[MUD-Dev] RE: CoH and others

[Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com]

Alex Chacha wrote

> There are few ways to address this problem.  At first one needs to
> realize that the powerplayers are a small percentage of the
> userbase, but they are also the ones that have the lowest ROI.
> They log longest hours and pay same as everyone else.  This is
> turn is more cpu/db/network/etc cycles spent on them rather than a
> non-powergamers.  If the cost scaled based on hours spent online,
> then these would be the people that the development team can be
> dedicated to, but it is not, the fees are flat and monthly.

> The ideal users are the ones that pay the same monthly fee and log
> in for a short duration, the cost of maintaining these types of
> customers is far less, but the fees they pay are the same. So
> making a change to accommodate a small percentage while burdening
> the majority is shortsighted.

I've heard this 'ideal user' concept bandied around before, but I
think its missing a few important aspects. It's not simply a case of
bottom line bandwidth costs, there are other arguably more important
things to consider :

  - How much is a world enriched by a player being around
  consistently? What is this sense of continuity worth? Have a look
  at some of the forums for AC2 and Horizons. They make depressing
  reading because players are bemoaning the lack of populace in
  these games. Without the hardcore, its oh so easy for casual
  players to log in for 10 mins, see no one around and then log back
  out, setting off a self perpetuating death spiral.

  - Who are the players that create community focal points? The
  traders that are always around to sell you a widget, the guys that
  can be bothered to run a guild, the old hands ready to help a
  newbie? I'd argue that it's the non ideal users again, without
  whom you run the risk of running a 'place' not a 'world'.

  - How much does bandwidth cost as a percentage of day to day
  running costs?  If a support call costs a large amount to process,
  then perhaps the casual player with an outdated machine, outdated
  drivers and not much technical knowledge will cost more than you
  think.

Fundamentally my point is this. In an online world, it's in your interests
to get as many people heavily invested in your game world as possible. After
all, it's the players that make the worlds, developers just make places.

Dan
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