<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking --> <!--X-From-R13: "Urbsserl L." <tmngxvaNirenag.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 18:56:46 -0700 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 008b01bfa9a1$d5e13c00$cd9713ce#verant,com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: Pine.LNX.4.10.10004181536340.22596-100000#aeowyn,treyarch.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:gzatkin#verant,com"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00448.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00450.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00436.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00454.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00449">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00449">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00449">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <<A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A>></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: "Geoffrey Z." <<A HREF="mailto:gzatkin#verant,com">gzatkin#verant,com</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 18:51:50 -0700</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Sender</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu">mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> On Tue, 18 Apr 2000, Raph Koster wrote: > TWINKING: the act of assisting a lower level player to advance in the game > at a much faster rate than they would be able to achieve on their own, via > the giving of experience (often via XP split systems inherent in grouping > systems), items, goods, or money. The general problem I have with twinking is that it can create a disproportionate expectation for a newbie. By general human nature in a game which items determine the power of your character, once you have item A, you then want item B (which is presumably "better" in some way). Once you get item B, you then want item C. Giving a newbie item X or Y (using the alphabet as a linear power description - the sword of ultimate slaying or some such) to start the game with puts them in a situation where no matter what they do, the player can never achieve their reward (getting a better item) - there is no carrot leading them on. There is nothing they can achieve on their own (or with a party their own level) that can possibly equal the item they have been twinked. Outfitting a newbie with something "good" (maybe a C or a D) lets the newbie experience a taste of power, but still leaves them in the realm where they could reasonably be expected to find better items along the way. Outfitting the newbie with one especially good item still lets the player find better items with other purposes (giving a sword still lets them find a suit of armor). Twinking a newbie with a full set of uber items means that that player will never have anything to shoot for (no carrot), and will lead to the person becoming bored and quitting the game. In my general experience, the optimal path for twinking is to give a newbie one good item, or several OK items. This hooks them - giving them more power then the design intended and letting them feel like they are accomplishing something while still leaving room to grow. Overtwinking, similar to an initial "bad play experience" both lead to shorter then desired play time experiences. Geoffrey C. Zatkin (GZ) Game Designer: Verant Interactive _______________________________________________ MUD-Dev mailing list MUD-Dev#kanga,nu <A HREF="http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev">http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev</A> </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00436" HREF="msg00436.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> <adam#treyarch,com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00448.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00450.html">Re: Re[2]: [MUD-Dev] Alignment</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00436.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00454.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00449"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00449"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00357" HREF="msg00357.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Ryan Palacio <a href="mailto:rpalacio#verant,com">rpalacio#verant,com</a>, Mon 17 Apr 2000, 16:22 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00430" HREF="msg00430.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Raph Koster <a href="mailto:rkoster#austin,rr.com">rkoster#austin,rr.com</a>, Tue 18 Apr 2000, 22:20 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00431" HREF="msg00431.html">[MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, Raph Koster <a href="mailto:rkoster#austin,rr.com">rkoster#austin,rr.com</a>, Tue 18 Apr 2000, 22:20 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00436" HREF="msg00436.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, adam <a href="mailto:adam#treyarch,com">adam#treyarch,com</a>, Tue 18 Apr 2000, 23:12 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00449" HREF="msg00449.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, Geoffrey Z. <a href="mailto:gzatkin#verant,com">gzatkin#verant,com</a>, Wed 19 Apr 2000, 01:56 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00454" HREF="msg00454.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, Raph Koster <a href="mailto:rkoster#austin,rr.com">rkoster#austin,rr.com</a>, Wed 19 Apr 2000, 02:55 GMT </LI> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00446" HREF="msg00446.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, Ryan Palacio <a href="mailto:rpalacio#verant,com">rpalacio#verant,com</a>, Wed 19 Apr 2000, 01:34 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00453" HREF="msg00453.html">Re PRIVATE [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, Kristen L. Koster <a href="mailto:koster#eden,com">koster#eden,com</a>, Wed 19 Apr 2000, 02:33 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00457" HREF="msg00457.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking</A></strong>, F. Randall Farmer <a href="mailto:randy#communities,com">randy#communities,com</a>, Wed 19 Apr 2000, 03:42 GMT </LI> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </ul> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>