FW: [MUD-Dev] Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPGavatar[was:Long-Term Rewards]

[vladimir cole]

Raph Koster wrote:

> Are you perhaps suggesting that providing Love and Esteem [via an
> MMO] is a negative characteristic? Or that we need to minimize
> them emphasis on them in order to focus on Self-Actualization
> instead?

Neither, really. From a purely commercial standpoint, filling love
and esteem needs leads to highly sticky, highly addictive
content. Good for subscription-based business.

Nor do I think that any world (virtual or real) can lead to self
actualization because personal epiphanies must be
self-driven. However, MMOs are *so* successful at filling
psychological needs that they may actually inhibit self
actualization and attainment of commonly accepted success measures
in the real world.

This leads to players coining words and phrases like "Asheron's
Crack," "Evercrack" and "World of Warcrack."

As a result, the MMO product is ultimately branded as unhealthy or
"bad for you." This becomes a PR and marketing problem. MMOs are
perceived as fun but ultimately deleterious to a player's (mental
and physical) health. There's already too much luddite media
coverage focusing on the tragedy "caused" by games. How many more
Shawn Wooleys and "Everquest Widows" stories will it take before a
tipping point is reached and perception interferes with sales in a
noticeable way?

Many products that fall into the category of "vice" (vs. mere
entertainment) end up legislated, marginalized, or -- at the least
-- inhibited in their growth potential. (Any counterexamples?) By
dint of their need-fulfilling, addictive design, MMOs are even more
likely to be perceived as vices than their moral envelope-pushing
cousins like GTA and Manhunt.

Is that a problem?

- Vlad
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