[MUD-Dev] Re: Laws of Online World Design

[Ola Fosheim Grøstad <olag@ifi.uio.no>]

"Koster, Raph" wrote:
> Ola wrote:
> > I am personally more in favour of slogans than laws. Here are
> > some slogans
> > (from memory):
> 
> Well, many of the laws actually are slogans, and a lot of them I

I agree.  What is interesting about "slogans" is that they seems to be
closely related to the visions of the designer. Can we find the "slogans" in
the author's designs?  Why, where?  Can we find spots where the designer has
done the opposite? Why?

> > * It's the people STUPID!  - R. Farmer

Zenda News interview:

  "[...]There was a lot of VR hype at the time, all talking about how
   technology was so great. The main lesson we were trying to get
   out at the time was: It's the People, Stupid! -- something the
   folks at The Palace have taken to heart"

(All typos are mine.)

> > * Users want to get away with something out-of-the-ordinary.
> > - Bumgardner

> Where's this one from?

I think there is a better reference on this, but I did at least find it in
Suler's psyav.html:

     "As Bumgardner intended, people do try to "get
      away with something" by playing jokes on their fellow users."

(I seem to have added the out-of-the-ordinary. Still, I think it's true that
users have a strong desire to do something out-of-the-ordinary. This may be
a reasonable reason to add features which from a usability point of view is
plain nuts)

> 
> > * It isn't a game if you cannot die. - Bartle?
> 
> Richard, do you stand by this? Seems rather broad :)

The source is "the Virtual Community" by Rheingold, p 163:

     "[...]in Bartle's opinion, it isn't a game if you can't die."

--
Ola