Online text-based role-playing game

An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using only words and messages. These games started in 1978 with MUD1, which helped create today's big online worlds called MMORPGs. Some of these games are like video games, but others are played by people talking to each other using words.

People have used many ways to play these games, including TELNET, internet forums, IRC, email, and social networking websites. There are many kinds of stories in these games, such as fantasy, drama, horror, anime, science fiction, and games based on popular books or shows. For example, games based on the Harry Potter series are very common, and many players are fans of those stories, which are part of larger groups called fandoms.

Varieties

MUDs

Main article: Multi-user dungeon

Before today’s popular online games, there were text-based games called MUDs, MOOs, MUCKS, and MUSHes. These games started with MUD1 and use special software. Some MUD servers, like LPMud and DikuMUD, are used for games with combat, while others focus on role-playing and socializing. Even though many people now play newer games, many of these older text-based games are still being played.

Play-by-post and PBEM

Main article: Play-by-post role-playing game

Another type of text-based game is called play-by-post or PBP. Instead of playing in real-time, players post messages on bulletin boards, forums, chatrooms, or mailing lists. They reply to each other’s messages whenever they want. This style of gaming likely started in the 1980s. Players can choose between two styles: script format, where they only write what their characters say, or story format, where they describe what their characters do and what is happening around them.

Real-time human-moderated

Some games are completely run by human moderators who guide what happens in the game. These games may use printed rule books and sometimes use dice to get random results. Players talk to each other and to moderators who act as characters in the story. They can use different tools to talk and keep track of characters, from simple chat programs to more advanced virtual tabletops.

Psychology of roleplaying

Some research looks at how people act when they play roles online. One interesting point is when players choose to act as a character of a different gender than their own. A study found that players sometimes do this to explore being someone different, even if it feels different from who they are in real life. Players can feel very free in these roles.

Researchers also study how people’s true feelings show through even when they are hiding behind a character. They found that players often still show their real personality, even though they feel anonymous online. Being online can make people feel less worried about how they look, and they can respond when they are ready, which helps them express their emotions better.