But Who Won?
Whether players are competing in combat, over economies, using governmental procedures or running in dog races, competitive mechanics need to return an unequivocal result at the end of the contest. Without providing a timely resolution, many Guild players would consider their efforts to be pointless or unfinished. A round of combat often ends with one or more characters incapacitated, perhaps dead. The survivors are either routed or victorious, giving them the opportunity to engage in another competition at a later time. With economies, the character either has the necessary resources or not; after all the trades and transactions, the bottom line looks at whether the character actually possesses what he or she needs to fulfill the goals of the game. Governmental procedures largely affect the ability of players to accomplish further tasks; without a successful run through the gauntlet of bureaucracy and procedure, players will find themselves at a noticeable disadvantage.
Once the players who engage in a competitive mechanic become aware of the results, they then know the changes in the circumstances of the game as a result of the competition. Only with this new information can players make further informed decisions regarding the actions of their characters and their groups, thus allowing the game to progress.
