[Meta] RE: [MUD-Dev] Re: MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #163 - 25 msgs

[J C Lawrence]

<<Thread moved to MUD-Dev>>

On Sun, 16 Jul 2000 22:39:17 -0500 
Raph Koster <rkoster at austin.rr.com> wrote:

>> J C Lawrence:
>> 
>> I'm still waiting for someone to notice that many of the
>> self-assessed explorer/builders don't actually play as
>> explorer/builders.  The claimed population of the suit is
>> unrealistically high.  There's a lesson in there and one I think
>> Skotos has noted carefully.

> Yes, in terms of how people play now, the claimed population
> exceeds empirical evidence. But I wuold take that as evidence that
> the impulse exists, the desire--the will, but not the way. The
> fact is that the impulse exists; whether people can express it is
> another story. And even the best tools aren't very good. And even
> when most people do manage to use them, the results aren't very
> good.

While that may account for some, I suspect there's also a larger
factor: romance.  Explorer/builders have a certain cachet with the
primary population of MUDs and it becomes a question of unexamined
self-image.  Conan the empire builder.  Conan the Discoverer of new
wonders.  Conan the guy who has been where none have gone before.
Damned few people's self-image is as a pot-bellied balding dough
faced corporate grunt, even if that's an accurate description of
them.  They might not say they look like Arnold Schwartzeneeger, but
its going to be something in that direction from the previous
description.  Ditto they tend to be explorer/builders.

> What will make it a success? When the tools are so easy that they
> make anyone look good. Then we'll see the population come into its
> own.

Excuse me if I find that unsubtley depressing.  I'm not interested
in making it difficult, but I am interested in the difference
between mastery and idle dabblings.  I appreciate demonstrated
skill.  

--
J C Lawrence                                 Home: claw at kanga.nu
---------(*)                               Other: coder at kanga.nu
http://www.kanga/nu/~claw/        Keys etc: finger claw at kanga.nu
--=| A man is as sane as he is dangerous to his environment |=--


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