[MUD-Dev] D&D vs. MMORPG "complexity"

[SamuraiCat at Catacombs]

(BTW, hi guys, new list member. *grin*)

Having played D&D and such for many years in my youth, and MMORPGs
in recent years... there's no way that a MMOG will ever be able to
compete with PnP games as far as depth, creativity, and most of all,
adaptability.

I had enough GMs in my time who would throw out whole chunks of the
ruleset we were using in favor of another solution... mix chunks
from different rulesets... and even THEN, completely bend the rules
to make certain situations happen, in accordance with the direction
he wanted the campaign to go in. There are many situations that
required, as an old friend once humorously said, "a computer made of
meat".

Code simply cannot do this. Try programming the age-old D&D "wish"
spell. :)

Beyond that - you never saw a D&D game run without the GM
present. Folks would have weekly, scheduled games - "Ok be over at
Fred's house at 8pm Friday". Everyone knew when the games would
be. And for all intents and purposes, those folks, plus the GM,
*were* the entire world. MMOGs are available 24/7 (for the most
part) and even though groups of friends may try and get on and play
at the same times, it doesn't always work out. And in those cases,
the GM can't simply step in and "run Fred's character" for him if
he's on vacation when the rest of the gang gather to play their
weekly game.

I don't think designers should even *try* and make their MMOGs work
like PnP games. They should make them work like *better* MMOGs.

--Scott/Samurai Cat!
http://sb.catacombs.com/


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