Top Mud Sites Forum - View Single Post

Jenred · 08-07-2003, 02:43 PM

Once again my point either seems to be missed, or I'm just thinking it sounds right it my head and it just doesn't come out from my fingers correctly.

A Full PK, no-RP MUD, regardless of how smooth, clean, original world, etc. Is still shallow at best. What's the purpose of having an original world if the limit of interaction is to kill other players, kill creatures for better items, etc.?

Anyways, a game can be both a hack and slash game, and an RP encouraged game. For example: Diablo II. It is a hack-and-slash in the very essence of the word. You go around and hack and slash and beat up things. But its also a role-playing game. You can't beat the game unless you play out the role in which you were designed, and thats the savior of the world type character that has to go beat Diablo and Baal and all that great stuff.

So in that example, take away things that make it a role-playing game. The interactivity with NPCs, a storyline, etc, and your left with a pretty and original world, with neat monsters to kill for items, but that makes for a shallow experinece at best. You don't do anything, you can't go anywhere, your actions have no impact on an environment. People might play, for as I said above, for the 'oo' factor, go take a look, but then they do everything there is and leave.

MUDs, especially those that encourge roleplaying through storylines, original worlds, in-depth character development, a BELIEVABLE simulation of the environment they are portraying, actually maintain players for upwards of 10 years. I know people that have played the same game for 15 years, and got married from meeting on that game.

I find it hard to say that the same dedication can be offered for a game that's highest interactive moment is the killing of another player or some mob. A game needs RP-elements to survive. Even if they arn't alot. But I'm not saying that JUST because they have these elements that they will survive. There are still other things like staff, chance, etc. Otherwise you have a very shallow, and while possibly visually appealing, doesn't really have anything else to keep you there.

Like back to Everquest used up above. Its Role-playing Encouraged, maybe even considered Enforced by some. There is a world, a role to play, etc. You don't go around as your real-life person. They encourage role-play through NPCs, adventures, interactive and original locales, and all that.

If they instead used a Midgaard area that you had seen before, the same classes as every other game you had played, and had gross colors, you probably wouldn't be too encouraged to role-play.

But I will concede that the message of the article came off a little bit skewed, but those were my opinions at the time, and there are at least some good elements to help people possibly transform their muds in it.

08-07-2003, 02:43 PM	#20
Jenred Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 55	Once again my point either seems to be missed, or I'm just thinking it sounds right it my head and it just doesn't come out from my fingers correctly. A Full PK, no-RP MUD, regardless of how smooth, clean, original world, etc. Is still shallow at best. What's the purpose of having an original world if the limit of interaction is to kill other players, kill creatures for better items, etc.? Anyways, a game can be both a hack and slash game, and an RP encouraged game. For example: Diablo II. It is a hack-and-slash in the very essence of the word. You go around and hack and slash and beat up things. But its also a role-playing game. You can't beat the game unless you play out the role in which you were designed, and thats the savior of the world type character that has to go beat Diablo and Baal and all that great stuff. So in that example, take away things that make it a role-playing game. The interactivity with NPCs, a storyline, etc, and your left with a pretty and original world, with neat monsters to kill for items, but that makes for a shallow experinece at best. You don't do anything, you can't go anywhere, your actions have no impact on an environment. People might play, for as I said above, for the 'oo' factor, go take a look, but then they do everything there is and leave. MUDs, especially those that encourge roleplaying through storylines, original worlds, in-depth character development, a BELIEVABLE simulation of the environment they are portraying, actually maintain players for upwards of 10 years. I know people that have played the same game for 15 years, and got married from meeting on that game. I find it hard to say that the same dedication can be offered for a game that's highest interactive moment is the killing of another player or some mob. A game needs RP-elements to survive. Even if they arn't alot. But I'm not saying that JUST because they have these elements that they will survive. There are still other things like staff, chance, etc. Otherwise you have a very shallow, and while possibly visually appealing, doesn't really have anything else to keep you there. Like back to Everquest used up above. Its Role-playing Encouraged, maybe even considered Enforced by some. There is a world, a role to play, etc. You don't go around as your real-life person. They encourage role-play through NPCs, adventures, interactive and original locales, and all that. If they instead used a Midgaard area that you had seen before, the same classes as every other game you had played, and had gross colors, you probably wouldn't be too encouraged to role-play. But I will concede that the message of the article came off a little bit skewed, but those were my opinions at the time, and there are at least some good elements to help people possibly transform their muds in it.