Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games or MMORPG is one genre of gaming that has exploded for the past five to ten years. Certainly, if you have been gaming for more than five years now, you know exactly what an MMORPG is. So, what makes MMORPG different and special than other games out there today? How do you play an MMORPG? What can you expect when you start to play such a game?

Remember the time in the 80′s when Dungeons and Dragons was so popular with the nerd kids? Well, let’s just say that MMORPGs borrowed certain aspects of the table top role playing games and basically translated the rules tobe more interactive on a PC or console. There are PC specific MMORPGs and there are console specific MMORPGs. The most accessible platform being the PC for the moment.

Subscriptions and Free to Play

MMORPGs can be played via a monthly subscription. In some country there are prepaid cards that can be bought and used to play these games. At the moment, there are both subscription based models and free-to-play MMORPGs. These free-to-play games make money through microtransactions. For example, if you want the awesome looking armor, you need to pay 2 dollars to get it. Free-to-play is slowly becoming the most dominant model for MMORPGs. Though it has been the dominant model in Asia, it has yet to reach maturity in North America and Europe.

A Description of the Gameplay

Gameplay-wise, MMORPG can be very engaging and fun. You essentially control a toon or an avatar with a gender of your choice. This avatar or game character will have specific classes like wizard, hunter, or warrior. In addition, the character will also have equipment, spells, and various skills. Using the character you will engage in adventures by killing bad guys like orcs, goblins, and the occasional dragons. Adventures are called quests. These quests when completed will give experience points to your character. The more experience points you gather the more powerful and wealthy you become in your fantasy world.

The Social Aspect

The power creep is slow in some MMORPGs but some games can level you up swiftly. This is what makes MMORPG a special kind of game. It is terribly addictive and immersive. Some countries even have rehabilitation clinics for MMORPG addicts. That said, these types of games can also be very rewarding. It is in all honesty a social game. This differentiates it from other fantasy, single player games. There are actually guilds in game that meet up in real life. MMORPGs have in fact been one of the basis for solid friendships and relationships in real life. The social aspect of the game makes it so much more than the sum of its parts.

As with everything, it is not good to overdo any activity. All that is excessive can be harmful. Keep in mind that playing games can both be rewarding and time-consuming. As long as you take everything in stride, you can enjoy a great MMORPG here and there without neglecting your personal duties.

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