[MUD-Dev] New Topic: Butthead features

[Jon A. Lambert]

> From: Jeff Kesselman <jeffk at tenetwork.com>
> Subject: [MUD-Dev] New Topic: Butthead features
> 
> Once they have one who been good enough to attain high standing, what keeps
> thsi oen froom bootstrapping up a Butthead hriearchy?
>

This is character development advancement and does not entail getting 
security or "staff" powers.  Players have limits on how many RPs they
can give.  It would be a large butthead invasion indeed to begin to 
conduct a campaign of character bootstrapping. 

Our goals in player-base size are quite different too, I would imagine.
 
> Two guys i know got killed b ya guardsman last nigth ebcause they
> accdientally targetd each other TRYING to click on a pig.. and the
> gaurdsman immediately rushde in swinging his sword.
> 
> Problem with bots is.. thye are stupid.  Accdients can cause reactions, and
> if theirt actiosn are preprogrammed, they just becoem another part of the
> system to "beat." 

Fatal 'bots in civilized areas should be rare.  The city guards attack to 
subdue not to kill.  Those guarding special areas can certainly be fatal.
We will have imprisonment, trials and all that.  If no one is on who
can play judge, players rot in their cells until it's convenient.

We have touched on a little of the 'bot stuff on the list and I hope to 
make my 'bots a bit more unpredictable than the norm.  The "unseen" mud
city population with it's rumor mongering and crime reporting might
be a good way to make these devious acts a bit uncertain.

> Ah...  human moderation.  Thsi indeed helps with the bot rpoblem, but it
> brignins its own qaundries.. levels of staffing fro instacne, what kind of
> survailance mechanisms do your peoepl have? Do tehy get notified of events
> thropugh out the worls or do teh yhave to be there?

Snoop is available.  A form of logged 'wiznet' will be available; quite
similar to the one available on the newest ROM versions.

> 
> Oh and i TOTALLY disagree with your next statement. To the butthead, staff
> powers are just the higherst level of "power" he/she will ACTIVELY try to
> con you into giving the to him/her a  freind they can easily manuilpulate.

I thought you were originally referring to the abusive player.  These
are a distinctly different breed than the abusive immortal.  Quite
different issues are involved here.  I guess this is likely considering
how many HnS muds promote their staff.  A lot of times this involves someone
winning the game and having nothing to do except waiting patiently for
promotion.  

On a role-playing mud, one has to gamemaster a goodly number of events and 
contribute to the storyline of the world before promotion occurs.  There
just isn't a game-end or level where this interaction would stop.  I 
simply cannot see the abusive player passing this test.  

Can any Mushers comment on this?


JL
-
I am the Dragon of Grindly Grund, but my lunches aren't very much fun,
For I like my damsels medium rare, And they always come out well done.


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