Post by Derek Raines on Oct 6, 2008 23:13:03 GMT -5
I remember being 15 and playing D&D. It was my first experience with any RPG outside of the the likes of Zelda for the NES (If that can even be considered an RPG) and it was truly the coolest game I ever played. My friends and I would spend whole weekends sometimes coming up with epic stories, memorable characters and awesome plots! Our heroes were heroic and they weilded weapons with histories and names and became a part of the world around them. A world which consisted of our own ideas and creativity. Wizards casted spells, but it didn't matter how much damage they did. What mattered was that those spells drove the story on. Priests knew the Gods they worshiped and felt blessed when their prayers were answered. Knights in armor held the line, but not for the sheer fact of gaining XP and more powers. They held the line because if they didn't the villains would prevail and evil would overtake the realm. It was all so magical, as lame as that sounds.
And I'm not sure what has happened. I'm not sure when RPing became a Minis combat game with a bit of fluff around the edges. I miss the indepth characters, I miss the epic plots and I miss the story. I miss playing a role and not just being a faceless template that deals little numbers of dmg in order to gain new ways to deal little numbers of dmg. I'm just as guilty at times. I get swept up in the WOWesque drive to aquire the best abilities and gear in order to grind out encounters more easily. But deep down, I'd trade it all to just be a fighter with a short sword or a mage with robes and a quarter staff with a cool story in front of me.
I'm not complaining. I just feel nostalgic. In a time where just about every story has been told, maybe all that remains is hollow numerical combat and an endless pursuit of power that is ultimately futile since the encounters scale with us! I guess in the end its all on how you play the game.
And I'm not sure what has happened. I'm not sure when RPing became a Minis combat game with a bit of fluff around the edges. I miss the indepth characters, I miss the epic plots and I miss the story. I miss playing a role and not just being a faceless template that deals little numbers of dmg in order to gain new ways to deal little numbers of dmg. I'm just as guilty at times. I get swept up in the WOWesque drive to aquire the best abilities and gear in order to grind out encounters more easily. But deep down, I'd trade it all to just be a fighter with a short sword or a mage with robes and a quarter staff with a cool story in front of me.
I'm not complaining. I just feel nostalgic. In a time where just about every story has been told, maybe all that remains is hollow numerical combat and an endless pursuit of power that is ultimately futile since the encounters scale with us! I guess in the end its all on how you play the game.