[MUD-Dev] D&D vs. MMORPG "complexity"

[Damion Schubert]

From: Paul Schwanz

> In what way are mobs even monsters if you "farm" them?  Seems to
> me mobs are functioning more like corn and the guilds are fighting
> over something like a cornfield.  If players really want to farm,
> why not give them cornfields.  Then monsters can start to make
> sense again as the creatures that ruin cornfields, attack you on
> the way to the market, or otherwise interfere with your ability to
> farm corn. ;)

I would say that they're like monsters because, if you don't use
cooperation, tactics, and your combat abilities to the best of your
ability, they will beat the tar out of you.  If you figure out how
to make this exciting with rows of corn, then be my guest.

If it makes you feel better to think of it as huntsmen fighting over
the most prized hunting grounds, be my guest.  If you want to think
about it as competing for notoriety in an armed forces against the
forces of evil, feel free.  If you want to mentally think about
yourself as the 'taxman' shaking down the bandit camp for their
monthly tribute, go right ahead. =)

I think that the movement to rename 'camping' as 'farming' misses
the point, which is that farming is an inherently dull activity,
whereas camping in these games is as much fun and as challenging as
you want to make it - it scales well to your ability, your external
skill and the people you are with.

If you want to sit on an easy camp and slip into a coma of
repetitive activity, you can.  And many people do much of the time
(and why not?  Many are spending every moment of free time they have
here).  You also can opt to join a larger group, hunt prey in a PK
zone, hunt above your level or camp a specific, hotly contested
spawn for an extremely valuable item.  Even sitting on a camp with
people you haven't worked with before is exciting, as often the
stupidity of other people can be fatal.

Meanwhile, I haven't seen many very interesting carrot pulling
simulations yet, although perhaps I'm just playing the wrong MUDs.

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