[MUD-Dev] selling Godhoods

[Ananda Dawnsinger]

----------
>From: Matthew Mihaly <the_logos at achaea.com>
>To: mud-dev at kanga.nu
>Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] selling Godhoods 
>Date: Mon, Apr 24, 2000, 11:14 PM
>

>On Mon, 24 Apr 2000, Ananda Dawnsinger wrote:
>
>> Many of these are people who started playing online games during the days of
>> GEnie at $6/hr.  And if you're in the routine, as many were, of coming home
>> from work, playing until bedtime, and spending most of your weekends online,
>> that added up to about $1000/month.
>
>*seethes with jealousy*

If it makes you feel any better, the games were getting author's royalty
rates (less than 20% of the cut).

>> My point is that there are players out there who have the money to spend,
>> and the experience to suggest that $3k for Godhood is a bargain.  The trick
>> is finding those folks, getting the word out, winning them over, and getting
>> them to stick around.
>> 
>> (This is definitely NOT a Scalable Solution!)
>
>The common misperception that quality and high-end customer service is not
>scalable is refuted, in my opinion, by the Four Seasons hotel chain. For
>those of you not familiar with them, they are a hotel chain with hotels
>and resorts in nearly every major city or resort area in the world, and
>they are usually either the top, or among the top, hotel/resort in their
>market. They are _fantastic_. Every one I've ever stayed at has been
>nothing less than a superlative experience, and yet they are not
>cookie-cutter at all. Each one is unique, and yet each one manages to fit
>within the larger corporate structure very well. 

Well, I didn't say 'quality and high-end customer service,' I said, more or
less, 'supporting yourself off the generosity of players willing to pay
$3000 for Godhood.'

And though I can't remember whether or not I've actually stayed at a Four
Seasons, I know the sort of hotel you're referring to.  One of their secrets
to high-end customer service is limiting the number of rooms.  Even their
Las Vegas hotel -- on the Strip! -- has under 500 rooms.

That said, the number of wealthy folks who a) like computer gaming, b) have
an interest in standard MUD subjects (fantasy and/or SF), c) are willing to
play low-tech text games, d) have enough time to devote to a MUD, e) have an
ability or affinity that makes a good MUDder, and f) are willing to pay a
large fee for a game, on the other hand -- well, just say it's not enough
folks to keep the Four Seasons chain in business.

And this is what I meant by Not a Scalable Solution.  The online gaming
community is probably less than a million users.  The ORPG community is a
fraction of that.  The text MUD community is a fraction of *that.*  The
number of wealthy text MUDders is finite, fought over by at least half a
dozen commercial MUDs, and unlikely to grow at a significant rate.  If you
are looking to these wealthy MUDders for a significant percentage of your
income, at some point your growth will reach a ceiling.

Just because the Four Seasons hotels keep occupancy high doesn't mean that
you can get 250 (or 2500, or 25,000) players to play your MUD for
$350/night...

   -- Sharon



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