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Old 08-18-2008, 08:03 AM   #13
Valg
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Re: Which MUD has the best combat system?

Agreed. Complexity isn't the same as quality, in any event. It also depends on how long you expect people to stay with your game-- the casual vs. hardcore gamers question.

There's a design decision there, but you're essentially choosing your audience. Some players won't touch a highly complex system, even if the initial stages are fairly simple. Conversely, the simple-and-light approach often lacks the depth to stay interesting for more than a couple weeks for many players.

Take your example of "What combat systems allow you to use each weapon in a variety of different ways?" If the various techniques are different in more than cosmetic ways, an experienced player now has an advantage over a newer player-- they'll make successful choices more often. Is this "newbie-unfriendly" and therefore not "best"? Entirely a subjective call.
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