Backstory (was RE: [MUD-Dev] New poll)

[Harrison Edwards]

>From: Sellers, Michael
> Subject: Backstory (was RE: [MUD-Dev] New poll)

> JC wrote:
> > I've added a few new polls:
> > ...
> >   Is having a backing story important in a MUD?


> I found the phrasing of the answers on this one a bit difficult:
>
>  No, its just meaningless and irrelevant babble.
>  No, they never have anything to do with actually playing the game.
>  No, I want to play, not listen to someone's fantasy.
>  Sort of, sometimes they're fun.
>  Sometimes they help explain the game and give contenxt.
>  Backing stories are essential. They help the game be "real".
>  Yes, backing stories help players create their own stories
> within the game.
>
>  Yes, it gives the initial key for the game culture.
>
>
> Hmmm.  Yes, I think back stories (not "backing story," btw) *should* do a
> lot of these things -- they should explain the game and give context, make
> the game more real, help the players create their own stories,
> and give the
> key for the game culture.

I will add a twist:
I am a Creative Developer and do small amounts of programming. I do
everything from creating  world maps, layouts of cities, quests and major
themes, to race, NPC, item, storyline and theme creation/development.
Whether I start with a "minor" thought or a full-blown theme, in order for
me to create a cohesive environment where all aspects flow and successfully
interact with each other, I find it immensely valuable to have a foundation
to work from. Without the foundation I can still create, but many times it
is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together in the dark, especially if there
are multiple Creative Developers working on the same project.
I have played numerous MUDs where background stories were not available, and
obviously not used in development of the environment. In these MUDs I
usually find chaotic atmospheres where players are searching for identity,
and the physical playing environment can switch from prehistoric, medieval
to modern times within a short distance. I also usually stop playing those
MUDs within a couple of days. The flipside to this is if I am a typical hack
n' slasher I could care less about a background story because I am not
worried about role-playing and/or game flow. But as a role-playing fanatic,
game cohesiveness and flow is extremely important to me. I also think that
the majority of game developers would like to see their creations saturated
with high quality role-playing, therefore background storylines are a must.
IMHO, background stories/storylines are the blueprints for enjoyable
role-playing environments.

Ha-Ha
- Reality is only as real as our imagination allows it to be -




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