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Spoke · 09-12-2007, 11:34 AM

The two option system has no benefit over the 4 option one really. If anything it would be as useless for me to use as it does not address the only thing I care about (and I would assume is the same most of those who choose to knowingly play Pay-for-Perks MUDs), that is, "Can I get everything a paying customer can by putting in more time?" (tangent arguments of it taking 67 years aside please).

The other problem I have with too many options is that even in the best case scenario, when all administrators are truthful and honest when classifying their MUDs a visiting player-to-be would be forced to use a bunch of the options in order to get what they really want (Pay optional in game benefits, pay optional no game benefits, pay not required but encouraged, pay not required but encouraged on MUDs birthday, ......) So, in this case, the existing free to play, pay required to play, is as good as any of the suggested methods (for MY type of query, let that be clear.)

I am aware also, that getting a group of people to agree on what does free or balance mean, or the actual time <--> money conversion rate for an specific system is, is much harder than to go with the 4-5 options suggested by Lasher. In any case, when you are an absolutist (as a player looking ONLY for a specific type of game) the 4-5 system seems to do the trick quite nicely; too many options => Force you to select a bunch of subcategories lest you end up with 2 returns for your query, too few options (2) => at best reduces the look-up time in 50% average.

Any way, I do believe that you all (administrators in general) are discussing this to death because you are thinking ahead on how will you (or site owner) be able police the new changes without getting a headache, so you want all crystal clear, no muddy lines etc. Sadly, by doing this the value for the average player (not one who is hard-core this or that, but one who accepts a bit of this and that) is reduced.

I hope this clarifies my view.

09-12-2007, 11:34 AM	#406
Spoke Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 101	Re: What does "Free" Mean? The two option system has no benefit over the 4 option one really. If anything it would be as useless for me to use as it does not address the only thing I care about (and I would assume is the same most of those who choose to knowingly play Pay-for-Perks MUDs), that is, "Can I get everything a paying customer can by putting in more time?" (tangent arguments of it taking 67 years aside please). The other problem I have with too many options is that even in the best case scenario, when all administrators are truthful and honest when classifying their MUDs a visiting player-to-be would be forced to use a bunch of the options in order to get what they really want (Pay optional in game benefits, pay optional no game benefits, pay not required but encouraged, pay not required but encouraged on MUDs birthday, ......) So, in this case, the existing free to play, pay required to play, is as good as any of the suggested methods (for MY type of query, let that be clear.) I am aware also, that getting a group of people to agree on what does free or balance mean, or the actual time <--> money conversion rate for an specific system is, is much harder than to go with the 4-5 options suggested by Lasher. In any case, when you are an absolutist (as a player looking ONLY for a specific type of game) the 4-5 system seems to do the trick quite nicely; too many options => Force you to select a bunch of subcategories lest you end up with 2 returns for your query, too few options (2) => at best reduces the look-up time in 50% average. Any way, I do believe that you all (administrators in general) are discussing this to death because you are thinking ahead on how will you (or site owner) be able police the new changes without getting a headache, so you want all crystal clear, no muddy lines etc. Sadly, by doing this the value for the average player (not one who is hard-core this or that, but one who accepts a bit of this and that) is reduced. I hope this clarifies my view.