[MUD-Dev] RE:

[Freeman]

> From: Lee Sheldon
> From: Freeman, Jeff

>> Nor is there much of any demand for storied games.  The "demand"
>> is for what little story exists to, as Dave put it, "Shut up and
>> go away".
 
> Maybe not from your corner of the world.

>From which corner of the world shall I view it, Lee?  Yours?

>> There are no professional storytellers in this medium.
 
> Sorry, that's simply untrue.  Forgetting me for the moment, they
> are certainly few and far between in MMOs.  It is a distinctly
> daunting challenge for many writers.  There are some: I worked
> with the Miller Bros.  of MYST fame recently on an MMO; Mark
> Barrett is known mostly for solo games, but he did some writing
> for me on an MMO; the writer of the original AC story was a
> professional.  I think Raph is one.  Have you read any of his
> stories?  He fits the hyphenate label.

I stand corrected.

Are you withdrawing your assertion that the reason stories in games
have been met with apathy from the users is due to the lack of
"professionals", then?

> Jeff, the MMOs already have you and your friends hooked.  I
> mention in another post that I can't use adding story as an excuse
> to ignore you.  I need to provide an environment where the story
> doesn't intrude on your fun.  You can ignore it all you like.  But
> you are a subset of the universe, Jeff.  You aren't the entire
> universe.  And that subset has plenty to choose from currently.
> The rest does not.

Wow.  Do you ever not know me.  Frankly, no, the MMOs don't already
have me hooked.  I want a great deal more impact on the world than I
have now, and a prepackaged story doesn't give more control to *me*,
it gives less.

> Well, your actions aren't exactly "real" in a virtual
> environment... But yes, most story in MMO's is pretty nasty.

"Real" is certainly the wrong word to use, but I lack the vocabulary
to sum-up what I mean in a single word.

The perception is that things that happen as a result of players'
interactions with the system mechanics "really happened", whereas
things that NPCs say happened in order to nudge the players down a
narrative path are "pure fiction".

> The thing is I have statistics and experience behind me.

Well then it's pointless telling you what I think then, you
obviously don't care, as you have all the answers already.

> I'm not sure this is what you meant to say.  I'm not sure if you
> mean what I think you're saying.  But there's an outside chance I
> might even agree with you.

It's what I meant to say.  I doubt you agree with me though, mere
plebeian that I am.
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev