How do you define "skill/winner" here.?

[hagah]

Is it the ability to do the more difficult mob solo?

Write the best trigger set?

Make the most friends, have the most influence?

Being the "winner" here is having a combination of these things I'm guessing :

hours played + zone experience + ability to get along + awards/trophies

??

I have a feeling that the ideas are many as to what makes up a "winner" here.. But basically I'm annoyed that there is such little distinction, so I'm curious what you people think.

Edit: it struck me that perhaps a major reason to play for many current people is to keep the game going?

[Corth]

I think in the past you needed quite a bit of skill to succeed in this game, and thus it was more obvious who the skillful players were. For instance, before sneak/hide, cr'ing was an art. There were people out there who were good at it, and everyone knew who they were. Thats just one 'for instance'. There are a lot of other ones.

When last I played (which admittedly was quite some time ago), it seemed to me that the most important skill your typical zoning character needed... was the ability to keep from going afk at the wrong time.

Corth

[Botef]

Really there are no winners imo...At most, a winner is someone who is viewed by other players as being 'the best' at something- be it quests, leading zones, soloing, being best at a particular class, etc and being acknowledged and respected as such by your fellow players.

As Clevland from family guy would say: "You don't win. You just do a little better each time."

[hagah]

If you don't win, then a true game is not being played.. A game has boundaries, rules, players who acknowledge both, a winner or winners and a loser or losers.. This is the definition of a finite game.

Life in this regard is not a game you play to win.. If you won it would be over and there would be nothing left to accomplish, real life out there exists as a grounds to support the possibility of play.

I suppose going out to do a zone, and succeeding with finishing the entire zone and all fights in this way could be the win that i'm looking for. If the zone goes unfinished (3 item ttf). It cant really be considered a "win" because it was only partially completed.

Although I suppose if all the players decide that a 3 item ttf win is indeed to get 3 items and leave, then yes, it was a win :)

So maybe this mud thing I'm trying to wrap my head around is just another field of possibilities in which games CAN be played, and not so much a game of itself. In that respect I would have to say that the one with the most "skill" is the one who keeps the possibility of play open to everyone.. They would be the one to support fellow players while at the same time developing their own characters in order to better support the changing system of class demands.. Helping out noobiles while not giving away all the information required.. Selling/trading off un-needed items at fair prices to keep the spare equipment pool overflowing..

[Yayaril]

8)

Skill is defined as the most posts on the forums.

I also think Toril is like Monopoly- not a game of skill, but in fact a game of endurance.

[Ambar]

it is too difficult to define *skill* anymore

used to be TONS of skilled players, i was guilded with many of the best. back then they didnt rely on many triggers at all (sure a rescue trigger but nothing like they are today .. i still use gromis and it works just fine)

nowaday people want to trigger and script everythign and leave nothing to chance. iits really frustrating for those of us who use very few triggers, no scripts, nothing really automated except aliases and macros

3-4 years ago a good enchanter was tested on his or her ability to solo chant a zone. these days anyone with a good trigger/alais set can do it. same with rogue, cleric, hell any class

i have to agree with corth, these days its more about not going afk at the wrong time (if a chanter can go afk without telling the group leader, they have too many triggers/scripts)

skill can also be dfined as to who can speedwalk to a place or camp a place faster, and can get there faster at boot.

those (master) skills are a good definition too, can script anything for a skill practice

[Lilira]

There really is no way to "win" at this game.

Am I a winner because I can solo a few mobs with my chars? Because I'm adequate at zoning? Am I a loser because lately I've preferred to visit with friends as opposed to zoning?

There are too many facets to this game to have winners or losers. There is no such thing as "winning" the game, because there is no end to it. That's the beauty of the mud. Its constantly changing. New zones go in, new RP happens, stuff gets changed.

Some days you own the zone, some days the zone owns you. Yes, even the well-known ones.

The first listed definition of game follows (as provided by dictionary.com):

1. An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party games; word games.

Yes there are a few paragraphs adding to that, but this particular definition is how I view the mud.

