background color
reading font
reading size
Dark Age Of Camelot: Why Roleplay?
|
The Huntress, concealed in the gloom of the cavern, watched as the avernal quasits squabbled at the roof of the cave. She could smell them from here; their acrid stench stung her sensitive nostrils and tickled the back of her throat. Forcing herself to swallow, she held in the fit of coughing that threatened. It would give her position away, and call the lot of them down onto her and her party.
Their movements made aiming difficult. Quietly, carefully, she inched forward, feeling the phoenix-feather fletching against her fingers. These broad-headed arrows would pierce the tough hide of the demons better than any of the others in her quiver. From experience, she knew that the imps' skin resisted slashing, but a clever warrior could pierce through their hide to the soft organs beneath. Even bludgeoning seemed to do more damage than a sword or arrow's slashing blade.
Finally, she had a clear shot. With a keen eye she sighted up the arrow, drawing the bowstring back until her thumb grazed her jaw. The arrow flew true, but she did not stay to see. Having let fly her bolt, she ran lightly across the stone. From the angry and pained screech, she knew she had hit her mark, and now, the demon would not be far behind her. Sweat broke out on her upper lip as she heard a second squawking voice join the first. Apparently, it had a friend.
At the crest of the tunnel, the troll waited. He saw her running, like a raven in flight, but more, he saw the ugly orange imp hot on her heels. "I've got you, little bird," he said, voice like the sound of stones grinding against stones. His axes glittered in the low light of the cavern, and he felt the berserker's spirit stirring within him. It knew that battle drew near just as well as he did.
"It brought company," she said as she skidded to a stop beside him, slinging her bow across her back and pulling the spear from its holster, "and they both look older and experienced."
He looked wry. "I see that," he said, and then they had no more time for words. The ruddy creatures dove in, tearing at her with their claws. Nimbly she dodged, flipping out of the way of one of the creatures. It gave the second an opening, and she felt the talons tear through her leather armor to score a hit. Her spear flashed, leaving a deep and bleeding hole in the first imp's flesh.
The troll knew that his partner could not withstand such abuse for long. He could see her frantic attempts to back out of the combat as his own axes buried deep into the infernal flesh, but his efforts could not pull them from her. Anger burned deep in his spirit as his friend's wounds grew more dire. He barely heard the snarling roar that tore from him, for his vision had gone red. The berserkergang took him, and in his fury, he cleaved the demons with a furious might.
When he returned to himself, he found the quasits dead at his feet. The Huntress leaned on her spear, bloody but still standing, a faint look of amusement on her face. "Are you back?" she asked, slowly seating herself on the hard stone floor.
He coughed. "Yes. Are you all right?"
"Nothing a few moments of rest won't cure," she said, leaning back on one hand. Privately, she was grateful for her friend's berserker rages. He had saved her life more than once.
Sounds like an exciting battle, doesn't it? Much more exciting than the mechanics involved in its making. Put the piercing broadheads first in your backpack. "Pulling." Equip bow. Aim. Auto-fire on. Take off running. "Got two." Stop by troll. Equip spear. Troll says, "Both orange con." Quasits dogpile on Huntress. Troll hits berserk button. Mash styles. Pick up loot. Which looks like more fun to you?
Some people have asked me why I roleplay. What's the appeal of running around, talking like a Norsewoman? Why do I bother to keep track of my characters' personalities? Isn't playing the game enough for me?
I truly enjoy playing Dark Age of Camelot. I enjoy seeing my little experience bar filling up. I love to see my skill ranks in my chosen trade skills rise. But how many times can I make arrows, or find new hunting grounds, or even venture out onto the Frontier before it becomes old hat? How many new races and classes can I try before I know every hunting area in every realm? Let's face the facts: there are only so many things I can do before I feel like I have "won" the game.
No, playing the game isn't enough for me. I want more than that.
An old English teacher of mine had a sign hanging in his classroom. It read, "Boredom is a state of mind which indicates a dullness within that mind." What does that mean? It means that only a dull, unimaginative mind will ever find itself bored. By association, it also means that I have to put effort and imagination into the things I do. In my opinion, it also means I should maintain a curiosity about the world around me, so that I can eke every last drop of excitement from it.
We read fantasy novels and play fantasy games because we enjoy using our imaginations. Have you ever watched a movie, or read a book, and wished that, for just a little while, you could step inside it? Who hasn't wanted to fly on a dragon, or be a hero to someone? I believe that no one who has ever read a good fantasy novel has ever escaped that little wish to nock an arrow beside Legolas, or sit at the round table with King Arthur.
Dark Age of Camelot contains three deep, fascinating realms. Playing the game impels us to learn a little more about the history of the places the realms represent, even if only to find an appropriate name. I've learned some fascinating things while doing research to help me stay a little bit better in character.
I've made some lasting friendships while roleplaying. I have enjoyed every moment of my Huntress' relationship with her beloved Healer, and her partner, the Troll Berserker. Not only do I enjoy roleplaying with these people, but my time roleplaying with them has given me a new WarCraft III partner. As roleplayers, we flock together by our actions, and we meet like-minded people who aren't constrained by a desire to maintain only one personality. I have an infinite number of personalities I can portray, depending on my mood.
And it's more fun that way. Each personality is an aspect of me. I've learned things about myself while playing someone else.
Why should you roleplay? Because it's more fun to see your battles as something other than a collection of commands given to a computer. It's fun to imagine that you are someone else, somewhere else, doing something heroic. It's a nostalgic reminder of your childhood, where you played pretend with your best friends. It makes you think and stretch your mind, even on a casual level. It adds a new dimension to the game.
Blow off the dust, and use your imagination. It misses you.
On another note, I apologize for the lateness of this article. I spent all of yesterday and today dealing with Computer Shenanigans. On the good side, the new system works. On the bad side, I now know what a fried CPU smells like. Columns will now be every Wednesday!
Share/Email
