Neverwinter Nights

Neverwinter Nights was a truly revolutionary game for its time, seeing a massive influx of players to the RPG genre. A fully 3D world, with graphics that were state of the art for the year and an online community which was unrivalled enticed hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of people to buy it and venture online. So what made it so popular? Unlike MMOGs, where everyone plays with quite literally everyone, Neverwinter Nights allowed you to take your small party and travel through the story together, uninterrupted by others. This private element gave people one of their first real tastes of group-based role-playing which although in existence earlier wasn’t anywhere near as widespread. The next major appeal of Neverwinter Nights was that there were amateur developers creating their own dungeons to delve in, NPCs to haggle with, weapons to wield and quests to undertake that could be downloaded and suddenly you and your friends were off once more on another adventure.

The last part of that was the real defining aspect that made Neverwinter Nights such a long running game, as new content was being added all the time not by the developers, who only had to add the odd patch here or minor update there, but by the players themselves. By releasing the development kit (known as the Aurora toolset) which their own designers had used with the game BioWare ensured that people would be playing it for years to come. They could have left it like this, but instead went the extra mile and released not one but three commercial expansions, each one driving more gamers to join the RPG boom.

The game mentioned above is one that a fair few people will be familiar with, but interestingly one that was preceded by something far simpler and far more like what RPGs are like today. I’m talking about the original Neverwinter Nights, ran from 1991 to 1997 (at which point legal issues caused its closure). Unlike its modern counterpart, the original was designed as an MMO,

having initially 200 players on at once and expanding to 500 by the end of its running time. This far outstripped anything that any other game had accomplished at the time, and while it’s now retired to our memories it certainly deserves an honourable mention as the first true MMORPG.

Ultima Online

Nearing the end of the original Neverwinter Night’s reign there came a new addition to the world of MMORPGs: Ultima Online. Initially a 2D game through and through, it was quoted as being one of the first MMORPGs created and still holds a significant player base today. Ultima improved on the concept created by the original Neverwinter Nights by realising that one server just wasn’t enough, so the rise of a multi-server MMO came about to take full advantage of the RPG-craze. While held as one of the greatest RPGs in existence by some, there are mixed opinions on this title from the players themselves. Designed initially as an MMORPG that could be played on lower-end machines, some feel that the move to a 3D game client, which upped the minimum requirements substantially, was what has led to the steadily declining number of players, effectively pointing the blame at the developers. Either way, Ultima peaked early and has added its contribution to the online RPG world with multiple-server gaming. Despite this important concept, it has been far outstripped by modern games and compared to its former glory is now hanging on to the players it has left. This said it still is the longest running online RPG going and it only ever increases its reign as each day goes on.

World of Warcraft

In my search for the best online RPG games ever made I move forwards in time to the first title I mentioned: World of Warcraft. There are scant few MMOs which have hit the utter scale that World of Warcraft (affectionately known as “WoW”) has achieved, which is why almost anyone who’s a gamer, or even just knows a gamer, will have heard of it. With over twenty million players still going today, long after the initial release back in 2004/05, they can’t possibly all be wrong.

So what made WoW one of the top games of all time, never mind top RPG? It was the fact that the amount to do in-game is truly staggering. The amount that players get immersed in the quests, in levelling up their character, in seeking to rise to the top of the PvP (player versus player) table is what allows it to sit proudly as a champion among RPGs. Unlike Neverwinter Nights, the entire game world is created by the developers, with multiple updates, patches and content being constantly added to keep drawing more gamers in to partake in its seemingly endless quest for online RPG domination, holding them as one of the best RPGs around.

So, what is this viewpoint based on? As previously mentioned such computer game titles as Baldur’s Gate had enough of a storyline with enough choices to be made by the player which shaped their character enough to give them the feel of character development. There were enough little things to do on the side that made the main plot feel not entirely linear although there only ever was one eventual outcome. This branching of storylines and options in how to develop your character is about the limit of what quest-driven computer games can offer and for anything more detailed and complex a step back to putting back the “role-playing” emphasis is certainly needed.

