For almost as long as the internet has been around, there have been online video games. All you had to do was create an account and download the client and you became immersed in a virtual world populated with other players from around the globe. People could form parties to go questing or just socialize with avatars controlled by actual living beings. Dreamcast was the first console to offer online capabilities to its players and games like Fantasy Star online exploded in popularity. But even the casual gamer can notice very different qualities between online and offline games that give each one enjoyable, and at the same time, not so enjoyable aspects.
There are literally hundreds of online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, to choose from nowadays; some of them are free, some you have to pay for, but all of them have a major flaw: the time commitment. MMORPGs all start you off the same way when you create a new character: with a stick for a weapon and sack cloth for armor. Your only option at this point is to sit back and kill rats for five hours to get to a certain level that allows you to wear decent armor and take on worthwhile quests. Even though World of Warcraft came out over 5 years ago, there are thousands of people who have been playing it from the beginning and still are. Whereas a role-playing game like Elder Scrolls Oblivion make take 50 hours or so, a game like Age of Conan or Warcraft can take hundreds of hours, which can take months or years if you try balance gaming with work, school, and a social life.
While offline games may be more casual-gamer-friendly because of the shorter time investment, you will never find real people on the other side of the avatars like you would with online games. While it doesn't replace real life social interaction, it is fun to experience games alongside real players.
Despite the benefit of playing with other people, if you want an engaging and complex storyline, you may have to deal with a world of CPUs. Very few, if any, online games can match the depth and detail of its counterpart. For an example, let's look at Oblivion and Warcraft, two popular games; one is offline and the other is online. The detail in the world of Oblivion is incredible, the graphics are beautifully colored and textured. No player can resist the urge to explore the entire area and play the main quest. While Oblivion keeps the gamer hooked through its storyline and detailed environment, Warcraft players stick around to satisfy the urge to level up and find rare and expensive items. The environment in Warcraft is colorful, but doesn't have the level of detail like Oblivion, mainly because developers know that the key elements to MMORPGs is the ability to play with other people and level up.
Both type of games have enjoyable aspects, it just depends on what type of gamer you are and what your mood is at the time. We are getting to the point in technology where online games can give you not only the experience to play with other people, but also the rich detailed environment and engaging story once found only in offline games.
My name is Brendan and I grew up playing video games, so whether I like it or not, they are a part of my life and many other people's as well. It is very fun for me to discuss the topic of video games so check out my website to see more articles that talk about the gaming industry [http://brendanigan.com]
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