[MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 18 Dec 97 at 22:39, Matt Chatterley wrote:
[snippy snip]
> 
> I will have groups of players who are adventurers (picture a D&D party, or
> somesuch; this is the sort of thing I'm working to get players into), and
> by definition adventure. This is as opposed to the soldier, or politician,
> or entrepreneur style of gaming (all of which should be possible, except
> perhaps politics, but then, certain politics are possible).
> 
> These groups particularly will by their nature spend a lot of time in
> hostile territory (for instance, exploring old deserted temples and
> dodging giant rolling boulders), and it is desirable that there are
> restrictions on how long they can stay in an area (otherwise they will be
> under no pressure, and will take fewer risks). Enter food requirements.
> Hunting takes time as does foraging (but are ways to survive), and
> carrying capacity is limited (beasts of burden help), also getting
> *nutritious* food which doesn't go off..
> 
> The food is not a restriction within itself (the typical player should be
> wealthy enough to eat fine in town, or skilled enough to hunt/forage for a
> decent meal), unless the circumstances make it so (seiges, and so on).
> 
[snipped stuff of auto-debiting within civilized areas]
> 
> I was pondering this. I think I will have it so that players can 'check
> into' an inn in town, which will move them to a safe room if they go
> offline for a significant amount of time (as long as they are in a safe
> area to start with), and automagically feed them when they log on there.
> 

Full agreement with this critical use of food.  I'd call it adventuring
logistics.  Now it does pose some interesting difficulties in a mud that has
the following feature/lack of features:

Teleport or Recall is severely limited or unavailable.
Travel distances are realistic and problematic.
Characters remain in-game upon logout.
Auto-debiting and purchasing of food/water is automatic unless "turned
   off" or unable to perform (ala. purchasing in wilderness, debiting when 
   none available). 
Pack and Transport animals are also implemented as well as consuming
   provisions themselves.

Now the example scenario.

An adventuring party is attempting to traval from Libya to the African 
interior and decide to make the journey across the Saharan desert, ignoring 
the wiser option of Egypt and southward via the Nile.  The party has a 
limited but they think adequate supply of provisions for the two week(?) 
journey.  About halfway into their journey they realize the consumption of 
provisions using the auto-debit has been much too high or their progress 
too slow.  I would assume the owner of an animal could turn off this 
feature for the animal.  The journey continues with the supplies as they 
are causing some animals to die, and perhaps converted into supplies and 
eaten, debilitating health effects on the famished adventurers, etc. 
Supplies completely run out and more severe effects occur on the 
adventuring party members including hallucinations and quite possibly 
deaths.  (reminiscent of the Oregon Trail and the Donner party)
Eventually about half the party makes it across the desert.

Personally I like the idea that this _could_ happen within a mud world and 
find it interesting.  Some problems in implementation appear in the area
of travel time and character logout.  What range of real time in travel
is playable in such a situation?  1 hour? more? less?  What happens to
characters that are part of this party that must logout either due to 
personal reasons (RL calls) or through network problems?  Do they continue 
the journey?  Attempt a automated solo return if before mid-point? 
How are they fed if auto-debit is turned off?  How does a logged out 
character continue to engage in maintenance of pack or transport animals 
that they own?   If something like the "Donner" situation arises, do they
find themselves at a severe disadvantage?   Is it possible and/or 
desireable for characters to have the ability to choose or "will" character 
control over to another player should such a logout event occur?

--
Jon A. Lambert
"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant" - Plato