[MUD-Dev] Star Wars Galaxies: 1 character per server

[Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com]

From: Michael Tresca [mailto:talien at toast.net] 
> Marc Fielding posted on Monday, December 16, 2002 3:38 PM
 
>> Actually, with the new-account requirement, you're actually
>> *more* likely to see this scenario than before. Now that players
>> need new accounts for each character on a server, they're more
>> apt to think "Why not bring them in the game at the same time? 
>> I'm paying a full fee for each of them!"
 
>> Be careful what you wish for. ;)

> Uh, what?
 
> No seriously, what?
 
> What are you talking about?  As Rayzam already pointed out, we
> have a similar rule on RetroMUD.  We have a time and place for
> metagame content, we recognize that a viable community is critical
> (even if it's talking about non-game stuff) and thus provided an
> appropriate channel for it.  If you talk about non-game stuff, it
> goes there -- the playerbase knows this and instructs people to
> "move it to chat."
 
> I don't understand why paying for more characters would make one
> want to bring them on at the same time.  Barring the fact that
> there's a lot of complexities in keeping both characters active
> simultaneously, I'm aware that Raph's comments against muling will
> not stop muling.  That's not the point.

Um, what?

If I'm paying for two accounts, I'll log them both in as I please. I
don't see any rule against it. I don't see any way it can be
enforced either. I understand that you have this ingrained
philosophy against the idea, you just need to understand that in all
likelihood, there are more of us with an ingrained philosophy for
the idea.

If starwars is like any of the other MMOs, there aren't many
complexities in keeping multiple characters active at the same
time. These games are so sparse in their entertainment, that playing
several characters at once is depressingly viable.

Perhaps the solution to stopping people botting characters, is to
make the game sufficiently interactive that playing two characters
at once doesn't confer any benefits.

Anyway I find it hard to follow this argument as I'm not clear that
there is a standard definition to muling. I can think of three
primary motivations to have multiple characters on the same server:

  1) Item storage is inadequate on a single character.  

  2) Desire to play different characters independently.  

  3) Desire to play multiple characters at the same
  time. e.g. healer+warrior.  Which most call boting.

Of those, only the last one requires multiple accounts. Of course 2)
will require multiple accounts on SWG if people like the continuity
of having alternate characters in the same universe - I know I do.

In the end, this is a commerical game with a wide market. If you are
expecting a haven of quality role playing, no ooc talk and no power
gaming I suspect you'll be highly disappointed.

Dan
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev