[MUD-Dev] A new game paradigm (was: Star Wars Galaxies)

[Scott Miller - Intelligent Life Games]

Thomas Tomiczek:

> The result is: we need a slower progression leveling system -
> something where higher levels give you less and less return. On
> top of this add equipment, fame and all the other stuff - but the
> "progression" needs to be rebalanced, and MOST games are TERRIBLE
> in this.

Here is a question then, do you need to have a "level", "skill" or
any other means of advancing a character?

Look at Counterstrike, Command & Conquer and the hordes of other
online multi-player games. These games are very popular for several
reasons, the main one for me is that you can jump in at any time,
spend 30 min playing a game and SHUT IT OFF with out feeling like I
am missing something. It doesn't impede hardcore players from
playing 24/7 but as a "casual" gamer, I play a game and be on equal
footing with these 24/7 type. This also means that a designer can
create a game based on all players having a equal footing, this
would also reduce the pain for new players to join the game.  How
much time could spend on features if you didn't have to design 50
levels of content? How about 50 levels of PVP to balance?

Think about your ideal player from a business sense. You want a
person who has multiple accounts and rarely logs on and plays. That
player takes little bandwidth and CS time. So in my mind removing
the barriers from players to going out and getting an instant gaming
fix would be a positive change.  While I understand that having a
entire userbase of 30 min players would be devastating to a
community, I see little reason to compel players to play for 1-4
hours before feeling like they accomplished something.

>From what I see the question shouldn't be "what can we do to change
levels"?  Instead ask yourself: "why should we have levels in the
first place"?

Scott Miller
Marketing and PR Manager
Intelligent Life Games
mailto:unknownplayer at intelgames.com
http://www.imperialwars.com




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