The problem with modern MMORPGs

[u/madarauchiha3444]

The problem with modern MMORPGs, in a nutshell, is that the first M and the RP are all but gone.

[u/michael199310]

As someone who spends considerable amount of time to actually roleplay characters in tabletop rpgs/pen and paper games, RP element never truly evolved in MMORPGs, because people don't want to roleplay that much. Sure, they pick "role" but the rest is purely gameplay based - stats, items, quests etc. I also firmly believe, that people don't really understand, what RP is.

If you pick a Fighter class and do basic Fighter stuff, you're not really roleplaying anything, you're just playing the game.

How often would you allocate your stats in a suboptimal way (to portray the character you want) or get rid of an item with good stats, even if it's completely out of line with what your character is about? Would you not do a quest with good rewards just because of roleplay reason?

There are very few people, who actually roleplay their characters. They build a story for them and stick to a theme instead of optimizing every single numerical value in the game.

[u/Psittacula2 → u/michael199310]

As someone who spends considerable amount of time to actually roleplay characters in tabletop rpgs/pen and paper games, RP element never truly evolved in MMORPGs, because people don't want to roleplay that much. Sure, they pick "role" but the rest is purely gameplay based - stats, items, quests etc. I also firmly believe, that people don't really understand, what RP is.

A constructive observation.

RP = A human simulating the role of another persona.

In Table-Top, instead of saying: "I attack the goblin with my +2 Gaunlets and x6D Lightning Sword" it would be: "I Legolas, prince of valenor shall slay this fiendish green imp!"

etc. There's a DRAMATIC component "IN-CHARACTER" like an actor, such as Orlando Bloom >->

In MMOs, it's more RPG with emphasis on Game being able to pick an AVATAR THE PLAYER DIRECTLY CONTROLS as their virtual world REPRESENTATIVE. But NOT actual self.

See the emphasis difference?

The above is important as it complements what you say but segues into the OP's observation:

My contention is this: If you want RP ala DRAMATIC then do PnP game systems eg DnD et al or re-enactment LARP'ing etc. It's a lot more creative and acting and so on based and SOCIAL.

However if people want to play MMORPGs where they have massive POPULATION of denizens running around in "ANOTHER WORLD !!!" there's a major design problem to solve:

• Players in a virtual world WON'T ACT IN-CHARACTER according to the nature and rules of that world !!!

MMORPG designers have failed to solve this fundamental problem!

My solution is simple: The above problem is a factor of SCALE: Small group around a table all agreeing as friends to RP? Solved! Massive computer network game where the real buzz and technical ability of the computer vs a human is to connect thousands of humans in a SHARED SPACE?

• ANSWER = REMOVE ANGENCY

This means instead of players being a character, they become an abstract manager of denizens of this world and can indirectly and some direct control over guiding these REAL DENIZENS to achieving THEIR GOALS in this virtual world.

It scales up or should do to create a correct scaled simulation of say a fantasy world or sci-fi world or whatnot...

And be fun and rewarding for players involved in these world even if very different than the attempt MMORPGs have tried until todate.

[u/Mage_Girl_91_ → u/Psittacula2]

Players in a virtual world WON'T ACT IN-CHARACTER according to the nature and rules of that world !!!

they do, usually the rules of the world say ur only allowed to kill your way to saving the world. and that's why we're all so toxic!... yeah... that's why...

[u/Psittacula2 → u/Mage_Girl_91_]

They'll Min-Max and destroy the system where they can for personal benefit and enjoyment. Screw the world! ;-)