During the last test, I noticed (as did others) a noticeable lack of certain trees, and a larger than usual number of failing trees. Several players took steps to plant new trees and some even suggested a kind of PSA to tell new players that their focus on harvesting over petting/watering was creating a paucity that was harming everyone.
What I took from that was the painful realization that what I thought I wanted from Glitch..um, no, I don’t want it so much. I understand the overall idea of Glitch is that players have a direct impact on the fecundity (or lack thereof) of their environment via their in-game choices, and that the epic commission of each player is to prevent disemprobablization. Which I dig. But seeing it played out via the tree crisis (or pig crisis, or whatever) is giving me a terrible sinking feeling. Using my focusing orb, I can see a possible future of Glitch and it’s filled with eco-nags irritating new players, and older players taking on a parental responsibility that will end up feeling like work, not play.
I love playing this game, but I was hoping that disemprobablization would not look so very much like such simplified cause and effect, and I am hoping VERY MUCH that I can blame it on the alpha, and it all being very early on and such. I am hoping that the evidence of disemprobablization will take on much less obvious (and frankly, tiresome) forms. Instead of not petting trees leading to fewer trees, let it lead to something else, like the spawning of resentful trees that are harder to contend with---more like Alice in Wonderland, and less like a Celebrity Kid's Book with a Pompous Lesson.
It's painful to write this, but...well.