[MUD-Dev] Removing access to entertainment

[John Buehler]

Jens L. Nielsen writes:
> From: "John Buehler" <johnbue at msn.com>

>> Think of the achievement game as a ride through a theme park.  It
>> may have lots of decisions that the achievers can make, but those
>> should be achievement-related decisions.  Perhaps players can get
>> off the achievement ride at any time and hop onto the exploration
>> ride for a bit, then get back on the achievement ride.  But the
>> achievement ride doesn't dump you onto the socializer ride, and
>> vice-versa.  If I wanted the log flume, I would have gotten on
>> it.  I'm on the rollercoaster because that's what I wanted to do.

> Yet we all still have to walk the very "boring" paths between the
> rides and also stand in qeue for those because we go there in a
> group.

In a virtual world there is no need.

> Sure you like to sit in the roller coaster 100% of all the time,
> but that's just not feasible for the entertainment park because
> there's 200 more people wanting to ride the darn thing and they
> are waiting for you to get off.

In a virtual world there is no need.

> The alternative would be to have an entire entertainment park
> filled with roller coasters and I think that would get boring fast
> because there would be no diversity.

Right.  So I wouldn't argue for that.

> Besides, what about the others who like to stroll the park and
> watch people have fun ? Or sit on a bench and relax. Yes, dangit,
> those downtimes helps us unwind a bit and relax our wrists. I know
> a few who would probably have carpal tunnel syndrome now if not
> for downtime in games, or pauses at work, etc. etc.. I don't think
> it's an evil thing, though there can definately be too much of it,
> I also think there can be too little of it.

I don't think you're getting the point I'm trying to make.  At no
time am I arguing against downtime.  I'm arguing against it when it
is MANDATORY.

> What you are asking for is something that is "on" constantly, that
> will never stop being fun for you. But that's not fun to everyone,
> and with a MUD / MMO you need to cater for more than one type of
> person.

I'm not asking for 'on' all the time.  Don't you see the difference
between being required to have downtime and the opportunity for it?
The difference between being forced to achieve and having the
opportunity for it?  The difference between being forced to be
'entertained the way the designers want to entertain you' versus
having the opportunity for it?

> Man, I sound like an old geezer telling a kid to slow down.

Yes, you do.  The fact that you are tells me that you're missing my
point.

JB
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