[MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics

[Koster]

On Monday, December 08, 1997 2:34 PM, Stephen 
Zepp[SMTP:zoran at enid.com] wrote:

> So why note code it so that the "jerks" pay for being jerks?  If
> shopkeepers, guards, entire kingdoms learn the reputation of "jerks" 
(
> meaning chaotic killers, etc. ), and _do_ something about it, the 
"jerk"
> just won't be around.  It's sorta hard to kill newbies when you are 
hiding
> for your very survival from the Kingdom of Kasgar's elite killing 
team (
> npc OR pc ).

Actually, you just asked the question that started the debate. :)

Both UO and M59 do this, via code mechanisms to attempt to evaluate 
the behavior of players. Various increasingly severe consequences 
start to pile up on the player as they cross invisible lines. In UO's 
case it goes something like, NPCs treat you worse, players do too 
since they can see your "reputation" stat (relative to theirs, to be 
picky). Then shopkeepers refuse you service, guards start to harass 
you, players start to kill you on sight to pump up their reputation, 
and lastly you are refused entrance to towns, guards kill you on 
sight, and players run from you screaming.

BUT any code system which attempts to judge human behavior is doomed 
to screw up. :P

-Raph