[MUD-Dev] Expected value and standard deviation.

[Dark Lamenth]

Raph Koster writes:

> I don't think it's in the Laws, but I've always treated it as a
> Law:

>    Players will do the boring thing rather than the fun thing, if
>    they advance faster that way.

> As a corollary:

>    There's no way to get rid of the "boring" way to play your
>    game. Players can always choose to play conservatively to
>    maximize return while minimizing risk.

Players who wish to measure themselves against other players will
invariably take the fastest road to their objective within the
reasonable limits of tedium. An environment where PvP conflict
occurs or frankly any environment where players mainly measure
themselves against other players is likely to strongly support
Mr. Koster's assertions above.

Example: We all play pac-man. I have a high-score of 2 million
points, you have a score of 1 million point. You discover that if
you shuffle between 2 close-by points in pac-man the ghosts will
never get you. You then shuffle between these 2 points over and over
for 12 hours to achieve a score of 30 million points. Thus advancing
in game levels beyond where anyone else has, despite your lack of
actually experiencing the game.

I believe that any game that allows a measurement of players of
anytime will eventually be broken down into a solution of "Take
anytime will eventually be broken down into a solution of "Take
Route Z to level up the fastest". When a system of levels is not
Route Z to level up the fastest". When a system of levels is not
available (or is commonly maximized) the players will move on to
secondary (equipment, money, status) and tertiary measurements.

The only way to avoid this is to allow for a system where players
rank themselves and each other.

For example a small group of friends and I used to play a
role-playing game on a private MUD. Levels and status were granted
in the game by the general consensus of john-q-public. Player_Raph
has requested to level up, do you feel his contributions to the
community warrant this? (There are 3 remaining spots currently
available for level 2 characters), do you vote: Yes or No. There is
no way to "beat" this system short of creating dozens of
no way to "beat" this system short of creating dozens of
no way to "beat" this system short of creating dozens of
no way to "beat" this system short of creating dozens of
simultaneous accounts.

The pro is obviously that player growth is controlled by the
playerbase and cannot be simply macrod, automated, or otherwise
sidestepped. It also requires a peer evaluation, which avoids the
obvious tedium type short cuts. This is similar in many ways to a
promotion system in a workplace. Someone accomplishes what is
required of them to be promoted but they cannot be promoted until a
person holding a position above them has moved on.

The con is this system simply does not function in a large
MUD/MMORPG. The world is more of a popularity contest than what you
can accomplish on your own. For instance someone who has less
interaction with the world (a solo player) would have a poor growth
potential where as someone popular would have a better growth
potential.

- Dan
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