nu.kanga.list.mud-dev

25309: RE: [MUD-Dev] "On Virtual Economies" by Castronova

From: Ted L. Chen [mailto:tedlchen@yahoo.com] 

> So the key might be to offer globally periodic, yet very
> incremental, improvements in existing weapons, armor,
> etc. Obviously, there will come a time when the new stuff makes
> tackling a MOB too easy.  So for every N increments, throw in a
> MOB that's balanced for the last of that series.  Of course, have
> more than one overlapped tool-use set so players can do something
> else if using a low-level tool against a mob is too much of a
> challenge.  Most MOG players optimize to an obsessive degree.  Use
> that desire for the current "latest and greatest" to your
> advantage in reducing the amount of content you need to create and
> to keep that currency moving.

Which isn't really breaking new ground. Its what commercial MMOs do
with their expansion packs, fairly successfully I might add.

The most noticeable effect is that the bottom of the leveling
treadmill gets easier and easier as better equipment filters down,
which is no bad thing as it allows more people to experience the
newest content.

One point he made that I certainly agree with is that you can put
people off my making things too hard. AO did that with its 200
levels of treadmilling.  They'd have been so much better off if
they'd set the number far lower at release, and then added on 20
levels each expansion. If you dangle the carrot too far out, the
general reaction is to go 'sod it' :)

Dan
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