Just my 2c.

[Sarell]

Dammit, I thought it was how many people you could touch?

You can have a game you can't 'win'. Tag, chasey, whatever you call it, played the world over, lots of fun, you don't win, you just take turns at being it.

[hagah]

Bah of course you can't WIN this game, it's obvious there is cut and dry winner to anyone who has played this game for ten minutes.. I'm speaking of the internal "win/skill" FEELING that you get from playing this game.. The real meat of the experience... and preferably analysis of this feeling AFTER you've gotten over the thrill of gaining a level or getting a new item, which eventually becomes mundane..

By that definition of a game you can't be really considered playing the game at all if you're not getting _something_ from it.. entertainment, whatever..

The question is what constitutes this _something_ from this game.. ? Especially considering many of us have been playing here off and on for 12+ years and it still hasn't gotten old somehow!!

For me it's exploring the massive world available and being able to deal with the possibilities of death and loss of equipment.. the indiana jones feeling..

[Disoputlip]

Whoever has the most plat before they retire win.

[Cap'n Touk]

Couple years ago I decided that I had won, how do I define "won" on a never ending game? Easy - I did everything I set out to do.

1. I reached a point in game-knowledge where people asked me for equipment stats, quest hints, directions, tips on playing my class well, and how to lead zones. (before I was staff)

2. I reached a point where people would log in and ask me what zone I was leading today. Most people just consented me for a group without even asking. ( I loved that btw - anyone feeling surly?)

3. I built a couple of zones, all of which I like, a couple of which everyone else likes too. I guided dozens of people through the zone creation process, many of which ended up on the mud.

4. I reached a point equipping my character where instead of maxing stats, I could have fun working on style and colour schemes and other fun stuff like wielding pirate cutlasses or wearing a peg leg because that's way more fun to me, then having another +2damage.

5. I was considered one of the best of my class.

6. I was involved in many different guilds.

7. I participated in some amazingly intense zone fights that left me sweating and pumped with adrenaline.

8. Most importantly, I got to know a LOT of people, many of whom I've met in real life, and many of whom are as happy to see me as I am to see them when I log in.

Now there are a ton of things I never did, but like I said, I don't feel they would make me win more. I'm not the best at anything, I didn't figure out all of the quests, I don't have the most platinum, I never led a guild, I never led Tiamat, I never technically made it to mud Co-ord, etc. etc.

So to answer your question - play for a while, develop some goals, and reach them :)

Cap'n Touk

[daggaz]

There are trig sets for enchanters?

No but seriously, I am the winner here. I have the most money, the coolest job where I dont actually have to work, the longest wang, a thousand and seventytwo hooker girlfriends, except they dont do it with anyone else except eachother and I dont have to pay them, which would be fine cuz of my money tree plantation I have going on that swank, southern pacific island chain that I own, plus I have a magic monkey that flies.

[daggaz]

Also, I poop money and chuck norris is always asking me advice on how to pick up women..

[Sarell]

There are trig sets for enchanters?

No but seriously, I am the winner here. I have the most money, the coolest job where I dont actually have to work, the longest wang, a thousand and seventytwo hooker girlfriends, except they dont do it with anyone else except eachother and I dont have to pay them, which would be fine cuz of my money tree plantation I have going on that swank, southern pacific island chain that I own, plus I have a magic monkey that flies.

That's nothing, I have a level 50 ranger!

[teflor the ranger]

You can't mud and be a winner. That was the FIRST rule guys.

As a competitive sport, we'd be lucky to win sponsorships (promises not to sue) from krispy kreme and dominos. Who wants a "eat more donuts" sticker?

[Sarell]

Maybe we could get some advertising funds thorugh a dominos endorsement, post some pizza adds on the frontpage!

I had a winning day today, smote like 7 kabazillion dragons in a non stop high energy romp acroos the realms! It woulda been better with pizza for sure!