[MUD-Dev] NEWS: Why Virtual Worlds are Designed By Newbies -No, Really! (By R. Bartle)

[Tom Hunter]

J C Lawrence wrote:
> Raph Koster <Koster> wrote:
>> J C Lawrence wrote:
>>> On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 19:32:09 -0800 Raph Koster <Koster> wrote:

>>>> ((waiting for JC to kill this thread per the list charter, but
>>>> hoping he doesn't))

>>> I try to not kill threads that look like they might get somewhere.

>> In that case, I will offer up my original definition, which I think
>> has a lot in common with your other post:

> Ha!

Snipped the rest of JC and Raph's comments

I have a relatively weak technical background (marketer, not code
writer) as I read the discussion I see most contributors trying to
define the term, or choose the term (as case may be) in broadly
technical terms.  Raph, JC and others are describing the "system" (a
word I am using because there is not agreement to use MUD, VW or
another term) in a way that is not many steps away from a design
document.  A few others are describing the "system" in terms of what
the players get to do.

I propose that economics be added to the mix.  One of the things
that separates Everquest, Second Life, Achaea and all the others
from Doom or Tetris is the creation of value by the players in the
context of the "system"

Going all the way back to the first MUD players could act in ways
that created economic value for other players.  When a MUD player in
the later 1970s planned something that other players showed up for
it created economic value, that player used some one else's code and
computer system to do something that caused other players to spend
time which has value.  It took a long time to get from doing
something interesting in Richard's first MUD to auctioning off your
character on EBay but there is a direct connection from one to the
other.

I believe that this feature is one of the things that makes what we
are discussing unique and that it ought to be considered when we are
trying to define the topic and create terms for the industry.

Tom Hunter
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