RE: [-empyre-] play versus game play

["Jonathan O'Donnell" <jonathan.odonnell@ngv.vic.gov.au>]

> From: ... Andy Polaine
> Sent: Wednesday, 23 June 2004 5:04 PM
>
> Helen, you're right of course when you say "it is the 'play to win'
> that impassions people in their game play and drives game play", but
> here is where two areas diverge, I believe, into play and gameplay.
> Gameplay is crucial, and that drive to win is clearly understood by
> most videogame developers. Play is (or can be) non-competitive and
> something intrinsically enjoyable as an activity.

Absolutely!  The need to win of some games (and gamers) can be very
discouraging sometimes.  Then again, I tend to prefer non-violent
confrontation, so this quote rings true for me:

"William: I think a lot of it is also that people get into fights much on
these muds, and competition gets really intense, again because there's not
much to lose except the pride-issues, and so you can just build your
character up and get revenge in a way, and you can plot forever the revenge
in some way, and devote yourself to that - to this unhealthy insane passion,
where a lot of the breakers would kick in in real life, like say the police,
or restraining orders, they don't come up in a MUD. (Interview 18.09.1999)"

>From The Geography of a Non-place by Torill Mortensen
http://www.dichtung-digital.de/2003/issue/4/mortensen/

On a slightly different tangent, Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates looks like an
interesting development.  It is a MMO RPG.
http://www.puzzlepirates.com/

"When your Pirate sails, or swordfights, or navigates, the appropriate
Puzzle game is launched. Good Puzzling thereby brings victories and accrues
great fortunes to you and your fellow Pirates."
http://www.puzzlepirates.com/about/

My understanding is that the developers liked MMO RPGs, but felt that the
actual game play (kill monster, collect treasure) sucked.  Whereas they felt
that the actual game play of puzzles was quite good, so they combined the
two.  But don't quote me - that's just what I've heard.  I haven't played
it.

Jonathan O'Donnell
NGV Multimedia
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au
+61 3 8620 2354