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Answer this postDecember 1st, 2007 |
…aka, the blogging dilemma…
What with all the new sites that track various sorts of virtual worlds news, it’s getting harder to figure out what to blog about. What’s more, I don’t even really know what the readership of the site is anymore (other than “largish.”) Is it people interested in UO/SWG style worldy games? Theory of Fun/Game Grammar scholarly types? Is it people following Metaplace? How many are general web folks looking for the intersection of games and social software?
I know, “write what you want.” But to some degree, I admit I am audience driven. 
I also don’t want to just end up regurgitating old posts, or reblogging news from other sites. Because of this, I have been posting a little less. Of course, I am also doing a lot of work around the Metaplace alpha, so some of the reason for the decrease in posting is that my energy is just going elsewhere…
Anyway, just wanted to take the pulse.
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I can’t even keep up with posting regularly on my own blogs, much less figure out what someone else should be writing.
Industry news bores me (this company bought that company; this company is doing that in this far off country), but I’m sure that kind thing interests most other people around here. I like to read your opinions about good stuff out there to read/play/see.
Also, I come by every so often to see what you’re up to. Find out if maybe you’re close to needing me for that Thirty-Something-Women-With-Babies panel. So far I haven’t seen anything that says I’m going to be needed any time soon, but I’ve only read the first page while K is in her saucer. Maybe the place where you’re setting up the panel is written about on Page 3.
At the risk of coming off as a bit of a fanatic:
Raph,
I check in once or twice a month just to check up on where your head is at. The wide variety of topics is just what i am looking for. If you are considering a more focused blog i hope you keep this one your own personal wonderfully pedantic self.
~ Dao
I’m a programmer but not a super-brain. I play games of all kinds: board, war, role-playing, console/video, computer. But of the numerous excursions into production that I’ve taken, nothing of substance has resulted. So I’m partly a fan-boy of those who produce great games.
It feels like MMOs/virtual worlds are on the verge of something really, really significant. And I’m having trouble (over a span of years) articulating what I mean. So I partly read the blogs of game developers in the hopes that my epiphany can be completed.
I also really love seeing innovation in MMOs. I’d rate ATiTD as the most significant leap in innovation that I’m aware of, at least since MUDs got graphics. (I could go along with an argument that player-enabled scripting in Second Life is as significant.) I play WurmOnline these days for the small social world and some of the stuff that most games don’t feature. So partly, I read this keeping an eye out for innovation that I can get jazzed about.
Looking again at innovation, I think it’s possible that Metaplace will either be, or foster the next big leaps. I was reading the Metaplace forums but kind of got tired of the extremely low signal to noise. Now I watch this and read the developers blog. And wait for my chance to play with it. So partly I’m here for Metaplace insights.
Theory of Fun type stuff is great. How the industry works type stuff (like explicating the normal worker-roles) is great.
I’d really, really like to see writing at the perfect level of accessibility for me (programmer, game enthusiast, experienced MMO player, but not an industry insider) discussing the reality of using an MMO to generate collaborative narrative. I find strings of missions — even when engineered across an arc well (like I think City of Heroes does) pretty lack-luster. But a paper-dice story-crafting game like Universalis has all kinds of good going on. I want to see that harnessed by the MMO. I don’t know if you’re the right person and this is the right place, but it’s something I’m always looking out for.
Completely coincidentally, while I’m currently in Minnesota, I have a bunch of family scattered from Ramona up to Anaheim so I used you as a fire info source as that was happening too.
I am definitely a reader for your game design ideas. Your general analysis of the industry is always welcome too. I’m reading for your insights and a chance to see the industry through a veterans perspective.
Game design theory, definitely.
I have been reading your blog for a couple of years, found it through SWG. What keeps me coming back is theories and realities of game design. News are only interesting to me if they have a personal opinion attached, otherwise I rarely read them. (I mean industry news, not personal whereabouts etc)
I’m not so interested in the what of Metaplace (until I can see it anyway) but more the why and what it will lead to. I have to admit, I was quite surprised when it was announced (expected a game, not a “venue”) but ultimately what I enjoy reading is your personal take on things, and that obviously must include your current project.
