[MUD-Dev] Buying benefits

[Matt Mihaly]

On Tue, 12 Jun 2001, Marian Griffith wrote:
> In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Mon 11 Jun, Matt Mihaly wrote:
 
>> I've already sold clothing for more than $1000 actually, but it
>> is highly functional clothing. Current players don't place a high
>> value on how they look in MUDs. They don't derive enough
>> usefulness from looking good.
 
> True, but then your game is, from what I have read here, highly
> com- petitive, and hardly social. I do not mean to apply that
> there is no social aspect to it (any multi player game has that,
> obviously), but that it is not a major, or even minor, goal in the
> game.

Actually I'd disagree. Most of our players spend most of their time
socializing and the social PvP (for instance, politics) is quite
important to many players. And we do already sell a fair quantity of
customized clothing for between $20 and $40. People have paid others
to write clothing or house descriptions, but it's been trivial
amounts so far.


>> I'll make a prediction. Virtual clothing will not regularly sell
>> for more than $1000 until virtual sex is as or nearly is
>> satisfying and desirable as physical sex. The qualifier there is
>> that the clothing's only function is to make you more visually
>> attractive. (to avoid things like clothes that keep you warm, but
>> which possess the power to keep you so warm no cold damage can
>> hurt you, etc.)

> I disagree. Virtual sex will never be as desirable as physical
> sex, but sooner or later virtual clothing (and I am applying the
> term clothing in a loose sense) will be sold for real money.

Shrug, there's no reason that you'd even be able to tell the
difference between virtual and physical sex eventually. And, virtual
clothing is already sold for physical world dollars. It's just that
$20-$40 is hardly impressive.


> The key is how much the virtual life on a mud is integrated with
> every day li- fe. It is a matter of numbers and involvement. The
> first determines how many players there are who can afford to
> spend real money on a virtual dress or suit.

They're not willing to spend the money _only_ because they don't
view it as being useful enough. In real life, clothes make us look
significantly better (good clothes at least). Why do we want to look
significantly better? Because we're all trying to appeal to a sexual
partner (conciously or unconciously). That's where the utility in
clothing lies. Being more appealing to a sexual partner is
gratifying directly, as well as indirectly. Men and women are both
more successful financially when they are perceived as appealing,
for instance.

If virtual clothes increased your chances of having a satisfying
sexual experience, we'd be selling them for $600 a pop now.

--matt

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