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Spoke · 09-12-2007, 04:01 AM

I had not replied to the thread because it took me over a week to read it all, now that I know where most positions are, here are my two cents:

As a player I find that even though the 4 options seem to provide with more information than before, it seems like it misses to provide with the information I would actually find useful.

To explain my point, I began playing MUDs in college, which meant I had little money and a lot of spare time. Under those conditions, I would look for something that was "free to play" (see the_logos' version of the term somewhere in the previous 14 pages). As long as I could compete and get access to the competitive stuff by just dumping in my time, I did not care. Then, I graduated and went to grad school, all of a sudden I had marginally better funds and much less time, so now the same category fit my needs, since I would still be able to play in breaks yet maybe help my progress with a bit of money (actually what really happened is that out of loyalty to the game I had played for years I decided to donate, but the effect/motivation was similar :P).

In this scenario, I would have not cared if the game was No Money Accepted or Donations with/out effect in game during my college years, more important than that was that I would be able to translate time invested <--> money invested, and that the game was balanced in that sense (no 67 years to get the Sword of 1337n3z someone else gets for $15). In the second case I would not want No Money Accepted but I would want a game where I could donate but that donating wouldn't be a major/required thing (ie. time <--> money).

As you can see by now, the problem is that the actual relevant data is something too hard to quantify (if even possible), I can see the value on more information and maybe some people really would benefit from more information, but as much as the 4 option system may help those who are for/against specific pay/benefit methods, it leaves out (in my opinion) a chunk of people who are really looking for something related but not identified at all within the given options.

Now, for the discussion in general, it may be useful to try to filter posts thinking on what really would benefit players (this goes for both sides of the argument), while any MUD that receives money for any reason might be considered a commercial entity for an accountant or equivalent, as long as >>I<< do not have to shell in money to play it will be free to me, but I will of course notice there is a difference between one that allows me to support the place by buying RL key-rings of eternal 1337neZ with a nifty logo and one that allows me to use $30 dollars to get me a couple more magical weapons for my character.

Lastly, if the 4-5 option thing goes in without any major modification, make sure you can select multiple categories when searching, so that in my case I could check all those that are No Money/Donation with/out benefit in the same run (practically useless I now realize.)

09-12-2007, 04:01 AM	#404
Spoke Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 101	Re: What does "Free" Mean? I had not replied to the thread because it took me over a week to read it all, now that I know where most positions are, here are my two cents: As a player I find that even though the 4 options seem to provide with more information than before, it seems like it misses to provide with the information I would actually find useful. To explain my point, I began playing MUDs in college, which meant I had little money and a lot of spare time. Under those conditions, I would look for something that was "free to play" (see the_logos' version of the term somewhere in the previous 14 pages). As long as I could compete and get access to the competitive stuff by just dumping in my time, I did not care. Then, I graduated and went to grad school, all of a sudden I had marginally better funds and much less time, so now the same category fit my needs, since I would still be able to play in breaks yet maybe help my progress with a bit of money (actually what really happened is that out of loyalty to the game I had played for years I decided to donate, but the effect/motivation was similar :P). In this scenario, I would have not cared if the game was No Money Accepted or Donations with/out effect in game during my college years, more important than that was that I would be able to translate time invested <--> money invested, and that the game was balanced in that sense (no 67 years to get the Sword of 1337n3z someone else gets for $15). In the second case I would not want No Money Accepted but I would want a game where I could donate but that donating wouldn't be a major/required thing (ie. time <--> money). As you can see by now, the problem is that the actual relevant data is something too hard to quantify (if even possible), I can see the value on more information and maybe some people really would benefit from more information, but as much as the 4 option system may help those who are for/against specific pay/benefit methods, it leaves out (in my opinion) a chunk of people who are really looking for something related but not identified at all within the given options. Now, for the discussion in general, it may be useful to try to filter posts thinking on what really would benefit players (this goes for both sides of the argument), while any MUD that receives money for any reason might be considered a commercial entity for an accountant or equivalent, as long as >>I<< do not have to shell in money to play it will be free to me, but I will of course notice there is a difference between one that allows me to support the place by buying RL key-rings of eternal 1337neZ with a nifty logo and one that allows me to use $30 dollars to get me a couple more magical weapons for my character. Lastly, if the 4-5 option thing goes in without any major modification, make sure you can select multiple categories when searching, so that in my case I could check all those that are No Money/Donation with/out benefit in the same run (practically useless I now realize.)