MMORPG Guide 01 - About RPGs, MMORPGs, History & Genres
What is an RPG?
RPG is a commonly used abbreviation which stands for “Role Playing Game“. I am sure that anyone reading this is familiar with a role playing game but for those who are not, a Role Playing Game is any game that allows a person to take on the role of a character or avatar.
There are many forms of Role Playing games ranging from dice based games, card games, board games, LARP [Live Action Role Playing], single and multiplayer video games, games adults play in the bedroom and just being a kid, running around with friends and pretending to be “insert super hero here”.
The most commonly used reference for RPG’s refers to single player or multiplayer video games. This is the context I will be explaining RPGs in for this guide.
Single Player vs. Multiplayer
As mentioned above the two most common types or RPGs are single player and multiplayer.
Single player role playing games are games where a player will commonly start off as one character and be sent out on a journey or “Quest“, that follows the context of a story to progress through the game.
A single player RPG will usually introduce new characters throughout the game which allow the player to form a “Party” or fighting unit. Each individual character’s stats can be modified as the game progresses which bestows the party with additional power enabling the player to proceed through the course of the game.
Examples of well known RPGs are:
Final Fantasy
Diablo
Secret of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Kingdom Hearts
Legend of Zelda
Fallout
Knights of the Old Republic
Suikoden
Breath of Fire
The Elder Scrolls
And many more that are not listed here. [I apologize if I did not mention your favorite RPG. I am firing these off the top of my head, and need to move on with the guide.]
The second type of RPGs are multiplayer role playing games. These can range from a single player game which allows for more than one player to control a character in the game. Or it may be a single player game that has a multiplayer mode which allows users to play online or over a “LAN“. [Local Area Network]
There is also a third genre of RPG which has become VERY popular in the last 5-10 years known as an “MMORPG“. MMORPG stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game“. Most people will consider this a multiplayer game as it allows numerous users to interact with each other similar to how a multiplayer RPG operates. But unlike a standard multiplayer RPG, an MMORPG incorporates many facets that are not found in standard RPGs.
Because of these additional features these games have landed in a genre all their own. The best description I have ever heard from a user was labeling them as “Persistent World” RPG’s because they are truly worlds unto themselves.
I will go into more depth on these types of RPGs since that will be the main focus of this guide. Standard RPGs can be understood with very little background information where MMORPGs have many aspects which are hard to grasp even once they have been explained.Please read through this guide and I will do my best to explain the nuances of these games and what makes them so addicting and fun.
What is an MMO?
An MMO stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online“. This can refer to numerous genres of games and not just role playing games. An MMO is any type of game that allows users to play together and compete against one another online.
Common types of MMOs include third person action games, first person shooters, strategy and real time strategy, stealth and tactical, flight simulation and combat, resource management games and MANY more. Role playing games fall into this generalized MMO category, but it is more accurate to place them in their own category because of their popularity.
What is an MMORPG?
An MMORPG as stated above is a “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game“. This is a game where players create a character or avatar which acts as their online identity in this role playing world.
The player’s character will start out at level 1 as with any role playing game with the main focus being on attaining power for the character. This sounds pretty basic, huh?, which means I have done a poor job of explaining this.
While the main focus of an MMORPG is leveling your character there are many other aspects incorporated into these games which allows them to live up to the persistent world label.
I feel like a better way to explain how an MMORPG works is to describe it as a story. After all, Stories and Lore are the drive behind all role playing games anyway. To start the story the player would need to create a character. I am going to create a character named “Gajin” who is a level 1 fighter.
And so the story beings..
Gajin Tao was a humble man. He had dreamed of strength and power, his entire life.
One day Gajin opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of a field as if he had awoken from a dream. To his horror he found a rabid wolf was running straight at him with its jaws snapping.
He swung his arm to protect himself and realized he was wielding a sharp iron sword. He struck the beast down, and was surrounded by a warm golden light. In this light he could feel the blood coursing through his veins and it made him feel alive. This was a taste of the power he had been searching for all these years.
He continued to slay the beasts day and night to recapture the feeling he had experienced when he killed that first wolf. Eventually his skillful slaughter of these creatures, lead him to seek out more challenging adversaries.
He continued on his path, slashing his way through hordes or monsters. Orcs, Undead, Skeletons and savage beasts of all kinds all fell to power that surged in his veins.