I’ve been enjoying the site as is: a blend of virtual worlds tidbits, design and theory comments, random life related things, and work related material (which sorta connects with the vw stuff and design stuff). I also enjoy the random UO/SWG anecdotes, but that’s me.
I appreciate the chance to offer feedback into what you put up on the site, but frankly I think you’re doing fine as is.
Why do I read this… Probably a good question.
First off, game design theory. I absolutely love reading about game design theory and I often find plenty of that here to get me thinking, and hey, Theory of Fun was a good read. I enjoy ‘worldly games’ so to speak as well, so its quite nice to read about those. I am also rather interested in the virtual worlds beyond the norm we get in many MMORPGs. There are a lot of interesting news tidbits that pop up on here as well. I am following Metaplace as well, and I also enjoy seeing the poems pop up as well as other various posts.
So… I like the site overall I suppose.
I tend to pop by every few days and mass read whatever has been posted if it looks interesting (which is most everything).
Raph,
I found your site because I had been thrust into the job of admining a fairly small MMO and I needed to know how the “big boys” do it.
The things that now grab my attention are comments on current MMO events, discussion of people management (within games) and many of the other interesting, game related stuff you bring to my blissfully ignorant attention.
Thanks to one and all for everything.
I get the most out of your “developer anecdotes” (as another mentioned above), the theory, and industry musings.
Raph being Raph. Yes, that means less general news than you used to do, as there are now 100 places to get that info. I come here because I consider it your editorial column, if you are going to espouse on a topical subject (Blizzard/EA) then it should be a unique (perhaps provocative) opinion. Otherwise, game design experience/exposition, both worldy and not, with a dab of recent musing on whatever.
I come here hoping to read bout worldly games (SWG/UO)
I like your game design centered articles like the one with the Andean Bird. I am also following Metaplace, and it would be interesting to see what a game like the Andean Bird could look like in Metaplace. I am also interested in game theory, and find anything related to it interesting to read.
Another old UO player here. I was very interested in following the development of UO. I’m sorry that technical limitations reduced the real world dynamics you wanted to add.
I participated in a UO discussion group with you and others.
I also followed you to SWG and thoroughly enjoyed that game.
So I’m here to see what wonderful world you come up with next. I saw much simularity and many improvements from UO to SWG and so I’d like to see what comes next.
Keep up the good work and thanks for the years of entertainment you’ve provided.
Peace,
So the message I have gotten is “don’t change anything” except perhaps for adding more game design posts into the mix.
Theory! Game theory, please. This is teh really interesting stuff.
I come here for insightful commentary on game design. Generally, the shorter and less design-focused the post, the more likely I am to skim or skip it.
I started reading your blog, perhaps, shortly after GDC 2005. Though might have been as recent as GDC 2006. I caught a panel you were involved with and recognized that you a lot more to say than I had experienced as an active forum participant in SWG.
Since then, some of the topics that I’ve found most intriguing, are, in no particular order:
- Books you’ve read recently
- Anecdotes of the development process
- SWG/UO and other worldly games (I know I’m not the only one awaiting RaphGame 3.0)
There’s so much news, it’s nice to know which news someone with your experience considers more important and why.
Well, given the impact both UO and SWG had on me as a gamer and a person I’d say I’m here for the anecdotes from that era
I’m also keen on seeing how Metaplace ends up. And I wonder if you have a design document somewhere for “Raph’s Worldy Game 3.0 With No Pre-Existing IP Albatross” that you’ll eventually share with us, or if that’s going to grow out of Metaplace, or what.
Well I’ve been here for several years and continue to read for what you’ve continued to post, enjoying and getting something from most of it. I think I enjoy a little over half the poetry you post, as well; though, I generally ignore the music. Of late I’ve not been playing much in the MMO world, but I still enjoy reading about where it is and where it’s going.
Yes, particularly the design essays/discussions.
Theory of Fun, yes; tend to only skim the Game Grammar stuff.
Of course
.
I don’t care enough to read the aggregators of virtual world news, but am generally interested in your brief snippets of comments when you link something new. Interesting to see the new directions this culture is exploring.
