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Mudflation??Follow

#1 Oct 17 2005 at 1:49 PM Rating: Decent
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Could a kind soul please define this term for me? I am lost.
#2 Oct 17 2005 at 2:03 PM Rating: Good
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A quick search turned up an explanation in Mobhunter:

Mudflation:This ancient term gets used any time someone sees the game progress and doesn't like it.
Mudflation means little but has a built-in wrapper of negativity that lets us label progression like a package of spoiled meat.
Few describe exactly what they mean when they use the term and fewer can describe how to fix it.
The game gets larger. The high-end zones get higher. Level limits increase. Equipment grows in power. That isn't mudflation, that's progress.

Kind of the impression the word gave me even though I couldn't have explained the meaning to you.
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#3 Oct 17 2005 at 2:21 PM Rating: Excellent
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It's not necessarily negative. It simply means that, as characters and items grow in power via expansions, older content becomes trivialized. Namely because as superior equipment is released and made widely available, older equipment trickles down through the lower levels either via alts or the Bazaar thus allowing lower level characters to better equip themselves faster and cheaper.

Why can a single lvl 11 hold an entire N. Ro Dervish camp today that took a full group in 1999? Mudflation. Why can Nagafen be single grouped even with the level limit? Mudflation. Why does no one want Kunark clicky armor? Mudflation. Why are players no longer forced to endure Velious progression to equip themselves? Mudflation.

It's not a bad thing by definition. Earlier today I told someone that he could probably effectively solo a bard into the mid-levels via melee due to mudflation. That's a good thing for him since it means he can solo better and progress faster. Throwing a negative connotation on the term seems as whiney as the definition tries to make the term's users to be.
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#4 Oct 17 2005 at 2:39 PM Rating: Excellent
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In the real world items decay. Older things are replaced by newer things as they break or are destroyed. In a game like Everquest items never wear out.

Your rusty shortsword is just as effective today as it was in 1999, not only that but there are about a bazillion other just as effective or better weapons available. Therefore, even though your rusty shortsword hasn't changed it is now worth significantly less than it was in 1999 because a better item can be obtained for the same amount of effort.

Also, in the real world there is a limited amount of items and money. In an MMORPG and the earlier MUDs that they spawned from there is an unlimited amount of items and money. That ogre you kill in butcherblock will always have the same chance to drop a sword and an insignia. The merchant will always give you 4pp for that insignia. That 4pp doesn't come from somewhere he just magically makes it. The ogre will always respawn for you to kill him again.

Eventually when enough Platinum pieces get into circulation they become worth less, hence, it takes more of them to compensate other players for their time.
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#5 Oct 17 2005 at 3:08 PM Rating: Excellent
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In Xythex's case (which was a good addition to my definition), there are ways of handling it: item decay, plat sinks, tributing items, No Drop items that effectively leave the economy, etc. Decay is almost universally hated. Plat sinks aren't given much favor either (note the dropping of gem requirements for various spells) and Tribute probably hasn't done much to alter the economy. Likewise, ideas such as capping stats in old content zones are pretty much scorned by all. In other words, there's ways to "fix" it but none are especially marketable to most MMORPG subscribers.
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#6 Oct 17 2005 at 3:20 PM Rating: Good
loral really needs to realize that SOE isn't god, and can, thus, do bad things.
#7 Oct 17 2005 at 3:29 PM Rating: Excellent
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And blow his chances of a job at SOE working as public liason for Everquest III? Insanity.
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Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.
#8 Oct 18 2005 at 10:40 PM Rating: Decent
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Quote:
A quick search turned up an explanation in Mobhunter:

Mudflation:This ancient term gets used any time someone sees the game progress and doesn't like it.
Mudflation means little but has a built-in wrapper of negativity that lets us label progression like a package of spoiled meat.
Few describe exactly what they mean when they use the term and fewer can describe how to fix it.
The game gets larger. The high-end zones get higher. Level limits increase. Equipment grows in power. That isn't mudflation, that's progress.


Just to make it clear. The above is not a definition of Mudflation from the Mobhunter site. It is somones opinion about people who do not like MMORPGS.
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#9 Oct 18 2005 at 11:00 PM Rating: Good
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Just to make it clear. The above is not a definition of Mudflation from the Mobhunter site. It is somones opinion about people who do not like MMORPGS.

.. yeah, it is lorals definition of mudflation.
#10 Oct 18 2005 at 11:10 PM Rating: Excellent
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Reyla wrote:
Just to make it clear. The above is not a definition of Mudflation from the Mobhunter site. It is somones opinion about people who do not like MMORPGS.
Pardon? That's Loral's definition as per the link. He calls it a meaningless word and something that confuses the issues. He then defines it as was quoted -- that it's people whining about progress.
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#11 Oct 19 2005 at 10:03 PM Rating: Good
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Quote:
Just to make it clear. The above is not a definition of Mudflation from the Mobhunter site.


Quote:
It is somones opinion about people who do not like MMORPGS..


Rather it is someone's opinion about people who do like MMORPGS.

Rofl
Just to make it clear, every post made on this thread is someones opinion of what the definition is or should be, or about people who do and do not like MMORPGS.Smiley: smile
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Over the last 15 months, we've traveled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states? I think one left to go.

Barack Obama

Laen - 105 Dru
Haam - 105 Sk
Laosha - 105 Shammy
Lutan - 105 Bard
#12 Oct 20 2005 at 10:02 AM Rating: Decent
Mudflation is kind of a bad thing in that it takes the challenge out of older content and it allows for more easy progression, but it's a natural thing to see. Gotta make the new bosses harder, but need to increase the power of players through gear so they can win! There's several ideas about how to combat the effect that mudflation trivializes older content, but as previously mentioned, most aren't very popular.
#13 Oct 20 2005 at 10:42 AM Rating: Decent
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It is progress just like the real world economy. Everything gets more expensive over time. The probelm with EQ economy is that you could go wax a HG got 40 plat and no one contributed to the economy with products and services. It's like winning the lottery free money for all!

Edited, Thu Oct 20 11:51:32 2005 by galthran
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