[MUD-Dev] better usage through mechanics [from: CGDC dinner]

[Joel Kelso]

Lovecraft wrote:

> Embarassingly, I don't know of other games that reduce bandwidth/daily usage
> by game mechanics.  I imagine you, gentle listmember, may offer examples.  I
> offer one I know well.

<dark ages usage control strategies>

Starlane (which I'm testing at the moment) uses a constantly
regenerating
"energy" value that to restrict movement.  Starlane's not an RPG, its a
strategy game, but with a real-time rather than turn-based control
system,
so it's absoutely vital for game balance to limit the number of moves
that
a player can make in a day. 

Despite this, a few of the test players were in the habit of connecting 
every half-hour or so and waiting for his energy level to go up by 0.1
so they
could perform a move (there was a war on) ... I guess there's a balance
here 
between rewarding enthusiastic players and penalising players with
limited 
time to devote.

Joel Kelso

-- joel at ee.uwa.edu.au -------------------------------
Brook: (reading web site) ... Microsoft SKD 1.2.4 ...
Bruce: I wouldn't touch that with a barge-pole.
Brook: ... comes with free barge-pole ...
-- http://ciips.ee.uwa.edu.au/~joel -----------------



_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev