Wait.. I’m about to comment on a two year old article? YES, because the link was passed back to me by a trusted friend and after reading it and recalling my initial thoughts back from the first time doing so, I’ve come to realize that the points listed in the article are still quite relevant today.

So, for starters… here’s the link for your review…
“Why Virtual Worlds are Designed By Newbies - No, Really!”, by Richard Bartle

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On this post about “Trophy Equipment” over at Raph Koster’s blog, Raph was suggesting that badges (ala SWG) be a viable alternative to using wearable inventory items as “trophies” in MMORPG games, though an implementation of the idea that’s actually cool has yet to be found. Folks seem to be leaning both ways on the topic, but here’s My Two Copper (which I posted as a comment on the site):
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One of the things that bothers me about the current MMORPG climate is the lack of tools that allow for players to design content for either their friends or for random passers by. With perhaps the exception of Ryzom, which was widely heralded for their recently released toolset enabling the creation and publishing of player-designed zone instances, most current MMORPGs don’t seem to be putting in the time and effort or are perhaps simply not seeing the value in allowing the creative members of the player populace to design socially-driven events and games-within-the-game.

It would be fair to say that a creative player will find innovative ways to have fun within the confines of what is granted to them by the rules of the game, which is true, but I’m of the mindset that believes the rules are a bit too locked down in existing worlds. Of course, completely freedom and flexibility for the user has it’s place in MMOG worlds such as Second Life, which are PRIMARILY driven by community-generated content, and would not really apply well at all to worlds such as EverQuest II or World of Warcraft. With that said, there is plenty of room for additional player flexibility in a CONTROLLED manner within these types of MMORPGs.

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The folks over at PlayOn have posted another interesting new article appropriately titled “The social utility of jerks” that I think provides a unique perspective on the positive effects of certain negative in-game social activity. Of course, it makes no false claims that jerks are FUN, but as it turns out they do unwittingly provide a service to their community by creating a “cause” for which groups of people can band against and relate to each other via. For the full details, check out this post over @ PlayOn.

A thought in the back of my mind for some time, “My 2 Copper” is now a reality! …and the world revulsed..err rejoiced!

Is it new?

Yes!

Is it shiny?

Not yet, but I will be seeing about putting together a better blog theme as soon as I have the time available to sit down with it.

Umm.. actually what is this site supposed to be anyways?

*in his best Napoleon Dynamite* It’s a blog you idiot! I thought that part was obvious.. Gosh!

No it most certainly *IS* a blog, but the *POINT* is for me to be able to aggregate the interesting MMO and general game development and design posts I find on the internet into one place… and of course to be able to add my two cents *COUGH* err.. copper! Do you get it now? Copper….MMO….. oh man this is going to be more difficult than I thought!