[MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World]

[Matt Chatterley]

On Thu, 4 Dec 1997, Ling wrote:

> Here are some of my insights into society.  They're very crude, cynical,
> impassionate and probably misled.  But I've only lived a couple of
> decades.

My first post in a while, Ling really caught my attention here. Rapidly
approaching third decade (no, not 30, think).
 
> - A higher proportion of people in muds can and will be jerks publically
>   infront of strangers.

Yes. This is an observed phenomenon. It is also something that a high
proportion of administrators seem to misunderstand. Because of the
dissociation factor between you, and the game world or just game itself
(it seems you cannot really be punished for being a jerk - sure they can
remove you from the game, but if you are just jerking around there, you
will either find somewhere new to annoy, or keep trying to come back).

Threatening to banish a jerk is generally not effective. I am intending to
be nastier (and am also requiring email registration, despite many persons
not actually liking this - the administrative benefits are large), and if
people do commit repeat offences, they will not be allowed back on (of
course they could use a different email address, but *really big* jerks
will be awarded complaints directly to their admin).

> - Why does the same not apply to life?

Its a cause and effect psychology thing. It seems there are no 'real'
repercussions in a virtual environment. In real life there can be quite
immediate, and rather painful consequences.

> - Because of comeback, because they're receive pain either physically o
>   mentally.  I do not go around clubbing someone I don't like for fear of
>   arrest.

Exactly.

> - But mudders get 'arrested' too!

Hah!

> - Yes but it is a persona being arrested.  Anyway, there are plenty of
>   other muds to go piss on.

What I have seen happen (typically) is that the jerk will then make a big
thing out of being treated unfairly, how his freedom of speech is being
impeached, and so forth (although, if you saw my posts on player rights in
rgma, you will know how I feel on this front), and then either leave, or
take a brief break before starting up again. Once they decide to 'piss on'
your mud, they seem to go beyond all reason in efforts to stay.

> - So get muds to form an informal mud alliance where someone blacklisted
>   on one mud will find life difficult on other muds.
> - This might work, difficulty in implementing due to the way people can
>   change their id so easily.

Yup. It also creates problems when you get people blacklisted for personal
reasons, and so forth - you would have to require a majority vote from the
muds which know the player, with minimum numbers and so forth, to ensure
fair treatment.

You would also need some 'central registry' of mud players, similar to the
'adult check' mechanisms in place for porn sites and such (the mud player
would have to register locking an id# to RL details?). Nice idea, but as
you say, impractical (well you don't say, you allude).

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	ICQ: 5580107
"I shall never believe that God plays dice with the world." -Einstein