Zygimantas Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Volumes have already been written about real life, the most accessible and most widely accepted massively multiplayer online role-playing game to date. Featuring believable characters, plenty of lasting appeal, and a lot of challenge and variety, real life is absolutely recommendable to those who've grown weary of all the cookie-cutter games that have tried to emulate its popularity--or to just about anyone, really. Real life is densely populated and features a wide variety of places to explore and activities to engage in. Real life isn't above reproach. In one of the stranger design decisions in the game, for some reason you have no choice in determining your character's initial starting location, appearance, or gender, which are chosen for you seemingly at random. However, over the course of your character's life, you have tremendous opportunity to customize and define a truly unique appearance for yourself--not only can you fine-tune your hairstyle and hair color, but you can also purchase and wear a seemingly infinite variety of clothing and influence your body type using various in-game mechanisms. For example, if your character exercises frequently, you will appear fit and muscular. You may also choose from a huge variety of tattoos and body piercings, and later you can even pay for cosmetic surgery, though this is expensive and there's a small chance that the operation will backfire. At any rate, real life offers a truly remarkable amount of variety in determining your character's outward appearance, and this depth isn't only skin deep. The only problem is you're relegated to playing as a human character, though the game does randomly choose one of several different races for you (which have little bearing on gameplay and mostly just affect appearances and your standing with certain factions). The gameplay itself is extremely open-ended, though it's structured in such a way that you'll have a fairly clear path to follow when you're just starting out. Real life features a great system whereby newbie players will automatically be guided along through the early levels by one or more "parent" characters who elect to take newbie characters under their wing. This is a great system, as these older, more-experienced characters reap their own benefits from doing a good job of guiding the newbie character along. The system does have some problems, though--sometimes you'll encounter "griefer" parents who shirk their responsibilities or, even worse, seem content to harass newbie players. Such a situation could, in theory, irreparably damage your experience in real life. Fortunately, chances of this are relatively slim, as a harsh punitive system is in place to prevent the vast majority of players from experiencing or engaging in this sort of behavior. Starting out in real life can admittedly be boring, but the experience becomes much more interesting and open-ended once you get past the learning curve. Typically, a character will learn of the numerous viable career paths available by undergoing schooling. This can be a long and tedious process, equivalent to the sort of "level treadmill" monotony that characterizes almost all MMORPGs. Nevertheless, many players do manage to enjoy themselves in this phase, especially if they band together--real life definitely rewards players who join groups, though soloing is certainly an option as well. At any rate, through the schooling process, as you engage in various activities, you eventually settle on a career path, and this is when you can start making a good amount of money and really taking matters into your own hands. There are a few known exploits for making money, but generally the game's financial system is well balanced, complex, and rewarding for those who put forth proportionally more effort. You can use money to acquire new and better clothing, your own custom housing (a tremendous variety of options are available here as well), and new means of transportation ranging from bicycles to automobiles and beyond, and you can even employ other players and some non-player characters to do your bidding. Most notably, certain actions in real life are necessary and yet require a considerable amount of expertise to perform, or are simply boring. Additionally, even if you do have expertise in a field, that doesn't mean you can perform a given task for yourself--in this way, real life encourages and even forces player interaction, so those who prefer to go solo might find themselves in a bind at times. For example, even if your character specializes in dentistry, that doesn't mean you can perform a root-canal operation on yourself. Fortunately, dentistry is one of many lucrative professions in real life, and its practitioners can easily afford to pay for the various required maintenance tasks, freeing up their own free time for more-interesting activities. One issue with real life is that it gives you very little specific feedback on character advancement. To give a couple of examples, a highly proficient player might receive a sudden pay raise or might become a champion boxer, but there's no clear way to tell exactly how smart or how strong you really are. Cleverly, there are in-game ways of at least getting a sense of these and other key attributes. You may attempt to lift weights to roughly determine how your strength compares with that of other characters. Various tests are available to gauge your overall intellect and expertise and knowledge in a variety of fields, though annoyingly, you need to pay a considerable fee to take some of these--and if you fail, often you aren't allowed to retake the exam for a while, or sometimes at all. Players can learn to operate a variety of different vehicles, and they can choose from a great variety of professions. The game's player-run economy and well-balanced career system are extremely well done, but similar to what's found in other games. On the other hand, a particularly innovative aspect of real life is the way it forces you to gain certification to use certain objects. This feels much less contrived than the level caps or class restrictions found in other games (there are no "levels" or "experience points" per se in real life), and it also prevents players who "twink" money from their parents from automatically getting access to all the best facilities and equipment--though it's certainly true that players of good parentage have an inherent and arguably unfair advantage. Nevertheless, it's standard practice to have to qualify for certain professions, to engage in certain activities, to use certain equipment, and so forth. This system is quite modular. For example, even if you've become certified to drive a motorcycle, that doesn't automatically qualify you to drive an automobile. This example is evidence of some of the amazing depth offered by real life--there are so many different options and viable decisions for a character to make that it's just about impossible for any one character to see everything and visit all the colorful and sometimes dangerous locations. Unlike in other MMORPGs, combat actually isn't a major factor for most players in real life, though players are bound to engage in a few skirmishes early in their lives. Interestingly, though, real