[MUD-Dev] Congratulations Horizons...

[Philip M. Hofer \{Frumph\}]

Lee Sheldon wrote:

> 3) Expanding the world in a manner that is within the universe of
> it, rather than just an expansion pack, or taking down servers and
> announcing a new zone. A tunnel has been discovered that requires
> crafters of several different skills to clear. At the end of what
> I expect to be a fairly arduous undertaking, a new PLAYABLE PLAYER
> RACE may be "rescued." Two years ago I suggested how DAoC could do
> something similar to this to open their new epic zones, but they
> opted for the same old same old. Kudos to Horizons for finally
> showing how it can be done.

The marketing of releasing additional content.  The main reason
content is released to the population is for keeping the
energy/boast of the sales of the game to continue.  Most companies
will opt to have it as a campaign to pursue more sales.

I agree there should be more 'player found content release' in
mmorpgs of today, its unique and gives an air of accomplishment
.. to those few who actually open the content ... exactly, those few
who do it.  Not the server player base, not the nation of players on
the server, but the few, miniscule players that accomplish the
release.

Releasing content in this modal isn't effective for a couple key
reasons, the main reason that it only gives the entertainment to a
select few, which means that the content to provide the content
itself is being withheld from the player base AND what some consider
to be the "anticipation level" of the player base to keep
continuity. (Not to mention the sellability to the marketing dept
and actually making ka-ching cash to continue the project in the
first place).

Why do you think fast-food companies create new dish's all the time?
..  They want to have product kept fresh and their clients to stay
with them.  In that respect they make money.  Kudos for Horizons to
have content released as such, however it's not going to win them
any brownie points with their player base as a whole or the sell of
their game.

> ALL of the above three things will be copied by other games in
> expansion packs or updates. They are glimmers of a beginning
> evolution in thinking about what MMORPG worlds can be.

Doubt it.

-Frumph

Sidenote: Everquests shot in the foot "The shark that will hurt
them, the modal they are not using anymore (or shouldn't)".
Everquest released its planes of power expansion to its population,
however not the entire player base will achieve the end resulting
accomplishment of the content itself and they have hurt themselves
by doing so, see topics on games and mental anguish.  On the other
hand, the redemption of their POP release is the addition of
information, content and equipment available to those who have also
purchased the release (but wont ever see the end of).  (in the form
of levels and advancement available to the "all" of their players).
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