A little late to the party here, but because you took the time to ask, we should take the time to answer
I’m here for the community commentary mostly – the impact social gaming has on real world and perhaps how the “real world” is increasingly moving into, and becoming comfortable with, synthetic spaces.
There are not many people out there who put as much original thought/analysis into their posts as you do which makes coming here my first stop regardless of what other people can aggregate.
The intersection of community, business, fun and thought where your posts sit is easily the most interesting thing about this site.
And how many bloggers on VW post poems?
Have a good one
Twill
Worldy games, yes!
Scholarly stuff is OK, and you still might be able to sell me on Metaplace.
I read you for news on Metaplace & Theory, plus I enjoy the occasional ruminations on past projects since I played UO & SWG.
Metaplace and theory, for the most part. But if you want to give SWG anecdotes and take shots at SOE, so much the better.
Mostly theory and Metaplace.
I should add that I what I enjoy reading most are the comments [on my preferred content] from the wide range of other engaged readers. As you and I have said many times before, content is not king; content just stimulates people relations.
As long as you keep enabling your readers to participate, bringing us into conversations with provocative headliners and insightful observations, whatever and whenever you choose to post should be acceptable.
I was inspired by your book; “A Theory Of Fun – for game design”
What I hope to find is more and more theory. I like your posts with ‘slides’ from lectures you gave. But so far i actually almost liked anything you wrote. I have to admit I’m not so fond of your lyrics, but for the rest I read everything very careful and it’s never been disappointing.
Bit of everything. Don’t limit yourself to topics, half the fun of reading the site is never knowing what’s going to pop up next
If I want news I get that from news sites. I read Raph Koster’s blog because I’m interested in what Raph Koster thinks about various topics relating to game design.
I don’t really care what it is you write about (well that’s not strictly true, let’s rather say that I don’t have an editorial preference) as long as the content is basically ‘Raph on stuff’.
1. Your take on just about anything — doesn’t matter.
2. Metaplace
3. Intersection of games and social media
4. Game theory perspective on virtual worlds
Well, I’d sure like to read whatever you write here.
But I started to read this blog because of the “Theory of Fun”, and that’s most interesting to me.
[...] ralph_kosterhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/RaphsWebsite/~3/194070363/http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/01/answer-this-post/…aka, the blogging dilemma… [...]
I’m here for the Theories of Fun.
Since reading a theory of fun I’ve come to respect you opinion and look forward to hearing you views on most things games related. Both theory and practice. Keep up the good work, I cant wait to get my hands on Metaplace.
regards
It’s funny that you’re wondering what to blog about, because I don’t know what I want to read anymore. It feels like it’s all been said and done, no? Something new needs to happen.
That said, write what you wanna write.
It is cool that you talk about your music as well as your work in games, and you post poems, random thoughts, how the big fire affected you and your family, etc etc.
All of the above.
Most definitely. I like to read your thoughts, opinions, ideas, commentary and such, along with links you post to other blog posts you think are noteworthy.
Definitely. Especially when it comes to multiplayer gameplay including MMOs.
For me, not a bit, or at least not until some real info is released. I’m rather disappointed in general as most of what I see is of the (and don’t take this badly) “gee wiz” hype variety. Until I see something real like a playable game, APIs, documentation, people’s accounts of using it, etc. it’s just “yet another savior in the making”. There’s plenty of hype out there on other sites about it, you don’t need to put any here unless it’s of the “an interesting tidbit about our development process” or “here’s something interesting someone did” type.
Not really. Too many people talking about this to the point where it’s getting sort of old to me believe it or not. Enough talk, villagers demand action!
Theory of Fun/Game Grammar scholarly types?
Yes please!
1. Metaplace.
2. Theory of Fun.
3. Stories about all the other “famous” game designers you hang out with.
4. ???
5. PROFIT!
.
I’m interested in “UO/SWG style worldy games” mostly. Though I do find the more scholarly items you write to be fascinating. If I want info about Metaplace I just go over there and browse the forums.
