July 2004
- [News] Ultima X: Odyssey cancelled Luca Girardo
- [News] Ultima X: Odyssey cancelled Steven King
- [News] Ultima X: Odyssey cancelled Luca Girardo
- [News] Ultima X: Odyssey cancelled David Kennerly
- [News] Ultima X: Odyssey cancelled Derek Licciardi
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Threshold RPG
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Par Winzell
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Threshold RPG
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Dana V. Baldwin
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Mark Mensch
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Luca Girardo
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Dana V. Baldwin
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Michael Hartman
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Derek Licciardi
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Threshold RPG
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Adam Burr
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Scott Macmillan
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Douglas Goodall
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Sean Howard
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Amanda Walker
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Scott Macmillan
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Sean Howard
- CoH Michael Hartman
- CoH Michael Hartman
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Ryan Shwayder
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? cruise
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Oliver Smith
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Oliver Smith
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Byron Ellacott
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Koster, Raph
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Brad McQuaid
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Douglas Goodall
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Dana V. Baldwin
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Douglas Goodall
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Zach Collins (Siege)
- Instancing (was: MMORPG Cancellations...) Douglas Goodall
- Instancing ceo
- Instancing Douglas Goodall
- Instancing ceo
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Oliver Smith
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- Depth (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Damion Schubert
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Sean Howard
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Ghilardi Filippo
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Michael Hartman
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Michael Hartman
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Amanda Walker
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Michael Sellers
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Amanda Walker
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Paul McInnes
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Andres Ferraro
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Ryan Shwayder
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Amanda Walker
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Mark Mensch
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Mark Mensch
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Derek Licciardi
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Erik Bethke
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The skyis falling?) Koster, Raph
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The skyis falling?) Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky isfalling?) Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) Derek Licciardi
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Theskyisfalling?) Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) John MacQueen
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky isfalling?) Aaron Switzer
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: Thesky isfalling?) Aaron Switzer
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Thesky isfalling?) Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Thesky isfalling?) Aaron Switzer
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Koster, Raph
- MMO Communities (was MMORPGCancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Sean Howard
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) ceo
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities (was [MUD-Dev]MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) John Arras
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) John Arras
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) cruise
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) John Arras
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) Peter Keeler
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) Otis Viles
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) Malcolm W. Tester II
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) Matt Mihaly
- MMO Simulations (was MMO Communities) cruise
- MMO Communities (was [MUD-Dev] MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Zach Collins (Siege)
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Paolo Piselli
- forced grouping/coop play Tamzen Cannoy
- forced grouping/coop play Koster, Raph
- forced grouping/coop play Sean Kelly
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Andrew L. Tepper
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) HRose
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Douglas Goodall
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) HRose
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) HRose
- What is an MMOG? (was: MMO Communities) ceo
- What is an MMOG? (was: MMO Communities) HRose
- What is an MMOG? ceo
- What is an MMOG? HRose
- What is an MMOG? Dana V. Baldwin
- What is an MMOG? HRose
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) HRose
- MMO Communities Eric Random
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky isfalling?) Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) J C Lawrence
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMO Communities (was MMORPG Cancellations: The skyis falling?) Derek Licciardi
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? ceo
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Thomas Tomiczek
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Douglas Goodall
