[MUD-Dev] Fear of magic (was:Usability and interface)

[Alex Oren]

On Thu, 11 Dec 1997 20:34:07 PST8PDT, coder at ibm.net wrote:

} Typically player characters are far more capable, better equipped, better
} organised, have better resources, and better situated than NPC's.  I like
} the ide of reversing as many of those counts as I can.

[snip]

} How about a MUD where players are effectively on a par with mice, and the
} NPC's are typically on a par with wolves, ferrets, eagles, foxes, badgers,
} etc?
} 
} Why should NPC's have poorer equipment than PC's?  Why should they have
} little to no command of tactics or strategy?  How about an NPC army
} actually performing tactical maneuvers in attacking a town?  How about
} supply chains for NPC's, including replacements, R&R, equipment, reserves,
} info etc?  How about NPC populations which aggressively adapt to the
} predations of the PC population in a best effort to survive and possibly
} retaliate?
} 
} Nahh, lets make PC's the prey species, and NPC's the prime predators.

As I might have mentioned before, there is a book that can serve as a good
setting for a theme where PCs are at or near the bottom of the food chain.

The book's name is "The infinity concerto" by Greg Bear (currently available
combined with its sequel, which I didn't read yet, as "Soul music").  Highly
recommended.

Basically, several humans managed to enter a world of arrogant, cruel, deadly,
magic-wielding sidhe.  Most of them are confined to the "pact lands", an area in
which they are allowed to live (in constant fear of the pact being broken) while
being constantly harassed and occasionally hunted.

Read the book, it's good.

--
Have fun,
Alex.