[Mud-Dev] Social Networks

[paul.schwanz at sun.com]

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Original message: http://www.kanga.nu/archives/MUD-Dev-L/2002Q3/msg00616.php

On Thu, 22 Aug 2002 09:58:44 -0700
Sasha.Hart at directory.reed.edu (Sasha Hart) wrote:
> [Phinehas]
 
>> In general, it seems to me that shared needs are the key.  And
>> the lower those *perceived* (important to virtual reality) needs
>> appear to fall in Maslow's Heirarchy, the greater their tendency
>> to push toward community.
 
> A vast amount of what people do is not "need" driven. Why put
> square pegs into round holes?

Well, I'm certainly not going to try to pound any of those pegs into
place.  I'm not heavily invested in any of it, since it was really
more about off-the-cuff brainstorming than anything else.

> MUDs are not a need. Behavior in a MUD is not need-driven
> behavior. It isn't as if I will go into withdrawal or die without
> a group. It isn't as if I will refuse to work on
> self-actualization unless I have had an hour of
> goblin-thwacking. It isn't as if my desire to cast 'fireball'
> increases as a function of time since I have cast 'fireball.' It
> isn't as if my character will do any of these things, and it isn't
> as if I even conform to Maslow's hierarchy (I play MUDs when I'm
> tired and hungry. Q.E.D.)  Whence Maslow? How does Maslow apply? I
> don't want to be cruel or needlessly critical, but I beg to differ
> that needs much enter into desirable methods for community
> formation in MUDs.

Well, Maslow originally came into my thinking in regards to the need
for family security in real communities.  Once headed down that
mental road, I began making comparisons to virtual communities, but
I can see how Maslow might not have made the jump with me.  :P Maybe
someone needs to write a heirarchy of virtual needs.  ;)

Then again, MUDs might not always be about goblin-thwacking.  Some
players seem to be looking for a sense of accomplishment or
achievement (so I hear).  I'm not sure that this is a need for
self-actualization though.  I may simply be a desire for fun.  I get
the sense (both from this and earlier responses to one of JB's
posts) that you have some pretty strongly formed opinions about
needs vs.  desires (or perhaps some other distiction that I'm just
not getting).  Your responses have had the kind of passion typical
of those who have investigated all sides of an issue and come to
some solid conclusions.  This makes me curious, since I have the
feeling there is a strong debate going on out there about which I
know very little.  (Well, no doubt there's more than one. :P)

> It would probably help to hear specific examples in MUD
> settings. Is this the kind of thing where you suggest having orcs
> conduct a raid on the city which the players have to work together
> to put down?

I've always thought such a thing would be interesting, but I think
following Maslow to this point would be to conflate character and
player.  (Which is probably why Maslow didn't make the jump to
virtual worlds so easily in my original post.)  The characters might
respond to the threat to their security, but the players only desire
fun, achievement, socialization, entertainment, exploration?

> Shared interest is at least as useful as shared need, if not more
> so.  (What drives and forms the "community" of MUD-DEV-L?  Is it
> need? Is it necessary to create need to get people to post?  Is it
> necessary to create external incentives to get people to post?
> Why so sure that the game should provide the stick, the carrot, or
> both?)

Usually, I speak of the benefits of shared goals, not shared needs.
I agree that goals and interests are probably more appropriate than
needs when discussing MUD community.  In truth, they might be more
applicable than needs when examining the differences in my townhouse
experiences as well. Unfortunately, my knowledge in this area is
admittedly shallow.  If I'd know about any formulated heirarchy of
goals or interests, I'm sure I would have referred to it instead to
give my post that air of expertise that so obviously isn't there. :P

--Phinehas *self-deprecatingly*


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