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Koster, Raph
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Scott Jennings
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Steven King
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Amanda Walker
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? David Kennerly
- Words (WAS: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Zach Collins (Siege)
- Words (WAS: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) kennerly@finegamedesign.com
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? zgj22@drexel.edu
- Is space deep? (was MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) David Kennerly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Tony Hoyt
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Damion Schubert
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Samantha LeCraft
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Sean Howard
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Samantha LeCraft
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Brian 'Psychochild' Green
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Matt Mihaly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Oliver Smith
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Kerry Fraser-Robinson
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Damion Schubert
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Amanda Walker
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? J C Lawrence
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? David Kennerly
- MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling? Michael Sellers
- Sun Game Server Technology Chat Artur Biesiadowski
- Quick Hello Mark Mensch
- Virtual/Real Currencies (was: [MUD-Dev][NEWS]GamingOpenMarket) Jon A. Lambert
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Alex Chacha
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Matt Mihaly
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Russ Whiteman
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Mike Rozak
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Douglas Goodall
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Mike Rozak
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Byron Ellacott
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Mike Rozak
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Byron Ellacott
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Yannick Jean
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Otis Viles
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Mike Rozak
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Erik Bethke
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) dienw
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) J C Lawrence
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) J C Lawrence
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Erik Bethke
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Erik Bethke
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Sean Howard
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Michael Hartman
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Erik Bethke
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Michael Hartman
- CoH and others (was Cancellations: ...) Luca Girardo
- CoH and others Alex Chacha
- CoH and others Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- CoH and others David Eckelberry
- CoH and others Vincent Archer
- COH and others Alex Chacha
- COH and others Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- COH and others Alex Chacha
- Revenues Rafael Seabra
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Koster, Raph
- CoH (was: MMORPG Cancellations: The sky is falling?) Damion Schubert
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Ghilardi Filippo
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Mike Rozak
- [MUD-Dev]: Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Luca Girardo
- Virtual/Real Currencies Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Koster, Raph
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Derek Licciardi
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Indie MMOG's Rob C
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Rob C
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Rob C
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Michael Sellers
- Indie MMOG's Michael Sellers
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Matt Mihaly
- Indie MMOG's Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- Indie MMOG's Matt Mihaly
- Indie MMOG's Amanda Walker
- Indie MMOG's Jon A. Lambert
- Indie MMOG's Zach Collins (Siege)
- Indie MMOG's Amanda Walker
- Indie MMOG's Derek Licciardi
- Indie MMOG's ceo
- Indie MMOG's Matt Mihaly
- Indie MMOG's Mike Rozak
- Indie MMOG's Scott Jennings
- Indie MMOG's Mike Rozak
- Indie MMOG's Tiago Carita
- Indie MMOG's Matt Mihaly
- Indie MMOG's Derek Licciardi
- Indie MMOG's Matt Mihaly
- Online vs Offline (was CoH and others) Mike Rozak
- Security and cheating in MMOs jmbroyer
- [NEWS] Artifact Entertainment going bankrupt? Luca Girardo
- MEDIA: Multiplayer Gaming's Quiet Revolution J C Lawrence
- DarkGalaxy Tiago Carita
- (no subject) Ghilardi Filippo
- Community? Erik Bethke
- Community? Scott Jennings
- Community? Paul Schwanz
- Community? Brian Thyer
- Community? Sean Howard
- Community? Zach Collins (Siege)
- Community? (Level Grind) Brian Thyer
- Community? (Level Grind) Sean Howard
- Community? (Level Grind) Damion Schubert
- Community? (Level Grind) Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- Community? (Level Grind) Malcolm W. Tester II
- Community? (Level Grind) Victor Wachter
- Community? (Level Grind) Douglas Goodall
- Community? (Level Grind) Matt Mihaly
- Community? (Level Grind) Ghilardi Filippo
- Community? (Level Grind) HRose
- Community? (Level Grind) Douglas Goodall
- Community? (Level Grind) Ghilardi Filippo
- Community? (Level Grind) Samurai Cat!
- Scalabity in MMOG's Rafael Seabra
- Level Grind - alternative Brendan O'Brien
- Level Grind - alternative darksuit
- Level Grind - alternative Brendan O'Brien
- Level Grind - alternative cruise
- Level Grind - alternative Brendan O'Brien
- Level Grind - alternative cruise
- Level Grind - alternative Brendan O'Brien
- Level Grind - alternative Corey Cauble
- Level Grind - alternative Sean Howard
- Level Grind - alternative Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Better Combat cruise
- Better Combat Ghilardi Filippo
- Better Combat cruise
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat Amanda Walker
