In 1974, a worldwide phenomenon was created with the release of a new type of game - one which used "funny-looking" dice and no playing board - the game was Dungeons and Dragons and because of the complicated math and time involved, it largely appealed to intellectuals.
Somewhere around this same time, another group of intellectuals was making what would later become personal computers in their garages.
When the two came together, the worldwide phenomenon of online role playing gaming was born.
Because there was so much overlap in the audiences, fantasy role-playing games were among the first programs created for personal computers.
With the advent of the Internet, they were also among the first offerings on the World Wide Web.
Today, some 20 years after the Internet opened to commercial and personal use, online role playing gaming is still wildly popular.
Role-playing games allow players to assume the identity ("role") of a fictitious character, often with abilities that far outstrip those of the player, who lives in a fictional world far removed from our own.
There is no "winning" or "losing" in RPG; the point is to develop your character - continue developing his abilities, learn new ones, and acquire better equipment.
While some games are very rigidly structured, many offer boundless opportunities for exploration and advancement.
These days, online role playing gaming has almost completely supplanted its tabletop predecessor and there are numerous genres and gaming worlds from which to choose.
20 years later, online role playing gaming shows no signs of slowing down.