life does offer an amazingly intricate combat system, featuring complex hand-to-hand and ranged combat options that a character may learn and even specialize in. Combat-oriented characters lead exciting but sometimes short lives in real life. That being the case, you'd think more players would be drawn to combat in real life, and in some territories, they are. However, the PVE (player vs. environment) aspect of real life is relatively unpopular, and the PVP (player vs. player) portion, while interesting, is far too risky for most of the population. That's on account of the game's very strict death penalty and punitive system--you may freely attempt to harm or kill any other player at any time, but you will then likely be heavily punished by the game's player-run authorities. The punitive system has loopholes and other problems, allowing certain players to elude punishment and continue to engage in various player-killing activities. But for the most part, real life does a good enough job of making the punishment fit the crime, as it were, so in most regions there's a relative sense of order. Player death is a serious issue in real life, and cause for continued debate among players, who often direct unanswerable questions on the subject to the game's developers, who are apparently (and understandably) so busy that they generally keep silent. In short, players who die--at the hands of other players, by the occasional environmental hazard, or when their account expires--are essentially removed from the gameworld and apparently cannot return at all. This further discourages players from engaging in PVP combat, but it does help real life's rapidly growing player population from getting too out of hand (though eventually there will be a need for additional servers). Player groups can achieve incredible success in ways you wouldn't expect, and that helps keep real life fresh and interesting. Real life looks incredible, to say the least. To be sure, certain areas appear drab and colorless, even unpleasantly so. But some of the outdoor environments and even some of the player-made urban settings are truly a sight to behold, and various environmental and weather effects only add to the charm. The character models, meanwhile, are as impressive and detailed as they are varied. Some are incredibly striking and beautiful, while others appear hideously ugly--it's great that you can more or less decide for yourself on which side of the spectrum you wish to be. Real life also features some of the most believable ambient effects and footstep sounds to date, and it offers an incredible variety of music for good measure. In one of the game's best touches, players can actually compose, conduct, and perform their own music, and this is viable either for solo players or for groups. Especially skilled musicians go on to become some of the wealthiest and most popular characters around. The music career path is more complex and challenging than you'd expect, and it's another one of real life's really impressive and well-implemented features. One of the coolest experiences in the game is in traveling to different regions and listening to how different the music sounds for that territory. For that matter, architecture and even player languages differ depending on region. Real life can occasionally feel like a chore. Some players legitimately dislike it, despite having attempted and even excelled at numerous career paths. Others externalize their frustrations by harming other players or, in some cases, even harming themselves. These players do have access to various support forums, and often end up whiling away the time by engaging in various available minigames or other competitive activities. Socializing is always an option, and as with other online RPGs, real life is certainly at its most rewarding when you manage to find and consort with other like-minded companions. At any rate, it's hard to fault the game for lack of content or viable activities, and even when certain players try to subvert the system or harm others, it still makes for some exciting and spontaneous events for other players who happen to be in the area or just hear of the event. Beyond that, real life can indeed be very time-consuming, and some of the less exciting moments, such as when your character is tired or injured, can be annoyingly so. It's also true that real life is constantly being refined. Some players argue that many of the numerous changes constantly being made are for the worse--for example, players running once-profitable tobacco companies, as well as the players who are addicted to using popular tobacco products, often complain that the tobacco business is being "nerfed" for no good reason. But either way, it's good to know that players are able to actively improve certain features that require finer tuning. This keeps the developers free to focus on bigger issues. Ultimately, if you take a step back and look at the big picture, you'll see that real life is an impressive and exciting experience, despite its occasional and sometimes noticeable problems. It says a lot for real life that, even with these issues, it's still very highly recommendable. Simply put, those missing out on real life are doing just that. 99 Hunter - November 1st, 200899 Cooking -July 22nd, 200999 Firemaking - July 29th, 201099 Fletching - December 30th, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zygimantas Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 gamespot ^ 99 Hunter - November 1st, 200899 Cooking -July 22nd, 200999 Firemaking - July 29th, 201099 Fletching - December 30th, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostisalive Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 lol you totally got me i thought this was a real game for a sec then i was like wait its just a joke nice post too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron8000 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I have a funny feeling herblore and ehem "stat boosting" potions wouldn't be quite so legal in this RL :lol: There are some people who could do with a darn good muting however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kariga Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 This is true. I just quit rs cause the graphics and pk system are so bad and i started RL. (last post ill make on tip.it ever) 6221st to 85 Slayer. ( Yippee) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkblob0 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Real Life sucks, unless you buy the Atheism expansion pack. Then, you're pretty much ban proof from the main admin known as God. If he, she or it comes to ban you, use the following dialogue to save yourself: Mod God: Hello, [username]. I've come to ban you. You: Slight problem, there. Not only do I not believe in you, but this is proof of your existance and proof denies faith and without faith you are nothing. Quad erat demonstrandum. Good day--I've just banned you. Mod God: Oh, right. Damn. Thank you, Douglas Adams. :XD: yay logic :lol: Don't Click This774th to 99 hunting on July 16th 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiddel Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 i used to play that but i ended up selling my char Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connerr Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 i used to play that but i ended up selling my char LOL! I also hate how in real life unicorns are like level 126, makes it way harder to collect their horns :( EDIT: 1000 views in like 12 hours :shock: Quit - October 7th, 2007.1700 Total, 4 years of RS.