[Freeciv-Dev] MMORPG vs. sanity

["Brandon J. Van Every" <vanevery@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Mark Metson [mailto:markm@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
>
> I think that maybe my ideas might also be heading toward massively
> multiplayer types of games. Because trying to incorporate all
> games inside
> all other games in some vast conglomeration of games will
> doubtless end up needing vast numbers of players.

Why do you feel you need masses of players?  I've done lotsa freeform
PBEM RPG.  Full-time, 40 hours a week, 6 weeks at a go.  (You can do
that kind of thing when you're a self-employed game designer.  ;-)  I've
run at least 5 of them.  I started out wanting to test how many players
I could handle.  How I might provide ongoing content for a MMORPG.

My conclusion is: I can only handle 5 players with quality.  And they
can only move in 3 independent units of action.  This is know as The
Rule Of Three.  More than that, nobody understands what's going on.
Less than that, and you get a sort of boring ping-pong.  Three provides
the right dynamism, without too much complexity.  That cost 2 years
worth of R&D, so take it for what it's worth.  ;-)

Forget about this bigger is better nonsense.  You are barking up the
wrong tree.  And, maybe you should play Emperor Of The Fading Suns
before barking up the "game within game" tree.  (See my other post).
Maybe you won't think it's such a hot idea after that.  Or maybe, you'll
at least think the point of RPG is RPG, not 4X TBS.  So then you'll
design from the right set of priorities, even if you do forge ahead with
"game within game."


Cheers,                         www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every               Seattle, WA

20% of the world is real.
80% is gobbledygook we make up inside our own heads.