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31310: RE: [MUD-Dev] NEWS: Why Virtual Worlds are Designed By Newbies -No, Really! (By R. Bartle)
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From: "Michael Sellers" <mike@onlinealchemy.com>
Newsgroups: nu.kanga.list.mud-dev
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 17:59:05 -0600
References: [1]
Organization: Kanga.Nu
JC wrote:
> You may note that I never mention games[1]. For a host of
> reasons, many historical, some quite personal and others joking
> or quite serious, I find "MUD" as both a stand-alone word and an
> expansible acrynym to be an accurate and punnish term to
> reference such services.
It's an acronym well-rooted in history. But one that's also not
suited to the commercial marketplace. Some here aren't concerned
with that at all, and that's fine. But others have to be.
Personally, I tend toward "virtual world" when pressed. I'd like to
find something better -- "virtual" equates to "hopeful" or even
"nebulous" and "world" has grandiose connotations. Not good things
when talking to skeptical investors, publishers, or potential
partner/customers who don't know a mob from a noob.
> [1] Why not require them to be games? Because my definition
> of what forms a game is a little more generous than some and
> I'd rather not get involved in having to argue over what is or
> is not a game.
While virtual worlds have thus far been primarily focused around
entertainment activities, this is changing quickly. Any definition
that relies on games or entertainment -- or even hints at them --
will be left in the dust of history.
Mike Sellers
Online Alchemy
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