MMOs vs. Dice 06.17.2007

Someone over at the Ars boards asked if MMOs have supplanted pen and paper games, or that if it’s even possible.

Hell no.

PnP is a narrative experience, a mutual construction of reality and character.

Anyone who seriously thinks an MMO or cRPG can replace PnP role playing doesn’t understand what PnP is about, and why a good DM/GM guiding players in a shared context/narrative simply cannot be duplicated in a game with AI at this point and any point in the foreseeable future.