[MUD-Dev] Re: MMO Communities

[Byron Ellacott]

Dana V. Baldwin wrote:
> Byron Ellacott wrote:
>> Raph Koster wrote (much earlier):

>>>    We may not like it, but all empirical evidence at the moment
>>>    seems to show that requiring cooperative team play for
>>>    success causes greater retention.

>> Raph, or anyone else, could you clarify which empirical evidence
>> has shown this, or offer an alternative explanation for why this
>> is so?

> I can say that for our game, which is admittedly quite different
> from most MMOs, that the more group based tools that we create the
> better our retention numbers have been. This is also true of
> conversions. That is likely due, however, tho the fact that as a
> war simulation, groups are the primary vehicle for success. Lone
> players do not have the ability to impact the larger game the way
> that a group can, though there is still rewarding experience
> available for dolo play or "lone wolfing".

Why do you suppose retention increases the more you facilitate group
play?  You have the evidence that it does, but would you say that is
because the game is more enjoyable when grouping is more convenient
or rewarding, or because the group members form social bonds they
are reluctant to break?

The question here is that Jeff Freeman and myself, anecdotally,
don't believe that social bonds are keeping us in games.  Yet there
is evidence, that Raph mentioned and that you have, that requiring
or encouraging grouping increases retention.  Are Jeff and I the
exceptions, or are the retained players the exceptions?

--
bje
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