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<H1>[MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: Brandon Cline &lt;<A HREF="mailto:brandon#sedona,net">brandon#sedona,net</A>&gt;</LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 02:41:01 -0700 (MST)</LI>
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<PRE>
On Wed, 31 Dec 1997, Travis Casey wrote:

&gt; Jon A. Lambert &lt;jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com&gt; wrote:
&gt; &gt;On 29 Dec 97 at 13:39, JC Lawrence wrote:
&gt;  
&gt; &gt;&gt; Something that just struck me is that all the commercial
&gt; &gt;&gt; representatives we have on the list seem to espouse their games as
&gt; &gt;&gt; being RP games, and discuss their values in terms of the RP values
&gt; &gt;&gt; generated by their games.
&gt; &gt;&gt; 
&gt; &gt;&gt; Is this valid in a commercial sense?  What are its origins?
&gt; [much cut]
&gt; 
&gt; &gt; I do believe Ola hit on this directly or around the edges. :)  
&gt; &gt; If you can pick up a sword, cast a spell or fire a phaser, the game will
&gt; &gt; likely be marketed as a role-playing game in a commercial sense.
&gt; 

[ snip ]

&gt; 
&gt; Now, a personal opinion:
&gt; 
&gt; I believe that any well-designed, realistic mud will make a good 
&gt; environment for roleplaying.  To explain why, let me first give my 
&gt; definition of roleplaying:
&gt; 
&gt;  Making decisions about how your character will act based on the 
&gt;  character's personality, rather than on such bases as what will give
&gt;  the most advantage in the game or what must be done to win the game.
&gt; 
&gt; Well-designed muds can be played in this way as a consequence of the 
&gt; fact that they are multi-player games.  Since they are multi-player
&gt; games, there must be multiple activities available for characters;
&gt; multiple goals to choose from, if you will.  This means that players
&gt; can choose which goal(s) they want their character to pursue -- 
&gt; which further implies that that choice can be made on the basis of
&gt; the character's personality.
&gt; 
&gt; This stands in contrast to single-user RPGs; most of these have only
&gt; one overall goal for the game.  If a player decides that his/her
&gt; character would not want to accomplish that goal, there's nothing else
&gt; to do in the game but waste time.
&gt;

Not to repeat JCL's point, but using Travis's opinion of
what "role-playing" is, is "that" a viable comercial pursuit?  The
comercial RPG games atm, seem to have the ability for "role-playing" but
in a competitive game, where possibly the players are paying by usage, or
advancing through time spent, are they going to be willing to put forth
the extra effort to "role-play" and/or is/will the game reward the players
for role-playing?  Basically, if the game can be played without
role-playing, how will you get the people to role-play.  Also, if not
everyone is willing to role-play, how do you keep the ones that don't from
detracting from other peoples ability to role-play within the environment?

  In approach to some of those questions, I agree that first off, a
realistic and well designed, interactive world/environment is a must,
either that or a very flexible world structure like some of the Mush/muse
etc bases.  


Brandon L. Cline      |      Imagination is more important than knowledge.
brandon#sedona,net    |                                -- Albert Einstein 



</PRE>

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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Time travel and Logging</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00068" HREF="msg00068.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Time travel and Logging</A></strong>, 
Ling <a href="mailto:K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk">K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 23:48 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00107" HREF="msg00107.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Time travel and Logging</A></strong>, 
Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Thu 08 Jan 1998, 06:14 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00171" HREF="msg00171.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Time travel and Logging</A></strong>, 
JC Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM">claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM</a>, Sat 10 Jan 1998, 04:30 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</ul>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00086" HREF="msg00086.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Time travel and Logging</A></strong>, 
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Wed 07 Jan 1998, 16:09 GMT
</LI>
</ul>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00025" HREF="msg00025.html">[MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, 
Brandon Cline <a href="mailto:brandon#sedona,net">brandon#sedona,net</a>, Mon 05 Jan 1998, 09:41 GMT
<UL>
<li>&lt;Possible follow-up(s)&gt;<br>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00061" HREF="msg00061.html">Re: [MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, 
Mike Sellers <a href="mailto:mike#online-alchemy,com">mike#online-alchemy,com</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 20:16 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00130" HREF="msg00130.html">Re: [MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, 
Travis Casey <a href="mailto:efindel#polaris,net">efindel#polaris,net</a>, Fri 09 Jan 1998, 05:46 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00132" HREF="msg00132.html">Re: [MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, 
Travis Casey <a href="mailto:efindel#polaris,net">efindel#polaris,net</a>, Fri 09 Jan 1998, 06:04 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00139" HREF="msg00139.html">RE: [MUD-Dev]  Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, 
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Fri 09 Jan 1998, 15:33 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>

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