[MUD-Dev2] The Great Mud Survey

[John Buehler]

Amanda Walker writes:

> On Dec 30, 2006, at 5:30 AM, David Johansson wrote:
> > Like my lovely mother said to me, oh so many years ago: "You never
> > know if
> > you are gonna enjoy the food unless you taste it, if you don't like
> > it, just
> > eat something else, but remember that one dish might be awful at one
> > restaurant, but gorgeous at the next, so always try everything."
>
> This is very true.  I can recall how many people moaned about how WoW
> or Guild Wars weren't "real" because they focused on playability
> rather than on the level grind and death penalties (though WoW still
> has some level grind).  Yet they are very popular because, among
> other things, they encourage intermittent play.  The idea of a "a
> game you can play for a half an hour at a time, without having to
> assemble a classic tank + mage + bard + priest party" seemed anathema
> to many RPGers--yet they're quite popular.  Guild Wars is a great
> example--violates every RPG & MMO rule out there, but dang if it
> isn't a blast to play.
>
> You'll never find out what people like or don't like by asking them.
> Watch what and how they play.

Agreed.

Creativity requires a vision of what will be created.  Only a small
percentage of the population has the time, talent and inclination to produce
such a vision.  Authors, artists, composers and inventors are the sorts who
have all the needed bits and pieces to bring something new into the world.
Game designers are also found in that group.

John Bertoglio says essentially the same thing in another reply in this
thread, observing that 'People have an amazing lack of ability to imagine an
"ideal" set of features for a game or anything else.'  That's ultimately
because the act of creation is not easy.  The best creations are produced by
those with the most complete understanding, the greatest ability to see the
finished work in the greatest detail.  I'm quite sure that Mozart could
imagine his entire composition in a single thought, while lesser composers
could only see bits and pieces of theirs.

Ask players what they want and you'll get bits and pieces of a vision.  The
information can be invaluable, but only as a kind of feedback to let you
know the mindset of the people that are taking your surveys.  If you're a
marketeer, create a game that addresses all the hot topics that are on the
mind of players.  If you're a visionary, talk to others who can see the
complete vista of features, functions, challenges and even the philosophy of
a created game experience.  You may have something fresh and exciting that
players will flock to.

Or you may just have another flop because as wonderful as your vision is, it
doesn't resonate with anyone else.

Creation is tough.  Creation for consumption is doubly so.

JB