[MUD-Dev] Persistent worlds in NWN (was: Retention without Addiction?)

[Dubious Advocate]

From: "Valerio Santinelli" <tanis at mediacom.it>

> I would love to see a company concentrate its efforts in providing
> an open framework. An open client with a basic server that can be
> expanded through external code. This would be really cool. Better
> stop dreaming for now :)

Than you're probably already aware... but RunUO fits the bill.  Your
former compatriots in "MOG protest" are involved.  :-) www.runuo.com

Simply fully supporting dotNet was all that was needed.  No more
creating mini-opsys and mini-application platforms.  Use what's
there.

I've walked these ideas for a Serial MOG around in other more
foodfight-like venues with folks from Mythic, Verant, and
Sony... and they've universally panned the market niche.  The
concern is (a) it cannibalizes their revenue from their Central
MOGs, and (b) not as sustainable a model as the addictive and
enforced socialization Central MOG models.  There were a slew of red
herrings as well.  But (a) and (b) are cogent.

I think they're ignoring their own lessons in proving a market.
Launching UO in 1995 we know involved a similar struggle.  Launching
DAOC as a cost effective vehicle to quickly realize revenue was
another similar struggle.  If I were more cynical I'd suspect these
three companies are playing Metallica to UO emus' Napster.  But I'm
still more cynical even than that and I accept their concerns at
face value.  :-P

My personal opinion is this infant indiustry has already fallen into
an "everyone knows" mindset while ignoring the trends both within
and without.  Basically the hardware is cheaper & superior, the
lessons learned in software design are in place, and what remains is
SMOP-engineering to scale the existing crafted tools down to the
hobbyist level.

Bioware's success disputes the "everyone knows there is no profit
there".  In fact Koster's own recent post citing that two people can
populate a base PW "with the right tools" is another brick in the
wall.

What's needed is an internal team that takes the custom tools,
standardizes the work product storage protocols, and then builds a
hobbyist framework that can incorporate the shared work product.
Then the publisher is able to further monetize the consumer they've
already spent serious revenue attracting in the first place.

The current business model is simply emblazoned with "Retention Loss
is Given, Or How I Learned to Love Addiction Game Mechanics".

Sigh.  Oh and apologies for the long soap-box.  :-)

-----
Dave Scheffer
"Questions are a burden to others, answers a prison for oneself"


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