[MUD-Dev] SOC/DGN: Enforcing Socially Acceptable Behavior

[Jaycen Rigger]

<EdNote: Huge trailing quote trimmed.  I don't think I deleted any
original text, but I might have.>

Sean Howard <squidi at squidi.net> wrote:

> Developers need to start listening to the silent majority in these
> games.  Failure to do so is creating negative experiences for
> gamers and sending them away. There's plenty of "achievers" and
> "griefers" out there to keep something like World of Warcaft in
> business, but the Sims Online is certain proof that we need to
> revise our social models if we want to target, involve, and KEEP a
> different audience on any scale above a small cliquish group.

Man, Sean, I vascilate between hating your guts re: your blog, and
cheering out loud on your last several posts here.  I would give you
a firm handshake, if we were face-to-face.

Regardless of how frightening or unpleasant it might be to actually
moderate your player-base, doing so in a consistent and structured
way will reward you with happy, loyal players.  Will some vocal
people complain and do so loudly?  Of course!  You're dealing with
children and child-like adults in many instances.

As Sean pointed out, the vast, silent majority of "regular players"
will greatly appreciate the clean, quiet environment that results.
This plays itself over and over on the free servers as well as the
pay-for-play.  Same problems, same results, same resolutions.

I'll probably get the "YOU try making money when you send the whiney
kids packing" speech again, but whether you're making money or not
it plays itself out that way every time.  People who are not virtual
sociopaths (Raph's term, which I like better than cyberbullies) will
stay, even when the actual game systems aren't that great, as long
as they aren't motivated to leave by asinine players.  That's simply
human nature.

There's a point that often escapes the minds of people writing on
this subject.  Kids bop from game to game because they have the
time, (parent's) money, and a range of friends with similarly
changing interests and they like bright, shiney things.  Older
players tend to find what they like and stick with it.  Don't they?

Jaycen
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