[MUD-Dev] Psychology and game design (Was Geometric content generation)

[Dave Rickey]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ola Fosheim Grøstad <olag at ifi.uio.no>
> John Hopson wrote:

> No, that's not my main gripe.  The main point is that now we'll
> have upcoming self-taught game designers (with no knowledge of the
> various directions in the field of psychology) who actually think
> that designing a MUD basically can be reduced to RAT stuff.  I
> absolutely do not want game designers to think about their players
> as rodents, not for a second (ok I'll make an exception for
> furries). My complaint is as much about the context and form as it
> is content.  Giving designers the idea that they can think about
> their players as rats should be illegal! ;-)

Actually, I'm finding it more convenient to think of them as ants,
lately. ;-)

Behaviouristic theories applied to player actions accounts for an
awful lot of what is otherwise bizzarre and inexplicable behaviour.
They aren't sufficient in and of themselves, mostly what it helps
with is accounting for when players *don't* behave "rationally" (in
the game theory meaning).
 
>>  I do.  Games in general deserve our respect because all games
>>  tell us something about human nature.  Each game offers a tiny
>>  window into what makes us tick, as a species and as individuals.
 
> That is respect as in research, not as in design and ethics.
 
It may not be interesting to an academic researcher in psychology.
To me, I find the psychological and sociological aspects of games
fascinating.

--Dave Rickey

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