[MUD-Dev] DESIGN: Why do people like weather in MMORPGs?

[Mike Rozak]

Michael Hartman wrote:

> Finally, if you look to text MUDs you will see dramatically more
> complex usage of both day/night cycles and weather. It is
> dangerous to discuss a topic like this on a list called MUD-DEV
> and ignore what is going on in the MUD world. :)

I used the term MMORPG (as opposed to MUD) hoping to avoid
this. Oddly, MUDs have time and weather affect gameplay but they
don't have too much effect on eye-candy (other then totally dark
rooms and the occasional description of "the sun has
risen"). MMORPGs use time and weather for eye candy, but not
gameplay.

> Second, day/night and weather cycles add to the immersiveness of
> the game because they make the game world more similar to, and
> more reflective of, the real world. A world where it is always day
> time or where it never rains or snows is inherently unrealistic.

To play devil's advocate: A place where dragons roam, people are
resurrected, and no one eats is also inherently unrealitic. :-) I
know what you're saying though; One of the first things I noticed
about WoW was that there weren't clouds in the sky.

> Third, the fact that many games make poor use of day/weather
> cycles does not mean they are pure fluff. There are indeed games
> where NPCs are only available at certain times of the day or where
> certain abilities only work during day or night or when certain
> weather conditions exist.

I can think of many ways of using time and weather. At what point do
players start whinging that it's too realistic? If all the
shopkeepers are away at night, do players whinge? What if a
shopkeeper goes out to lunch? Etc. Does anyone have any experience
with this and/or suggestions?

Mike Rozak
http://www.mxac.com.au
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