[MUD-Dev] GoPers are ants at RP picnics!... was Pay for Play(or commercial rolecall)

[Jon Lambert]

Klyde Beattie wrote:
> Jon wrote:
> 
> In retrospect i would like to add that people don't all fit into these
> catagorys, but all have one that is close to them, i consider myself a
> MUDder, if thats still allowed, and i understand the joy in *both*
> game styles. 

As do I.  Generalizations and attempts to classify people center on 
defining archetypes.  Real people of course exhibit behaviors which lead
then to intersect with different archetypes none, some, or much of time.
So I guess the validity of using some player archetype to drive game design 
is the frequency in which observed behavior intersects with that archetype.  
As far as muds go, if its something that nobody _here_ has ever observed 
then it's probably a poor archetype.  If it's something that causes many 
_here_ to nod heads, then it might be a good archetype.  Of course the 
reasons for the existence of that archetype, whether it is significant or 
not in the context of our own games, and what to do about it, if anything, 
seem to be prime fodder for spirited discussion here.

Does that make any sense at all or does it sound like babble?

> I belive that role-player would normaly make for a bad
> Developer because they (as Jon and I agree) simply don't understand
> GoP and how to enhance/prevent it. (again i leave myself open to all
> the GoP/liers who consider themselves roleplayers, design MUDs,
> therefore feeling the need to defend themselves.)

I think any pure role-player who claims they simply don't understand goal
oriented games is lying.  Unless they've lived in a bubble or not on
Earth, they certainly couldn't have helped but encounter them and play 
them at some time.  I don't believe the reverse is true.  There are
many GoPers who have never played a role-playing game in the way that
many role-players experience it.  At least not as adults.  Actually it 
is my theory that most people have played the equivalent of pure role-play 
sessions many times between the ages of 2 and 10 and just can't remember 
it very well. :-P
 
It's not that role-players would make bad developers, it's more that 
what they need and require for role-play simply doesn't require or 
cry out for code development.  I think the exact opposite is true, 
developers simply don't understand that their _code_ doesn't do 
anything to enhance or encourage role-play!

--
--* Jon A. Lambert - TychoMUD        Email:jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com *--
--* Mud Server Developer's Page <http://tychomud.home.netcom.com> *--
--* If I had known it was harmless, I would have killed it myself.*--
 
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev