…whether that actually happens is up to each player. I think the *system* is more amenable to relaxed pacing and greater socialization, but you’re right, it may not play out that way, depending on the players.

I never played the game much (it just didn’t grab me) but I didn’t feel that the community was especially newbie friendly. Getting into the first town, the chat channels were actually quite intimidating. Lots of trade spam, since there’s no auction house, and lots of people using abbreviations that a new player wouldn’t know.

I’m not convinced that playing more casually dilutes the Achiever mentality.

The GW players I know are intensely Achieverish (with a dose of Killer for the PvP nuts). It’s all about collecting all the abilities, and the fact they can do that solo (with henchpeople) and in small periods of time doesn’t seem to dilute that at all?

I definitely think that the more casual nature of the game/player relationship in “lifetime” games leaves more mental space and time for socializing. On the other hand, it does mean that players might approach the game more casually, diluting the Achiever mentality, so if your retention is based on that, it’s going to be less powerful. On the other hand, a diminished Achiever leaves more room for the Socializers and Explorers that make the place feel more like a *world* than a *game*, which has to contribute to long term retention as well as community tenor.

Thanks for the pingback! You bring up a lot of good points, especially about gameplay. The inclusion of the fluff and other little “extras” I’m sure does a lot to bring in friendlier people, not to mention encourage the RP’ers to enjoy themselves openly.

I agree that RP servers tend to be friendlier, as well. Maybe it’s a testament to the value of putting such fluff in a game. I’m still waiting for more RP tools in WoW but I’m not holding my breath