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

[Marian Griffith]

In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Sun 04 May, Dave Rickey wrote:
> 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.

I certainly can not speak for all muds in existence, though I would
expect  one or two might have experimented with other economic sys-
tems.

However,  there are many muds around that have no focus at all on a
loot-experience-level threadmill.  Roleplaying mushes come to mind,
as does Furcadia.  You could twist,  what economy those games have,
into a 'time/power' mold,  but that would strongly suggest  you are
indeed using one hammer to nail everything in sight.

>> Yes, time is a limit on a resource, but there are others:
>>   - intelligence.
>>   - social network.
>>   - lack of social network can also be due to social skills.

> All of these things speak to the efficiency with which one converts
> time to power, and the particular route to power that is sought.

Only if you insist on looking at things that way. It is not the way
players will be looking at things,  and I think your assertion is a
bit dubious at best. What I have a problem with is insisting that a
game *must* be about reaching a certain goal as quickly and effici-
ently as possible. In other words: an achiever's game. In my exper-
ience, and that is not merely anecdotical,  this is not the goal of
all players, not even of the majority. Especially not the third ti-
me around. Players seek to be *entertained* by a game. Some do that
by seeing everything. Others by becoming the best at something. Yet
others are simply meeting with friends and making new ones. Or they
immerse themselves in another culture  shared with other players of
the game. Personally I have collected shoes, worked hard at helping
other players reach certain areas or monsters not because of levels
or equipment  but because I wanted to help others and the group dy-
namics interest me.  I have done many other weird things (seen from
the perspective of an achiever), and my experience is that I am far
from the only one.  Personally I would *adore* a game where I could
truly create things  and become a tailor or perhaps a shoe designer
or an architect.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey


_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev