The 'Socialiser' problem

[Greg Munt]

The ultimate aim of my server is to attempt, in some respects, to model 
reality.

I ran a TinyMUD for several years. Its users could be partitioned into 
two sets:

   1. Socialisers (This label is used, since members of this set are closely 
      related to Bartle's Socialisers; members of this set do not role-play 
      in any way.) 

   2. Softcoders.

   Users can be members of both sets.
   Users can be members of the Socialiser set only.
   Users cannot be members of the Softcoder set only.

Thus, I believe I know a fair amount about what Socialisers demand of the 
games they use. 

I wish my server to be attractive to all types of player. 
The needs/requirements of Socialisers seem to be at odds with the 
server requirement to model aspects of reality.

IMHO, Socialisers want and need:

  1. To be able to pass private messages to their friends, remotely (this 
     functionality is commonly implemented via a 'page' or 'tell' command)
     - this, in addition to the use of chatting channels, may be used by 
     the socialiser to communicate to many of their friends at the same 
     time, who may all be in different locations

  2. To be able to send 'mail' to their friends, at no charge or detriment 
     (communication to a friend who is not connected at the same time as the 
     user)

  3. To be able to read and post messages to a public bulletin board system;
     you may only remove messages you have posted yourself, unless you are
     some kind of 'superuser'/administrator

  4. To converse through a 'chatting channel' medium

  5. To have their own, personal, private room (again, at no charge or 
     detriment) - this area may be used to 'entertain' close friends

  6. To instantaneously teleport to various locations within the game 
     (such as their personal room, or the personal room of a friend - also 
     to 'public' rooms)

  7. Various public rooms where they may meet and befriend other Socialisers

  8. A 'profile' - information supplied by themselves, about themselves; 
     this may be viewed by any other user at any time

  9. Other things that I have probably forgotten about

The server requirements prevent these demands from being met:

  1. There is no way to communicate to someone who is many miles away 
     (not even shouting could achieve this)

  2. If a postal service is provided, it will never be for free 
  
  3. What stops someone removing scraps of paper from a board, whether 
     they put them there or not? What stops them removing the *board*, if 
     they really want to?

  4. No way of justifying the existence of chatting channels

  5. If you do have some sort of 'free' area, it wont have much privacy - 
     the most that could be justified is some kind of shelter for the 
     homeless

  6. No way of justifying the existence of a teleport system

  7. Public rooms can be justified - however, socialisers who do not make 
     use of the facilities (for example, if they visit a bar regularly, but 
     never buy anything) may soon find themselves unwelcome; to get money 
     to pay for the facilities, they will have to 'play the game' - many 
     Socialisers will not want to do this

  8. The most that could be justified is some sort of public record - 
     this could not be seen from anywhere in the game, the interested user 
     would have to go to where the record is stored

Has anyone else approached these problems? The only feasible ways of 
solving them that I can think of, involve the use of either technology 
or magic. However, this restricts the general theme of the game, which I 
do not want to do. In any case, dealing with the problems in this way 
appears rather contrived, at best.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            "Scratch muds can only ever be leaves of The Mud Tree."          
                      Discuss, using obscure references.