The Reigning Computer Gaming Classifications - RPG & MMP

by Russell M. Stewart

Online and PC gaming are among the topmost multimillion dollar industries in the world. With such recognition, it’s no surprise that they keep introducing various games for both children and adults. These games can fall into different categories. Out of these, role playing games (RPG) and massive multiplayer (MMP) games are very popular. Role playing games are sub-divided as single player and multiplayer versions. The massive multiplayer games don’t have any single player versions at all.

When you take part in a Role Playing Game, you will take on a new character and persona, a role you will play in the game. There will be rules in each game within which you have to function, but within those rules, you can choose your actions and your actions will decide the direction the game takes. This can make a very interesting hobby and pastime because of the freedom it gives.

The primary objective of role playing games is having fun. This makes them quite different from the usual card, puzzle, arcade and other games. More than competition, RPG lean towards collaboration and socialising.

A role playing game can be played against your own computer or actual players in a network. They are played in sequence, somewhat like how television shows have episodes, role playing games also have sessions for play. Completing each session can take weeks or months, depending on the game and how you play it.

You can find different kinds of RPG - some are based on fantasy, like Dungeons and Dragons, and some others, for example Call of Duty, are based on the real world, though rather exaggerated. The main story and theme of these games will go on through sessions. As you play on and reach new levels, there will be new elements added, like new characters or new twists.

All characters in a RPG are predefined and act in a certain way, with specified abilities. If you take a game such as X-Men, you’ll notice how the characters show exactly the same abilities as in the comic book. You can only choose a predefined number of characters and use their abilities accordingly. Interaction is very much a part of every role playing game.

Compared to RPG games, Massive Multi-Player Games (MMP) need hundreds and thousands of players to achieve the game objectives. Complex and highly challenging, these MMP games are definitely not for individuals or two players.

MMP is played in a much bigger scale than RPG. You have to be connected to the net to play it, and you can only play if you pay the monthly subscription. You also need a whole lot more people on your network to play it - take, for example, one of the most popular of MMP (also called MMORPG or Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games), EverQuest - it usually has up to thousands of players in its fantasy world, set in another universe.

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