<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP --> <!--X-From-R13: [vxr Eryyref <zvxrNbayvar-nypurzl.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 20:16:48 +0000 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 3.0.32.19980106121319.00e5d5d0@online-alchemy.com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:mike#online-alchemy,com"> </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="msg00060.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00062.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00025.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00130.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00061">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00061">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00061">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Mike Sellers <<A HREF="mailto:mike#online-alchemy,com">mike#online-alchemy,com</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 12:15:09 -0800</LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> At 10:01 PM 1/5/98 PST8PDT, Brandon Cline wrote: >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. This is an excellent question. If we do not construct the games and the game-goals (those things for which you are rewarded) to support and reward role-playing, then most people will not RP most of the time. If nothing else, it's just too much work. :) And then you have to ask, if you *did* create a game that actively rewarded actual role-playing (briefly, as someone else said, making decisions based on your character's views, not your own), would enough people want to play to make it a commercial possibility? >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? I think the solution lies in first, making a game that in various ways rewards role-playing without making it compulsory. This means stronger AI, stronger NPCs, and more human contact in general with those who can give out such rewards. For example, schedule and hold a banquet in the game which the characters are free to attend if they wish, but which is not mandatory. At this banquet, there will be no fighting or (competitive) magic use, but there will be some interesting information passed out in the form of conversation over the course of the evening. In addition, those who please the baron hosting the banquet may find themselves the recipient of his gifts, which could range from a new sword to new land. So: the players go because they know information about the game, quests, etc., that is otherwise unavailable will be given out there; and after all, knowledge is power. They role-play while there (and are given opportunities to do so with both PCs and NPCs) because they know "the baron" (the admins, visible and invisible) is watching, and they might well be rewarded for their RPing in ways which make the rest of the game more fun or more interesting. To some degree the "peer pressure" of all those other people RPing will help those who are a little uncertain, just as it can at a well-run SCA gathering, for example. Finally, I believe that these sorts of events might well act as seeds for greater RPing in the rest of the game: someone you meet at the banquet when you're in full RP-mode might be more likely to continue this when you meet elsewhere in the game. Contrasting this sort of idea with things like M59's hack-n-slash "reign of blood" events makes me just a bit ill. :-/ -- Mike Sellers Chief Alchemist -- Online Alchemy mike#online-alchemy,com "One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games. And it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive values." - Carl Jung </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00060.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Re: (no subject)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00062.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Wild west (was Guilds & Politics)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00025.html">[MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00130.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00061"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00061"><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] Time travel and Logging</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <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> </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><Possible follow-up(s)><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 <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00145" HREF="msg00145.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Commercial value of RP</A></strong>, Ling <a href="mailto:K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk">K.L.Lo-94#student,lboro.ac.uk</a>, Fri 09 Jan 1998, 18:11 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </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>