[MUD-Dev] Retention without Addiction?

[Paul Schwanz]

Madrona Tree wrote:
> From: Paul Schwanz <pschwanz at comcast.net>

>> In any case, I think its time we looked at replacing the
>> addictive feedback mechanism of the lewt-n-level treadmill with
>> something that requires a bit less investment, is more episodic
>> in nature, and results in greater entertainment with, perhaps,
>> benefits to retention instead of the predicted increased churn.

[snip antecdote about Bulk Order Deeds in UO]

> The point of the antecdote is that Individual Time Limits (please,
> no competitive time limits) may be a good way, in certain
> instances, to limit Addiction.  Because I *know* it will be six
> hours before I can get another BOD, I don't log in 4 hours later
> hoping for one.  Even better, I don't *stay logged in* pulling the
> jackpot lever, hoping for a BOD.  Conversely, since I know I will
> be able to get a BOD six hours later, it makes me want to log back
> in, to see if I get the one I need.

I'm not very familiar with the BOD game, but it sounds like it has
many of the elements I think are useful for encouraging repeat
visits to an online world.  One of the key concepts, I believe, is
the curiosity and anticipation expressed in the last sentence of
your paragraph above.  Logging in to see if you got what you wanted,
again, reminds me of Christmas morning.

I'm thinking that it would be good to have scenarios where the time
delays typically fall between finding an item and being effectively
able to use the item or even uderstand the significance of the item.
Imagine you log on, fight through a dungeon, and find an ancient
tome.  Now imagine that your character is going to need to spend six
hours researching the ancient language, another two hours
translating the information, and an additional hour getting a good
understanding of the subject matter.

As a designer, I've just given you a clear point of exit.  But I've
done so at a place where anticipation and suspense is high.  How
will the book change your character?  Will you learn a new combat
maneuver?  Will you discover information about buried treasure?
Will you find a better method for making swords?  Will you learn a
new spell?

I think that I'd rather choose where my players are likely to log
off so that I can ensure that it is at a point where suspense is
high.  In the lewt-n-level system, the player *will* log off and she
could very well log off because she is simply sick of the treadmill.
I would think the former approach would be much better for retention
than the latter.

Tomorrow, the game is going to send you an email reminding you that
your character has finished her research, translated the tome, and
absorbed the information in it.  What was the book about?  What did
your character learn?  Log in to find out!  Alternatively, you might
visit a web page or download information to your Palm Pilot, but
that moves me nicely to my primary concern with this approach.

Although I think that this sort of system could be very compelling,
there are some important question that perhaps you could answer.
What effect will decreased player persistence in the virtual world
have on the social aspects of gameplay?  How has playing the BOD
game affected your online relationships?  Do you socialize more or
less?  Isn't it less likely that you'll see friends online if you
(and they) are not logged in as often or for extended periods of
time?  Have you been able to maintain old friendships?  Make new
ones?  Doesn't the BOD game kind of lend itself to a solo approach
to gameplay?  If not, why not?

Perhaps other methods for more strongly encouraging community would
need to be implemented in conjuction with a more flexible, episodic
gameplay system.  Even if a lower investment proved to retain more
repeat customers than would be lost to a lack of social bonds, I'm
not sure I'd be willing to give up the latter in favor of the
former.

> Thanks for bringing this up, Paul.  It's something I've been
> thinking about as well.

I'm just glad to have gotten something beyond weird looks, or worse
yet, no response whatsoever. ;)

--Phin *who pledges to try desperately to use the word "paradigm"
less*


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