Introduction

A wide range of games comprises the Computer Role Playing Games (RPG). These are types of games where you are tasked to build a hero or character. As the game advances, the character then acquires experience which he or she will use to become more powerful and obtain new abilities.

A broad genre under the video games category is electronic role playing games. These games originally came from the traditional role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons. These utilize both the game mechanics and the settings found in such games.

Online Role Playing Games are RPGs that allows players to interact with each other in a virtual world. These interactions may be played either as a single or multiplayer game. Other features of online role playing games are similar to computer RPGs.

Characters

These types of games revolve on making or choosing around one or more avatars and building its characteristics and experience as the game progresses. These characteristics then represents the skills of the gamer himself and how he or she determine game outcomes. Traditionally, a status screen is displayed to represent the player’s attributes. It makes use of numeric values rather than meters, bars and other simpler abstract graphical representation video games in general utilizes.

Settings

Another special feature of role playing games is its fictional high-fantasy setting. Usually, these are derived from science fiction themes or space opera. There are only a few that take place in modern or historical settings. However, games such as Bloodlines (“gothic punk”), Arcanum (steampunk), Darklands (a combination of medieval German legend and history), Fallout (post-apocalyptic), and Mount and Blade (Medieval Europe with no magic or fantasy) are exceptions to these trends.

Missions

A group of characters or a party, usually different players, join forces to accomplish a “quest” or a mission. Challenges and enemies, usually inspired by science fiction, classical mythology, and more commonly, fantasy fictions, are faced by the adventurers along the way.

Examples of challenges are defeating the evil boss, rescuing a princess, or clearing a dungeon of monsters. To know and receive his quest, the player might find it necessary to talk to an NPC. Missions  may also include item fetch quests, locational puzzles (such as opening locked doors by means of a hidden lever or a key), or engaging in dialogues.

A number of games are made up of smaller quests in a predetermined sequence and are played as a linear narrative. However, games such as Fallout, contain nonlinear gameplay and multiple quest solutions through multiple endings and branching plots. How the quests are approach varies on different character builds. Methods such as violence, bribery, subterfuge, or diplomacy may be used depending on the character divergent of its skill.

Developments

It is difficult to affirm definitely where this genre will be headed because of it rapid development and the different numerous titles within the genre. However, developments have been made. One of these improvements is the “raid”, or the raid group quest. Large groups of players (twenty or more) are able to participate in the “raid”.

Another online role playing game improvement is the use of instance dungeons which keep the group isolated from the rest of the game world. This reduces the amount of data that is sent to and from the servers, thus decrease lag. It also lessens competition. Instance dungeons can be found on World of Warcraft “raids” as well as all of the Guild Wars combat area.

Overview

Online Role Playing Games, or sometimes refereed to as Computer Role Playing Games, are a wide range of games that requires the player to build a hero or a character based on his preferences and fancy. These are types of games where one interacts with other players in the virtual world (usually in groups).

As the game advances, the player’s character should be able to acquire experience as he or she will be needing this in order to succeed with other rounds or quests. The character must be able to become more powerful and should be able to obtain new and advanced abilities.

Electronic role playing games is a broad genre under the video games category. These were the early beginnings of inline role playing games. These games were originally from Dungeons and Dragons, a traditional role playing game which had been the basis for advance online role playing games nowadays. The game mechanics and the settings of the games were formatted from this game.

Interactions in online role playing games are done in the virtual world using the internet. These may be done individually (single player games) or with a group of friends or team mates (multiplayer games). Computer role playing games offer almost identical features with online role playing games.

Avatar

Online role playing games revolves on making or building your own character. These characters are also called avatars. More often, players find it fun and put effort in choosing their avatars. There are different abilities that your avatar can excel on. However, the abilities and powers of the characters depend on the progression of the game.

The characters represent the skills and abilities of the player himself. It shows how he or she decide or control the game outcomes. A status screen displays the attributes of the player and his character. It uses numerical values instead of meters, bars, and other simple abstract graphical representation that the usual video games utilize.

Fantasy Setting

A fictional and high fantasy setting is another feature of online role playing games (and other RPGs in general). These settings come from science fiction or space opera themes. However, some online RPGs also utilize historical settings and backgrounds.

Exceptions to these trends are online role playing games such as Bloodlines (“gothic punk), Arcanum (steam punk), Darklands (a combination of medieval German legend and history), Fallout (post-apocalyptic), and Mount and Blade (Medieval Europe with no magic or fantasy).

Quests

Team members or a group of characters (usually called a party) join forces to complete their missions (usually called “quest”). However, a single player may also do this by himself with the help of other players. These quests are usually fantasy fiction inspired. But classical mythology and science fictions are also used as basis for the missions.

These missions comprise different adventures along the way. Some challenges are defeating the evil boss, rescuing a princess, or clearing a dungeon of monsters. Some games require the character to talk to a Non Player Character (NPC) to know and receive his or her mission or quest.

Fetch quest, locational puzzles (such as opening locked doors by means of a hidden lever or a key), or engaging in dialogues are some of the requirements to proceed to the next level or challenge.

Majority of the online role playing games are playedas a linear narrative. Meaning, one plays the game in a predetermined sequence. They just have to comply with the requirements for the next level to complete the entire mission.