Real Life: The RPG

Realistic. Lifelike. The highest praise for games revolves around the usage of the words "real" and "life" as if real life is the pinnacle of gaming. But as a game, Real Life sucks.

 

It's not that Real Life doesn't have its enjoyable moments. It's just that gaming has become so customized to the user experience, so uniquely tailored to be exciting and interesting and engaging all the time, that Real Life cannot possibly compete with a gaming experience. As gaming simulations progress from an abstract portrayal of another life to a fully immersive experience, they threaten to become indistinguishable from the game that is life. 

 

Perhaps the most basic simulation of life is the Game of Life board game, which in fact isn't very basic at all. Players can choose a variety of professions, ranging from salesperson to doctor. They make decisions about finding mates and adopting children, with a significant amount of luck thrown in. 

 

As a simulation, the most well known "life sim" is The Sims. The Sims is essentially a virtual dollhouse, which provides some insight as to how the game works: gameplay focuses on the maintenance and care of highly advanced virtual dolls, only with more rules than children might apply to their toys.

 

Second Life, on the other hand, is less a doll house and more of a virtual world, wherein inhabitants can create avatars for themselves, make money, and otherwise express themselves in anyway imaginable – assuming they have the technical and financial resources to do so. Unlike The Sims, Second Life involves its own currency with a conversion to real-life cash, thus providing all the incentives and complications that come with fiscal responsibility.

 

Compared to other games, Real Life just doesn't match up. But it was, technically, the very first Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG). A review on GameFAQs explains:

 

 

This highly realistic MMORPG is fraught with all sorts of challenges, best exemplified by Mark Leung's College Saga:

  

  

Fortunately there's help. You can purchase a Real Life Walkthrough: The Ultimate Game Guide To Your Life: Or, The Video Game As Existential Metaphor.

  

For more info:  Get up from the computer and walk around. You might be surprised what you find.