Throughout his travels he came to know other warriors of all kinds. Mages, Rogues, Priests, Archers, and many other skilled combatants all came to know one another through a shared passion for battle.
These warriors formed a blood pact to protect one another and to help each other grow stronger. Time went by and these warriors came to gain fame and renowned throughout the land. People would seek them out, asking the noble fighters to protect them from harm. Fledgling warriors would seek them out to study under these masters of battle.
The once small band of friends had become a mighty army able to wield the power of an entire kingdom to shape the lands as they saw fit. Their sheer size enabled them to create a kingdom within their ranks filled with skilled crafters of all kinds.
These crafters were able to produce the finest cloth, jewelry, weapons and armor in all the lands and their fortunes grew. The skilled enchanters and alchemists toiled away to enhance the already staggering power of this mighty guild.
Gajin had achieved his rightful place as leader to these men and women of war. Those he had helped nurtured and grow would now lay down their lives to protect their mighty leader.
As the years went by Gajin grew older in both wisdom and power. He spent his life solidifying the foundation of the army that had become known throughout the world. When he finally stepped back to look at what he had created he saw something that was so much of him, yet an entity in and of itself.
Gajin Tao’s fame and success outlasted even his life. Stories were told of glorious victories of the army that Gajin Tao had led. Even to this day long after his death some still speak of this valiant warrior and his humble beginnings.
Ok.. So I’m not a Fantasy writer by a long shot. But you get the point. I wanted to paint the picture of why these games can be so immersive.
As you can see from the story all MMORPGs start you out as a lowly peasant sent on a simple errand to kill wolves or some other trivial threat. This is the start of the leveling process or the “Grind” as it has come to be known.
As players level throughout the game they become stronger and are forced to move to different areas to hunt monsters that are appropriate for their skill level. Players have the choice of hunting lower level beasts if they choose, but they will not reap the same benefit they get from hunting monsters that are equal to their skill level.
Throughout the game there are way points in the leveling process where players are rewarded with new skills and abilities. These can range from fighting techniques, to support skills and production or trade skills.
As the game progresses most players will tend to make friends and find other players to hunt and adventure with. This can lead to online friendships, or partnerships in the cases of guilds or dungeon parties [DP].
A “Guild” is a gathering of players that can be looked at like any army. The guild will contain players of all levels and skill. Some guilds set requirements of membership for potential recruits. This can require players to be above a certain level, or be a specific class or have a certain skill.
If you join a guild, decide what type is right for you. Always play the way that is the most fun for you. Remember at the end of the day an MMORPG is “just a game”.
I do not mean that in the patronizing way that people will use it in game to invalidate arguments or the way another player may feel passionately about something. I mean that it “IS” a game, and a game is supposed to be fun. When a game is no longer fun it contradicts the reason you originally started playing it in the first place.
Looking back at our story we can see that as a guild grows there “online” fame or “Reputation” grows with them. This adds an addictive aspect to the MMORPG genre because actual recognition from other players is much more substantial than rewards or recognition received from AI [Artificial Intelligence] or NPCs [Non Player Classes] found in standard single player RPGs.
Once most guilds reach a certain size, trade skills can become very important. Trade skills are skills that allow a player to have a “Profession” or “Trade Skill” in a game. This can range anything like tailoring, armor & weapon crafting, alchemy, gathering materials, or just plain selling anything you can get your hands on. [Damn Dwarves! - L2 Reference]
Another interesting aspect of these types of games is guild functions, like wars, raiding parties, recreational & fun gatherings, and meetings. It takes a lot of be a member of a serious guild. It takes even more to run a guild like that. Many high level “end game” guilds [guilds that experience high level content in MMORPGs] are run very much like a business. You are an employee and have your set responsibilities. If you are not committed or unable to perform your responsibility you may be reprimanded or even let go from the guild.
Some games enable guilds to own properties and siege castles and other areas for control of land. Certain games can take this even further by giving these controlling guilds power to affect politics and commerce in the game.
There are many other aspects to MMORPGs, trade skills, leveling, combat, skills, weapons and armor, etc but I will not cover them here. This was intended to be a general introduction into what an MMORPG is and I feel myself ranting at this point.
