[MUD-Dev] Blog about GDC implies changes to MMORPG population

[Sean Kelly]

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005, Michael Hartman wrote:
> Sean Kelly wrote:

>>> The extreme S-curve of the game kills that form of fun (in a
>>> mixed level group).

>> I disagree.  While mixed-level grouping doesn't offer an optimal
>> XP reward, it does up the challenge considerably.  Keeping a
>> low-level player alive when they aggro things half a mile away
>> and can't defend themselves can take some work.  From an
>> achievement perspective, this offers bragging rights.  In fact
>> there have been a number of player-run events involving
>> protecting low-level characters in dangerous areas.

> So the fun challenge comes from wrestling with the crappy game
> design that discourages, heavily, grouping with anyone more than 1
> or 2 levels apart from you?

> As a game developer, I wish I had tons of customers as easy to
> please as you. Every poor decision I make becomes the "fun
> challenge" of the game. Wow, just wow.

Just a quick note--my post was in the third-person, not the
first-person.  My personal likes or dislikes are not represented
here :) That said, I've observed a sufficient number of other
players that feel this way that I consider them a measurable portion
of the gaming community.

Sean
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