Hobbies & Games >
Role Playing & War Games
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedWhich is better: Online roleplaying games or tabletop roleplaying games?
Results so far:
| Online | 48% | 431 votes | Total: 892 votes | |
| Tabletop | 52% | 461 votes |
Online
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesThe Gaming Experience: Online Role-Playing vs. Tabletop Role-Playing
There have been many debates between gamers on the subject of how the online role-playing system has influenced and been influenced by the tabletop system. It is difficult to make an educational decision about which version of the experience to enjoy. I have been involved in both versions of the role-playing game system in varying roles and I believe, as a fence-sitter, that I have positive and negative things to say about both versions of the gaming experience. Following this short introduction, readers will be able to compare and contrast these ideas, making their own choice on the subject. I strongly recommend giving both options the chance before making a final decision; however, I find myself leaning in the online direction.
THE STEP-BY-STEP COMPARISON
1. Gameplay, creativity, and artistryTabletop gaming (or floor gaming if you are like many groups) consists of the basic necessities (character sheets, dice, and a writing utensil) and the extras (figurines, books and manuals, special dice, renderings of your character, items that will enhance the experience, as well as lots of snacks and beverages). The actual playing is done through oral descriptions and the use of dice-rolling for nearly all facets of the experience. The game's playability is dependent upon the creative and enthusiastic approach from the DM/GM (Dungeon Master/Game Master). This individual weaves a story through words, detailing scenes, characters, interactions, situations, and even weather patterns. With a strong story, the gameplay can be a very entertaining experience through the creative artistry of a masterful storyteller. This is the difference between books and movies and depends on whether you would rather listen to the oral version or watch the visual events.
Onine gaming, played at a computer or console device, consists of a system, the software, a keyboard/mouse/game controller, and the mood to play. It is that simple. Most of these options are provided for other reasons than for the primary purpose of role-playing games. The visuals for some of these games are spectacular, the options available are amazing, and the sound-effects/soundt racks are inspiring; unfortunately, the game's playability usually suffers from poor programming logic, bringing down the experience. The storyline can be very open-ended, requiring no set rules for where to go or when; but this sometimes creates a suffering game with no journey.
The Tabletop Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
The Online Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
2. Community and relianceTabletop gaming is dependent on having at least 2 players, a DM/GM and a character. The best community available is the group that consists of friends and/or family members that can coexist with one another. The highlights are fun conversation, jokes, and a close-knit group. One problem can arise through illness, where the options tend to limit themselves to leaving a character behind or not being able to play at all. Also, this form of gaming is reliant on each member being available for the gaming time as well as being in the mood to interact.
Online gaming can be a great way to meet people from all over the globe without leaving your own home, safely interacting with culturally-diverse individuals without anyone knowing where you live. You can journey with a variety of individuals or with a specific group of people that know you in real life. Online gamers can be a caustic bunch, but the good news is that you don't always need to interact with those that are abrasive, abusive, or just plain rude. Also, this type of gamer need not be reliant on other players in order to play most online role-playing games provide an environment where you can go on quests in parties or alone, depending on your mood and preference.
The Tabletop Arena *Personal Score: 2/5*
The Online Arena *Personal Score: 4/5*
3. Depth, ease, and convenienceTabletop gaming can be a deep, rewarding experience if done correctly. The plot can be as complex as any story read in a book, creatively weaving a plot that any writer would love to use. Tabletop gaming is not very easy, though, requiring a roll for each statistic in the character's arsenal; for any events, visuals, or spell-casting abilities; and for every attacking and defensive skill used. As implied in the previous sections, Tabletop gaming can be an inconvenient event, depending on different variables such as availability and mood.
Online gaming, in comparison with the tabletop version, can be a deep, rewarding experience also. The plots, as programmed, come in 3 main styles: super-easy, pretty tough, and "where's that cheat-book"? They often appear as quests told by computerized players, sometimes as badly-written as most soap operas. To provide an all-encompassing experience, a programmer needs to incorporate many quests that they would personally find insulting and/or ignorant; however, some individuals wish to choose these types of quests and, in the end, the game is meant to sell itself (even if it is a free online game).
The Tabletop Arena *Personal Score: 2/5*
The Online Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
4. PriceTabletop Gaming can be a very immersive experience and cost-effective experience; however, it is difficult to elevate the immersion factor without elevating the cost. I know many people that feel the need to make unnecessary purchases for the tabletop gaming experience. These people might buy specially-designed dice, customized characters, a wide range of books, and even expensive outfits. I never spent much on the experience, desiring the experience first before elevating the immersion factor, but I know several individuals who have spent upwards to a thousand dollars or more in the way of these items. The price for Tabletop gaming can range anywhere from $0 (sharing game requirements) to thousands of dollars.
Online gaming is very much like tabletop gaming in this aspect. The more immersive you wish to become, the more money you are likely to spend. Often, in the online gaming community, the game software will be free to download and play but will only provide the very basic necessities if a gamer wishes to create a stronger, more proficient, or better-looking character, he/she must spend money to purchase game cards from department stores in order to buy these upgrades. The base price may be zero, but the upgrades can become very expensive (and some upgrades are even necessary in order to continue playing after a time period or in order to complete a quest).
