Role Playing Games and Why I like Them

An exchange on Twitter today got me thinking about my favorite video games, namely RPG's. Out of the countless games I've played over the years, Role Playing Games dominate my list, with First Person Shooters and Scrolling Shooters coming in second and third. Why? What makes me latch onto this category more verses the others? We're about to find out.

It started with a combination of paper and dice games (D&D, TMNT, Heros Unlimited), and the Nintendo Entertainment System (Legend of Zelda, Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, Dragon Warrior, Ultima Exodus). If you're even remotely creative, there's a ton of elbow room for problem solving, inventing, etc. It's fertile creative ground garnished with good friends and sessions running all night or even all weekend. I remember weekend sleepovers in Virginia with my friends Kelly, Craig, and Marchant, as we quested, and argued, and laughed at the randomness Craig put us through in D&D and TMNT. Marchant's "Aren't we going to get run over if we're standing out in the middle of the street?" during a D&D game still draws a chuckle. The response? "Yeah, we don't ride horses, we drive Porsches...stick the lance out the window..." Craig quipped.

On the video side of things, Zelda and similar offered chances to collect stuff (I love treasure and gear hunting) and exploration. Finding secret passages or treading into a new area was a huge thrill. What secrets and goodies are here? What new monsters will I find? Will I need a refill on the warm Dr. Pepper and Cheetos? Will my aching bladder wait just five more minutes for a quick look around? Oh God! It's 3am and 8 o'clock seems like a half hour ago. (Don't even get me started on the ENTIRE OFF DAY from work that vanished playing D&D Dark Sun on my Acer Aspire PC).

Years later (in Virginia yet again), my work buddy Scott, got me into a paper and dice group of much wackiness. Paul, Greg, Cordell, John, George, and Scott always had me laughing to crying during our weekend Warhammer sessions. They even picked me up and tossed me out the front door of Greg's apartment, in the rain, for too many of my bad jokes once. Far and away, Paul was a superior Dungeon Master that ran with some pretty crazy ideas and raised a few eyebrows from time to time. Later I would find out Paul was not only a fellow creative, but a kindred spirit with an equally unique take on the world around him. And to this day, also a dear friend.

Now let's build on that hallowed foundation, shall we? Insert huge graphical and Artificial Intelligence advances in PC/Xbox gaming, hybrid genre games, and massive virtual worlds. Yes, the kicker for me was First Person Shooters merged with RPG's elements in games like Morrowind and Oblivion. It wasn't so much the storylines that captured me as the countless caves, ruins, tombs, and ship wrecks. I spent days in these beautiful worlds as a biped feline carrying a huge war hammer...and a whopping can of gleeful beat-down. The looting and commerce enthralled me. Figuring out how to get my hairy butt and broken tail out of yet another bad ambush was also a near stroke producing thrill.

I'd be in deep trouble if Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic wasn't mentioned here. If ever there was a suck-you-in game, this was it. It was also one of the few where I did get into the storyline, verses gear collecting. Mainly, it was Star Wars and you got to play with light sabers. Yippee! (Never did play KOTOR 2 or Galaxies, but yes I'm chomping at my Taun Taun bit for Star Wars The Old Republic.)

While Second Life isn't an RPG or a game, it does have many of the same elements I find appealing. Granted, it's a chat room of sorts, but there are all kinds of themes and areas to explore along with picking up detailed clothing and gear for your avi...with real money converted to the in-world Lindens. The upshot here was that Second Life was my first brush with other players, if you will, in a massive virtual environment. I met some really fun people in-world, a few of which are considered dear friends, though we've never met in Real Life. This was also a good learning experience, in that it taught me about different sci-fi con groups like Furries, Nekos, Steampunks, etc.

Now we come to Massively Multi-player Online (MMO) games like World of Warcraft. Even more of the above...but with other players and equal inventive comic randomness. I'll be honest, I wasn't cool on paying a fee each month when I was used to a one-time cost for a game and maybe paying for an expansion or two. HOWEVER, 10 minutes into the world on my girlfriend's character at the time, and it was all over. All the old collect, commerce, explore skills lit up like the National Christmas tree. Even better, I could take on a profession and MAKE cool stuff for my character (as apposed to the usual turn over the dead bodies of enemies or old tomb residents for gear). Finding like-minded souls in guilds turned into a big plus, not only for advancement and questing, but also some new friends. Some of my favorite quests were with total strangers as well, both of us laughing at the "what did we get ourselves into NOW?!" craziness that ensued.

To sum up, I love a good RPG for exploring, for commerce, for creativity, and as time has worn on, the better social aspects. Some of the creative and managing skills learned in the gaming world have proven quite useful in the real world too. No, I don't carry around a +2 mace (bless you Gary Gygax) nor think of myself as an Orc trapped in a Human body. I'm a Nerd. I like fanciful things. I like to write and play RPGs on occasion. And that's just fine with me.

Hope you all enjoyed and my thanks for reading. Special thanks to @FoxB and @Jenni_Harvey on Twitter for the inspiration from thier on-going adventures (and antics) in Dragon Age. :)