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

[Dave Rickey]

From: "Rayzam" <rayzam at travellingbard.com>
> From: "Dave Rickey" <mahrinskel at brokentoys.org>

>> In an MMO, all scarcities are artificial and the only essential
>> limit on a resource (barring failed experiments such as the
>> closed-loop UO economy) is the time required to gain them.

> Yes, time is a limit on a resource, but there are others:

>   - intelligence. I've seen some players not be able to figure out
>   how to solve some content to get to the resource at the end. So
>   they are limited from gaining that resource. Those that do, if
>   they don't publish it on the web, also get to limit others from
>   having it.

>   - social network. Some resources take X number of people to get
>   to.  Don't have enough people/friends/large enough guild, don't
>   get to make that run and get the loot.

>   - lack of social network can also be due to social skills. Can't
>   play nice with others, you may be limited from gaining a
>   resource via not having a group, or not being able to abide by
>   the rules of a guild.

All of these things speak to the efficiency with which one converts
time to power, and the particular route to power that is sought.
Certainly you cannot gain power without investing *any* time
(although the time investment may not be in the game, if the route
to power is social in nature).  These efficiencies can vary
dramatically, by factors of hundreds even when the power sought is
*not* zero-sum in nature.

--Dave


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