The Tabletop Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
The Online Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
5. Overall enjoymentMy personal experience with tabletop gaming was, to be honest, vaguely boring. The GM was a creative storyteller and very fair; however, the constant rolling of dice, the endless walking, the inconvenience of driving to the location, as well as the lack of patience, provided me with an almost-constant need to drive the conversation and game into tangential orbits. Finally, the more serious gamers would talk amongst themselves when I left the room for a snack or beverage, deciding to make me leave. That didn't bother me, usually, because I have a fairly short attention span after 2 hours of preparation and minor gaming, I would be done for the night.
My personal experience with online gaming has been hit-and-miss. Some of the communities have very elitist attitudes, not providing assistance to new players, choosing to use the slanderous term "noob" to insult me for my lack of playing time in the system. I just recently discovered one game that has captured my attention for the time-being even though I have had to pay a bit in upgrades, most of the game is fairly enjoyable and expansive. Even though many have that elitist perspective, I don't need to communicate with them in order to play. I find that I have a better attention span for this than tabletop gaming, but then again I can just shut it off when I am bored with the play.
The Tabletop Arena *Personal Score: 2/5*
The Online Arena *Personal Score: 3/5*
*
Tabletop Arena *Total Score: 12/25*
Online Arena *Total Score: 16/25*
*
In conclusion, you can see that I am not what many would consider an avid gamer, but my perspective is fairly unbiased and untarnished. I can see both sides of the issue, and I prefer the Online Arena slightly more than the Tabletop Arena. With this information in the back of your mind, give both versions a chance to shine and then make a well-informed decision. In the end, it just depends on which one captivates you more.
Learn more about this author, JJ Whitehead.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Tabletop
Six warriors gather around a table, preparing for their next conquest, their next chance to change the world. Readying magic, blades, and cunning, these heroes will stand tall before the might of armies and conquer dragons. They have seen comrades fall, and been forced to kneel before god-like foes. Yet, through it all, they still return, drawing their greatest weapons: dice and pencils.
In the history of CRPGs (Computer/Console Role-Playing Games) and MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs), never has there been a game with the versatility and freedom that comes with tabletop gaming. In a single-player role-playing game, so long as you learn the patterns and save often, you can trick any NPC (Non-Player Character), defeat any boss, and eventually get through the very linear storyline. Most games do not allow the freedom to choose good or evil, or what your true back story is, or even what deity you might worship. Games like Fallout, Neverwinter Nights, and Fable attempt the illusion of choice, but in the end, you know that the story has been chosen for you.
Then, there are MMORPGs, which give you an entire world to explore and enjoy. Yet, in the end, it can leave you feeling insignificant. Take World of Warcraft, what good is it to defeat the leader of the Defias, if after he is defeated, his men continue to harass Westfall, and the next group of adventurers will march into the Deadmines and defeat him again? On a single character, I could kill a major quest character again and again, and my guild would still have members requesting to defeat that character. I am a mighty hero, but my name is not known throughout the world, because there are a million other heroes doing the exact same thing I am. I have no effect on the world. In the end, you have no real goal, no sense of accomplishment, because for every accomplishment you achieve, there is something more left to be done thanklessly.
Now, let me delve into the world of a tabletop RPG. You sit down at a table with a group of your friends, people you know and trust (usually), who wish to enjoy the same game you do. You know who the other players are, you know who the game designer (the DM/GM (Dungeon/Game Master)) is, and you can help create a world with anything you desire. The GM moderates the game so no one can cheat, and anyone that makes the game less enjoyable for everyone, can be told to leave. When you slay a dragon, that dragon is dead, and when you return to town with its head, the townspeople sing your praises. When a hero dies, that hero must be resurrected (which is not an easy process), or you must create a new character. There is not reloading the game or respawning at a safe point.
Some might say that the advantage is being able to truly see the world around you in an MMORPG, but truthfully, would you not rather create one in your mind? With a tabletop RPG, you know the world before you was made by you or for you, or both. If you don't like how dragons look, imagine your own, and nothing is forced upon you. If you wish for your character to have scars across his body, piercings, a gilded robe of a long lost civilization, you may, without the constraint of the graphics given by the game system. How often does one find a movie as impressive as the visual created in a book?
One place in which tabletops cannot be beaten is price, if you wish to play a game of Dungeons and Dragons, it is possible for many people to play with only a single $60-90 expenditure for the three core rulebooks. Any expenses after that are guaranteed to come with new material, and can easily be split amongst the group. MMORPGs generally cost at least $20-30 for a single player, and then $10-15 a month just to continue playing. For a group of friends to play together means each member of the group must also spend that much, as well as having a computer up-to-date enough to play the game in the first place.
So sure, with tabletops you can only play so often, but does that not make the game more enriching? If you could have a tiny meal each hour or a feast once a day, would you not rather have a feast? I would take the simple freedom and immersion of a great tabletop game over the costly repetition or constraint that comes with online gaming.
Learn more about this author, Ryuka Tana.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Role Playing & War Games
- Is Dungeons and Dragons really satanic?
