actually meaningful to this thread.>