Re: do_set

From: Daniel A. Koepke (dkoepke@circlemud.org)
Date: 09/09/01


On Sun, 9 Sep 2001, Phillip Ames wrote:

> Now, my question is, why? :)

Structure overhead.  A char (byte) is one byte.  An integer is 4 bytes (on
32 bit machines).  Multiply this by a few thousand mobiles in the game and
you're using an extra 10kB or more for no reason.

ObGameDesign: Not everyone in the world used to see a reason for there to
be 700 levels or something ridiculous like that.  In fact, the people that
see such a reason now are probably guilty of bad design.  I have yet to
see a Mud with so many levels that could justify their existence[1].  It
becomes meaningless advancement.  There's no goal other than get to the
next level so that you can then get to the next level, etc.

The Rule of Fun is, "Challenge over appeasement."  In these terms:
achieving a new level is appeasement.  If little challenge went into the
achievement, then the appeasement is worth little.  The player may
continue to seek appeasement in hopes that the sum is worth more than its
parts.  Then again, you may only attract and keep around power-players and
egotists that want the recognition of having level 672.


-dak

[1] If you think you know of one, be it your own or someone else's, e-mail
me *privately* (this is not an invitation to post thinly veiled ads to the
list; if you send it to the list, I'll go out of my way to avoid it) and I
might take a look.

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