^Click for Blog^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asphodel Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 In real life, you can go on this game called RuneScape.# :| I actually did not catch on to the "joke" of this thread and I even went and googled it.. -.- [omg] lol Lmfao! That made me lol irl :XD: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpez Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 At least in Real Life if you give a friend a gift you don't get banned for real life item trading. "Happy B-day Jim! Here's a Flatscreen LCD 34" TV!" *Police burst through the wall* "Get him! Go go go go go!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idarodo Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 But in Real Life, you don't really create your character, but two higher level players (usually 25-35) choose to create you; and after that, it still takes 9 months for their request to be activated. There's also a big, unfixable bug in RL; usually until level 2 or so, you can't even chat with other players! Since when you're a low level you usually would ask higher leveled players for advise, in this game you have to find out everything out yourself for a while... Otherwise, I find RL as a great game. 6,521th to 99 woodcutting | Fletching 98/99 | Idarodo | Combat 90 | Total 1565+ | 38m+ total exp Retired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkmage099 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Mating is more fun irl. Therefore, real life > runescape' And more people play real life (free subscription?), so it is much better to be famous in real life than runescape. AND there's better graphics irl Trix.--quit WoW as of 12/07Thank you 4be2jue for the wonderful sig and avatar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willysp Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 just wondering... about how long does it take to max out your combat stats? In theory, there is no max's in real life :D My WoW character, gnome warlock Saldomar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedy1135 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 some parts of "Real Life" are 18+ :-$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w2che Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 lol anyone got any cheats for this game :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zygimantas Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Mating is more fun irl. Therefore, real life > runescape' And more people play real life (free subscription?), so it is much better to be famous in real life than runescape. AND there's better graphics irl The graphics rock!!! 99 Hunter - November 1st, 200899 Cooking -July 22nd, 200999 Firemaking - July 29th, 201099 Fletching - December 30th, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ugafan_2009 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Mating is more fun irl. Therefore, real life > runescape' And more people play real life (free subscription?), so it is much better to be famous in real life than runescape. AND there's better graphics irlTaxes :P Quit RS, combat 104, total 1651 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbow15 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 AFTER ONE HOUR of googeling i'v came to the conclusion that there is no game called real life :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no_way2go Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I went out to fish for sharks once in Real Life but it didn't turn out so great :? Also when I'm wearing my purple partyhat in Real Life people look silly at me, I don't know why tough. :-# - Back to casual f2p scaping due to limited time (university and girlfriend ) - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Eggz Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 What's the website for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakka102 Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 glad to see this topic hit off nicely. I read all the posts. Godofjoy, you wrote a novel on the game :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runeman231 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 glad to see this topic hit off nicely. I read all the posts. Godofjoy, you wrote a novel on the game :shock: Wakka you did a great job with this. Now we're all moking RL :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBC3 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 he is actually talking about real life for anyone who doesnt know, too lazy to read all the pages 4000000657th to 99 cookin555555406th to 99 flethcin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poddy295 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Hehe, I think I inspired this thread. Wakka tried to talk me out of retirement yesterday! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver24-7 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 so what's the site? i want to see how its like http://www.openyourdoorandwalkthroughit.com :lol: that made me lol a bit it actually made me click on it to see if someone would've made a guide on how to get your life back XDXDXDXDXD And more people play real life (free subscription?), so it is much better to be famous in real life than runescape. lol you must've forgotten about taxes !! Ohw and before anyone forgets... in real life, when you don't get along with people, there isn't an ignore list to put them on :o Neither can you go around cutting and burning trees to your desire but you would first need approval of another player and some friends of his. The total lvl in this game works really weird, instead of summing up your different skill lvl they add up the time you have been playing this game, and they even make slight changes to your appearance to show your total lvl, wouldn't it be nicer to just stick "lvl X" over everyones head ? :/ A great bug in this real life is made with the worldmap, if you are rich enough and have or buy the necessary technology, you can actually go off the worldmap, and sometimes you get back, but other times you get lost forever in the yet to be coded emptyness :o even though some people have managed to find some coded parts within that emptyness, I wonder who coded them :/ because they don't give any players the option to start playing there. Ohw and the last great aspect on this real life, is that whithin this game, the range of minigames is infinite!!! there are even places that you can visit that come up with many new minigames every week, some of them even look a lot like this real life game, some are even more complex and more fun :o !!!! you could never get bored of them. Now I should stop commenting on this real life game because people will think I'm addicted to it and call me a no lifer :'( ...Silver I'm Finally 99 mage ^^ (and cooking...) :PSilver24-7 - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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