To summarize, an MMORPG is best thought of as a “Persistent World” role playing game. Even when a player logs out of the game there is a world of digital life and activity going about its daily routine. The many aspects incorporated in these types of games offer a true escape from the everyday grind of real life. While these games do have addictive facets to them, they can be just as healthy as any hobby if you take breaks from them to go outside for a walk.
The misunderstanding surrounding these games being as “addictive as drugs” is an unfortunate stereotype some people can’t shake. I do not see why a dedicated player cannot be successful in game and successful in life at the same time. Make sure to exercise, eat right, do stuff to help out around the house, pay attention to your wife or husband, don’t skip meals, and stretch your legs once and a while.
The perspectives a game gives you on life and that life gives you on the game are interchangeable. I have truly found that my way of thinking changes every time I approach a different game. Always be open mind, and learn. That is one of the best things someone can gain from playing this type of game.
“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built” -Eleanor Roosevelt-
It’s funny how something so simple and straight forward can be applied in so many different ways.
Examples of well known MMORPGs
Now that we have a better idea of what an MMORPG is and why that is significant, let’s take a look at some of the more popular titles that have come out in past few years.
While technically there are games that could be classified as MMORPGs that have been around since the 1970’s, for the sake of my sanity we are only focusing on the late 90’s on up.
Below is a list of titles with a brief description of each game to give you a better understanding of why each is worth noting.
Ultima Online - Originally released in September of 1997, Ultima Online is considered one of the first highly successful, Graphical [2D] MMORPGs. It was so popular in it’s time that people continue to play it to this day.
Everquest - Releaseed in 1999, EverQuest [also referred to as EQ] was a very popular 3D MMORPG that is considered one of the original MMORPG offerings. It had a heavy population of players from 2000 to about 2004 and was well known for the questing and role playing aspects in the game.
Asheron’s Call - Was released in November of 1999 offering players another epic MMORPG. Very similar to other MMORPG titles of the time, but popular enough to be worth noting in this guide.
Dark Age of Camelot - Originally released in October of 2001, Dark Age of Camelot was a MMORPG that featured well developed PVP and RVR action. [PVP - Player vs. Player / RVR - Realm vs. Realm] DAoC was another popular MMORPG that still had numerous subscribers into 2005.
Phantasy Star Online - Was an Action MMORPG that was released for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. It is worth mentioning because it was one of the first highly successful console based MMORPGs. Phantasy Star Online also did very well with new subscribers into 2005-2006.
Lineage II - Released in October 2003, Lineage II was a popular MMORPG title by NCSoft. The game featured a strict PVP system along with guild influence on politics and economy.
Everquest II - Which was released in November of 2004 was the second title to the popular EverQuest series. One of the highly noted features was the advanced graphics and player voices which were not found in many MMORPGs of the time. [Voices are still not found in many MMORPGs to date.]
World of Warcraft - Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years you have probably heard about World of Warcraft. A fantasy MMORPG released by Blizzard Entertainment in November of 2004. World of Warcraft was a fully featured MMORPG with well rounded quests, PVE [Player vs. Environment] PVP, Battlegrounds, etc. At the height of it’s popularity World or Warcraft had over 8 million subscribers worldwide. To date there has not been a more successful MMORPG.
Star Wars Galaxies - Released in 2003 Star Wars Galaxies was a popular MMORPG based on the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. The game holds a claim on this list for having the largest fan base prior to release of almost half a million users. Once released this became another very popular MMORPG.
Dungeons and Dragons Online - An MMORPG of a classic dice based RPG that some would say shaped the world of RPGs in general. D&D Online was released February of 2006 and is a popular Fantasy MMORPG that users are still enjoying to this day.
Guild Wars - Guild Wars was another heavily PVP based title from NCSoft. Guild Wars was released in April of 2005. The game was very popular and unique in the fact that it did not rely on the standard grind to make up game play. Rather it focused heavily on PVP game play for the core experience for it’s subscribers. It was also popular because it did not require a monthly subscription fee to play after you had purchased the game.
Silk Road Online - Silk Road is a free MMORPG based on the fantasy and lore of ancient Asia that was released in October of 2005. It is part of a genre of MMORPGs known as “free to play”. Free to Play games are titles that users can download and sign up for with no additional cost. The free to play games are available because of the use of a “cash shop” which can be accessed through the company’s website [or in game]. The cash shop allows players to spend real world money [USD] to purchase in game items to help them progress through the game.
