[MUD-Dev] Re: Issues from the digests and Wout's list

[Shawn Halpenny]

Jeff Kesselman wrote:
> 
> At 08:13 AM 4/23/97 PST8PDT, you wrote:
> 
> >character gender:  possible repercussions of making it a factor in the
> >game (with attempts to balance the results if you chose one gender over
> >another). 
> 
> Two thoughts:
> (1) Beware putting characters into roles based on character sex.  Gender-roles
>     are fast becoming a moribund concept in our society and you would
>     definately offend soem people (me, for instance ;) )
>     The only excpetion is where your game is set in an earlier era or world
>     with stronger roles but EVEN THEN players shoudl be allowed to be
>     "exceptional" men or women who break the stereotypes-- such have always
>     existed historicly.  The reaction of then world shoudl not penalize
>     them significantly for this, though it should ideally be visible in the
>     "fluff" (NPC comments and so forth.)

There would be no roles based on character sex.  The same choices are
available to males as to females.  A couple abilities would have higher or
lower values, but not so much as to make one sex much better or much worse
than the other.  I'm thinking gender-specific spells, items, rooms...stuff
like that. 

> (2) The oen palce it DOES make a difference is in interperonal relationships
>     sicne human beings are sxual animals and there is soem form of sexual
>     component to any human-interraction.  If your going to take this into
>     account though ild suggest you ALSO take into account sexual orientation.
>     Remember the 10% rule.

This would be entirely up to the players, so I'd leave it to them.

--
Shawn Halpenny

"If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure."
                                            - Dan Quayle