[MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

[Paul Schwanz - Enterprise Services]

Jeff Freeman wrote:
>> From: Koster, Raph [mailto:rkoster at verant.com]

>> Why do I ask this? Because we have contradictory goals for the
>> game. We want to reduce downtime. But people get to know people
>> during downtime. That's when they socialize.

> Absolutely disagree that downtime = socialization.  I tend to meet
> people and socialize while I am playing, and they are playing in
> the same area/doing the same thing.  During downtime I read a
> book.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to define "downtime" a bit more
clearly.  If downtime is simply the interface giving me an
opportunity to type, then I think it is a great thing.  If downtime
means that my character can no longer be moving toward its goals
(and yes, this becomes confusing if we are talking about a
socializer who's goal is strictly to socialize), then I am not so
sure.  Hmmm...that came out more goal-oriented than I intended, but
I suppose we are interested in having achievers be more community
oriented as well.

To me, I think that the best socialization is that which the
interface allows without causing me to stop pursing other things
concurrently.  The other pursuits do not have to be momentous; I
think that more downtime while doing something as simple as walking
from one place to another would be fine.  If it is easy to type
while making a 10 minute journey from one town to the next, I see
this as a wonderful opportunity to socialize while my character is
still "progressing" in some way.  After all, I want to get from
point A to point B and I can see that my character is doing this.

If you simply give players the ability to type while playing
(through allowing players to automate more tasks or other interface
conventions), you don't make players feel like they are *forced* to
socialize, but I think that you will greatly change the social
dynamic of the game.

--Phinehas

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