[MUD-Dev] Balance... RPG or Role-Playing Game?

[Patrick Dughi]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2000, Raph Koster wrote:
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu
> > [mailto:mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu]On Behalf Of
> > Ben
> > Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2000 5:59 PM
> > To: Post
> > Subject: [MUD-Dev] Balance... RPG or Role-Playing Game?
> >
> > People play games today for the combat.
> 
> More people don't play because of the combat than do play because of the
> combat, IMHO. How many times have we heard the pejorative "hack n slash" or
> these games referred to as juvenile testosterone fests? A game just about
> combat is a proven turn-off for most females, for example.
> 
	Actually, I'm going to agree with Ben.  We're talking about the
lowest common denominator here.  This is why the overall population of
muds far exceeds mushes.  Granted, the devoted populations (sticky) will
most likely be a different story.  

	Even among the pseudo-angst ridden, 'I-feel-the-poet-inside-me',
skin-deep introspection attitude which is so prevaliant in generation X,Y,
and Z (anyone from 16-28 basically), we still see the less intellectual
forms of entertainment grabbing the lion's share of the population.  I
don't have any hard data for this, other than my own experience, and
knowledge of numbers for what is in the field.  

	I think if you're going to want to pull in the numbers, you're
going to want to avoid the niche market.  I think that's already been
covered pretty well on the list.  No-combat muds are definitely a niche
market compared with what's out there now. 

Summary: 
	!combat is a niche market.
 	Niche markets mean smaller playerbase.
	therefore, !combat means smaller playerbase.
	Q.E.D?

						PjD	





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