The ‘worldy games/ theory of fun’ scholarly type can intermix quite a lot. What first got me reading your site is the philosphy of game design that I saw in the original UO – a large, classles, sandbox. I am intrigued by the concept of a world that is dynamic and can take even it’s creators by surprise. That brings me back to my favorite games of all time, Starcraft and Starcraft II by Binary Systems. That universe was fun to explore, had a lot of fun clues, messages and the like. All of Starflight II was just over a megabyte. In the same way, UO, while being a static world, had a lot of things to do and ways to explore. In comparison with modern MMOs, the most striking difference was the lack of quests that pinned you down along rails. You can explore some, and maybe you want to. However, the player feels obliged to complete the quests in an area, and is given incentives to stay in that area. If I want to take a new character starting out in the elven starting area in WoW and get him to the human starting area because friends started in that area and I want to play with them, I can’t do it without dying. Sooner or later, I’ll get killed by something much larger than I am. This also leads to the end level “I’m not being directed” blues – once you’re off the rails, you look for rails to get back on. Anyway, I’ll stop this line of thought before I go into travel time and instance pick up group times – especially if you have a life and kids. For a normal instance. There’s a reason why shortening travel time (UO’s Recall spell) isn’t that bad of a mechanic to have.
Is it people following Metaplace?
I follow that on the Metaplace forums
How many are general web folks looking for the intersection of games and social software?
I think they are either blending together or don’t have too much practical distinction – or shouldn’t.
I am mostly here to get your insights on worldy games, and the design of MMOs generally. I am interested in the scholarly work, but it is not really something I find relevant to my work.
I started reading your blog because I played SWG and what kept me hooked is really the mix of different subjects. I like the wide range of things I’m reading here.
Recently I’ve been following closely Metaplace so you can add this to the basket.
I like that you challenge conventional wisdom and are not afraid to break a few eggs. It’s this stuff…..
The Games Industry is Doomed – “The meteor has hit already. It’s just that the debris cloud is spreading very slowly.”
“single-player games are an aberration”
…the stuff that ruffles the feathers of an establishment that needs a bit of shaking that makes your blog so much fun. Keep throwing Raph grenades because the fight that follows always makes for a good time.
I’m here because I play SWG and your thoughts on MMOs (more than news itself) interests me a great deal.
First off, thanks for asking
I’ve been interested in your thoughts on theory and game mechanics. I really enjoyed your discussion about mechanics you and others have worked on in the past that may not have worked and those that worked particularly well. For example, the discussion about content generated from AI type activity (i.e. the dragon came through and burned the village – death to the dragon).
I am also interested in Metaplace, but have been reading for a couple of years now so that’s relatively new.
All in all, I started reading and continue to read your blog because of your perspective on MMO issues. I’m a gamer who’s interested in stuff. I’m also a working professional so the business side is interesting. As well as the inter-networking portion – I’d really love some more “back-end” discussion about technology. This should really be on your mind considering the Metaplace structure. I bet you just bought or are preparing the specs for a lot of hardware/software/middleware. It’d be cool to read about not only the end result (what you have) but how you got there (what were the choices, and why did you end up picking the route you did).
Lastly, as a security professional I’d love to hear things about the CIA (heh, not them – confidentiality, integrity, and availability) of information – both on the business side and the customer side as those appear to require a different set of tools and thought processes. The recent Quicktime issue and how it affected Second Life residents was something I really enjoyed reading about. I’d love to read your thoughts on previous issues like that or other information/network security issues (both technical – technology related, and non-technical – human related).
I prefer the theory, game grammar stuff most of all (write the book damn it!!
).
Also any behind the scenes anecdotes. It’s nice to get that sort of insight into how things work in the industry. Besides, it’s in the contract for having a beard, you have to gather everyone around the fireplace and tell tales of days gone by.
For Metaplace stuff I go over there, where I scavenge on the scraps thrown out from the hidden forums.
1. The news you can get from a dozen different places. Your take on events is interesting because of your experience. Straight reporting… not so much.
2. Always interested in stories from days of yore, as those that forget history…
3. A virtual cage match between you and ..say.. Richard Bartle would be entertaining, although not strictly blog related. Richard Garriott would be fine as a substitute.
4. I don’t want to hear another word about Metaplace until you send me an invite.
Cheers!
I accidentally subscribed to this feed because I thought it was about Raph Nader, but since I’m here could you post on the merits of seatbelt usage in web based VWs?
