Re: After 2 years.....
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 9:05 pm
Andromedan wrote:This is an interesting discussion. When is the 'right' sort of meaning and sense of purpose derived from gameplay, and is Salem living up to that? In my opinion, Salem is.
The problem with getting it right, is that most people start to complain because they feel their gain/reward is not gotten quick/easy enough, or that they are at a disadvantage in relation to other players. What these people want - like with all things in life - is the best of both worlds. Having the thrill of danger and loss lurking from all sides, having an easy time raiding people, and being risk-free and having it all. That's an absolute contradiction. Part of the game has to attempt to make you feel like ****, in order for you to feel you are succeeding at something when you overcome the obstacle, and become more knowledgeable and capable. Facing the trials as a newbie will weed out the incapable, undetermined, and the aformentioned type.
However, accepting the reality behind a properly developed and balanced virtual reality does not guarantee happiness for everyone, like IRL. Those who are smarter, more devious, and/or have too much time on their hands, will often be at an advantage, certainly towards soloists. It doesn't matter how well-designed a game is, this is an unquestionable outcome. Thusly, such a game leads to a more concentrated and focused community, that knows how to be resistent to the game's pitfalls, like how a fungal/bacterial infection can become resistent after a while; it finds ways. This in itself should be a major challenge for the game developer I would think.
Then there's the problem of players not willing to repeat the thousands of hours of gameplay after being wiped out, unless it's on a fresh server.
I get where John is coming from, at least I believe so. He 'hates' the spoiled mentality, and that tells me that he gets it.
<3