[Mud-Dev] Social Networks

[Sasha Hart]

[Phinehas]

> In general, it seems to me that shared needs are the key.  And the
> lower those *perceived* (important to virtual reality) needs
> appear to fall in Maslow's Heirarchy, the greater their tendency
> to push toward community.

A vast amount of what people do is not "need" driven. Why put square
pegs into round holes?

MUDs are not a need. Behavior in a MUD is not need-driven
behavior. It isn't as if I will go into withdrawal or die without a
group. It isn't as if I will refuse to work on self-actualization
unless I have had an hour of goblin-thwacking. It isn't as if my
desire to cast 'fireball' increases as a function of time since I
have cast 'fireball.' It isn't as if my character will do any of
these things, and it isn't as if I even conform to Maslow's
hierarchy (I play MUDs when I'm tired and hungry. Q.E.D.)  Whence
Maslow? How does Maslow apply? I don't want to be cruel or
needlessly critical, but I beg to differ that needs much enter into
desirable methods for community formation in MUDs.

It would probably help to hear specific examples in MUD settings. Is
this the kind of thing where you suggest having orcs conduct a raid
on the city which the players have to work together to put down?

Shared interest is at least as useful as shared need, if not more
so.  (What drives and forms the "community" of MUD-DEV-L?  Is it
need? Is it necessary to create need to get people to post?  Is it
necessary to create external incentives to get people to post?  Why
so sure that the game should provide the stick, the carrot, or
both?)

Sasha

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