NWN model (was RE: [MUD-Dev] Report: MUD-Dev dinner of 10 June 2000)

[Raph Koster]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu [mailto:mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu]On Behalf Of
> Sellers, Michael
> Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 12:25 PM
> To: 'mud-dev at kanga.nu'
> Subject: NWN model (was RE: [MUD-Dev] Report: MUD-Dev dinner of 10 June
> 2000)
>
> > "Imagine if you were trying to run an improv interactive theater with
> > audience participation.  Now imagine if the audience was encouraged just
> to
> > walk in and out of 400 other similar plays.  This gives you an
> idea of the
> > magnitude of the problem faced by those wishing to run a
> game... The only
> > games that seemed to be running were frag fests, where the "storyteller"
> > would throw down monsters for players to kill."
> >
> > Given the massive success that WoD has had on MUSHes, this is rather
> > disappointing; it also raises the spectre of whether, given Neverwinter
> > Nights, most people will run Diablo-with-better-graphics servers.
>
> I think maybe Lum has missed something basic here: there is (or
> will be) an
> entirely different usage pattern for NWN/V:tM type small-group gaming
> sessions.

No, the reviewer (who was actually Great Bob) knows that... he was
commenting on the fact that the support for tools for finding the right
small group games are lacking. To wit, as you comment below:

> If the NWN/V:tM people are smart, they'll make a really robust
> "lobby" area,
> let people vote for and comment on others' scenarios, and let
> people sign up
> in a queue for popular game areas.

...is apparently all missing in V:tM.

> While in the MMPOGs we see people popping in and out at will, I
> suspect strongly that the more successful NWN-type game sessions will be
> conducted for a particular group, with drop-ins very rarely if
> ever allowed.

This is problematic--there's only what, a quarter million paper game players
out there total? Relying on only those who have groups ready to go is not
going to make for a large audience. To get this model to be really
successful, you want to encourage people to create their own small groups,
it seems to me. Help create those groups of 5-10 that we've been talking
about on the list lately.

> I suspect there are at least a couple of
> really good models for both creative and business success in there.

I definitely agree--I wasn't knocking the model, more noting that this
attempt at it seems not to have gotten it quite right. BTW, similar reviews
have now appearde at other industry websites including Daily Radar
(http://www.dailyradar.com). Here's hoping Ray & Greg over at Bioware are
paying attention, because I am very excited by the possibilities of NWN.

-Raph




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