[MUD-Dev] Fair/Unfair? Scenarios (fwd)

[J C Lawrence]

On Fri, 10 Dec 1999 04:32:19 -0600 
Greg Miller <gmiller at classic-games.com> wrote:

> Reminds me of something I read lately. It might have been here,
> but I think it was on a web site (Gamasutra, maybe?). The author
> commented that people tend to have the most fun when they're
> learning. This sort of thing leaves you with no sense that you
> won't make the same sort of mistake next time.  

This leaves the deliniation being between:

  <bad thing happens -- character killed>
  Damn, that sucks!  I'm outta here!

and:

  <bad thing happens -- character killed>
  Damn!  Umm, Oh.  If I'd jut done XYZ then things would have been
  different!  Let's try that again.

You have to maintain the willingness of the player to play and
persist even in the face of apparent failure.  There's a tender line
to be trodden there between demoralising futility and monty hauls.
  
--
J C Lawrence                              Internet: claw at kanga.nu
----------(*)                            Internet: coder at kanga.nu
...Honorary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...


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