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat cruise
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Yannick Jean
- Better Combat Koster, Raph
- Better Combat HRose
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Communication [was: Better Combat] cruise
- Better Communication [was: Better Combat] Michael Hartman
- Better Communication [was: Better Combat] cruise
- Better Communication [was: Better Combat] Koster, Raph
- Better Communication [was: Better Combat] Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Paul Schwanz
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat Darkwolf
- Better Combat Dana V. Baldwin
- Better Combat Matt Mihaly
- Better Combat Koster, Raph
- Better Combat Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Better Combat HRose
- Better Combat Steven King
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Paolo Piselli
- Better Combat Zach Collins (Siege)
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat HRose
- Better Combat Koster, Raph
- Better Combat HRose
- Better Combat (keywords: downtime, socialization, UI) Eric Random
- Better Combat Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes
- Better Combat Amanda Walker
- Better Combat Yannick Jean
- Better Combat Yannick Jean
- Better Combat Tom "cro" Gordon
- Better Combat Alex Arnon
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Douglas Goodall
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Dana V. Baldwin
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Dana V. Baldwin
- Cognitively Interesting Combat (was Better Combat) Paolo Piselli
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Derek Larson
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Paolo Piselli
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Derek Larson
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Paolo Piselli
- Cognitively Interesting Combat cruise
- Cognitively Interesting Combat ceo
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Byron Ellacott
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Ben Hawes
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Ben Hawes
- Cognitively Interesting Combat KaVir@t-online.de (Richard Woolcock)
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Mike Rozak
- Cognitively Interesting Combat
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Zach Collins (Siege)
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Peter A. Harkins
- Cognitively Interesting Combat Paolo Piselli
- Cognitively Interesting Combat (was Better Combat) cruise
- Better Combat Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- [DGN] Designed Downtime (was Better Combat) David Kennerly
- [DGN] Designed Downtime (was Better Combat) Ryan Shwayder
- [DGN] Designed Downtime (was Better Combat) Ryan Shwayder
- [DGN] Designed Downtime (was Better Combat) Michael Hartman
- Better Combat Alex Arnon
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat John Buehler
David Kennerly writes:
> John Buehler wrote:
>> My metric is every 3 seconds during an 'intense' activity.
>> Certainly less frequent control during other times.
> I like what you've described. As far as pure timing goes, 3
> seconds is similar to or even faster than many roles of combat in
> MMPs. For instance, when I play a midlevel priest in Dark Ages, I
> heal and buff/debuff significantly less often, on average, than
> once each 3 seconds.
The three second metric is a lower bound. I wouldn't want to see
people doing things any faster than that. Thus the 'intense'
activity comment.
> Yet I can see how you would like someone to design a game that
> delegates low-level decision making. For instance, maybe a player
> does not command heal or buff/debuff explicitly, but only
> selecting a preference, such as ordering the options "buff the
> team", "protect myself", "debuff the enemy".
The control system is intended to automate the span of activities
from realtime/twitch action in combat to a point where the player
can comfortably issue commands to a character while paying attention
to the overall action. If the role of magic in your game is such
that spells can be cast at twitch speeds, in reaction to changing
events, then it would be a natural part of the automated control
system.
"Protect myself" is implicit in your control strategy. It's a
question of whether you want to duck, dodge, run away, block, etc as
your preferred means of self-protection. If you have twitch-speed
magical means of protection, those could be included in your control
strategy.
If buffing and debuffing are twitch-speed actions, then it would
again go into your control strategy. I'm assuming that it is not.
That those actions take a few seconds to complete, and so can be
left to the player to manage. Having a sequence of actions
precanned by the player is just a macro-level function that could
easily be added to the control system - including interruption and
resumption when mandatory twitch-speed actions are needed.
For example, if your character is casting the second of eight spells
and some monster that the fighters haven't kept at bay takes a swing
at your character. Your character ducks and dodges, interrupting
its spellcast. The fighters get back to keeping the monster
occupied and your character can then resume what it was doing. The
character works on a task list, after a fashion.
For the record, I don't see mages fitting into the usual class
structure of damage dealing and character enhancers. I want them
involved orthogonally to everything that other classes do. I've
mentioned that elsewhere.
> Final Fantasy Tactics had something like this, but not as
> high-level, or infinitely diverse, as you hope for. Although even
> that is higher-level than Final Fantasy XI. Yet it was a team
> management game. Shattered Galaxies manages many units so is
> also, necessarily, higher level management, but its higher-level
> management of multiple units does not encourage socialization
> more. As far as I can tell. Maybe it would with only one unit to
> control. Or would it just be dull?
A management interface doesn't create an opportunity for
socialization, especially if the player feels like he's herding
kittens. I know that Age of Empires always gave me this feeling -
some unit somewhere was doing something that I didn't want it to do.
It is a critical part of the design that characters must be able to
operate completely autonomously without fear of something extremely
stupid happening. Perhaps undesireable, but nothing catastrophic.
