[MUD-Dev] Retention without Addiction?

[rayzam]

From: "Sasha Hart" <hart.s at attbi.com>

> This may be a silly idea, but try it on. Could the sparsity of
> real decisions (or even other enjoyable stuff) contribute to the
> rap MUDs are getting for being addictive? Would it help to watch
> how stingy we are?

> Back of the napkin estimates: 10000 xp per level, 100 xp per kill,
> 2 minutes per kill, ~3 simultaneous decisions per level... We may
> spend 200 minutes (conservatively) powerleveling just to get to 2
> minutes of enjoyable decisions. Often we will be content enough to
> spend those minutes - that seems at least not too unhealthy. But
> it seems more unhealthy when we are basically unhappy for 200
> minutes and only pleased for 2, yet continue to engage in the
> activity.

> Maybe the problem is not the enjoyment, the enjoyability, the pull
> and attractiveness and 'addictiveness' of the game itself, but
> rather the fact that we are wasting so much time and are
> (basically) not enjoying it. We are doing the boring stuff because
> we *do* enjoy the little dribbles of fun that we get (or, even
> worse, we only expect to enjoy something).  So, perhaps, we can
> say that we enjoy it overall.  But the fact remains that we are
> really wasting a lot of time and maybe not even getting the degree
> of enjoyment we'd get out of reading some silly potboiler for the
> same duration. And that itself, even in a completely healthy
> person in a game whose playing is actually justified and in which
> it is reasonable to say that it is the player's choice to play as
> long as he does, may still be enough to make the player's life
> worse.

I would suggest that the game needs to be fun more than just at
levelling. The players should enjoy each kill, enjoy each item
crafted, enjoy each new place explored. If every area/dungeon is
just variations on the same theme, it'll be boring, and they'll be
doing them just for different loot, or a better exp/safety ratio. If
items are crafted to just be sold to an NPC for piddling cash while
their skill goes up a minute amount, they'll be clicking away while
watching South Park. If the kills are simple and safe, take no
thought and have no risk, then yes, it's just one of 200 mins worth
of killing to get level.

What I'm advocating is making more out of those 200 mins. For
crafting, I like the way SWG is handling it: make a blaster, and you
get exp when that blaster is used by someone to kill things. No
point in making tons of blasters repetitively, because individually,
they're nothing. It's better to make as good a one as you can and
get it used. For Exploring, the areas need to be distinct,
interesting, beautiful. Puzzles and secrets help too. For killing,
make killing safe things worthless, and increase the rewards as the
risk increases.

I view killing in an rpg as being similar to Skiing. Yes, you could
ski all day on the bunny slope, but its too easy and boring for a
semi-skilled skier. On top of that, it doesn't help them improve: no
moguls, no learning how to pop turns at higher speeds, etc. The
bunny slope is of very little worth to a skier. Farming should be of
very little worth to a player.  To improve skiing, you have to ski
slopes of near your ability. You can hit slopes a little bit easy
for you, to work on improving your technique.  You can ski slopes of
your ability, where you're enjoying the thrill of what you can do,
while you do it. And you can ski slopes a little bit harder for
you. Here you chance wiping out, but you're really involved, pushing
your abilities and testing your limits.

I never approach skiing thinking that if I ski really easy stuff all
season, I can advance to the next level of slope difficulty. I start
off with a few easier runs to get warmed up. Then I hit some runs of
my ability to get in the groove. Then I'll hit some harder runs, and
finally end off with runs my ability again. Most accidents occur on
the last run of the day when you're tired and pushing yourself ;)

I enjoy the entire day of skiing. A session in an online rpg should
be the same. A death is like a wipeout. If the game balances the
risk/reward ratios appropriately, i.e. doesn't reward for always
skiing the bunny slope, and doesn't penalize so much for dying that
noone wants to risk wiping out, then don't you think all 200 minutes
can be enjoyable?

The reward doesn't need to be the food pellet, drop of juice, or
safety from being shocked. The reward could be running the maze
itself.

That said, I don't think anything I've seen or played has hit this
ideal I'm portraying. Some have for exploring. I'm hoping SWG does
for crafting.  But for killing/running the treadmill, not yet.

rayzam
www.travellingbard.com



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