[MUD-Dev] Metric vs. English System of Measurement in Games

[Julio Nobrega]

Michael Hartman wrote:

> In a game world where the unit of measurement matters, what
> happens when the system used is not the same as the one most of
> your players are familiar with (English for US players, metric for
> everyone else). Are they uncomfortable? Does this make them less
> likely to play/stay?

Speaking as a player... I live in Brazil, where we use the metric
system, and the "miles/yards" system is completely bogus for me. I
have been playing City of Heroes for 7 months now, and there's a
compass to show you how far you are from a certain point.

Everytime it goes from 0.6 mi to 845 yds or numbers like that my
mind made a "glitch". How come a measure can go from close to half
of something to 800 out of nowhere? :)

Nowadays I am more used when it shows the yards. 800, 700,
600.. that I can understand. When it shows miles I dont get. I just
know that I need to go there.

And that's for large distances... I used to follow (and play)
basketball. People are measured in feet and inches... it is
something very, very odd for me. If I read about two players, one
with 5.8 and other 6.11, I know who is taller, but now *how* much. I
can't visualize how much of difference this is...

If little items (swords, shields) measures were shown in inches, I
would be confused. Again, I would know which is bigger, but not how
much. And since the Imperial system has so many different units,
make that it always change when something is reached. For example,
with CoH, 850 yds go to 0.6 mi. Don't show me a measure of 1250 yds
and 0.8 mi..  no idea which is bigger or farther.

Maybe I am lazy, don't do the conversions, haven't
adapted... anyway, I don't like ^_^

--
Julio Nobrega <webmaster at inerciasensorial.com.br>
InSe
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