Autonomous operation is critical because the control system is
intended for both PCs and NPCs. Further, if a game wants to permit
unattended PC activity, including travel, then the control system
ensures that the player's character will continue to react to the
environment in a reasonable way.
>> And this is also an example of designers not knowing what's going
>> to happen. They just give the players some tools to find
>> entertainment. They don't say how the tools fit into the game.
> *scratches his head* Are you talking about a dynamical system?
> Since it is a computer game, there must be something somewhere
> that ensures that these "improvisation" cases do happen, instead
> of a software crash happening. And that something somewhere
> requires specification.
I don't mean that the software is going to be self-modifying or any
such exotic thing. I only mean that when an encounter begins, the
designers won't know if an NPC will pick up a rock and throw it or
if the NPC will charge or run away. The software is constantly
factoring in the environment and the changing circumstances, so the
designers can't know how an NPC will behave. They could do an
investigation by looking at the code and data after the fact and
figure it all out, but they can't predict it.
This is said in acknowledgement of the fact that players reverse
engineer everything. If the designers can predict what will happen,
then eventually the collected body of players will figure it out.
Similarly, if the designers can't know what's going to happen,
perhaps the players never will either.
> For it to be a wise design choice, it also has to be more
> efficient than a non-"improvised" solution. Sorry to quote,
> "improvisation" but used, I can't make heads or tails of it. Is
> the computer improvising? Are the players? If the computer is
> "improvising", what system defines its method? Does the computer
> use short-form or long-form improvisation, Whose Line is it Anyway
> or Second City style? :)
Improvisation is a way of identifying the utility of an item that is
not normally used in that capacity. A chair as a shield, etc. A
chair's ability to be used as a shield is something that the
software will already know. Whether or not the control system
causes an NPC to choose to use it in that capacity or not is subject
to the algorithms of the control system.
Put a faction check into the decision process and perhaps the
character doesn't want to annoy the owner of the chair. Put a
weight check into the decision process and perhaps the character
doesn't want to carry around that 30 pound metal chair. It CAN be
used as a shield, but it is a poor fit for the character's needs.
Perhaps the character will do the mountain moving to Mohammed and
stand behind the chair instead of picking it up.
>> Conceivably, those presets could be specific to a number of
>> opponent types - or even specific to an opponent: NEVER run from
>> a bear.
> With well-chosen preset management system, I speculate this would
> be fun. While it is yet more overhead, I think it augments the
> rest of what you wrote.
Sure. And blue-sky stuff permits that. The volume of data and
processing that I'm throwing around here is massive. This system is
not viable for a massively multiplayer game today. Well, unless
each player is charged considerably more money to support the
massive infrastructure costs.
>> It was meant to imply it. It doesn't guarantee it, but I believe
>> that when players are not obligated to do something by the game,
>> they'll look at their remaining entertainment choices and
>> voluntarily engage in one or more.
> So it doesn't impede socialization, which is shade different from
> a design that encourages socialization. But anyway, I'm splitting
> hairs. I agree that I would socialize more and I suspect many
> others players would, too.
I think the important point is that players would socialize purely
out of a desire to. Not a need to. I don't really want to
encourage socialization so much as avoid opposing it. I don't want
to encourage combat, encourage magic, encourage crafting or anything
like that. I just want the game to permit players to do the things
that they enjoy, within reasonable limits.
When players are micromanaging a character every moment of the game,
then the only time left to do socialization is when they aren't
doing anything in the game - downtime. I'd rather that the game
permitted my character to do something autonomously or
semi-autonomously so that I can consider doing other tasks that
don't even involve my character's hands, feet, equipment and
location.
>> When the players expect to create bead necklaces, sure. The
>> marketing has to avoid walking into the trap of promising hero
>> status,
> Sure. Yet, how large would you guess the market is for players
> who want to pay a monthly fee to not accumulate status? Even most
> standalone games have a save game feature. Even fighting games,
> when ported to console, implement methods to accumulate status,
> such as missions in SoulCalibur on the DreamCast.
The monthly fee isn't to NOT accumulate status. The monthly fee is
to experience something enjoyable and engaging. The appeal is not
to status, but to experience. I just don't believe that the purpose
of having a multiplayer social space is so that people can compare
their achievements.
