[MUD-Dev] re: Originality/Points of Reference

Wed Dec 22 13:53:26 CET 1999

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From: "Richard Ross" <rross at rross.eurobell.co.uk>

[q]This has probably been asked before but I currently lack the =
facilities to
check...  Are there any -truely- original MUDs out there?  or do players
need points of reference like familiar races/classes, recognisable
societies/governments etc?[/q]

What is truly original though?  And what is derivative?  The multiplayer =
roleplaying experience that I am working on has your basic elves, =
dwarves, but we also have Girah, Manx, Naehum, Occian, Phiss, Viricar =
and Wohend.  Of course, giving something a new name isn't always a =
stroke of genius either, our Wohen are your basic dog/wolf people.  On =
the profession side of things, we have your basic Bard, Cleric, Druid, =
Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Warrior and Wizard, but we also have an Archon and =
an Eclectic.  The Archon is a psionicist of a sort, while the Eclectic =
is a jack of all trades.

My point is that while we may have a new take on our basic professions, =
and even some unusual (or perhaps, just less common) professions, I =
can't really say that we've got a profession that is uniquely original =
(our Eclectic comes close ;)  For our races, the Naehum and Occian I =
would consider fairly original, but out of twenty possible player =
races...on the originality scale, where does two put you?  On the other =
hand, our elves are the progeny of a race of humans and sylvani that =
bred in the distant past, which I believe is a nice original twist on =
the basic take on elves.

I think part of the reason that you will always see an elf (or dwarf or =
whatever) is the familiarity factor.  People want to play in an =
environment that is fun and challenging, but they also want some sort of =
basis from which they can leap off into their fantasy world.  Elves =
(again using them as a generic substitute) serve that purpose.  So in =
the end, I think you answered your question with what I believe to be =
the reason why.

ian
------
ian c. klimon, esq.
product manager
ian at aephirsden.com
www.aephirsden.com

=20

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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>From: "Richard Ross" <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:rross at rross.eurobell.co.uk">rross at rross.eurobell.co.uk</A>=
><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>[q]This has probably been asked before but I =
currently lack=20
the facilities to<BR>check...  Are there any -truely- original MUDs =
out=20
there?  or do players<BR>need points of reference like familiar=20
races/classes, recognisable<BR>societies/governments =
etc?[/q]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>What is truly original though?  And what is=20
derivative?  The multiplayer roleplaying experience that I am =
working on=20
has your basic elves, dwarves, but we also have Girah, Manx, Naehum, =
Occian,=20
Phiss, Viricar and Wohend.  Of course, giving something a new name =
isn't=20
always a stroke of genius either, our Wohen are your basic dog/wolf=20
people.  On the profession side of things, we have your basic Bard, =
Cleric,=20
Druid, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Warrior and Wizard, but we also have an =
Archon and=20
an Eclectic.  The Archon is a psionicist of a sort, while the =
Eclectic is a=20
jack of all trades.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>My point is that while we may have a new take on our =
basic=20
professions, and even some unusual (or perhaps, just less common) =
professions, I=20
can't really say that we've got a profession that is uniquely original =
(our=20
Eclectic comes close ;)  For our races, the Naehum and Occian I =
would=20
consider fairly original, but out of twenty possible player races...on =
the=20
originality scale, where does two put you?  On the other hand, our =
elves=20
are the progeny of a race of humans and sylvani that bred in the =
distant=20
past, which I believe is a nice original twist on the basic take on=20
elves.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I think part of the reason that you will always see =
an elf (or=20
dwarf or whatever) is the familiarity factor.  People want to play =
in an=20
environment that is fun and challenging, but they also want some sort of =
basis=20
from which they can leap off into their fantasy world.  Elves =
(again using=20
them as a generic substitute) serve that purpose.  So in the end, I =
think=20
you answered your question with what I believe to be the reason=20
why.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>ian</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>------<BR>ian c. klimon, esq.<BR>product =
manager<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:ian at aephirsden.com">ian at aephirsden.com</A></FONT><FONT=20
size=3D2><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.aephirsden.com">www.aephirsden.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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