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Earthmother · 06-14-2005, 07:22 PM

Nutai, you're quite right in your assessments. I only snipped for brevity.

Three-letter designations *are* limiting. Games vary widely, and appeal to different audiences. There's something out there for everyone.

I'm sorry for the tone of my first post being so snarky -- I honestly have *nothing* against RPI/M games, and I really respect those people who put such great effort and time into bringing those worlds to life. I think that type of experience really appeals to writers (and aspiring writers). I think these types of worlds are outstanding for what they are: worlds that people have an enormous amount of freedom on, a creative outlet, and a rich, personal, immersive experience.

I have just watched these boards, and this particular forum for several years. I have become very bitter with what I consider to be a very limited definition of what "Role Play" is. When I see 4, 5 posts saying that 'there is no such thing as Role Play in RPE games,' it just gets my dander up. I take that sort of statement very personally.

That type of statement undermines all the time I've spent immersing myself in the world I enjoy. It negates all the hours I've spent living up to the role I chose at character creation. That type of statement even gets me mad WITHIN my game, but it comes under a different guise there. There, it comes when I get angry with some situation, frustrated, and I vent. Then, the blowoff statement is: "It's ONLY a GAME."

The underlying sentiment is the same: that when the focus of a game is killing and leveling, all interactive experience is a 'sideline,' rather than a valid, deep, enriching part of the world itself.

That is why I offered up the suggestions I did in my first post. Those types of tweaks CAN enrich the 'role play' aspect of any hack-n-slash game. They are NOT going to make the game an immersive Role-Playing experience, in the sense that MUSHes or MUCKs 'immerse,' that is true. But if the definition of "Role Play" is expanded beyond what many people in this particular forum keep insisting that it is, there ARE very real ways to let players escape from reality and play a role in a text based world.

Again, I do apologize for being so rude. I truly can appreciate what other worlds offer, and I am not opposed to them, OR the people who play them. What I am opposed to is the attitude that what *I* do, what I have devoted a significant part of my life TO doing, and what I consider TO BE Role Play... is not Role Play. Seeing all those posts saying that 'role play can never exist in RPE games' just set me off. I should have been cooler when posting initially, and I apologize for sneering down my *own* nose at RPI folks. I just want to make it clear I really have nothing against them, and I *do* agree that many people will find enjoyment in many different types of enviornments, so long as they understand what to expect.

06-14-2005, 07:22 PM	#11
Earthmother Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Home MUD: GateWay MUD Posts: 68	Nutai, you're quite right in your assessments. I only snipped for brevity. Three-letter designations are limiting. Games vary widely, and appeal to different audiences. There's something out there for everyone. I'm sorry for the tone of my first post being so snarky -- I honestly have nothing against RPI/M games, and I really respect those people who put such great effort and time into bringing those worlds to life. I think that type of experience really appeals to writers (and aspiring writers). I think these types of worlds are outstanding for what they are: worlds that people have an enormous amount of freedom on, a creative outlet, and a rich, personal, immersive experience. I have just watched these boards, and this particular forum for several years. I have become very bitter with what I consider to be a very limited definition of what "Role Play" is. When I see 4, 5 posts saying that 'there is no such thing as Role Play in RPE games,' it just gets my dander up. I take that sort of statement very personally. That type of statement undermines all the time I've spent immersing myself in the world I enjoy. It negates all the hours I've spent living up to the role I chose at character creation. That type of statement even gets me mad WITHIN my game, but it comes under a different guise there. There, it comes when I get angry with some situation, frustrated, and I vent. Then, the blowoff statement is: "It's ONLY a GAME." The underlying sentiment is the same: that when the focus of a game is killing and leveling, all interactive experience is a 'sideline,' rather than a valid, deep, enriching part of the world itself. That is why I offered up the suggestions I did in my first post. Those types of tweaks CAN enrich the 'role play' aspect of any hack-n-slash game. They are NOT going to make the game an immersive Role-Playing experience, in the sense that MUSHes or MUCKs 'immerse,' that is true. But if the definition of "Role Play" is expanded beyond what many people in this particular forum keep insisting that it is, there ARE very real ways to let players escape from reality and play a role in a text based world. Again, I do apologize for being so rude. I truly can appreciate what other worlds offer, and I am not opposed to them, OR the people who play them. What I am opposed to is the attitude that what I do, what I have devoted a significant part of my life TO doing, and what I consider TO BE Role Play... is not Role Play. Seeing all those posts saying that 'role play can never exist in RPE games' just set me off. I should have been cooler when posting initially, and I apologize for sneering down my own nose at RPI folks. I just want to make it clear I really have nothing against them, and I do agree that many people will find enjoyment in many different types of enviornments, so long as they understand what to expect.