Incognitiously

Hi! No such thing as too old for computer games. Nonsense. MMOs can definitely be intimidating! I've not played World of Warcraft, but as mentioned above, it's got a solid guild system. Guilds are sort of clubs for "like-minded" players. Some guilds are very activity oriented, but many are very RP-oriented. If you enjoy story and RP, this may be the best way to go (that's my preference, too -- I dislike PvP [player v. player] because I'm rotten at it). The two games I'd suggest off the bat, from personal experience, are Champions Online and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Champions Online First off, it's free-to-play, and the limitations on free accounts as opposed to paid accounts are not terribly onerous, in my opinion. The genre is goofy superhero, so don't expect a lot of angsty 90's comic book atmosphere. Playing solo is a viable option, depending on the type of character you play, and there are very heavy RP locations (clubs and bars) where you can sit around and chat with other players in-character for some laughs. The storylines in-game are, admittedly, a bit goofy, but they're pretty fun -- it's all about not taking things too seriously. If you do want to try player v. player, you can; you can choose to duel another hero if it's mutually agreed, or you can enter PvP arenas. You can't be attacked by a player just out of the blue. Star Wars: The Old Republic If you're a fan of Dragon Age or Mass Effect, a lot of the game mechanics in SWTOR will be very familiar to you. This is also free-to-play, at least for earlier levels. Bonus? Star Wars universe. I'm not a die-hard fangirl, but I do enjoy the setting. Fights can be a bit harder here, but early in most storylines you gain a companion who can lend you a hand or go off and do onerous tasks (like selling loot). You can play Sith or Republic, with six character types on each side mirroring the other (Republic Smuggler functions quite like Imperial Agent, etc). The storylines here are stronger, and there are dialogue wheel options for NPC conversations (you get these even when teamed up; theres a random number generator that decides which character's response is used in the cutscene). Star Wars has a server selection available; you should pick a Player v. Environment-RP option to avoid heavy PvP. You can still do PvP on a PvE-RP server -- you just have to initiate it yourself in specific game areas, so you're never hit by surprise by another player. I think there may be a duel option in SWTOR, but I don't remember. In either of these games you run the gamut of players, from the sort who don't write in complete sentences and grief (aggressively annoy) other players, to the kinds of people who will gladly help out if you have questions and enjoy playing in-character. Champions is a bit of luck-of-the-draw when it comes to helpful players being online, but I've found that generally, on the US east coast servers for SWTOR, the Imperial side tends to be more cordial and polite. Might just be me, but I figured it was worth sharing. Each game has a pretty strong forum and wiki which can help answer questions about gameplay specifics and mechanical stuff like emote commands and talking on different channels. Check out the forums and get a feel for things before diving in -- even better, if you like either of these options, register and say you're interested in playing, and see what advice you receive. I still show up on Champions from time to time, and my handle there is my handle on these forums. Feel free to say hi if you join up and find me online! Good luck, and have fun gaming!