> So what do you guys think? Is it still worth it in this day and age of > beautiful MMO, or do you think players will stick with the text-based > imagination route?
I wrote this a while ago: A picture is worth a thousand words... if you're trying to describe a person. This is due to the nature of our pattern recognition. (Yes, moms DO know the cry of their baby out of hundreds of others.) Otherwise, words single out important details and convey meanings not visible. Words have a much, much higher fractal density. To compete in bandwidth, graphic solutions must be limited to ASCII art. Even without bandwidth considerations, however, in the time it takes to read a short description one is likely not to glean as much information from looking at a graphic. Games like UT show how little information needs to be transmitted for gameplay. You actually get more information in a mud during a firefight. While the fast pace of games like UT appeal to many, there are still others who prefer a slower, more cognitive than reflexive experience. For them, we build text MUDS. Jesse, as to your original questions, I do a bit of both, I guess. I started with game modified to my tastes, then when I found players that liked it, I listened closely to their criticisms. If it doesn't please me, it would be pointless. But, there are other valid views, and baking a cake requires a careful selection of ingredients. You wouldn't eat a bag of flour for lunch, would you? :) Timeframe? There's a timeframe? I just told my apprentice we'd still be in Beta when she got out of college, 5 years from now. My game is a success in the sense that it proves my theory that the 'stock areas' are still fun as long as the code supports them, rather than obsoletes them. It's a success because it provides a home to two decade-old friends, who enjoy having a game tailored to their tastes. It's a success because for two years it was the home to a bunch of my daughter's friends, when gaming became the 'in' thing at the high school, and all those raw newbies loved it. It doesn't fair so well with players that have 'been around', as it lacks the hundreds of levels, skills, and new areas that some games boast. But, a few stay to play and decide they like the flavor. They tend to stay a long time. By modifying the game to what I like, I've ended up with a bunch of players I like. Funny how that works. In the end, I guess I feel my game is a success because it's played by friends, not strangers. Sandi
