When I was a teenager, I was introduced to a game that was set in an ancient world where wizards and warriors, magic-users and half-elves - and demons and Deities lived and battled. A world where a high charisma and a book of spells can get you out of quite a tight spot - and a world that I "lived in" many days of my life - the world of Dungeons And Dragons.

Whether I was at home, at a friend's house - or at sleep-away camp - it seemed as if I always managed to find someone that was into "D & D." In fact, I played so often that I graduated to "Dungeon Master" - and orchestrated the game instead of just playing it.

For those who do not understand words like, "Hit Points", "Double Damage" and "Cloak Of Invisibility" - I will explain. Dungeons And Dragons is a role playing game in the form of a series of books written by Gary Gygax that allows you, the player, to create a character that could be anything from a Magic-User that casts spells, to a Ranger that fights with a bow and arrow and has excellent tracking abilities. With a character encompassing many different traits [Strength, Dexterity, Constitution - or "Health," etc.] and a weapon of choice, you go on adventures in the hopes of gaining "Gold-pieces," powerful weapons - and "experience points" - or amounts of points for killing opponents.

With a narrated line from my written script and a roll of the dice - I the Dungeon Master and any other "DM" would determine the fate of the players - and the outcome of the game. The characters are tracked for any treasure gained, any "Hit Points" lost - and the number of spells they cast - and the amount of spells cast against them. Their characters must eat when are hungry and rest when they are tired. And most importantly - characters can die - causing you to be completely thrown out of the game - unless you knew somebody who could resurrect you.

In my "D & D" world, "Zyrax" ruled the Kingdom of "Gareon." A Chaotic-Neutral Fighter/Magic User, "Zyrax" went on many adventures that led him to many unique and sought after artifacts - and once-in-a-lifetime battles with some of the most horrific of creatures. In fact, I still have my old "D & D" notebook full of all of my characters and created Dungeons.

At the time I was playing "D & D" I could not have imagined playing the game without books, dice - or handwritten characters and pencil-drawn dungeon maps. To me, the only other way to play "D & D" was to draw life size maps and buy the pewter figurines that they sold for just that purpose. But tonight, I saw a way to play "D & D" that I could never have possibly conceived as a child. A form of the game that could not be played when I was a kid - because the technology that it is played on it did not exist yet. And a form of the game that is so advanced - that it allows you to play with people from all over the world - in a computer game that is so realistic - you can actually see your character breathe - EverQuest.

Developed by Verant almost five years ago and currently developed by Sony Online Entertainment, EverQuest was voted, "The Number Two Game Of The Millennium". As the game's official website dictates, EverQuest is, "an enormous virtual environment - an entire world with its own diverse species, economic systems, alliances, and politics." Basically, EverQuest is a "D & D" of the future. A fully computerized, on-line version of a game that, for me, required books, dice, a sharpened pencil, maps - and blank paper to take notes. In EverQuest - all of your traits are computerized and instantly updated when you rest to gain strength - or get hurt in combat. You can travel on your own - or align yourselves with people you have never even met and go on the same adventures that my friends and I went on - with our imaginations serving as the only visualizations.

Woody has played EverQuest for one year and from the beginning - tried to get me into the game countless times, but for some reason or another, I never paid close attention to the game or the graphics - until tonight. As I stared at his screen in complete amazement, I saw my handwritten character on a computer screen in every detail - and them some. From the character's abilities, to weapons arsenal - to spell book - there it was in brilliant three-dimensional state-of-the-art graphics complete with action sounds and a full chat room. As a teenager, you could have asked me to make a list of one-thousand ways I would have wanted to play "D & D" - and never would have said a, "Massive Multiplayer Online Worldwide Role Playing Game that was capable of hosting thousands of players from all over the globe on any given night."

Believe me, it is not the amazing graphics that peaked my intrigue this evening, it was the fact that I finally discovered that one of my childhood pastimes has massively evolved. What amazes me about this game is not the advanced computer graphics - being the owner of a PlayStation 2 - it is the fact that it is a futuristic version of a game that I played growing up. A game that has transformed from a huddled group of friends in a basement - to an alliance of complete strangers from around the entire world slaying the same Dragon.

I only wish I had the time to get into EverQuest, but unfortunately, I have my own Dragons to slay, lives to save - and experience points to hopefully gain. To be honest, I have not played "D & D" in close to ten years. But despite my decade-long absence - I still hold fond memories of my days as both the adventurous character - and the Dungeon Master creating the adventures. And now that I was able to see it in an unthinkably amazing way makes me miss playing "D & D" so much - that I want to go home and dust off my old notebook...

...right after Woody helps me build an online character.