Any of you guys know of any MMORPGs that are actually real time? Seems everything out there that i''ve played (EQ, DAOC, AC) are all turn based. Just curious as to whether or not it is even possible to implement some real time aspects in an MMORPG or if turn based is the only suitable option for now. If there are some RT ones I''d like to check them out. Webby

I believe Neocron is completely realtime, kinda a mix of FPS and MMOG, buggy from what I hear, but I have a friend who swears it is great fun, I haven''t gone any further than the offline demo myself though yet.

Games that are out now? How about UO? AO? Depends on what you mean by turn based... But for upcoming games, take a look at Planetside. Citizen Zero too...

On the console side of things (and not really a MMORPG in the traditional sense)...but Phantasy Star Online(PSO) is real time...

If you take a moment to analyze the situation, every action has a latancy time. You swing a blade, its effectiveness ends when it falls below the target, and you have to spend a few seconds moving it back into an effective positions. During this time, another action can occur by an opponent. If you coordinate, you work in turns then. Thats more or less what dancing is all about, action and reaction well-timed. In an RPG or anything for that matter, you''ll always have turns going on, just its up to you to decide how much thought-time the player has. In realtime, that thought-time is fixed; in turn-based, its unlimited. What you as a developer have to decide is how much thought-time you want to give the player, and at what pacing you want battle action to go at. If you have a playstation, the Final Fantasies are a realtime with a wide thought-time, and Star Ocean is a real-time with a narrower realtime. As for mmorpg, can''t help you there, sorry.

Never thought of it that way before. Thanks.
For MMOs I usually think of them as being something like:
Player has a sword with 5 damage 3 delay. So every 3 seconds my character can swing this sword for 5 damage. Not that simple of course but the general idea.

Never considered fighting styles like Dead or Alive to be turn based but I guess in a big sense you are correct.

Thanks,
Webby