Re: [MMORPG][THEORY][DESIGN] Unintended consequences of restricting speech in game

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (VTES2004) wrote:

> Many people will argue my following points and others will see these
> as a beginner's observations. I am attempting to hear if there is a
> consensus yet, in the unlikely event that there is.
> 
> Premise A. Simple revision to what I consider "Golden Age" MMORPG
> theory.
> MMORPGs are not immersive. The fun *most* people experience comes from
> the game mechanics.

Agreed.  ...But immersion helps give the player a sense of "ownership", 
"belonging" and helps peopel "get into" the game.  These are important 
for both commercial success and for community building (which are 
related.)

   [snip]
> This is not to say that gameplay is the end-all-be-all when it comes
> to design. 

Turns out, it is.  Game Play is EVERYTHING.  Write that down.  Read it 
often.  Make a plaque...

> If you put a player in front of 2 screens
> 1. A game where you can be a 10 ft warrior or 6 ft feline
> 2. A game where you are a blue or red dot
> I think we can agree (without a comprehensive study) that players will
> be more interested in game 1.

...Not if #2 has excellent gameplay and #1 has sucky game play.  Game 
play is EVERYTHING.  Write that down.  Read it often.  Make a plaque...

Trust me.

> Premise B. Avatar-attachement is prevalent across the entire spectrum
> of gamers users and satisfies a basic need for immersion.

...along with a few other things, like a [mostly] self-consistent world 
and truely fun gameplay.

Have I mentioned that gameplay is EVERYTHING? ;)

> No additional design is necessary for good MMORPG design.

"No additional" after what?  Avatar-art?  "Dat don' make no sense!"  
Gameplay.  Write it down.  Read it often... :)

> If you tell a person that they can choose between an elf, a dwarf, and
> an ogre, then you put them in space, with a ray gun...will they whine
> that they can't name a space opera that has ogres or will they simply
> start shooting at each other? 

"Self consistent game world."  So long as you have a reason that elves & 
ogres are in space, you can make it work.  So long as you have good 
gameplay.  Never forget gameplay, it is everything.

> I'm gonna get some brutal responses for B, but I'm looking for input
> on my basic premises for MMORPG design. If I can't ask here, where?

Here is fine.

Gameplay.

Gameplay, gameplay, gameplay.

Gameplay is everything.  Do not forget.

If you have good gameplay, you can sell red & blue dots on a 2-D panel, 
using the old "paddle" controllers.  If you have shitty gameplay, all 
the great art, sound effects & special effects aren't going to make it a 
game worth noticing.

Gameplay is everything.  Start your design there.  End your design 
there.  Do all your design there.  Everything else will fall out of 
gameplay.

-- 
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