[MUD-Dev] New Topic: Butthead features

[Richard Woolcock]

clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:
> 
> In <199708050723.CAA13294 at dfw-ix3.ix.netcom.com>, on 08/05/97
>    at 08:06 AM, "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> said:
> 
> >I'd be interested on your thoughts on legal systems.
> 
> Were I to do a legal system I suspect it would be something as
> follows:
> 
>   "Crimes" would be deliberately vaguely defined.
> 
>   The system would erraticly and unpredictably cycle between
> ultra-strict enforcement and ultra-relaxed enforcement of crime
> detection.
> 
>   An increased percentage of guilty verdicts would tend to sway the
> system towards stricter enforcement.
> 
>   Users can report crimes to the system.
> 
>   Depending on the above, not all reports would be acted upon.
> 
>   The system would internally detect crimes.  This would take place
> via mobiles or other similar coded systems viewing a crime in progress
> or the results of a crime.

Interesting.  I am working on player-recognition, as has been mentioned
in some of the other mails.  However I plan on taking mine a step 
further, so that you can know certain things about other players.  For
example, if you see Fred kill Bob, then you are a witness to the attack
and could in theory pass on this knowledge to other people (although
they wouldn't be witnesses, but they would know 'rumour').  Now if Fred
knows about this, he can kill you (and any other witnesses) or maybe
use something else (perhaps a power called Forgetful Mind).  He could
also try and buy you off.

Justice would be dispensed by players in positions of 'authority' (and
not taking action, or taking action without a reason, could also be
a form of 'crime').  However, you need proof before taking any action
against a criminal.  Its all well and good for "BobII" to come on and
start yelling that Fred killed his character, but unless any players
are witnesses or have heard the 'rumour' from someone, they would be
unable to take any action against Fred (that would be a crime too).

This would basically make the law "Do what you want, just don't get 
caught".

The real problem is "Why can't my character make up a rumour?"...how
could this be done without causing real confusion?  Perhaps rumours
could be tracked back to their source - either they were made by a
witness, or made up by a liar.

Another potential problem is that amount that might have to be stored:

You -> Know Fred -> Killed Bob
                    Attacked you
                    Stole from Jim
    -> Know Bob
    -> Know Jim  -> Attacked Bob
                    Owes you a minor boon

However I really feel this would add to my mud - I want a political 
edge, after all my game is based on a very political roleplaying game.

KaVir.