<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying. --> <!--X-From-R13: [nevna Uevssvgu <telcubaNvnrui.ay> --> <!--X-Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 19:34:49 +0000 --> <!--X-Message-Id: Marcel-1.26-1121203603-06cKy&5#Gryphon,knoware.nl --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 199711092030.NAA18025#user2,inficad.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00337.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00339.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00675.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00185.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00340">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00340">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00340">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: Mud Dev Mailing list <<A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A>></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Marian Griffith <<A HREF="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 20:36:03 +0000 (GMT)</LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> On Sun 09 Nov, Adam Wiggins wrote: > [Marian Griffith:] > > It still is the way I like to play, even if it is not the 'official' way > > to play muds. > I think this is the key to the whole issue. If you get rid of an > 'official' (or, more accurately, 'standard') method to play the game, > it will simutaneously appeal to more players from different backgrounds > and with different ideas of what's fun, and be more flexible and > thereby more entertaining in the long run to the players as a whole. > Of course, the hard part about this is that it's difficult to make a game > which seems to have some sort of purpose to it, especially when you first > start the game. I think Ultima Online has done a very good job with this > sort of an approach, but still the main complaint I hear (especially from > those used to the more directed form of playin single player computer games) > is that they can't figure out what they should be doing when they start > the game. This is difficult on any game that does not set clear immediate goals. When I first started Myst I had no idea what to do except for wandering around. It was a good thing there was so much to be seen. I would think the same ought to be true for muds as well. > Personally I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on this. We've touched > on it before but I don't think ever dived in very deeply. Usually the > short answers are 'good, accessable documentation' and 'good character > creation.' Both are only important if you already know about the game. My guess would be to have simple short term goals that can be fullfilled by a new player. Finding food and water on the average mud serves this purpose. The second thing that I think is important is that you can play the game without having to be good at it. At the moment on most muds almost the entire game world is effectively closed to new play- ers. They are restricted to some kind of silly newbie zone or school and have to struggle through it. Only the highest level players can explore the game. A better game would have the largest part of the world available to all players but limit their ability to affect it. That way new players can have access to a vast game world to wander around in, as that gradually looses appeal they may have found ways to actually affect that world by playing the game. A third thing that seems important to me is to provide entertainment to players who really are not very good. Not everybody cares about competing with other players. Marian -- Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world, out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again will there be loneliness ... Rolan Choosing Talia, Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00265" HREF="msg00265.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> Adam Wiggins <nightfall#user2,inficad.com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00337.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Gender specific</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00339.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00675.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00185.html">Poison List - Part II</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00340"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00340"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00412" HREF="msg00412.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:nightfall#user1,inficad.com">nightfall#user1,inficad.com</a>, Wed 26 Nov 1997, 07:00 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00417" HREF="msg00417.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></strong>, Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Wed 26 Nov 1997, 19:48 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00421" HREF="msg00421.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></strong>, Richard Woolcock <a href="mailto:KaVir#dial,pipex.com">KaVir#dial,pipex.com</a>, Thu 27 Nov 1997, 19:06 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00675" HREF="msg00675.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></strong>, coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Thu 11 Dec 1997, 05:02 GMT </LI> </LI> </LI> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> <LI><strong><A NAME="00340" HREF="msg00340.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: Less numbers, more roleplaying.</A></strong>, Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Fri 21 Nov 1997, 19:34 GMT </LI> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00185" HREF="msg00185.html">Poison List - Part II</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Fri 31 Oct 1997, 05:32 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00184" HREF="msg00184.html">Poison List - Part IV</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Fri 31 Oct 1997, 05:32 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00183" HREF="msg00183.html">Poison List - Part III</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Fri 31 Oct 1997, 05:31 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00186" HREF="msg00186.html">Poison List - Part I</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Fri 31 Oct 1997, 05:30 GMT </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>