An open discsusion on the consequences of death

[trinta]

What is the point of playing a game that has no consequences?

I guess Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball... these games are stupid because they have consequences to failure. It can't possibly be fun to play the game, since they're punished when they lose. I know, let's just make it so that every team gets to put tickets in a hat to enter the Superbowl, World Cup, etc. Then every time you win, you get to put another ticket in. Then at the end of the season, they draw two tickets at random for which teams are in it.

Afterall, we can't allow for anything that might discourage the teams, like losing. Gotta use Positive reinforcement, baby! This way, everyone has a chance!

How are they punished when they lose? The championship series are positive reinforcement for winning.

[Kaedan]

How are they punished when they lose? The championship series are positive reinforcement for winning.

Hmm... let's see. They can lose their jobs, they can get salary reductions... I'd say loss of one's livelihood is quite a punishment.

[Aion]

Hmm... let's see. They can lose their jobs, they can get salary reductions... I'd say loss of one's livelihood is quite a punishment.

huh?? is such competition exist?? what kind of competition you talking??

[Nephera]

I was going to make a huge post about games i've played in the past but when i went back to look i've found a lot of them have a softened version of the death penalty they had at launch.

[trinta]

Hmm... let's see. They can lose their jobs, they can get salary reductions... I'd say loss of one's livelihood is quite a punishment.

My bad. I missed the trend where players are fined by their team for each game that they lose. </sarcasm>

In other words, I disagree with your premise. Of course a professional athlete who consistently fails to deliver will be sent back to the minors. The parallel that exists in most MMOs is that the player who consistently dies will likely get discouraged and play something else instead.

Professional athletes aren't fined on a per-loss basis, so using that as your example to prove that we should be is a pretty flimsy argument.