[MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

[Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com]

> From: J C Lawrence [mailto:claw at 2wire.com]

>> That paradigm also encourages the mentality that its not worth
>> logging on unless you have several hours free. Thats one of my
>> peeves with EQ, unless I have about 5 hours free, its simply not
>> worth logging on with my high level character.
 
> What is your definition of "worth" for a play session?  What is
> the basic metric of value which you measure and quntify to adjudge
> that something was "worth it" or not?
 
> Stat gain?  Major activity compleated (eg area, NPC hunt,
> whatever)?  Good social time?  Successfully compleated personally
> set goals (which are)?

My metric is fairly simple for EQ. Do I have enough times to partake
of an activity. If I don't have 5 hours, trying to get a group
together to hunt is not worth the effort, by the time I have got the
necessary classes together and broken a camp, I only have at most 2
hours left (assuming I don't have 5). The 40% initial investment
precludes this being worthwhile.

If instead, I decide to join a guild raid (which we do almost
non-stop), there again, unless I have several hours there is no
point logging on. All that happens if I do, is that I have to
teleport the players to the congregation point. Its less fun than my
day to day job :) Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if I could chat
whilst zoning.


With regards to your pvp model, a lot of this sounds fun, and in
some ways ties in with what mythic are trying with DAoC. To be truly
dynamic however, I think we might have to drop the 3d engines so in
vogue now and move back to 2d. With a tile based system truly
dynamic terrain should be completely possible. Whether or not a game
like this could be successful against 3d games, I really don't
know. It makes me think of the new Bitmap Brothers game 'Steel
Soldiers', which is an RTS game based on capturing sectors of the
map. Each sector may have differing tactical and fiscal value. In
Unreal Tournament terms, all we are discussing is a domination game.

I don't see any easy way to keep the conflict interesting however,
as almost certainly one side will 'win'. Then the underdog is
probably unable to ever fight back without gm intervention which
would definitely make the victors feel cheated.

It would be wonderful though, to buy a farm, log in the next day and
find the area its in has been occupied by the opposing side :)
Certainly make you feel emmersed in the pvp aspect. Especially as
local food prices went up.

Dan
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