Now keep in mind this is literally a topic that graduate thesis have been written on (MUDs WERE pretty much invented on University computers after all)..

A lot of us who post here are a bit taken aback at the elitist attitude of SOME of the hard-core RP'ers here. There is an implicit connotation that role-players=good Power-Gamers=bad. There is no doubt that extreme Power-gaming is bad - especially those who will stoop to exploiting bugs. I've seen them literally destroy a great Multi-player game some years ago (Multi-Player Battletech on GEnie) when the economy was destroyed. It had huge lasting affect long after the bug was fixed by people who were able to get away with hoarding the money. While less extreme - perhaps some of the most extreme RP'ers are bad (well, annoying at least) while they preach to others telling them how they should be playing the game and whining to Verant that they should change the code to force everyone to play the game as they see fit.

I was particularly annoyed by the claim that there is a "easily definable line between role-players and power-gamers here". That is patently false. Power-Gaming and Role-Playing are two extremes in spectrum of the way people play the game. I believe that most people (like myself) are somewhere in the middle. While they do become their persona as they play - and look for a somewhat immersive experience. But they also want to have a powerful char with nice items. They would never cheat to get there. If they find a bug they report it, don't do it over--and-over-again, and they don't make sure all their buddy power-gamers (and no one else!) knows about it and does same. They don't care whether they have the best char on the server or were the first to get to a particular level or have a particular item. They don't want to pretend that there aren't real people behind the char - and are interested to hear, for example - "I have to log off now because my pregnant wife needs my attention - I'm real excited - they are going to induce tomorrow and it's our first kid" (This is a REAL example that happened to me a couple of nights ago)...

There are certainly degrees of RP'ers and PG'ers - but even with that as a given - I don't consider myself at either extreme. Perhaps the conversations should consider three categories - Role-players, Power-games and simply us "Gamers" in the middle!

Slyde of Xegony
Level 15 Bard
also Daniel Sniderman
Professional Musician and Computer Consultant