IMHO reblogging in itself isn’t bad, the mere fact that a story interests you enough to make comment on is of interest. Kinda like the social worlds themselves, the content itself is often not as important as the links between people and ideas. So, reblogging is fine when it piques your interest.
Otherwise, I’m always interested in posts discussing Problems, Approaches and Solutions, whether specific or meta in nature. The Theory posts on problems in discussing problems. The historical posts on problems in solving problems. The future posts on problems in making more problems.
Overall, I’m always fascinated by the approach others take, and especially those who’s work I respect.
I’m interested in all of what you talk about. At the moment I suppose the theory side is the most relevant to what I’m doing in grad school w/ respect to games in education, but on the whole I enjoy the UO/SWG stories and Metaplace commentary as well.
Write what you want.
I get this blog in my RSS feed, and just ignore any headline that doesn’t look interesting. I have to get pretty offended before I unsubscribe something in the feeder. Try going all emo, that might do it
I’m gonna make video-games one day (soon), and I was heavily, and I mean HEAVILY inspired by Ultima Online. So really, I’m interested in UO/SWG/Worldly type games, I’m into the theory behind games, and I’m interested in metaplace because it might allow me to at least start creating that game I’ve been itching to make for so long.
Making Pong and Space Invaders for class just doesn’t cut it anymore.
I’ve been out of the loop for the past six months and I don’t even know what’s going on anywhere anymore. I’d put myself into the peg of a theory person, though. I find that to be your unique (for better or worse) niche on the blogosphere, and I enjoy it, so I’ll ask for that.
I mean, if I want to follow Metaplace stuff, I’ll go over to the Metaplace site and lurk-as-usual.
Yes, yes and yes.
I read your blog, Damian Schubert’s and Terra Nova.
Kind of…
Yup
I’ll admit it, I lurk on the Metaplace forums.
Unless I understand incorrectly, that is what MP is about.
How I found your blog:
To be honest, I never played UO, SWG or even Eve, WoW, etc. I’ve lived a secluded life among the roleplay grognards of NWN. In summer of 2002, I picked up a copy of Neverwinter Nights on the premise that I could play D&D online with my old friends who are an ocean away. I played 1/3 of the way through Bioware’s story, set the game down and started working on my own campaign for my friends. We played regular sessions for about a year and then when I needed a break from the toolset, we tried out the “Persistent Word” (NWN’s term for virtual world) scene. That opened my eyes to a whole new hobby. Pretty soon, I was volunteering as a scripter on a world that needed one and over time filled pretty much every live team role that a small, community world can have.
Where does Raph come in? Oh… yeahhhh… I did not just want to build, I wanted to pursue excellence. So on the recommendation from someone on Bioware’s forums, I bought and read Richard Bartle’s book. I think I whispered “OMFG, this guy is a genius” about a hundred times on first reading and it is now dog eared from re-readings. Since Raph is mentioned, oh about a zillion times in Bartle’s book, I had to check out the LegendMud website, this blog, etc.
Sorry Raph, I’ve not yet read your book.
(touchpad oops)
… given the bits I found regarding resource systems and game economies and such). Back when I did pencil and paper RPGs, I remember always wanting to understand how many disparate rules fit together and made a cohesive whole — how the gameplay emerges from the myriad decisions of the game designer. And I’d love to hear more of the reality of that from the “real live game designer” point of view.
I also find the statistics and commentary on web/game convergence interesting, but mostly from what they says about game design and what makes games more or less fun (or addictive, or comforting, or what have you). The discussion of the game play choices of Las Vegas was similarly interesting, and I wonder what lessons can come from theme parks, arcades, and so on.
I arrived here from reading the Theory of Fun book, so clearly that’s interesting. But I find that the more academic it gets, the less interesting it is — I like to learn about fun in a fun way, not through dry academic writing.
I also find descriptions of game systems fascinating (something I wish there was more of here, given the
This is pretty much the only game blog I read. So more or less anything you write on any of the abovementioned topics (MMOs, theory, Metaplace, anecdotes, social web, etc) is fun for me.
