[MUD-Dev] Interesting EQ rant (very long quote)

[the_logos at www.achaea.com]

On Fri, 23 Feb 2001, Hulbert, Leland wrote:

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: the_logos at www.achaea.com [mailto:the_logos at www.achaea.com]
> > Sent: Friday, February 23, 2001 1:57 AM
> > To: mud-dev at kanga.nu
> > Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Interesting EQ rant (very long quote) 
>  
> > On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, J C Lawrence wrote:
> 
> >> There are a great many people who solo play in multi-player games,
> >> but will only do that when other players are present in numbers.
> >> They don't want to participate in the multi-player aspects, but
> >> they do want the second order benefits of having other players
> >> active in the environment.
>  
> > I don't buy that. You're telling me that there are people who play
> > MUDs who _never_ interact with other players?
> 
> raises his hand.   
> 
> Seriously, I can't say 'never.'  In fact, you can't avoid the fact
> that other players are in the area where you are hunting, etc.  But I
> almost never talk to another player, unless I need help.  Even then,
> if what I need is in the help files, I'll find it there first.  I
> don't do group hunting, and I don't join guilds.  I did, in fact join
> a kingdom, but that was because I could not travel in that kingdom
> without getting jumped, otherwise.  I occasionly take part in mud-wide
> celebrations, but not often.  

Right. I wasn't disputing there were playres who only rarely get
involved. I was disputing the existence of players who _never_
interact with others (as that is what the claim being made was). For
instance, you say you almost never talk to another player, unless you
need help. Well that's exactly what started this discussion. I pointed
out that it seemed a bit silly to me to design quests in a MUD and
then pretend that there's only one person in your world, and that he
couldn't possibly get the information about the quest he wanted by
asking someone else. Asking someone else is, of course, far and away
the most logical and natural course of action. Why a player would be
'punished' for utilizing the multiplayer aspect of a multiplayer game
is beyond me.

> I NEVER join in PK.  The attraction of a multi-player world is that
> it changes, and other players affect the world around me.

A multi-player world doesn't have to change. That's not an inherent
feature of one. Single player worlds can change just as much, for
instance, and multiplayer worlds don't have to change at all.

If one of the reasons that you're playing is that there are other
players effecting things, then my point is proven at leas as regards
you. The other players are the point of multiplayer games.

> I would be happy to do my exploring single-player, if the world were
> simulated to the degree that the mobs could produce an interestingly
> varied experience.  If I could get the experience I like without
> playing in a multiplayer game, I probably would.  But I do play in a
> multiplayer game, and I try my best not to interact with other
> players.  Not that I don't like other people...I do.  But I'm
> generally a loner, I have no set schedule where I can play the same
> game at the same time every day, and it's too difficult to keep a
> group together in a small mud that way.

Nod, I understand what you're saying. Still, at this point at least,
it seems to me that it's the existence of the other players that keeps
you playing.

--matt

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