Richard Bartle & Nigel Roberts — The Power of ‘What If,’ Building Communities, and Navigating Decentralization in Game Design (#73)

Think Like A Game Designer

Richard Bartle and Nigel Roberts join us on today’s episode, bringing decades of experience in gaming, technology, and community building. Richard is one of the co-creators of MUD (Multi-User Dungeon), the precursor to today’s MMORPGs, and developed the famous Bartle Taxonomy, which categorizes player types. He’s also a renowned author and academic, with works like How to Be a God exploring virtual worlds.

Nigel Roberts, one of Richard’s long-time collaborators, was involved in the development of MUD and has had a significant role in shaping the modern internet. He is a member of the ICANN Board of Directors and one of the founders of the .gg domain. Nigel also made history as the first person to win a lawsuit in the UK for unsolicited spam email. His legal and technical insights have been instrumental in building communities both online and in the gaming world.

In this episode, Richard and Nigel share their journey from developing the earliest multiplayer games to navigating the challenges of decentralized systems, community regulation, and virtual economies. They also discuss the power of “what if” in game design, the hero’s journey, and how both players and designers can express freedom and identity through games. Enjoy!

Get full access to Think Like A Game Designer at justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe