[Meta] Re: [MUD-Dev] Future of MMOGs

[Ted L. Chen]

Koster, Raph wrote:
> From: Ted L. Chen

>> On the other hand, why worry too much about it?  It takes us all
>> approximately ten years to be reasonably proficient at words to
>> write a rambling diatribe like I just did above.  One to three of
>> which were spent just learning how to use the base letters.  Why
>> do we expect people to create graphical representations of towns
>> overnight without learning the basic principles of 3d geometry?

> Our brains appear to be wired for language in ways they are not
> wired for 3d modeling, and we start our training in interpreting
> and scribing linguistic symbols at a very young age. There are a
> lot of people who can't grok 3d modeling.

I doubt it's wired either way from birth, and that our ability in
both fields is most likely a function of what we're exposed to as
we're growing up.  A lot of people don't grok 3d modelling because
(and purely suppositional here) they didn't play with Lego or
building blocks every day while growing up.  Nor do they use vector
drawing packages (2D/3D) later in life or use anything remotely
associated with 3d primitives.  Likewise, people who don't read
enough when young can be conversationally fully functional even if
they are illiterate just because of the difference in exposure.

And going back to the language analogy, I don't expect a person from
a foreign country to be able to speak nor write english.  In fact,
unless we know for a fact they've been exposed to it, through
university, or pop culture, we're often very surprised if they do.

In our everyday lives, we often associate exposure and experience
with ability.  And it's the disparity between that mindset in the
other things we do, with that of creationism on a computer that I
find really weird.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that
we view computers as 'empowering' things.  Empowering enough that we
don't think we should need exposure and experience to accomplish
things?

> The basic interface of a 3d modeling tool is plain old difficult
> for most people. Lastly, to actually do it even remotely well
> requires a degree of talent.

I quite agree.  I'd say word processors are difficult too, but we've
learn to deal with it.  Heck, the keyboard isn't a natural
interface!

Now, short of the template phenomenon, I haven't seen people spend
too much effort at making word processors help us create content.
They don't automatically string together letters or sentences for
us.  I had to type each individual letter in that last sentence.  I
think we've matured enough with regard to word processors that we've
come back to expecting a fundamental grasp of language components in
order to create exposition.

And talent is something that one only gets through long term
exposure/experience of the fundamentals.  I have yet to see such a
thing as innate talent, aside from the instinctual ability of farm
animals to stand and walk shortly after birth.

> So I would say that the situation isn't quite as you phrase it. It
> isn't so much an expectation that people should be able to create
> graphical representations of towns, as an expectation that people
> would like to make their desks look different. And while they
> WOULD like to do so, they also are often content with merely
> making the room as a whole around the desk look different.

Okay, I can buy the idea that editors give players the faux feeling
of empowerment.  That's a good thing.

I'm just cautious about attributing it to any big improvements in
the future of MMOGs because so far, prefab editors can only create a
very very narrow set of content.  It's like limiting BLOG systems to
only listing today's laundry (in any which order you want).  And if
all the BLOGs on the web about someone's laundry list disappeared
today, I doubt the web would feel any ripples at all.

> Lowering the barrier to entry to 3d modeling is a worthwhile
> goal. You might want to check out Linden Labs' work with SECOND
> LIFE, they've recently made some announcements on that front. But
> at the same time, there hasn't even been a 3d graphics attempt yet
> at emulating what Furcadia and UO and other tile-based systems
> supplied in terms of object manipulation. For some reason,
> everyone thinks that jumping to 3d modeling is the answer. Players
> would, I suspect, be very happy just to get the ability to
> assemble building blocks first.

> To see what I mean, look at the lengths players will go to in
> order to add a grand piano to UO, which shipped without one.

>   http://uo.stratics.com/homes/decorations/Piano.shtml

Hehe, the miracles you can perform with fish steaks.  :)

Now don't get me wrong.  I love user content.  But, I just don't
instinctively blame the physical tools if someone doesn't grok how
to do a certain task.  I'm more inclined to blame the person
(through no fault of their own), because all tasks, no matter how
simplified it is, is based on fundamentals.  If the barrier to entry
happens to be a lack of the fundamentals, then I'd rather
concentrate on figuring out a process to teach those fundamentals,
not work around it.

Because when you try to work around it, as in tile-based systems,
then all you do is create a new set of rules that people must learn
instead of the fundamentals.  In most cases, they're more
restrictive in what you can do.  The piano example I view as a prime
example of this.  That person still has to figure out a creative
system to put in a piano using fish steaks and dyed cloth... a
system that very few would understand (mainly because it's so unique
to UO).  Instead, a fundamentals-based system (pixel management
here) would be something that any doodler could do if given access
to Microsoft Paint or Photoshop.  A doodler can go on to create a
statue, a cake, anything.  While the piano guy spent most of his
time learning the intricacies of fish steaks.

What about those that don't doodle and don't understand form and
color?  Teach and guide them!  Borrow templates and the wizards
concepts from word processors if you must without masking the need
to know the basics.  In the end, you're better served that way
instead of relying on just your own handfull of artists and
designers to create instant gratification tile-sets.

TLC


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