[MUD-Dev] Star Wars Galaxies: 1 character per server

[Marc Fielding]

[Michael Tresca]

> Uh, what?
 
> No seriously, what?
 
> What are you talking about?  As Rayzam already pointed out, we
> have a similar rule on RetroMUD.  We have a time and place for
> metagame content, we recognize that a viable community is critical
> (even if it's talking about non-game stuff) and thus provided an
> appropriate channel for it.  If you talk about non-game stuff, it
> goes there -- the playerbase knows this and instructs people to
> "move it to chat."
 
> I don't understand why paying for more characters would make one
> want to bring them on at the same time.  Barring the fact that
> there's a lot of complexities in keeping both characters active
> simultaneously, I'm aware that Raph's comments against muling will
> not stop muling.  That's not the point.

Your original quote was the following:

>> I can go to the local bar if I want that.  I want to play Star
>> Wars, and I don't want some idiot with lots of time puppeteering
>> five different characters talking, all of them expecting me to
>> treat them with the same respect and reaction because they're
>> played by Bob.

That statement makes it sound like you frequently encounter
situations where a fellow user is simultaneously logged in with
multiple accounts at one in-game location (e.g. a plane raid). Yes,
it is difficult controlling multiple characters simultaneously, but
if the group is camping or preparing for a raid, multi-character
control is quite manageable.
 
My line of reasoning regarding the "more simultaneous characters"
prediction was as follows:

  1) people will want multiple characters

  2) SCS will require new accounts for each character on a server

  3) New accounts can be logged in simultaneously

  4) there is little disincentive to simultaneously logging in those
  other accounts, given a hospitable in-game environment
  (e.g. camping)

  5) therefore, multiple accounts will be logged on simultaneously
  at some higher rate than previously encountered

I was not making a comment about muling. I was just stating that
your apparent pet peeve about being surrounded by multiple
characters controlled by a single player might be further aggravated
under the SCS scenario.

I hope that's more clear.

> The point is that muling is not appropriate to Star Wars.  It's
> metagaming.  It shouldn't happen.  It will happen -- but it will
> NOT be encouraged or ignored.  This helps create a filter for
> players who are not all about squeezing every ounce of blood out
> of every character to win some inane race (against themselves,
> presumably) to be uber-powerful.  A bunch of folks said they
> wouldn't play Star Wars now that they know they can't have mules.
> Thank god -- I don't want to play on any game where someone is so
> attached to the ability to mule that they wouldn't play a MMORPG
> because they could metagame that way.
 
> Lost accounts and income?  Sure.  Longer term viability by
> creating a playerbase who wants to play Star Wars as opposed to
> abuse the Star Wars universe?

You just deprecated a valid playstyle! Powergamers are as much a
part of the MMOG universe as socializers, explorers, and
roleplayers. From your statements, you seem to be a passionate,
experienced roleplayer.  However, a game needs to appeal to all
types in order to be successful.

The MMOG spectrum on complexity vs. accessibility (for future
reference):

  |--------------------------------------------------------|
  Low Complexity/                           High Complexity/
  High Accessibility                       Low Accessibility

You seem to be urging commercial MMOGs more towards the right, in
accordance with your own playstyle. While this is a reasonable
design decision, you are potentially limiting your market by making
the game inaccessible to a broad range of consumers. Far right games
can and do succeed, but they are probably more readily perceived as
"boutique" games by the industry.

Many current releases seem to simply cannibalize the users of other
games. If SOE wants to expand the market of MMOG consumers, they
need to appeal to as many new customers as possible. Unfortunately
for you, this serves to move the game more towards the center of the
preceding spectrum...resulting in design concessions you'd be more
apt to term "bastardizations".

In the near future, you're probably going to be very unhappy with
large, commercial MMOGs. Many players simply don't want to play
under the restrictions you and others require of your virtual
recreation.  Honestly, you'd probably be happier in smaller,
"hand-crafted" environments with careful player selection processes
(http://www.alandfaraway.net/).

-Marc

 






_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev