[MUD-Dev] Differentiation and The Marketing of MUDs [was R& D]

[Sean Kelly]

From: "Caliban Tiresias Darklock" <caliban at darklock.com>
> From: "Koster, Raph" <rkoster at soe.sony.com>

>> it came out at a time that the world was calling RPGs dead
>> (before Diablo broke the market back open), and it wholeheartedly
>> embraced randomly generated content, promising a living world.

> So, effectively, you're saying that a proof-of-concept that
> changes the field is a better loyalty-builder than a slick piece
> of work that rehashes the same old crap?

IMO yes.  Daggerfall was a good attempt at creating a world... only
problem was that the output was all the same.  It may have allowed
for a massive world, but there was no point in going anywhere
because everything was the same.  Random generation has since
improved, however.  And don't forget roguelikes!  Random generation
has been around for quite a while, and some of it is quite good.

>> PS, the diehards turned out to be right about Morrowind--it IS
>> great. In fact, I'll say outright that it is the most MUDlike
>> single player game I have ever played. :)

> I am currently trying like hell to come up with the requisite cash
> to upgrade my system so it can *run* Morrowind. (I've waited all
> this time for Bethesda to come out with it because I kinda-sorta
> know a couple of the developers. Well, I met them once at a
> convention, anyway.) That game has some serious requirements.

With an Athlon 1800XP pricing at around $70, never before has the
price of a high-end system been so low.  The greatest expense
nowadays is the graphics card.  Luckily the GeForce Ti4200s will be
out in bulk fairly soon.  Speaking of which, have game designers
come to rely on higher average baseline requirements as a result of
the hardware price drops?


Sean

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