[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Rewards

[Raph Koster]

cruise wrote:
> [Note: replying to lots of people in one]
>
> Thus spake Raph Koster...
> > cruise wrote:
> > > a) Players don't need rewards if the activity is enjoyable.
> > > b) Rewards for activities often reward the wrong behaviour.
> >
> > I agree with these two points, but I would add
> >
> > c) Players will choose to do an unfun thing endlessly if there's a
> > reward for it
> > d) Players will neglect fun things if it causes them to fall behind
> > in a rat race.
>
> Absolutely.
>
> > ANY reward distorts the playing field in that way, and dropping all
> > rewards isn't a viable strategy either.
>
> Why not, given a) ?

Because of c) and d). In short, players don't need rewards if the
activity is enjoyable, but they will blithely ignore enjoyable
activities if something else is rewarded. It's an opportunity cost
question for them. Most people do not stop to smell the roses.

Great article in the Washington Post illustrating this basic aspect of
human psychology:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR200704
0401721.html

> > A lack of rewards is a very good way to make your game inaccessible
> > and unfun to most people.
>
> To those who only want rewards, yes. How much data do we have on what
> players actually want (instead of what tehy're willing to play)?

That said, this conversation may also be running afoul of differing
definitions of reward. I agree with John Buehler that there are many
sorts of reward, and we have tended to only go with one sort, albeit a
very powerful one.