[MUD-Dev] Corruption of the game, profit and ethics

[Matthew Mihaly]

On Wed, 12 Jul 2000, S. Patrick Gallaty wrote:

> Verant has specifically admitted that there are design considerations which
> involve 'pacing' or controlling the rate which players advance, some of
> these are specific design considerations such as not allowing melee
> characters to 'bind', invoking long travel times.   I think you might be
> surprised at the people who are making and approving some of the design
> considerations on everquest (board of directors), and what their ultimate
> concern is.  But that again, isn't what I intend to address with these
> questions.

You are surprised by this? Verant is there to make money.


> Again, reread my questions.  I am asking if the revenue pressure can and
> does alter the game, and can those alterations be unethical?

Of course it does. It'd be a pretty damn poor game designer who designs 
for a commercial product and not take into account all factors relevant to
the game. The revenue heavily influences the amount of profit a game can
make, and profit is probably the most relevant factor to commercial game
design.

--matt




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