[MUD-Dev] Re: Fun vs Realism [ Was: OT: Sid Meier ]

[Damion Schubert]

-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Wiggins <adam at angel.com>
To: mud-dev at kanga.nu <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Date: Tuesday, July 28, 1998 2:26 PM
Subject: [MUD-Dev] Re: Fun vs Realism [ Was: OT: Sid Meier ]


>On Sun, 26 Jul 1998, Damion Schubert wrote:
>> Having worked with Jon van Canegham, I can tell you that this is
>> part of his design philosophy.  Sure, he could improve the AI, but to
>> be honest, it's a lot more satisfying to kill a horde than finally slay a
>> solitary troll.  He's a big believer of 'Nothing (including realism)
>> should get in the way of the fun.'  Sound familiar?  I think he believes
>> that everyone, deep down, wants to be a powergamer- and that's
>> really the most rewarding part of the CRPG experience.
>
>Again - you can't tell me what's fun.

Okay, I'll grant that.  I realized that the day that I logged into UO
and found people just .... fishing.  Apparently, they found it great
fun.  Yes, fishing in UO is as boring as it sounds.

>I know what's fun, and killing tons
>of things is not it.  I find it *much* more satisfying to overcome a
>single, worthy opponent than many weak, stupid ones.  I realize, of
>course, that not everyone feels this way - walk into an arcade and you'll
>get healthy dose of both.  There's old-style vertical scrollers which
>involve your single, tiny ship obliterating wave after wave of stupid,
>slow, ill-armored enemy drones; and as well there are the new-style
>fighting games where you only fight one opponent at a time, and that
>opponent is usually a human with just as many tricks up their sleeve as
>you.


Okay.  I'll grant that point of view.  On the other hand, I rarely
come across a one-on-one game against a *computer* opponent
that was satisfying.  Usually, they make the AI on those such that
they respond instantly to your every move, almost never err, and
only die if you get them stuck on a corner (or some other bug).  I
find these victories to be extremely shallow, frustrating and unfulfilling
after the fact.

--damion