For orientation: I am an academic working in bioinformatics algorithms. Some web-based software too (genome browsers). I published a couple of 8-bit games as a kid, and hope to revisit the field, one day, maybe as a small-game dabbler (or Metaplace developer, etc). Been to the GDC a couple of times (said hi to you there this year). Reading your blog helps, because it seems to give an authentic, subjective taste of the field without being TOO insider-y like some of the others out there.
I enjoy a lot of what you write in general, but since you are asking…
Yes, anecdotes and traditional gameplay – good or bad is always entertaining.
Definitely, this is what brought me here in the first place. This I find useful in may day to day life and work.
Meh. It is interesting on a theoretical level and as a business model/idea. From a personal POV it’s very meh though. I see its potential and it might be something I’ll use when I have time… time is such a precious commodity these days though.
Really not me. It’s interesting, again, from a technical and theoretical perspective, but I have less interest in social software than my dirty dishes
Other things I really enjoy:
Your music stuff. Not the songs so much, but musings about music and where it intersects and applies elsewhere is fascinating.
Book reviews.
If MetaPlace is what you claim it to be, then its all of the above, so focus on the theory of metaplace as it applies to the intersection of web and games.
Thanks, Fishless, this helps not one lick!
Fantasy books reviews
You know my interests. I always prefer topics that are relevant to marketing and innovation.
Theory first and foremost.
Then Metaplace news because its cool.
Then just general tech/ art stuff that has taken your fancy.
MMO stuff if you really care to post about it, but as you mentioned its covered elsewhere.
I guess for you are looking for advice I wouldn’t squander your talent being an MMO news editor.
Like most of all the other blogs I read, your blog is a filter that allows me to find high quality content, both produced by you and others. I may not always agree with your conclusions but your choice of topics and stories to cover are of interest to me. I think trying to pigeon hole yourself into one particular niche would actually lose some of the appeal for me. On reblogging: if you do cover a story that I’ve already read, I can decide so at a glance, and move on, but the next person reading may very well have never read the story.
I’m an old UO player that is keenly interested in “worldly”.
I’m interested in Metaplace.
I’m also very interested in how “worldly” can be expanded in all of it’s spheres, such as social and interactive features.
That’s why I come here, but I’ll admit if I had the game I wanted I probably would be playing that instead.
But once here, I do enjoy news and such. I don’t visit all those other blogs, just a very few, so it isn’t like news always finds its way to me.
I especially enjoy the topics on game design and the how’s and why’s.
But mainly I enjoy Puzzle Poetry! You know, poetry that you know is supposed to be poetry but you can’t find it? hehehe
Just to clarify things. My above Quote –
Was a fantasy quote and should not be taken as an actual quote.
To be honest, I’ve been an MMORPG Blog Junkie for quite a few years, and it never ceases to amaze me when I run across a post on someone’s blog that either (a)introduces something that I never knew existed, much less was a fan of, but find fascinating, or (b) give me a different perspective on something I previously thought I knew quite a bit about.
As far as my personal tastes go, your list would be ordered as (“worldy games>Metaplace>”theory of fun”>social networking), but there’s not that large of a gap between the elements.
I was once tagged by a co-worker as an “input junkie”. Unfortunately…he was right.
My 2 cents goes towards worldy games.
What do I enjoy? Development anecdotes. This blog made it onto my list of regular visits after I read your old essays about the early model of UO’s ecology – a “what could have been in the MMO genre.” It’s good to know that your wildly ambitious, wholly original plan has actually been done before – if I get to learn from your mistakes, then I get to avoid them, and make entirely new mistakes of my own!
The scholarly theory discussions are interesting, but what I really find the most valuable is that you’re a bridge between the hardcore gamer MMO market and the world of webby/popular MMOs. It’s good to be reminded that there are other people out there, doing other things, in other ways. Even if they scare you.
Metaplace I’m interested in – there are a lot of things I want to try out without having to develop a giant bloody MMO engine just to experiment with something – but I get that from the Metaplace site itself.
Not as much.
Some, yes.
Mostly.
Umm… Sure.
And your perspective on the medium (past, present, future — as you will). I’ll leave “medium” undefined as I don’t want to limit you.
Raph: “Thanks, fishless. This helps not one lick!”.
Theory, theory