January 2001
- Proper MU* style list Kyndig
- Proper MU* style list Malcolm Tester
- Proper MU* style list Daniel A. Koepke
- Proper MU* style list Richard A. Bartle
- Proper MU* style list Christopher Allen
- Proper MU* style list Koster, Raph
- Proper MU* style list Kerem HADIMLI
- MU* styles Kerem HADIMLI
- Moving away from the skill system Inq Admin
- Moving away from the skill system Hulbert, Leland
- Moving away from the skill system jrb@kc.rr.com
- About.com article on Skotos Christopher Allen
- About.com article on Skotos Matthew Mihaly
- About.com article on Skotos Christopher Allen
- About.com article on Skotos SavantKnowsAll@cs.com
- About.com article on Skotos Christopher Allen
- About.com article on Skotos Matthew Mihaly
- About.com article on Skotos Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- About.com article on Skotos Klara
- About.com article on Skotos Jon Morrow
- About.com article on Skotos Matthew Mihaly
- Skill-Trees & Christopher Allen
- Skill-Trees & Phil Hall
- Skill-Trees & Wes Connell
- Skill-Trees & Travis Casey
- Skill-Trees & Christopher Allen
- Skill-Trees & Dmitri Zagidulin
- Skill-Trees & Travis Casey
- Skill-Trees & Travis Casey
- Player statistics Wes Connell
- Player statistics Marc Bowden
- Player statistics Wes Connell
- Player statistics Marc Bowden
- Player statistics Matthew Mihaly
- Player statistics rayzam
- Player statistics Klara
- Player statistics Wes Connell
- Player statistics Koster, Raph
- Player statistics Jake Song
- Player statistics Koster, Raph
- Player statistics Matthew Mihaly
- Player statistics Dave Rickey
- Player statistics msew
- Player statistics Jessica Mulligan
- Player statistics Vincent Archer
- Player statistics Koster, Raph
- Player statistics David Kennerly
- Player statistics Dave Rickey
- Player statistics David Kennerly
- Player statistics Jake Song
- Player Statistics Jessica Mulligan
- Player statistics Jake Song
- CGDC Dinner J C Lawrence
- Skotos Anthony R. Haslage
- Skotos Richard.Woolcock@rsuk.rohde-schwarz.com
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Koster, Raph
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Marc Bowden
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Koster, Raph
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Willowreed@aol.com
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Tess Snider
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Koster, Raph
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Michael Tresca
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Chris Lloyd
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" Tess Snider
- "Men are from Quake, Women are from Ultima" SavantKnowsAll@cs.com
- NomicWiki J C Lawrence
- more idiocy from graphical MUD developers Matthew Mihaly
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Jeremy Lowery
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework David Loeser
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Bruce
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Jeremy Lowery
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Bruce
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Miroslav Silovic
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Ben Chambers
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Justin Rogers
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Ben Chambers
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework John Buehler
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Bruce
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Jeremy Lowery
- An Idea... Mud Development Framework Chris Jones
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Bruce
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Koster, Raph
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Bruce
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Koster, Raph
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) J C Lawrence
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Valerio Santinelli
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Tess Snider
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Bruce
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Koster, Raph
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Ben Chambers
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Chris Jones
- New Muds Corey Crawford
- Dinner scheduling and possible roundtable J C Lawrence
- New Mud Fox McCloud
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Dr. Cat
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Matthew Mihaly
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Jake Song
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Jeff Freeman
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Par Winzell
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) J C Lawrence
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Bruce
- Server stability (was: Player statistics) Felix A. Croes
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs J C Lawrence
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Jake Song
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Bruce
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #277 - 13 msgs Mark Watson
- ANNC: .NET Frameworks based Mud Codebase Justin Rogers
- ANNC: .NET Frameworks based Mud Codebase Bruce
- ANNC: .NET Frameworks based Mud Codebase szii@sziisoft.com
- ANNC: .NET Frameworks based Mud Codebase Justin Rogers
- ANNC: .NET Frameworks based Mud Codebase szii@sziisoft.com
- Announcing: Pan J C Lawrence
- Announcing: Pan J C Lawrence
- Announcing: Pan Kyndig
- Experience System Differences Alornen
- Experience System Differences Malcolm Tester
- Experience System Differences Hulbert, Leland
- Experience System Differences rayzam
- Experience System Differences Ben Chambers
- Experience System Differences rayzam
- Experience System Differences Ben Chambers
- Experience System Differences Travis Casey
- Experience System Differences Mark Watson
- Experience System Differences rayzam
- Experience System Differences Kindred321@aol.com
- Experience System Differences Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- Experience System Differences Brian M. Schkerke
- Experience System Differences Ben Chambers
- Experience System Differences Malcolm Tester
- Experience System Differences Warren Powell
- speaking of symposia... Robert Zubek
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #281 - 18 msgs Dr. Cat
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #281 - 18 msgs Jeff Freeman
- I Want to Bake Bread Neeby
- I Want to Bake Bread Richard
- I Want to Bake Bread John Buehler
- I Want to Bake Bread Richard
- I Want to Bake Bread Ryan
- I Want to Bake Bread Patrick Dughi
- I Want to Bake Bread Siobhan Perricone
- I Want to Bake Bread Hal Bonnin
- I Want to Bake Bread Travis Casey
- I Want to Bake Bread John Buehler
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) Corey Crawford
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) Lord Ashon
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) John Buehler
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) Philip Loguinov, Draymoor
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) nbossett@pierb.com
- Exploration Exp (was: Experience System Differences) Warren Powell
- MUD research, good ideas and designers who care? Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Baking Bread Lord Ashon
- Baking Bread John Buehler
- Distributed PSW design Stephane Bura
- Distributed PSW design Frank Crowell
- Distributed PSW design Bruce
- Distributed PSW design Stephane Bura
- Distributed PSW design John Buehler
- Distributed PSW design J C Lawrence
- Distributed PSW design Justin Rogers
- Distributed PSW design John Buehler
- Distributed PSW design Eli Stevens
- Distributed PSW design John Buehler
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #282 - 18 msgs Dr. Cat
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #282 - 18 msgs Koster, Raph
- IOWA project / Request for addition to FAQ Bruce
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Corey Crawford
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Hulbert, Leland
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) msew
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Travis Casey
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) rayzam
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Michael Tresca
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) msew
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Michael Tresca
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) Alistair Milne
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) J C Lawrence
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) J C Lawrence
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) John Buehler
- No Exp? (was: Exploration Exp) J C Lawrence
- C# Greg Miller
- Player Created Object System Philip Loguinov, Draymoor
- Player Created Object System Richard
- Player Created Object System Philip Loguinov, Draymoor
- Player Created Object System Christopher Allen
- Player Created Object System Richard
- Distributed PSW design (Frank Crowell) Peter Yu
- Distributed PSW design (Frank Crowell) Frank Crowell
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #282 - 18 msgs Jeff Freeman
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #282 - 18 msgs J C Lawrence
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #282 - 18 msgs Jake Song
- Room Generation Nathanael Dermyer
- Room Generation J C Lawrence
- Room Generation George Greer
- Room Generation Bruce
- Room Generation Bruce
- Room Generation Richard
- Room Generation Mordengaard
- Room Generation Kwon Ekstrom
- Room Generation Jon Lambert
- Room Generation Patrick Dughi
- Room Generation Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Room Generation Travis Casey
- Room Generation Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Room Generation Eli Stevens
- Room Generation Richard
- Room Generation Richard
- Room Generation Colin Coghill
- Room Generation efindel@earthlink.net
- Room Generation Ryan P.
