I agree wholeheartedly with datagoblin. I have never played a Dungeons and Dragons table/card whatever game, but I have always heard about it. I have never been near a community that does such things, but I definitely understand the concept.
I have never played an MMORPG that does it right like Ultima Online. Ultima Online was a vast world where you could literally do whatever you wanted and didnt have to follow along with linear quests. I also like that when I want to mine rocks, I have to walk to a mountain wall or into a cave and mine with a pickaxe that could break. No other game has ever recreated the tradeskill system Ultima Online used. Everquest 2... I have to find a rock on the group, or a bush, or log, all in the same general area and gather from it. BORING. I have played WOW, EQ, EQ2, Guild Wars, and SWG. None have it quite right.
Now I like the concept of being able to solve encounters in some varied way that we choose, but we all know that isnt possible with computer programming because it isn't as diverse as the human mind. So of couse you will only be able to sneak or attack, maybe use some scripted dialog. That is the number one reason I believe this game could never mimic a DnD table game. PNP.. I think is what I see it being called.
Also what datagoblin stated... in Ultima Online, if some guy killed me or anyone, their name would be flagged. So anyone can kill him without penalty and can recieve an award too of cash. That is player interaction, big time. I also would like to be able to get housing, hire NPC's to be vendors and place these houses wherever in the world I want to.
I prefer vast, continuous, expansive worlds that I can interact at anytime of the day. I hope it isn't like Guild Wars, where you only meet people in towns, and form groups and go off on a quest with that group in your own instance. It was fun when I played it, interesting concept, but it just creates lack of interactivity which I so much love. And then when I beat the game, I had no more quests to do, so I quit playing. I think it will be hard for them to keep content coming, and I'm not the kind of guy who wants to go hunt the same boss over and over. Just my 2 cents
What do you guys think?