[MUD-Dev] Continuous versus Discrete Functions

[John Buehler]

Daniel Harman writes:
> From: John Buehler [mailto:johnbue at email.msn.com]
>> Caliban Tiresias Darklock writes:

>>> The key to encouraging this behavior or that behavior in a game
>>> context is to make the behaviors you *like* measurable and
>>> quantifiable. As the software industry has said for many years,
>>> "you get what you measure" -- if you attach a number to it,
>>> people are going to start performing boolean comparisons with
>>> it. If it has a measurement, it must be important. If it
>>> doesn't, it must NOT be important. Violate that little
>>> expectation often enough or blatantly enough, and players will
>>> hate you.

>> I disagree here.  I think that behaviors are made desireable by
>> making them entertaining.  You're coming at it entirely from the
>> achiever's standpoint.  Achievers want things to be measureable
>> so that they can know that they are achieving.  Socializers,
>> explorers and killers are looking for other avenues.

> Surely socializers, explorers and killers are all achievers too,
> they just use different measuring sticks. I defy you to find any
> human activity that isn't measurable should one choose to. Just
> because you have no interest in measurement, doesn't mean others
> won't.

I don't get your point at all.  I don't recall telling anyone that
they couldn't pursue achievements in games.  I don't recall stating
that I was uninterested in achievements in games.  I HAVE said that
most designers seem to be entirely achievement-centric in their
thinking, precluding quality entertainment for those who are less
achievement-centric and are instead more focused on socialization,
exploration and killing.  Particularly the first two.

By analogy, I am saying that I want a seven course meal instead of
the constant stream of beef, chicken and pork.  Every meal should
contain a good protein source, but that's not everything that goes
into a good meal.

JB

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