by Beauregard Fox

Created on: November 06, 2009

Having played both online and tabletop role playing games, I have to say that, without a doubt, the superior option is tabletop. Why?

Creativity: Tabletop role playing games offer far more options for creative play than even the best online role playing game. It is possible to customize your character in far more intricate ways with the freedom of a table top role playing game. Further, tabletop role playing games offer all of the tools for the game master to create his or her own world. This allows the game master to create a completely unique experience for the players, the likes of which one could never get in a pre-made, online world.

Content: In terms of content, an online role playing game cannot come close to matching what a tabletop role playing game can offer. Online games are limited in their scope by limits of hard disk space and internet connection. Tabletop games have no such limits. The potential for expanding tabletop role playing games is far greater than that possible in online games, particularly when you add in custom, user-generated content. Tabletop games, unlike online games, allow the freedom and flexibility for the players to create their own content, and thus tailor the game to their own needs and desires.

Camaraderie: Both types of games, online or tabletop, thrive from the fact that they are played with other people, that behind each PC is a fellow human being. However, online role playing games create a barrier to true camaraderie. Because of the barrier of the internet, it is possible for the players to join and leave groups at will, and never really bond with a single group of players. Tabletop role playing games set the group, and the group is forced to interact regularly to complete the adventure. At first, this may seem to be a disadvantage to the tabletop game, for it limits the number of people the PCs can interact with. While this may certainly be the case, it serves to form bonds between the players. To a much greater extent, tabletop role playing games are more than gaming - they are social events. This helps to build a sense of camaraderie among players, and serves as practice for valuable social skills that can be used outside of the game, social practice that is conspicuously absent in online gaming.

This is not to say that there is anything inherently wrong about online role playing games. They are simply inferior to tabletop role playing games.

Learn more about this author, Beauregard Fox.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.