While advances in world story are promising in the arena of PvP, the other aspects of MMOs have suffered neglect. If "the pen is mightier than the sword" then why are players only able to use swords? The answer is that the devs won't let go of the pen.

In this week's RoleCraft, Jim Moreno looks at the options RPers have when dealing with the old MMORPG standby - the expansion pack.

The time span between port battle in Pirates of the Burning Sea will more than double shortly. The change goes into effect to give players more "planning" time. Check out the official word on the subject...

Dying to get in touch with your inner pirate? If so, Pirates of the Burning Sea is free for two weeks under a new offer. Snag the details after the jump.

MMO worlds are stagnant. They have cardboard cutout monsters and NPCs that stand in their assigned space. Players knock the monsters down like a fantastical shooting range, but after a few minutes, the pulleys whir, the monsters stand up, and the world reverts to its static state. On a micro level where thousands of players are sharing the same game space, this is to be expected. The problem is that it also exists at a macro level and constantly echoes in the background, "This world is not real... this world is not real..."