[MUD-Dev] Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...)

[Dana V. Baldwin]

Douglas Goodall

> Color me wierd, but I thought AO had one of the best communities
> for an on-line game, at least prior to the release of Shadowlands.

Nothing weird about that. AO had by far the most involved
role-players of any MMO that I have played for any period of
time. The socializing was a refreshing break from anything that had
come before. Hours spent in cantinas, Live365 DJs playing music etc,
all without skills required. I still remember the dev hosted in
game, in character, meetings where all of us founding guild leaders
would come to secret meetings to plan the war against the
clans. Community, in AO, was abundant when I played.

I am still unable to connect haow instanced content, whose primary
goal should be to provide a group with the feeling that they are the
hero, and not just another group going through the fun house, is
incompatible with community.  Rather I should say, I am missing how
instancing affects the community at all.

I like my world filled with interesting and varied peoples. I also
prefer those people to be real flesh and blood actors, even role
players as opposed to NPCs.  For me this is the community, this is
the primary joy of the MMO.

I also like to feel like my group, and thus my character, is
unique. Instancing allows me to do this. I wouldn't suggest that all
content is appropriate for this. Some content should affect a vast
number of players and should be effectively one off but I don't want
to be told to "break into that office building over there and steal
the secret plans from the network" only to find that I have to stand
in line to do so.

Instancing, in many ways, can empower players with more interesting
stories to tell at the cantina after each session, and for me,
that's where community starts.

-Dana V. Baldwin
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