[MUD-Dev] Removing access to entertainment

[Paul Schwanz]

John Buehler wrote:

> If players could instantaneously transport to destinations at
> will, would they do it?  Or would they find that such
> transportation would detract from the entertainment of the game?
> If players could instantaneously change their class at will, would
> they do it?  Or would they find that such changes would detract
> from the entertainment of the game?

While not entirely disagreeing with your points, I think that this
line of thinking can be dangerous.  If players could choose for
themselves whether to detract hit points from their character when a
monster scored a blow, would they do it?  Or would they find that
such changes would detract from the entertainment of the game?  The
thing is, I don't think that entertainment can be deconstructed to
this level.  At the moment that a blow is scored, I think that most
players would not choose to detract hit points.  However,
entertainment doesn't happen only in the moments.  I believe it
takes an artistic mix of moments to create something more deeply
entertaining.

It is said that the Artist of our lives gives unto each day "its
part of pain and pleasure; mingling toil with peace and rest."  As
I've pointed out before, I don't think that the art is in the pain,
pleasure, toil, peace, or rest, but in the mingling.  I believe that
the art involved in creating a virtual world is similar.  If you
focus entirely on pleasurable experiences for each moment, I think
you can actually end up with something that isn't very entertaining
or compelling over the long run.

So while I think it is a good idea to ask questions and take a hard
look at how dim lighting or other sorts of game mechanics are used,
I think it is also important to realize that the long-term
entertainment in a game exists in the mix of game mechanics moreso
than how a particular mechanic is used or not used.

--Phin
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