[MUD-Dev] Persistent Worlds

[Marian Griffith]

In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Fri 23 Feb, the_logos at www.achaea.com wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, Marian Griffith wrote:

> > The problem is that you define 'realistic' as: 'just as in reality'
> > while most all -players- use it to refer to a set of qualities to
> > the game world. Mainly they expect the gameworld to be predictable,
> > coherent (with itself and with established literary icons) and con-
> > sistent.  If the gameworld mostly agrees with those qualifications
> > they consider it realistic, even if it violates each and every law
> > of nature as we know it.

> Right. Well, they're wrong.

I would not call them wrong. Not any more than the fact that an
increasing number of americans decide to write thie r when they mean
their, or their when they mean they're :)

> This discussion started when I took issue with somebody (I can't
> remember who now) said something along the lines of, "It'd be more
> realistic if you did X." He said that in such a way as to imply that
> realism = entertainment, and I was really merely trying to
> demonstrate that realism != entertainment. It can contribute to
> entertainment, but if realism was the end all be all of
> entertainment, we'd not need games.

No, but realism in the sense players mean it is important, because it
fits with their expectations. It is however not the only factor,
merely part of what makes a game entertaining (i.e. "guess the verb"
is not a particular- ly entertaining game unless you happen to solve a
crossword puzzle)

> I just think that if you put yourself in the mindset that realism is
> the goal instead of entertainment, you've taken your eyes off the
> ball.

Ooh, sports metaphors ;) You are right though. Realism is a tool not a
goal, and a tool that can be done without if you are willing to accept
the consequences of player con- fusion.


Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey

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