Types of Players

[Dion Red Strike]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, a bright chap named Richard Bartle wrote a paper on the four types of MUD (multi user dungeon) gamers.

I think his thoughts were spot on, and, here's the summary...

Originally Posted by Smart Dude

…labelling the four player types abstracted, we get: achievers, explorers, socialisers and killers…

i) Achievers regard points-gathering and rising in levels as their main goal, and all is ultimately subserviant to this. Exploration is necessary only to find new sources of treasure, or improved ways of wringing points from it. Socialising is a relaxing method of discovering what other players know about the business of accumulating points, that their knowledge can be applied to the task of gaining riches. Killing is only necessary to eliminate rivals or people who get in the way, or to gain vast amounts of points (if points are awarded for killing other players).

Achievers say things like:

“I’m busy.”
“Sure, I’ll help you. What do I get?”
“So how do YOU kill the dragon, then?”
“Only 4211 points to go!”

ii) Explorers delight in having the game expose its internal machinations to them. They try progressively esoteric actions in wild, out-of-the-way places, looking for interesting features (ie. bugs) and figuring out how things work. Scoring points may be necessary to enter some next phase of exploration, but it’s tedious, and anyone with half a brain can do it. Killing is quicker, and might be a constructive exercise in its own right, but it causes too much hassle in the long run if the deceased return to seek retribution. Socialising can be informative as a source of new ideas to try out, but most of what people say is irrelevant or old hat. The real fun comes only from discovery, and making the most complete set of maps in existence.

Explorers say things like:

“Hmm…”
“You mean you don’t know the shortest route from to ?”
“I haven’t tried that one, what’s it do?”
“Why is it that if you carry the uranium you get radiation
sickness, and if you put it in a bag you still get it, but if
you put it in a bag and drop it then wait 20 seconds and pick it
up again, you don’t?”

iii) Socialisers are interested in people, and what they have to say. The game is merely a backdrop, a common ground where things happen to players. Inter-player relationships are important: empathising with people, sympathising, joking, entertaining, listening; even merely observing people play can be rewarding - seeing them grow as individuals, maturing over time. Some exploration may be necessary so as to understand what everyone else is talking about, and points-scoring could be required to gain access to neat communicative spells available only to higher levels (as well as to obtain a certain status in the community). Killing, however, is something only ever to be excused if it’s a futile, impulsive act of revenge, perpetrated upon someone who has caused intolerable pain to a dear friend. The only ultimately fulfilling thing is not how to rise levels or kill hapless drips; it’s getting to know people, to undertand them, and to form beautiful, lasting relationships.

Socialisers say things like:

“Hi!”
“Yeah, well, I’m having trouble with my boyfriend.”
“What happened? I missed it, I was talking.”
“Really? Oh no! Gee, that’s terrible! Are you sure? Awful, just
awful!”

iv) Killers get their kicks from imposing themselves on others. This may be “nice”, ie. busybody do-gooding, but few people practice such an approach because the rewards (a warm, cosy inner glow, apparently) aren’t very substantial. Much more commonly, people attack other players with a view to killing off their personae (hence the name for this style of play). The more massive the distress caused, the greater the killer’s joy at having caused it. Normal points-scoring is usually required so as to become powerful enough to begin causing havoc in earnest, and exploration of a kind is necessary to discover new and ingenious ways to kill people. Even socialising is sometimes worthwhile beyond taunting a recent victim, for example in finding out someone’s playing habits, or discussing tactics with fellow killers. They’re all just means to an end, though; only in the knowledge that a real person, somewhere, is very upset by what you’ve just done, yet can themselves do nothing about it, is there any true adrenalin-shooting, juicy fun.

Killers says things like:

“Ha!”
“Coward!”
“Die!”
“Die! Die! Die!”

(Killers are people of few words).

I will be making another thread related to the past, present and future of EU using a quote from him as well...

The original can be found at http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm

Anyhow, what type of 'gamer' are you?

EDIT: If a mod see's this, culd you turn it into a poll?

[safara]

Honestly I am a mix of all 4.

Yep, reread it all, and can honestly say that all of those traits apply to me

[Dion Red Strike]

Originally Posted by safara

Honestly I am a mix of all 4.

Yep, reread it all, and can honestly say that all of those traits apply to me

Well, in the paper, he says that everyone displays traits from each category, however, everyone will lean more towards one.

I've found on this forum, there are plenty of each, and I can think about quite a few threads started by each type

[Gankoholic]

I am number 4
Die ! Die ! Die !

[Naifas Anaconda]

I'm an explorer first, then an achiever. i am a socializer because i must. And a killer just not yet (meaningfully)

[Zib Black Onyx]

Seems like he missed one.... I guess they didn't exist back when he wrote this - no RCE's were around...


#5 The Gambler

[Dion Red Strike]

Originally Posted by Naifas Anaconda

I'm an explorer first, then an achiever. i am a socializer because i must. And a killer just not yet (meaningfully)

To quote that smart dude again...

Originally Posted by Smart Dude

Part of the psychology of killers seems to be that they wish to be viewed as somehow superior to other players; being killed by a killer in open play would undermine their reputation, and therefore they avoid risking it (compare Killers v Explorers). This means that nascent or wannabe killers are often put off their chosen particular career path because they themselves are attacked by more experienced killers and soundly thrashed.

Killers often start as explorers because they lack the necessary skills to effectively be killers

[Dion Red Strike]

Originally Posted by Zib Black Onyx

Seems like he missed one.... I guess they didn't exist back when he wrote this - no RCE's were around...


#5 The Gambler

I could split gambler into the same 4...

I'll use texas holdem as an example..

1) Socializer - just gambles to socialize
2) Explorer - counts cards because he's trying to beat they system
3) Acheiver - plays because he wants to hold the 'I've had pockets aces 10 times now' acheivement
4) Killer - plays just because he wants every one elses money

[Zib Black Onyx]

Originally Posted by Dion Red Strike

I could split gambler into the same 4...

I'll use texas holdem as an example..

1) Socializer - just gambles to socialize
2) Explorer - counts cards because he's trying to beat they system
3) Acheiver - plays because he wants to hold the 'I've had pockets aces 10 times now' acheivement
4) Killer - plays just because he wants every one elses money

Interesting point of view but my PRIMARY motivation for playing the game is to gamble.

[Jimmy B]

I guess I'm mainly (i) and (ii). pk isn't really my thing and I'm not the most sociable in-game tbh - WoF has more than trebled my FL

I try to find ways to play profitably which I guess is (ii), but I'm also quite keen on skilling up which is (i) although perhaps that is partly to help (ii).

Originally Posted by Dion Red Strike

EDIT: If a mod see's this, culd you turn it into a poll?

Sure, I've added it. Messed up and didn't make it public though sorry - can't edit that in afterwards unfortunately.