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Ive lately started playing Warhammer after a pretty prolonged absence. To get back into it and to get use to the new rules I played a couple of small skirmishes, orcs against high elves, and I noticed something odd. Very often when my block of orc spearmen would come up against a smaller block of high elf spearmen it was the elves who would break. (more)

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So obviously I havent been doing a great deal of posting any posting the past couple of months. This isnt because I havent wanted to. Ive just been kind of busy. (more)

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So Ive been playing a fair bit of Eve Online lately. I tried it out because people have told me what a great crafting system it has. Unfortunately I find the system a little flat myself. It doesnt really feel like I have much control over customizing what I create. Certainly I can choose which modules I want to load into my ship, but theres nothing particularly interesting about it. Either I have the skills to install a module, at which point it drops right in, or I dont. Theres no elements of attempting something challenging that has a high potential for failure but which also has a chance of success. Theres no tension in the act since the success or failure is completely preordained and known to the player. (more)

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I admit, I suck. Its been nearly a week since I published anything. Reality 1.0 has been consuming a lot of my attention lately as Ive been trying to complete a Work quest before the timer runs out. As a result I havent had time to write a post concerning the Mark Reins comments about episodic game content until now, which means that the topic is slightly dated. (more)

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As I try to solve game design problems I try to make sure that I adhere to certain rules. This isnt a list fixed in stone as every now and then I will think of a new rule that really needs to be inserted, but overall they shouldnt change too much.

1. The Game has to be fun. This is the most important rule of all. What Im working on is a form of entertainment. People dont have to play what I design and if what I design isnt fun for them then they will stop playing.
2. Dont assume because I enjoy something that other people will enjoy it. Dont force them to do activities because I assume everyone will find them fun.
3. Give people choices. Dont leave out activities that other people may enjoy just because I dont find them fun. Remember something for everyone.
4. Keep a clear eye on balance. Make sure one play style doesnt get favored over another. Do this by analyzing Risk verses Reward when there are different paths characters may take.

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Raph Koster wrote an article talking about use-based skill systems in MMOs and about how they worked out in Ultima Online and StarWars Galaxies. Just another example of synchronicity since I planned on following up A Distinct Lack of Class with a post about skill systems. (more)

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My name is Evan Sampson and I have no class.

Im not a 23rd level Artist or an 18th level Geek. Im not even multiclassed as an Artist/Designer, but I dont feel bad about this. The fact is that people in the real world simply arent divided into classes that dictate what they can and cannot do. So why do games do this? (more)

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Under a previous post Lost asked the question:

The real question/debate could be in evaluating each system on their own merits for the entertainment value of the player (which I attempted to touch on in my “RMT and game design”). While there certainly does need to be a “speed limit” to protect parts aspects of the game, such as the economy, are we trying to build a road with speed bumps or a 50 degree incline mountain road to climb? What value does long crafting/item creation times add to the entertainment value of the player? While it could be debated that it adds realism value, but that is hard position to support when the time it would take to make a sword in the real world would be much longer (even when converted into accelerated game world time).

This is a good question and Ive had to spend some time thinking about it. (more)

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Raph Koster posted a small snippet about a new beta service called Playerep. (more)

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So as I sit here, struggling to work out a crafting system that allows people to be hard core crafters while still allowing solo crafters and balancing the whole thing against adventuring I run into a new snag; the concept of social whittling. (more)

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