I have been playing at an Ultima Online freeshard for quite some time. Of course we are using the basic Ultima Online system when it comes to stats and skills. You still have to train the skill to get better, resulting in quite some grind. The difference is: the actions of Your character may change the world. Events and quests are led by GMs, compareable (to a certain extend) with PnP-games. Players react to the events and the GMs act based on the player reaction, hopefully leading to a more immersive game. During the 'golden age' we were lucky to have engaged and active GMs willing to create a deep background of a formerly blank race, the lizardmen. In one-on-one-events, group events ingame and in the forum and huge events encompassing the whole freeshard we were able to create a rich background story and I still think most players fondly remember that time. Hey, I even composed a small song based on those events then, something I have never done for a LARP or for PnP. Freeshards usually allow the actions of the players to shape the game world. Players who are able to script may provide different versions of the basic program, allowing sometimes more individuality than the basic game ever thought of. Of course, there are rules of conduct. Of course there are differences between freeshards, some prefer Player vs. Player, some call themselves 'RP-heavy', some even are. And sometimes one gets lucky and finds his gem among all the rubble.

More often than not a freeshard may offer some basic roleplaying without those pesky l33t nerds. Some require You to write a background story for Your character, some require Your character to act along guidelines during the game, supervised by the GMs.

http://www.gamesites200.com/ultimaonline/" target=_"blank" class="SmlLinks">http://www.gamesites200.com/ultimaonline/ - an example list of freeshards, I know only the german ones I am afraid.

Another exception to the rule seems to be http://www.eve-online.com/, a SciFi MMORPG that is quite complex. Most players fear the complexity of the game and thus the afore mentioned 'lowest common denominator' is a wee bit higher than those of other MMORPGs.

I have been playing PnP, LARP and some freeshard-online games. And I like all these games for they differ and still appeal. LARP requires some preparation but offers direct rewards. PnP has the problem of getting a group together, something not that easily done if the friends have their own families and jobs to take care of - but when it comes to a game the only frontier is Your own imagination. And online roleplaying - tough not something to simply switch on and off - may fill the gaps between the games if I feel like it.

The only advantage online games have is that they give you nice little avatars and special effects to look at.

But the downside is that like all text based role play it is very limited in what you can do, and many mmorpgs are not really based around role play at all, indeed they are only called mmorpgs because they have lots of character leveling and possibly elves

The advantage of table top is that you get to interact directly with people, you can more accuratly judge peoples intent and meaning...And avoid typos (and emoticons too).

Oh and table top does not cause eye strain.

DavidG (11/22/2006)

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And avoid typos (and emoticons too).

You also get to avoid spotty little tossers who say things like "ROUGES PWN PALLYZ!!!!!!!!!111!!!!" after a duel on what is supposed to be a sodding roleplay server.

Ascendancy LRP: Redvers Fenn-Cooper

Crimson Requiem: Crew

Real Life: Doug McKerracher

Quis custodiet ipsos custard?

... an stop kidding yourself that there is such thing as an online game that is 100% roleplay unless you get to decide who can participate.

I've just remembered - you're boring, and I've got legs!

The plot premise was everyone starts the game being shipwrecked on a small island (somewhere in the forgottem realms world), creating a nice closed world.  Everyone starts off as a level 2 chaarcter (paladin is a very restricted class, standard races and FR subraces) and has to submit a background.  The xp system is fixed (advancement was extremely slow) and a crafting system was added.  Equipment was extremely limited, with the pcs having to make basic stuff from scarce resources (like bronze weapons because iron was so hard to find).  The ongoing metaplot was finding out the mystery of the island and trying to leave.

The world runs 24/7.  Different tribes of creatures exist in different parts of the island that can be interacted with. The PCs formed a small community, trying to create their own organisations and social rules.  I had a lot of very good roleplaying on there.

I'll probably take a look at the persistant worlds for NVN2 when they get going to see if any appeal.

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<insert really amusing sig here>

I prefer table top because what ever you do has a impact on the village/city/world ( we set it burning muhahaha ) and what ever you do has consequences.

I played PVP on a certain game and it was tough you got to know your opponant and feared the decent players then they move the goal post so the whiners who didnt have the skill couldnt win got the gear to wipe the decent players who didnt sit in the corner leeching rep >(

anyway I'll stop my rant.

IMO TT wins out you have true control over your character and you can have the freedom to do what you want.

online games have their interest but i think anyone who truly wishes to roleplay would take a decent GM's offer of a game without hesitation.

Meda Spirit Talker of the ...... Tribe

"Guns don't kill people poisons do"