JB
- Better Combat John Buehler
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] cruise
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] John Buehler
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] Matt Mihaly
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] Otis Viles
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] Ben Hawes
- Long-Term Rewards [was: Better Combat] John Buehler
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar [was: Long-Term Rewards] Michael Hartman
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar [was:Long-Term Rewards] Vladimir Cole
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar Corey Crawford
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar Byron Ellacott
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar Vladimir Cole
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes
- Deriving Self Esteem from one's MMORPG avatar Mark Mensch
- Better Combat Brendan O'Brien
- Better Combat Zach Collins (Siege)
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Brendan O'Brien
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat cruise
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Byron Ellacott
- Better Combat Craig Huber
- Better Combat Matt Mihaly
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Byron Ellacott
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Byron Ellacott
- Better Combat Paul Schwanz
- Better Combat Michael Hartman
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Matt Mihaly
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Eric Random
- Better Combat Eric Random
- Better Combat Corey Cauble
- Better Combat David Kennerly
- Better Combat Corey Cauble
- Better Combat Brendan O'Brien
- Better Combat (long) Paul Schwanz
- Better Combat (long) Douglas Goodall
- [DGN] Music (was: Better Combat (long)) Zach Collins (Siege)
- Better Combat (long) Koster, Raph
- Better Combat (long) Matthew Dobervich
- Better Combat (long) David Kennerly
- Better Combat (long) Koster, Raph
- Better Combat (long) David Kennerly
- Creating a Player Narrative Ben Hawes
- Creating a Player Narrative Douglas Goodall
- Creating a Player Narrative Tim Schubert
- Creating a Player Narrative Dana V. Baldwin
- Creating a Player Narrative John MacQueen
- Better Combat (long) Matt Monaghan
- Better Combat (long) David Kennerly
- Better Combat (long) Byron Ellacott
- Better Combat (long) J C Lawrence
- Better Combat (long) Freeman, Jeff
- Better Combat (long) cruise
- Better Combat (long) J C Lawrence
- Better Combat (long) Kwon J. Ekstrom
- Better Combat (long) Vincent Archer
- Better Combat (long) Matt Cruikshank
- Better Combat (long) Kwon J. Ekstrom
- Better Combat (long) Zach Collins (Siege)
- Better Combat (long) David Kennerly
- Better Combat (long) Zach Collins (Siege)
- Better Combat (long) Paul Schwanz
- Better Combat (long) David Kennerly
- Better Combat (long) Ben Hawes
- Better Combat Byron Ellacott
- Better Combat cruise
- Better Combat Brendan O'Brien
- Better Combat Dana V. Baldwin
- Better Combat Byron Ellacott
- Level Grind - alternative Sean Kelly
- Level Grind - alternative Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes
- Level Grind - alternative Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- Level Grind - alternative Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- [mudlist] MMO Communities (was [MUD-Dev] MMORPG Cancellations:Theskyisfalling?) Morgan Dodge
- New combat system Cameron Zemek
- MMO Communities Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMO Communities Randolf Richardson
- MMO Communities Ashley Penney
- MMO Communities Damion Schubert
- MMO Communities Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMO Communities Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities Dana V. Baldwin
- MMO Communities Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities Zach Collins (Siege)
- MMO Communities Brendan O'Brien
- MMO Communities Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities Brendan O'Brien
- MMO Communities Brad McQuaid
- MMO Communities Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities Brendan O'Brien
- MMO Communities Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities J C Lawrence
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities Brad McQuaid
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities Mike Rozak
- MMO Communities Matt Mihaly
- MMO Communities Tom Hunter
- MMO Communities zgj22@drexel.edu
- MMO Communities Tom Hunter
- MMO Communities (keywords: commercial influence) Eric Random
- MMO Communities Brad McQuaid
- MMO Communities Michael Hartman
- MMO Communities Tom "cro" Gordon
- MMO Communities Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities Michael Hartman
- MMO Communities Paul Schwanz
- MMO Communities Byron Ellacott
- MMO Communities HRose
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities Michael Sellers
- MMO Communities HRose
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- MMO Communities HRose
- MMO Communities Morgan Dodge
- MMO Communities Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- MMO Communities Freeman, Jeff
- [DGN] Socialization against the fun Eric Random
- MMO Communities Koster, Raph
- MMO Communities Michael Sellers
- MMO Communities Yannick Jean
- MMO Communities Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- What is an MMOG? (was: MMO Communities) ceo