Rappelz - Another “free to play” title, Rappelz is an MMORPG that was released in November of 2006 by Gala-Net. Rappelz also offers players the option of a cash shop to use real world money to purchase in game items for their characters. The game features high quality graphics that are a step above most of the current “free to play” MMORPG titles available.
Traditional RPG Types
As I mentioned above, role playing games started out as games that required users to use their imaginations to create a fantasy world in which they played. This had many different forms with the most common one being a dice based game that was played on notebook paper and heavily dependant on numbers, statistics, and luck.
The games would usually be hosted and maintained by a “Dungeon Master” similar to a referee in sports games. Unlike a referee the Dungeon Master was responsible for planning most aspects of the game, while still giving final rulings on decisions and game play.
Dungeons and Dragons and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons were among these dice games which created a foothold for the title for the decades to come. [See "Examples of Well Known MMORPGs].
A traditional RPG would usually require that player create a character and rolled dice to determine various stats and bonuses for that character at the time of creation. The story line in the game, combat and character progression was all handled by the Dungeon Master and dice rolls. Battle was another aspect of the game that relied heavily on dice to determine success using combat techniques and skills.
While these games are still popular among groups today, they have taken a back seat to the more well known MMORPG genre. With the advent of video games ranging from single player RPGs like Final Fantasy, to massive online worlds like Everquest and World of Warcraft, the focus of many players has shifted to the visual elements that these games bring to the table.
It will be interesting to see how these types of games progress in the next several years as every generation of MMORPG has brought a superior visual quality and game play mechanic to the genre.
Different Genres of MMORPGs
There are numerous MMORPG genres available for players to satisfy almost every interest out there. Referring to standard MMORPG games, the most common types are:
Fantasy
Futuristic
Space
Mid-evil
Horror
Vampire
Anime
Robot
Vehicular
And MANY more. These really just cover the main types of MMORPGs out there. The genres are pretty self explanatory so I am not going to go into detail on them here. The majority of this guide is going to pertain to the Fantasy genre which covers most common types of games out there. [Including some of the categories listed above.]
Fantasy MMORPG Overview
The Fantasy MMORPG has become one of the most popular genres of MMORPGs to date. People have always been fascinated by living in a world of fairies and trolls. A lot of very successful movies in the past few years have been based off this need to escape into these types of worlds.
A standard Fantasy MMORPG will put the player into the role of a certain type of combatant. This will usually range from a type of fighter to various magic users. The world will usually have a mid-evil feel about it with large forests, dank swamps, snowy mountains, vast deserts and more.
Some common weapons found in Fantasy worlds are swords, axes, clubs, bows, daggers, staves, wands, etc. These are usually very specific to the game they are used in but can be found throughout the Fantasy MMORPG genre.
Another common feature in these Fantasy worlds are the types of monsters or “mobs” players will encounter. Since a large part of Fantasy worlds are based off popular mythology, it is not uncommon to see similar monsters in different game titles. Some good examples of this are trolls and orcs, good or evil fairies, Centaur like monsters, dragons and so forth.
The final common trait in a lot of these games is the way in which towns and professions are setup. Most towns will have a Captain or Battle Master, a mayor, a black smith, an armory, a merchant, and other services that might be found in a mid-evil or Fantasy type setting.
I am just briefly touching on these concepts in this section because I will be going into more detail about these topics later. For now you should have a pretty good idea of what you are getting yourself into.
Overview
I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my multi-part MMORPG guide. This portion of the guide was designed to familiarize you with RPG and MMORPG style games. If you are new to the genre you should have a much better understanding of the origins of these games and the concepts behind them.
In the following sections of this guide I will be describing in detail, the many aspects of these games to give players new and old a better understanding of things like races, classes, skills, character stats, weapons, armor, professions, guilds and numerous other topics!
If you enjoyed this first guide definitely check back for the following sections as they will provide a much more in-depth look at these massively multiplayer online games.
As always thanks for checking out my Blog and if you know a friend who would be interested in this information please feel free to point them towards PseudoRant!
Also, if you have a forum that you frequent and you feel people would appreciate these guides definitely let them know.
Thanks for the support!
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Lisa…
great post…I look forward to reading more! thanks alot!…