[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Player-generated content

[cruise]

Thus spake John Buehler...
> I think that the need to rate the difficulty of a task is declaring a
> problem.  It suggests levels.  If not levels, then at least it suggests that
> the game world is not intuitive to the players.  The level scenario is the
> worst, of course, where players are intent on tuning the exact experience
> that they go through in order to efficiently advance.  I've ranted on that
> before and I won't again.  In general, though, rating the difficulty of task
> should be intuitive.

This is a useful insight - I likewise much prefer level-less systems, 
yet I hadn't managed to make this final connection. Interesting how 
ingrained thinking in levels is...

> If a task sends me into the local forest to find an herb, I shouldn't have
> to worry about being attacked.  Except by the traditionally-aggressive
> denizens of a forest, which actually only act in defense.  If a task sends
> me across the world through the lanes of commerce, I should expect to keep
> on my toes.  The ship I'm on might be attacked by bandits, but I would
> expect the ship to have proper defenses for such things.  The very existence
> of those defenses should tell me something, too.  If a task sends me into
> the Haunted Castle far off in the boonies, I should expect that I'm going to
> run into something unpleasant.

The only objection to this is the scenario Tom Hudson gave in his reply, 
about deliberately setting up traps for players sent on your mission - 
I'm not entirely clear on what the trap-setter gets out of it, except 
what any griefer gets, but it's still a possibility. While that's the 
nature of the world in Eve, and so is arguably a non-issue there, it may 
well be in other, less...cynical...worlds :P

> Per the Eve Online example, market forces decide when a task is worth the
> effort.  And market forces change over time, which is part of the beauty of
> Eve Online.  They address the issue of rating by saying how many contracts a
> given player has issued/filled and leave it at that.  Players don't bother
> gaming that aspect as far as I know because there's really no value in
> gaming it.  Players abuse systems when achievements are on the line.  Games
> that are predicted on achievement invite such attention from players.
> Levels.  Grrrr.

Interesting. I seem to have acquired from somewhere the inherent belief 
that players would be abuse such a system to twink their new 
toons/friends, and that this must be discouraged. Now I actually stop 
and consider it...why do I care? Why is it such an issue having an 
experienced player give a helping hand to newer ones?

The feeling that that isn't "fair" seems to extend from the feeling that 
the other player has "acheived" something they haven't earnt; something 
that is redundant in a non-achievement based game.