mr dave

yeah i wasn't really exaggerating when i said it was like comparing bicycles and fighter jets. just because they're both considered 'rpgs' means very little. at this point pretty much any type of game that features modifiable player stats and levels = rpg.

from the MMOs i've played the point seems to be to create the most badass character possible, which CAN be very fulfilling, as long as you recognize it as being the point from the get go. i'm about due for another NCsoft game card to see how 'Bizzarro Dave' is doing in City of Heroes haha.

i'm not trying to discourage you from playing an MMO, i'd suggest trying D&D online first as it's totally free and you can get a taste for what an average pay MMO is like (mind you i haven't played in a few weeks so it might be totally dead now)

generally speaking an MMO flows like this.

-create your character
-start off on 'noob island'
-learn the combat / crafting / social skills
-get a few levels by completing quests and sucker yourself into believing your perpetuating a story.
-leave 'noob island' and start the 'real' game
-get a few more levels
-hit a wall where you're either forced to play in larger groups or grind through the same missions over and over until you get a few more levels to be able to access the next zone without being insta-killed by the weakest monsters.
-repeat that last step until you hit the level cap
-hope the game has cool stuff lined up for players at the level cap.
-get bored with god powers and start a new character at level 1 and do it all over again.

they're not bad products, but associating them to a typical RPG is a mistake that is often made but could be easily avoided.

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