[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN} Who to design for?

[Tess Snider]

On 5/18/07, John Buehler <johnbue at msn.com> wrote:
> Does a successful game need crazy hardcore people, or just enthusiastic
> enough to talk favorably about their experience?  Is high end content a
> mandatory part of the pattern?  Was The Sims successful because of a
> hardcore element that brought friends in?  Did The Sims have high end
> content for that hardcore element?

Word-of-mouth (and shoulder surfing) was definitely what made The Sims
successful.  The "hardcore element" expressed itself in many different
ways.  Again, you can't bring stereotypes to the table.  One hardcore
person might be posting a blog of torturing his Sims, while another
might make impressive film shorts:

http://www.britannicadreams.com/snowwitch.html

I would consider the mod tools to be one of the things that were
provided for hardcore players.

Tess