Gaia Online: A Different Way to Role Play on the Internet

Anyone who frequents the internet has heard of a little (or not so little) thing called World of Warcraft. While this popular massive-multiplayer online role-playing game has millions of people addicted to an interactive fantasy world, many others are seeking a more simplistic approach to the digital world. Gaia online is a role-playing website that allows its users to customize their own personal avatars. Although not quite a game, this site still has many aspects that make it similar to a game: buying different clothes and items for avatars, buying a house and designing it, guilds, and a forum. Many people consider Gaia different things, but my personal take on it is that it's a forum-based role-playing site. By posting in the forums, personal blogs (each user has his or her own), voting on avatars, and playing some of the mini games, users are able to earn gold. In a sense, Gaia has a little of everything, and can almost be thought of as a comparable to MySpace, because it allows its users to network with one another. Friends aren't too hard to find as long as people are friendly with one another and somewhat conversational. It's not too hard to find people with similar interests, or who live in a nearby location, since Gaia has actually spread to many parts of the United States, and parts of other countries as well.