Now, when I'm saying this people are going to look at the game and say "WAIT A MINUTE! X is better at this!" Well, hate to break it to you, but just because you game has a levelling system and NPCs to talk to does NOT make it an RPG.
I'm talking abot ROLE-PLAYING GAMES and Face of Mankind qualifies as an M.M.O R.P.G. Characters earn money by doing faction objetives, missions. These missions are set down by the faction leadership (actual players).
When you log into the game you get to pick a faction. The faction you decide will determine most of what happens in the game. For example if you chose the law enforcement division LED, then you would be tasked with patrolling, scanning citizens for illegal drugs, or crimes committed, and if the scan individual has enough "penalty points" you can stun them and send them to jail. Likewise other factions exist like the military, the brotherhood of shadows, a couple mega-corporations and even a group of drug dealers. And drugs are great in that game! They actually give you stat bonuses, but they are illegal under Dominion law therefore it's the job of the cops to keep it off the street. But all of these factions and their rules are determined by other players who are ROLEPLAYING. -- That's right, the vaule of the game itself is your interactions with other players, it's a social game as well as a Player vs Player game.
While you do earn experience points for leveling up, they actually just unlock the ability to have your character leveled up. You see instead of gaining levels you advance through your faction's ranks, and it's up to your superiors to determine when you're ready for the responsibilities that come with that new rank. So it's kind of like a job except for one major difference your work is playing the game whether it's killing your faction's enemies, or performing actions in line with your faction's goals.
So your "job" could be to deal drugs or it might be to arrest criminals if you do a great job at it and you get along with the people in your faction specifically leaders to be promoted along. Every so many hours cause the game data pass by at the end of the game day you're given a paycheck in the mail and the paycheck is actually determined by how active you were in the faction compared to the other members and waited by your rank. So obviously will get paid more if you're a higher rank but at the same time how much more? Let depends on how active you are having missions you complete for your faction.
The game features a Senate which actually governs the rules several factions abide by and shapes Dominion LAW through in game politics among players.
Yes there will be people running around shooting you for no reason, but the military and police will tend to either put them down or arrest them. Yes you may violate laws and not even know you're doing it, and the police officers might put you down. A big problem people have is the art allowed to have their guns out in hand in public, that's part of Dominion Law and so many a newbie has been a lawbreaker and not even realized it. The police have a system called warn, stun, warn, kill. And most police officers abide by it, although some do not and they have been known to be demoted or punished for that.
But the police are just ONE example of a rich and fulfilling game world where almost everything is determined by the player community.
I highly recommend everyone have a peak at Face of Mankind, it is an amazing game, but because it is out of date it has a dwindling playerbase, this kickstarter campaign aims to change that by creating a NEW face of mankind, better and more expansive than the old one ever was. Support this campaign, and you will find an amazing scifi MMORPG.
