Massive Multiplayer Online

The MMO is a whole new brand of gaming. It is similar to an RPG in the way that you choose a character to follow for an entire story and you watch him level up and gain items during his quest. Most RPGs involve a lot of exploring a map, trying to gain more items, and fighting very repetitive turn based battles. The typical sports gamer had no desire to play an RPG because turn based action, with a lot of walking around doing nothing, leads to boredom. Then came the MMO, an RPG with actual real-time fighting and interaction. The real-time aspect, as well as the expansive maps and constant meetings with other online players brought the RPG into a whole new light for all gamers, even gamers who had before only considered sports gaming to be worthwhile. World of Warcraft and City of Heroes/Villains have become popular (and respected), even in most hardcore gaming circles. Millions of players log-in and explore around the clock and around the world. The fights are against real-life players, not computer monsters, and the game and map are extremely detailed and expansive. Players can log in anytime they want, into a number of servers, and play with friends. With both of the more popular MMOs, you can choose to fight for good or for evil. World of Warcraft allows different options for each side, calling their good side “The Alliance,” and their bad side, “The Horde.” With the City Of Heroes/Villains franchise, a gamer actually has to purchase an additional, later released version of the game to play as the villains. A lot of players like being able to choose a side before they play, because then they can tell other players, “I chose to be on so-and-so.” Gamers like choices and adjustments and variations. With the new Star Wars MMO, you choose the Jedi or the Dark Side, these choices appeal greatly to gamers, especially fans of the movie series. Though gamers have choices as to who they can be and where they can go, one thing an MMO does not leave up to the gamer is a choice of whether to be online all the time.