> First of all, I assert that RP is dead on this mud. Really it's never existed. It's only been a bunch of different people talking about light and dark (25% of which can't find the shift key) The cities, the wilds and other inane things. All around cabal politics that really ammount to nothing but capture the flag.

That's role-play. It's just really mediocre role-play. Some people can't even manage that.

> Look at the big rewards out there. Who has them? Did they get them from RP or did they get them from just keeping quiet after losing a PK and being successful at PK?

Some folks tend to be rewarded for actual role-play. Sometimes the role-play isn't evident in what a character says or how he talks. For instance, the guy with sphere courage who actually engages in fights where he's at a severe disadvantage and ends up (occasionally) paying for it. That's role-play. The Fort guy who spends the vast majority of his time trying to eradicate evil instead of, say, exploring or sitting around the Inn. That's role-play.

> I'm not seeing any return on my investment so I've pretty much just stopped trying.

Do you play characters to age death? Old and established characters tend to get watched more. Most of your role-playing has probably not been rewarded because nobody was actually watching.