[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] What is a game? (again)was:[Excellentcommentary on Vanguard's diplomacy system]

[Caliban Darklock]

On 4/9/07, Damion Schubert <dschubert at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I admit, this way of thinking somewhat baffles me.  As the admitted
> advocate of 'gamey games' on this list, I have found that most players
> find MMOs to be enriched by toyetic behaviors, such as emoting,
> chatting, player run weddings, funerals or beauty pageants, etc.

And as long as those things are used within the grounds of player
consensus, they enhance the game. But when you walk up to a group of
players and emote "Bob pulls down his pants and takes a big dump",
that group of players is almost certainly going to complain. Players
who want a rich game experience beyond what coded systems can provide
will happily fake one, given a freeform system where everyone can
interact unencumbered, but that same system lends itself to abuse.
There's a trade-off, a balance, and it's not so much about finding the
perfect balance as it is about finding the one that works for a
particular game - which is really more about the particular group of
players than the particular rules and systems they use.