- Variant Methods for Related Skills Christopher Allen
- Variant Methods for Related Skills Travis Casey
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? J C Lawrence
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? Koster, Raph
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? Ola Fosheim Grøstad
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? rayzam
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? Travis Casey
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? Jon Lambert
- Anyone know of plans for an I-Mode MUD/LARP? Jeff Freeman
- Room and Terrain Integration in Textual Environments vognsen@post10.tele.dk
- Project Entropia the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Project Entropia John Vanderbeck
- Project Entropia Christopher Allen
- Project Entropia J C Lawrence
- Project Entropia J C Lawrence
- Project Entropia John Vanderbeck
- Project Entropia the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Project Entropia Batir
- Project Entropia the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Project Entropia Frank Crowell
- Project Entropia Jessica Mulligan
- Project Entropia Frank Crowell
- Project Entropia Jessica Mulligan
- Project Entropia the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Project Entropia the_logos@www.achaea.com
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Dr. Cat
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jeff Freeman
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jake Song
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jeff Freeman
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jake Song
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Koster, Raph
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jeff Freeman
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jeff Freeman
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #285 - 32 msgs Jake Song
- Skill System Kwon Ekstrom
- Skill System Travis Casey
- Skill System justice@softhome.net
- Skill System Ben Chambers
- Skill System Batir
- Skill System Ben Chambers
- Skill System Batir
- Skill System justice@softhome.net
- Long Day's Journey Into Tights J C Lawrence
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Dr. Cat
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs the_logos@www.achaea.com
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Nathan F.Yospe
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs justice@softhome.net
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Dave Rickey
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Vincent Archer
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs msew
- MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs Travis Casey
- When Do We Get the "Right" to Privacy? J C Lawrence
- When Do We Get the "Right" to Privacy? Nathan F.Yospe
- When Do We Get the "Right" to Privacy? Koster, Raph
- Cybercafes a fluke? (was: MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs) Scion Altera
- Cybercafes a fluke? (was: MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #289 - 8 msgs) Holly Sommer
- An interesting concept Richard.Woolcock@rsuk.rohde-schwarz.com
- [iggamedes] WAKE UP! :) Tomb Raider style games? J C Lawrence
- [iggamedes] WAKE UP! :) Tomb Raider style games? Jon Lambert
- Cultural Differences in Gaming and Gamers SavantKnowsAll@cs.com
- Cultural Differences in Gaming and Gamers Koster, Raph
- Cultural Differences in Gaming and Gamers the_logos@www.achaea.com
- System burps and outages J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Peter Yu
- Semi Graphical Muds Christopher Allen
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds David Loeser
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds David Loeser
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Corey Crawford
- Semi Graphical Muds Kerem HADIMLI
- Semi Graphical Muds Jon Lambert
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Kerem HADIMLI
- Semi Graphical Muds Frank Crowell
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Koster, Raph
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds Jay Carlson
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Jon Lambert
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds Christopher Allen
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds Felix A. Croes
- Semi Graphical Muds Christopher Allen
- Semi Graphical Muds Felix A. Croes
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds David Loeser
- Semi Graphical Muds Marc Bowden
- Semi Graphical Muds Felix A. Croes
- Semi Graphical Muds Bruce
- Semi Graphical Muds Felix A. Croes
- Semi Graphical Muds Adam Casbarian
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Koster, Raph
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Koster, Raph
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds John Buehler
- Semi Graphical Muds Koster, Raph
- Semi Graphical Muds Dave Rickey
- Semi Graphical Muds Hulbert, Leland
- Semi Graphical Muds Dave Rickey
- Semi Graphical Muds geoffrey@yorku.ca
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds rayzam
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Sanvean
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Tamzen Cannoy
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Frank Crowell
- Semi Graphical Muds rayzam
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds rayzam
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds rayzam
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds rayzam
- Semi Graphical Muds Kevin Littlejohn
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Ben Chambers
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Semi Graphical Muds J C Lawrence
- Semi Graphical Muds Adam Casbarian
