[MUD-Dev] New Skill System

[gmiller at classic-games.com]

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Original message: http://www.kanga.nu/archives/MUD-Dev-L/2000Q4/msg00601.php

On Wed, 27 Dec 2000 21:10:28 -0800 (PST)
"John Buehler" <johnbue at email.msn.com> wrote:
> gmiller at classic-games.com wrote
> > OK, but what's the positive aspect of saying "sorry, you can't
> > improve your character anymore"? That just speeds up the player's
> > inevitable arrival at a point at which he has to either find "elder
> > games" to play or quit the game entirely. The player may see
> > diminishing returns, but "sorry, the numbers won't get any bigger"
> > isn't needed.
> 
> Pishtosh.
> 
> That attitude is based on the notion that skill advancement is the
> only interesting factor in gameplay.  In a game where skill

No, it's based on the notion that skill advancement is *an* interesting factor
in gameplay.

> Game designers seem to be very American in their thinking: you must
> achieve the ultimate end as defined by the world.  Some achievement,
> some success, some item, some action.  What ever happened to "It's not
> the destination that counts, but the journey"?

Somewhere along the line, the players got in the way. In both the commercial and
free worlds, the high-profile/much-discussed games are those that get played the
most, and those seem to consistently be the ones that leave the player with
some sort of accomplishment they can point to at the end of the day.

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