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<H1>[MUD-Dev] Simulations - was: 'A flamewar startingpoint.'</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] Simulations - was: 'A flamewar startingpoint.' </LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: "Jon A. Lambert" <<A HREF="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</A>></LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 22:58:37 -4</LI>
<LI><em>Comments</em>: Authenticated sender is <jlsysinc#popd,ix.netcom.com></LI>
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<PRE>
On 5 Jan 98 at 20:05, JC Lawrence wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Dec 1997 11:55:29 PST8PDT
> Marian Griffith<gryphon#iaehv,nl> wrote:
>
> > The same can be said for other simple goals. If you know which
> > monster to kill and how to do it then ordinary muds can be
> > considered drudgery and boring too. In fact I guess they are. The
> > trick is to create a game that has something of all this.
>
> Agreed, and to me this is the great weakness of the various SimCity
> etc games. The problem is that it very quickly becomes apparent to me
> in playing them that underlieing the game world is a rote equation,
> and if I can merely find and stay on the sweet spot I can build
> whatever I want (and that I have a feel for what that balance is).
> Instantly the game becomes mechanical and loses all charm and almost
> all of its interest. Now its just a mechanical resource balance game:
> not too much of this, not too little of that, make sure we copy the
> game designer's ideas of how it should be and we'll "win".
>
> Boring.
>
But, can one maintain the "sweet spot" in the face of other player
collusion, competition and subversion? And more importantly, with a lack
of global and reliable information? With SimCity or Civilation, one has
the advantage of being a dictatorial mayor or emperor for life and being
privy to much more information and control than would be available to one
living _within_ the simulation as a mere 'peep. Another aspect of the Sim
games is the design philosophy that leads to a specific goal. For SimCity
and Civilation this is generally to maximize growth and prosperity of the
entire system, therefore the systems are weighted in a non-neutral
direction. I think PC participants in the simulation will also have other
more self-interested goals rather than it's overall health (unless of
course they _are_ mayor/emperor).
--
Jon A. Lambert
"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant" - Plato
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<LI><STRONG><A NAME="00044" HREF="msg00044.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.</A></STRONG>
<UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> JC Lawrence <claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM></LI></UL></LI>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00055" HREF="msg00055.html">[MUD-Dev] FAQ: Personality Clash</A></strong>,
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 15:35 GMT
<LI><strong><A NAME="00054" HREF="msg00054.html">[MUD-Dev] UO's External Chat Programs [was 'Wild west']</A></strong>,
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 15:34 GMT
<LI><strong><A NAME="00045" HREF="msg00045.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Mud Settings</A></strong>,
JC Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM">claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 02:06 GMT
<LI><strong><A NAME="00044" HREF="msg00044.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.</A></strong>,
JC Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM">claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 01:48 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00224" HREF="msg00224.html">[MUD-Dev] Simulations - was: 'A flamewar startingpoint.'</A></strong>,
Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Tue 13 Jan 1998, 03:56 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00250" HREF="msg00250.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.</A></strong>,
Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Sat 17 Jan 1998, 10:40 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00413" HREF="msg00413.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.</A></strong>,
coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Thu 12 Feb 1998, 01:43 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00419" HREF="msg00419.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.</A></strong>,
coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Thu 12 Feb 1998, 02:19 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00043" HREF="msg00043.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Circumstances & Situations</A></strong>,
JC Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM">claw#under,Eng.Sun.COM</a>, Tue 06 Jan 1998, 01:26 GMT
</LI>
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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