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

[Dubious Advocate]

"Matt Mihaly" <the_logos at achaea.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Dec 2002, Marc Fielding wrote:

>> I wouldn't categorize it as stealing if someone lets family
>> members play on his or her account. The true value in a MMOG is
>> playing with friends.  The fact that only one character from an
>> account may be active at a time is the limiting factor: if you
>> want to play with friends, you all need separate accounts.

> It violates the contract you agree to when you install the
> software. It's stealing. (And, incidentally, that's one reason
> Raph cited for going with the SCS model.)

There are very few personality types that will NOT disregard a rule
or law they deem absurd and whose violation does not truly damage
others.  Some laws are made to be broken.  This is one of them.
Machiavelli makes this point in "The Prince" when he cautions the
wise leader to not pass laws that earn the contempt of the populace.

We can rant and rave about this *fundamental human behavior*.  Or we
can as business people take it into account, leverage it, and make
our business model more successful.

Provide shared storage for the account slots.  When the family
members grow to love the product rather than have contempt for the
publisher, they become retained consumer that will buy additional
licenses so they can play concurrently.  Brand loyalty is preferable
to legal contract.

Player vs Developer is always a losing mentality, where the
developer as an ongoing commercial concern is always the loser.

There are many reasons for SCS.  My observations are the
considerations that are also taken into balance.

IMHO :)

-----
Dave Scheffer
"Questions are a burden to others, answers a prison for oneself"

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