- Semi Graphical Muds the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Ebay bans character selling the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Ebay bans character selling susie
- Ebay bans character selling Frank Crowell
- Ebay bans character selling Frank Crowell
- Ebay bans character selling the_logos@www.achaea.com
- Ebay bans character selling Richard.Woolcock@rsuk.rohde-schwarz.com
- Ebay bans character selling Kevin Littlejohn
- Ebay bans character selling Travis Casey
- Ebay bans character selling Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- Ebay bans character selling Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- Ebay bans character selling rayzam
- Ebay bans character selling John Buehler
- Ebay bans character selling Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt
- Ebay bans character selling Dave Rickey
- Ebay bans character selling Eric Lee {RAT}
- Ebay bans character selling Frank Crowell
- Ebay bans character selling Timothy Dang
- Ebay bans character selling Paul Robinson
- Ebay bans character selling Peter Yu
- Ebay bans character selling Daniel.Harman@barclayscapital.com
- Ebay bans character selling David Kennerly
- Ebay bans character selling Willowreed@aol.com
- Ebay bans character selling Travis Casey
- Ebay bans character selling rayzam
- Ebay bans character selling Jeremy Music
- Ebay bans character selling rayzam
- Ebay bans character selling Yves K
- Ebay bans character selling the_logos@www.achaea.com
- front end clients.....was Semi Graphical Muds Willowreed@aol.com
- front end clients.....was Semi Graphical Muds Frank Crowell
- front end clients.....was Semi Graphical MUDs Christopher Allen
- Meta-gaming: (real <--> game) transfers David Kennerly
- EverQuest Study Dave Rickey
- [pol-core-test] New file uploaded to pol-core-test (OT) Jeff Freeman
- [pol-core-test] New file uploaded to pol-core-test (OT) the_logos@www.achaea.com
- [pol-core-test] New file uploaded to pol-core-test(OT) Dave Rickey
- [pol-core-test] New file uploaded to pol-core-test(OT) Valerio Santinelli
- [pol-core-test] New file uploaded to pol-core-test(OT) Frank Crowell
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Jon Lambert
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems Federico Di Gregorio
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems gmiller@classic-games.com
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP systems Greg Miller
- PvP systems John Buehler
- PvP systems gmiller@classic-games.com
- PvP systems John Buehler
- PvP systems gmiller@classic-games.com
- PvP systems John Buehler
- PvP systems gmiller@classic-games.com
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP systems J C Lawrence
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP systems J C Lawrence
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP systems Dave Turner
- PvP systems gmiller@classic-games.com
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP systems S. Patrick Gallaty
- PvP systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems Federico Di Gregorio
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Jake Song
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
On Wed, 7 Feb 2001, John Buehler wrote:
> Matt Mihaly writes:
>
> > On Sat, 3 Feb 2001, John Buehler wrote:
<clipped stuff from John about how he totally disregards the 'insult'
scenario as a reason to kill another player>
>> That may be well and good in monster bashing games like Everquest,
>> where all players are assumed to be basically 'equal' but in a game
>> with a stronger social structure, where there are superiors and
>> inferiors, I think it's a bit poor to let the newbie peasant run
>> his mouth off at the king without any consequences
>> whatsoever. Given the relatively limited rewards available to
>> in-game leaders (ie, they aren't going to get driven to work
>> everyday or get to stay in swank hotels while on trips, etc),
>> respect of other players becomes one of the most important rewards,
>> and allowing open belittling of the leaders tends to undermine that
>> respect and make the leader look incompetent and weak. This isn't
>> true in a society lead by leaders it doesn't know (such as the
>> modern nation-state), but in a smaller community where there are
>> more personal ties and personal respect at stake, such a thing is
>> counter-productive to effective leadership, not to mention
>> counter-productive to ensuring that player-leaders get what they
>> are most after: respect and some power over their fellow players.
> What can I say except that I disagree with you. If I'm following a
> leader, and the leader is insulted by someone and that leader
> decides to pound on the insulter, I'm not going to be very inclined
> to follow that leader any longer. Frankly, I consider the idea of
> pounding on hecklers a really screwy idea.
You might consider it screwy but players generally do not, and I feel
very secure in saying that. Our playerbases read a lot of pulp
fantasy/sci-fi/horror/whatever, and in many of those books, there are
many examples of those with power killing or severely punishing those
who insult them.
> You make mention of newbie peasants and kings. I'm assuming from
> your statements that the king is a player. In a game of my
> construction, no player becomes king. I don't believe in the
> desireability or viability of having players assume significant
> roles in the world order. It promotes excessive gaming and gives
> too much power to players. I'm of the opinion that gamemasters are
> the ones with the vast majority of the power in the game world.
> That must be so in order to ensure that some coherent form of
> entertainment is available to the overall playerbase.
