[MUD-Dev] Re: (no subject)

[The Eternal City]

Hmm, thought I'd chime in on this:

At The Eternal City, our staff actively monitors IC role-playing (i.e., 
anything going on with characters anywhere in the game, except for bedroom 
or other 'private' areas), especially during GM-run role-playing events 
(obviously), but also at other times more or less randomly.
 
Because we also provide positive feedback and a reward system for what we 
consider to be good (or at least active attempts at) role-playing, I think 
this greatly reinforces the overall quality of the game's role-playing 
'culture', if you will, and the players' attitudes about RP. Rewards include
the award of points (whatever character advancement currency you might use),
as well as allowing actions or interaction beyond the ordinary scope of the
game's mechanics (bringing in an NPC, providing special echoes or text for 
the occasion, allowing the player's RPd actions to overcome a mechanical 
limitation of the game, etc.).
 
This probably breaks down with a huge player base, unless you can provide an 
adequate number of staff, per x players, or something. And I suspect that 
some folks on the list may find the whole idea patently offensive, but for 
us, it seems to be a significant contributing factor in the quality of the 
role-playing in the game. It's also something, I think, that some segment of 
players (in our case customers, as well) really want and enjoy. By the
same token, I have absolutely no problem with non-refereed games of all
varieties and flavors, I just think that this kind of refereeing or
monitoring can't be cast as an absolute <gasp> Bad Thing. It has its place.

Scott Martins
Worlds Apart Productions
The Eternal City    http://www.worlds-apart.com