[MUD-Dev] ghost mode

[Tess Lowe]

Dan Harman wrote:

> Do you really even want what you are asking for, would it hold
> your interest for more than a week? If not, then as a developer I
> wouldn't choose to deploy resources in servicing your desire.

I suspect I would switch between ghost mode and achiever mode as the
mood took me. Eg, being able to 'piggyback' another character as
described by John Buehler in his post, then doing the quest for
myself.

Personally though I'd rather 'achieve' for points and ranking
positions and respect rather than to level up and access
content. Why is there this assumption that everyone would leave
after seeing all the content? Wouldn't achievers be as captivated by
league tables as by levels? Levels always have a cap - league tables
do not, unless you're number 1 at absolutely everything.

One thing I learned from playing Achaea - having as many routes to
obtaining the respect of other players as possible is a good
thing. Grunt Levelling is one way. Player skill is another. Politics
is another. Creativity is another. While content and area access
depends solely on levelling, all these other play styles are pushed
away.

> I understand your reluctance to get onto a treadmill. I've stopped
> playing MMOs myself because I've lost all tolerance too. I just
> don't see any way of making a game compelling if you give the
> players every facet of gameplay as soon as they instantiate the
> character. Even single player games keep things back as a reward,
> and they don't have anything like the content problems that MMOs
> do!

I'm not convinced by that. There are many types of game that make
all content available at the start, particularly those involving
PvP. Perhaps this is why FPShooters are incorporating ghost modes
while MMORPGs generally are not, though I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy
floating around and watching more in the latter.

I don't understand it when people say "You would quit after two
weeks if there was no new content or you'd seen everything," because
that patently isn't and wasn't true at all. Quite the reverse - new
content can make me feel like a newbie again, which can be quite
unpleasant.

>> Do you want my money?

> Yes but not at the expense of people who are likely to stick
> around for longer.

Fair comment, although I suspect you are writing that from the point
of view of someone who quits when the content runs out.

> But my point is that you won't be playing if everything is handed
> to you on a plate.

Not true; my play style is not yours!

> Ok, you've just demonstrated you are a gfx junkie. That's
> problematic for a game which intends to have a >3 year liftetime!
> I'd much rather keep you interested with a controlled
> dissemination of content.

Yes, I like to see pretty gfx. Yes I like smooth-as-silk
movement. But I do NOT need constant new content. That's not my
mindset at all. But you are right, I'll probably be better off in
"There" than EQ. I just think it's a shame that something like EQ
cant support my playstyle, because I think the content and the
people are very pretty and very numerous and I'd like to have been
inspired to hang out there more than the two months I managed. A
large number of my friends have played there for over 3 years now.

~Tess
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