NTJedi has suggested that the multiplayer mode(s) include a referee role, which he calls "Overseer." I don't like that title at all, but I very much like the idea and suspect it might be the only way that some of us hardcore singleplayer types could get drawn into online play.

Seeing you raise 'the same' subject as a question of modding depth makes me wonder if there might be a back-door route to the general goal even if the vanilla multiplayer has no referee role. I'd guess that it comes down to the question of whether you can add new objects to a game in progress. I wouldn't call it an RPG if the ref's only input was during setup.

Hmm an "Overseer" would allow something of a table top RPG to be played depending on the amount of flexability.  Which would be a fantastic thing if its possible, and I'd be thrilled to see it happen.

But its not quite what I was talking about really, I was thinking of making more of a Baldurs Gate type RPG.  What I'm interested in seeing is just how "open" they make the game to modding.  I know many games modding communities have disolved and lost fantastic modders due to inflexible tools and game engines.  I know in Sins, the modders hit a brick wall with adding races due to a limit on the number of audio files the engine could take (or something of that nature).

In the end it all comes down to what Stardock wants us to be able to do with their game. Though modders are notorious for finding back doors and strange ways of doing what they want despite hardcoding. Here's to hoping they give us tons of freedom!

Honestly I'm a huge table top fan, before I left home, I ran 2 weekly games.  But obviously I cant "DM" a game for everyone, so scripting a story and trying to give folks "choice" is about the best i can hope for.  If its possible, I'll most likely end up doing both. hehe

Indeed. One of the most fun story arcs I ever reffed began with my players getting wildly spooked by what had started out as a very minor magic dagger. They made the thing into such an object of fear that I had to spend the week before the next session inventing an entire back story, a new villain, etc.

If Elemental could somehow support an online game experience like that, I'd be amazed and delighted--especially if it can work with asynchronous turn processing. Other than RPG-themed retirement homes, I haven't any idea how adults with no close ties to a college campus could keep a good RPG going. Jobs, spouses, offspring, friends who could care less about games, they seem inevitably to trump any effort to have a regular RPG night.

ahh, I feel you

That is what I hate about moving because I have to find a new D&D group (or burning wheel, or shadow run, I'm not picky provided its consistant) and there is always this gap in time before I find a group that is able to meet in whole on a consistant basis and all have play styles that don't clash.   Just because everybody is nice and gets along, doesn't mean that they are a good RP group   And it is VERY tough to then remove (or sometimes even find) the weak link in a gaming group that isn't working out.   Like having to say 'you aren't showing up consistantly' or 'you really don't seem to care' is VERY hard to say to some friends.

I find its best to have a set time each week, and make it consistant.   It also helps to have a small group, which is one of several reasons I stick to a 'party no more than 5' rule with any compaigns I run.

I have a firm belief that if you have good role-players.   They will almost never do the thing you want them to do.    You set up a puzzle with one or several fairly obvious and simple solutions, the players will do something crazy that is totally unexpected.   (like go back a short way to grab the monster they just killed and try to use weapons and bony attachments to get him stuck in a pit so that everybody can just walk across him.  And the players specifically address how the dispose of the body organs that they did not yet know they were going to need.   like....   ;  I guess its obvious to use a gigantic dead moster as a bridge now, but I really didn't expect it. And I hadn't anticipated they would destroy the heart and brains of the creature in a way that couldn't be recovered when I had planned for them to need said parts a few hours of gametime away )

Man, it makes me want to start a "RP group story time" thread in the off topic section to discuss and share stories of our past D&D group dynamics.     

That has to be one of the truest things said about good RPers I've ever heard.  The hardest part is learning as a DM to not punish your players for thinking for themselves.  Once I spent a good solid week, planning, and creating all the material I'd need for a dungeon, it was a good 4 to 6 sessions of material.  Upon reaching the entrance of the dungeon, what do my player decide? That they'd prefer to trudge through the jungle during a typhoon then enter into and I quote "What is probably a conviently placed gate way to hell", my players were paranoid. I later used the dungeon else where, and just tweaked it a bit, but it was painful to have them simply decide to pass it by after all the work I did.

I also love creative spell usage.  Like the time the group was up against a pair of trolls but lacked the means to kill them.  So the mage used his last spell, Grease, to cover them in well grease and then threw a torch upon them.  I decided the oil was very flammable and so the trolls went up in a blaze of glory so to speak.  When I asked him why he had grease (since its not a commonly used spell) he replied with "Because you never know if there's a door that'll be squeaky and need a good greasing up."

These at the end of the day are the kinds of moments I want to be able to reproduce in a game.  A scripted game only so much, because you have to anticipate the players actions as much as possible, but can only give a couple of actual options.  An open environment, however, with someone who can change, add and subtract things at will would be a fantastic platform for just that kind of RP.  The neverwinternights series of games kind of accomplished this with its modding community and PW (aka Persistent World) servers.

I really do hope I can craft both types of experiences with Elemental, because it looks to possibly be an excellent platform for it.