Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games

In the world of computer gaming there is no shortage of games to be played; First person shooters, RPGs (Role-Playing Games), tactics and many others. The youngest genre out of the sea of games is MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game); these games allow extremely large numbers of players to interact in a virtual world. This genre of games was first made popular by Richard Garriott, who created Ultima Online and the term MMORPG, back in 1997. But in 2008 the games are still growing in popularity thanks to WoW (World of Warcraft), Starwars Galaxies, Guild Wars, etc.

The computer interfaces, via an internet connection, with one of multiple servers that contain the virtual world's layout and main program operations. All the servers contain the same files and data, but remain different only because of the players interfacing with them. Unlike single-player games and small multiplayer RPGs, MMORPGs are more easily updated since the game data is store on the developer's servers and not the player's computer. The number of people playing the game and the games virtual world; also known as a persistent world, because the virtual world continues to exist and evolve even after a player logs out of the game, are what defines and separates MMORPGs from other similar games.

All RPGs place the player in a story line as a fictional character, normally in a fantasy world, where the player controls all of the characters actions. A MMORPG allows a player to choose more details about the characters physiology by letting the player choose the characters gender, name, talents, profession, facial attributes, and much more. A majority of MMORPGs have initiated a free-roaming supplement into the game that allows the player to move far from their initial starting area without completing every task in that area first.

(Example 1: In World of Warcraft a player accepts quests, which require him or her to venture out into the world and engage in battle with giant spiders or sea monsters, etc. Most quests are in the area surrounding where the player accepted it, but some are based further away. Free-roam allows a character to move anywhere in that world without accepting or completing quests or furthering the story line.) (Example 2: In Starwars Galaxies, for some, the character goes through an initial quest of finding a pilot to evacuate them from a space station, when found the pilot informs the player to talk to him, when the player is ready to leave. At this point the player can lead their character around the station completing quests or bored the shuttle and fly to the planet bellow.)

Most MMORPGs run a fantasy based theme, like Dungeons & Dragons, others go with hybrid themes by combing science fiction, comic book, occult or swords and sorcery element together. In all RPGs thus far player gains experience points, which raise the characters level, by completing quests and/or fighting monsters; thus increasing the characters strength, speed, etc. This allows the character and player to progress towards the ultimate goal of the game.