So what can provide this more individual role-playing experience? Until technology progresses enough to provide some kind of detailed tailored world for you to develop your character in the human touch gives the creative element that is surprisingly lacking in many computer-based RPGs. It’s important to remember that - no matter how detailed or involving a role-playing world is - someone, somewhere designed each and every location, character and event and is therefore integral to the game. For those who find a thrill in literature there are a whole multitude of role-playing sites and forums devoted to allowing people to develop their own character outside of the “constraints” of game mechanics, where free-form role-playing is potentially at its best. Remember the predecessors to RPGs, though, as their tabletop counterparts were the inspiration behind a whole new genre of gaming. As the internet brings the world’s population together it can also separate us by taking away the human connection we have with those around us. Depending on your perspective this could be either beneficial - where you get to interact with the character instead of the player - or leave you feeling a little lost if you prefer knowing those you play with (if not be together in the same room with).

Whether you’re a fan of the modern stance to role-playing, or a more “traditional” role-player or are some kind of mix in between you should still be able to appreciate the advantages of any other style and it can be a refreshing change of pace to try to take up either a new form of gaming or to give new life to one of the older varieties of role-play. Finding groups of role-players in your area may prove to be a challenge, but if trawling through the local directories and so forth doesn’t turn up any results it’s easily possible to combine the online element with table-top role-playing by seeking out forums, IRC channels or the like.

In the game, every featured player is the captain of his or her own battleship, they can sail it around the world as a courageous explorer, a canny merchant or a mysterious pirate, spread their reputation by exploring the huge continents for treasures, fortunes and glory.

In the game, players can enjoy all kinds of life experience that the 16th Century people have experienced– sail on the great ocean, view splendid geographic scenes, appreciate various cultures, do successful business, upgrade their ship according to their wish and most excitingly, participate in all kinds of glorious sea battles from spectacular long-range artillery bombardment between fleet and fleet to close hand-to-hand fight among brave sailors.

Independently developed for a total of four years, Voyage Century can bring players a complete online game experience unlike anything else before!

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Prepare to be part of a vibrant online community where you%u2019ll be able to fashion your own character, roam over wild territories, meet new friends, fight powerful enemies and enjoy a game that will challenge your imagination and make you lose track of time.
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Game environment based on real physics rules
Over 18 weapons available:
- guns like MP5, Ak-74, M79, M249 Minimi, Barret M82A1, XM214 Minigun
Multiplayer network game over the Internet or LAN
Intelligent bots
7 game modes:
- Deathmatch
- Pointmatch
- Teammatch
- Rambomatch
- Capture the Flag
- Infiltration
- Hold the Flag
42 different maps
Editors: Soldat Map Maker and Interface Maker
Lobby server and dedicated server for Windows and Linux
Large community creating mods, maps and tools

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Its simple but addictive gameplay will have anyone playing in seconds. And for those who want more there’s hidden depth in the choice of your tank, special moves and powerups, and team based gametypes that require a higher level of strategy to win.
 
Choose your tank! 
 
Tank Wars Online is played from a top-down perspective. At the start of each game you get a choice of eight different tanks. You pick one and start to play. The tanks are controlled with the arrow-keys on your keyboard and space is used to fire your tank’s cannon. Different tanks have different weapons, as well as other properties like speed, turning and armor.
 
Goin’ for the flag! 
 
Your goal in the game is to shoot down other players while trying to stay alive yourself. For every enemy player you shoot down you get a point. At the end of the game the player with the most points wins and the game starts again on another or the same map. Some team based gametypes have additional goals, which means that besides shooting other players and getting points, in order for your team to win you have to either “Bomb” the other teams base or “Capture” the other teams flag.

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This is the Astra Continent, the world of fantasy, where a strong push toward modernization followed Industrial Cataclysm.

50 years on from the end of the war between the Republic and the Empire, the age of adventure has arrived. Adventurers, treasure hunters and bounty hunters cross the border between the Empire and the Republic.

It is up to you to face the notorious outlaws and bounty hunters in battle, spy on your enemies and other adventurers, who wander around the world testing their strengths and powers. It is up to you whether you decide to compete and fight against them, or join hands to help them.

You must now set foot on your journey as an adventurer - keep watch for the secret treasures handed down from generation to generation from the ancient times, they may aid you in your quest.

However, be warned! This adventure comes not without risk - and you never know what surreal existances you may encounter on your path!
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