[MUD-Dev] DESIGN: Why do people like weather in MMORPGs?

[Damion Schubert]

Mike Rozak wrote:
> Raph Koster wrote:

>> My experience is that players whinge at anything that
>> inconveniences them. :)

> I suppose I was expecting this answer, although it would be nice
> if it weren't true and that someone had some anecdotal evidence to
> the contrary.

>> A lot depends on which gameplay god you are worshipping. If you
>> worship "easy in, easy out, quick to fun, fast feedback," which
>> is certainly the deity du jour, then the above are anathema.

> If meaningless night and weather is "du jour", I suspect I'll do
> the opposite. My general rule is that if the major MMORPGs are
> doing it, I'll try to do the opposite and find a niche market. (As
> long as the opposite isn't a stupid thing to do.)

As a general rule, players love the concept of day/night cycles, but
hate them in practice.  As mentioned previously, it's not really fun
to not be able to see well, and oftentimes even if you're carrying a
torch, your home computer may be set up in a location of the home
where glare limits your visibility.  It takes a talented art
director to make art that works in all light scenarios.  Also, don't
underestimate how much people hate the idea of being forced to carry
torches - this is especially true if they are usually two-handed
weapon wielders.

Weather is more of a mixed bag.  In most games, people love weather
- it's a cheap and easy thing to do which makes you feel like you're
part of a virtual world.  Players like to see change in their
virtual world, and changes which don't inconvenience them personally
are all the better.  The only game where weather has gone over like
a lead balloon has been my own, Shadowbane - this is because in a
PvP game, framerate is king, and as such, everyone in the game
turned off the feature as soon as we put it in.

--d
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