Yes, the king is a player. I wonder, have you ever played a game with
a real political system? Some of what you say makes me think you
haven't. They _do_ promote excessive gaming, it's true, but to claim
they don't add entertainment to the world if down right is a bit
ludicrous from my point of view. I've spent the last 6 years heavily
involved in playing, administering, and creating virtual worlds like
that, and no MUD that doesn't involve those has so far been able to
entertain me for any significant length of time.
> I imagine Disneyworld with the park attendees deciding which rides
> will be open, what new rides will be put in and where, etc. Only
> the really hardcore attendees will figure out how to do such things,
> while the occasional attendees are left to deal with the
> consequences of their actions. I'd rather leave the park in the
> hands of Disney employees, whose job is to ensure that park
> attendees enjoy themselves.
That's not a good analogy. A political system doesn't allow the park
attendees to decide what is built in the park. That's up to the
administration. Meta-issues such as new areas, new systems etc are
inherently outside the scope of players as players (ignoring players
as administrators).
Check out an article I wrote last year on the value of political
systems in games at
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000309/mihaly_01.htm
None of what I write in that article is speculative or
theoretical. It's all based entirely on tested experience in Achaea
and other MUDs.
The point of a political system IS to ensure the park attendees enjoy
themselves. If set up properly, in fact, it encourages players to help
other players enjoy your world.
> As you suggest, I want a game where all players are basically
> 'equal' - not unlike the world we live in (that ought to stir up
> some pointless discussion). I'n not after a game world that
> apportions power. I'm after a game world that presents entertaining
> things to do. Those entertaining things cannot include having
> significant control over other players - specifically when those
> other players are not interested in being controlled. This is the
> fundamental tenet of the PvP switch system that I proposed.
Equal eh? You think you are the equal of GW Bush? Perhaps if you met
alone on some deserted planet you would be. But as it stands, he
commands the military might of the most powerful nation in the history
of the planet. So while you might be equal in some vague biological
sense, you are not, in fact, equal at all. Whether you respect him as
a person is an entirely different question, but his power is
relatively unquestionable.
As far as significant control over other players, a properly developed
political system allows players to move to other legal jurisdictions,
at a cost. It also rewards the jurisdiction itself for the number and
dedication of its citizenry, in order to create incentives for the
jurisdictional rulers to rule well. Of course, the jurisdictional
rulers must then receive some benefit from ruling well, to create the
incentive.
The benefits of an in-game political system are simply too numerous to
ignore, and I have little doubt that the most successful graphical
MUDs are eventally going to incorporate sophisticated political
systems.
> I can imagine players being barons of their own land and such - but
> being a baron moves you into a different sphere of influence that
> doesn't include your controlling players who are not barons. You
> manage your lands, you enter into court intrigues with other barons
> and such. It's a political form of combat, and the entertainment of
> running a barony, possibly permitting other players to go hunting on
> your lands, etc. At no time should a baron be able to rally his NPC
> peasants and attack the town containing player characters.
> Especially when it has been stated that that town is a peaceful
> town. Players not interested in conflict hang out there and do
> peacetime activities. Having the baron invade is counter to the
> entertainment structure that the gamemasters have put in place.
My major problem with your PK switch system is that you assume players
know what they want. They don't, or at least, they aren't entirely
sure what they want. If you are really serious about protecting
players from things they're not interested, why not just let them
eliminate any risk of death at all? Let them go out and bash orcs or
dragons while being invulnerable.
The above suggestion is ridiculous of course, because it is the risk
that makes bashing exciting. It is no different with
player-killing. Total consenuality is boring.
--matt - PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems Corey Crawford
- PvP Systems Jon Lambert
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Jon Lambert
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Sanvean
- PvP Systems J C Lawrence
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems J C Lawrence
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems J C Lawrence
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems J C Lawrence
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems J C Lawrence
- PvP Systems Michael Tresca
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Jon Lambert
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems Travis Casey
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems Kerem HADIMLI
- PvP Systems the_logos@www.achaea.com
- PvP Systems The Druid
- PvP Systems rayzam
- PvP Systems John Buehler
- PvP Systems msew
- PvP Systems Koster, Raph
- PvP Systems msew
- PvP Systems msew
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