[MUD-Dev] Bay Area Press re: UO, the good the bad and the Ugly.

[Brian Green]

Jessica Mulligan wrote:

> Raph expresses a thought I've heard many designers articulate over the
> years.  Now, here's where all those figures above come in (and where Jessica
> steps out on a limb):
> 
> I have yet to meet a designer that wasn't in the top 20% category above.
> Most of us are in the top 5% category.  I suspect one reason we keep
> designing these games the way we do, is that they are therapy for US, who
> are so like the hard core players.

Hi, my name is Brian, and I'm.... NOT an online gameaholic.  I currently
play maybe 5 hours per week on online games, mostly dabbling and trying
out new things.  I currently have no subscriptions active on any of the
"big three"; although I do watch the goings on of my roommates over
their shoulders (which gets me the info I need without the time
investment. ;)

Now, don't get me wrong.  I love games.  I spend hours per week playing
all types.  I'm particularly fond of RPGs.  I might play single-player
games 40+ hours per week, but I know that in a matter of days I'll have
finished the game an be able to experience something new.

And, I'm not saying I have never played online games obsessively.  I
went though my "stay up all night playing" phase in college.  The
"suprise twist" is, I actually knew when to stop and do my homework. 
Out of all the MUDders I knew offline as well, I'm only one of two who
hold a college degree (two degrees, actually) some six years later.

I've come to realize that most current games require a degree of
obsession I'm not willing to commit to.  I've played quite a few online
games in the name of "competitive analysis", but I just can't take the
time to invest myself in a game as deeply as required in order to "keep
up with the Joneses".

I've been a (privately outspoken) fan of making our games more
accessible to the casual gamer for quite a while now.  I started falling
into the category of "casual online gamer" about the time I graduated
college.  I knew that I could not keep up with the demands of graduation
while putting in my typical 6-8 hours per night.  I knew I'd fall
behind.

So, I dunno if I have disproved or supported Jessica's claim. :)  I
personally think that the way to expand the market is to allow for
people to put as much or as little effort into the game mechanics as
they want and still be able to keep up with the crowds; I don't think
watering down the content to make it "mass-market" is really going to
get us where we want to go.

Time required to maintain social connections, however, is a whole other
ball of wax.

All IMHO.

--
"And I now wait / to shake the hand of fate...."  -"Defender", Manowar
     Brian Green, brian at psychochild.org  aka  Psychochild
       |\      _,,,---,,_      *=* Morpheus, my kitten, says "Hi!" *=*
 ZZzz  /,`.-'`'    -.  ;-;;,_  
      |,4-  ) )-,_..;\ (  `'-'  "Ritalin Cures Next Picasso" 
     '---''(_/--'  `-'\_)               -The_Onion_, August 4th, 1999



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