After my video about escape from boring MMORPG gameplay to D&D worlds, I got a few comments of this kind:
What you are telling, Tangarich, it’s all implemented in WoW (server Argent Dawn) and in EK2 (server Antonia Bayle). This is RP.
Or yet another comment:
You know roleplay servers are a thing, right?
I’ve decided to write this tiny article to explain why RP in MMORPG can’t help solve this problem.
Unfortunately, the RP in PC games looks very ‘shallow’ compared to DnD, because it is very ‘homegrown’, unregulated and unformalized. In contrary, RP in DnD in this regard is very clear – with roll checks and strict mechanics described in rulebook. They answered me:
In theory, no one hinders to supplement MMORPG role-playing with certain rules and mechanics, as in DND. In fact – yes, nobody care about it.
Yes, apparently RPers in MMORPG never does that (I know what I’m talking about, I’ve done a lot of RP in UO). In most cases RP in online games is reduced to roleplay the character (to behave as your race/class/character), following the game’s LORE and writing emotions in the chat like *yawning*, *picking in the nose *, * scratching my ear *. All other things – like fighting system, your actions & etc are based at game engine (which is shallow and stupid); the depth of the gameplay mechanics remains the same as in the original game. The character’s interaction with the world takes place within the game engine, with the same restrictions. That’s why people still play DnD – they could give you much more than RP in MMORPGs.