I agree MO2 is a MMO, but it's failing... I however don't think you only have to play a role cuz then anything can be role playing. Role playing implies some level of depth and difference-making and that's the thing. Just like... for the lootbag analogy, you are playing the role of lootbag, but everyone is 70 crafting meh armor that is saturated everywhere. Maybe they have a wep that you prol can't use. How did the lootbag happen, etc.
That's the role playing part it's multiple parts, it's action-->reaction-->(many reverbs), and it continues. Enough happened in MO during some of the early years that some guilds prol hate each other to this day lol. They might respect but they are like yugh. This is a competitive, supposedly MMO game like a sport... which is cool, and some people play it that way, also, surviving and such is another way to play. It's also competitive, but a bit diff.
People need to go out, especially because the word sandbox just opens up everything, or should, and be able to play almost any role they want to and succeed, provided they network right, do their skill right, and the pop is not COMPLETELY DEAD (not completely dead yet.)
So yea it's a MMO but it's lacking a lot atm. So many things that could be done like clade changes, making clade deeper, stuff to give you more customization. In sports games now you level up your dude, you dress your dude, you equip boosts and badges or cards or w/e... THAT is making a sports game like an MMO because you already were playing the role of an athlete, but now you have to long term progress and plan things a bit.