[MUD-Dev] You, the game of philosophy.

[Ola Fosheim Grøstad <olag@ifi.uio.no>]

"Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>> In my ideal system the GM would distribute resources to the groups of
>> authors based on whether or not they are creating interesting plots
>> that is enjoyable for other users (that is, not powerplaying).  I
>> guess one could call the GM "The Producer".  The environment would
>> execute the "laws of nature".  The GM isn't involved in the execution,
>> only in the distribution of resources.
>
>Resources?  Do you mean rewards for players or ability to create objects
>and NPCs for the plot (ala TinyMUDs).

Either the ability create objects or admin provided special
arrangements.  It should not be a reward, although you would have to
trust the artistic ability/integrity of the group you assign the
resources to.  So, I guess it is a reward as well, but the purpose is
to enable acting, not to reward.

>> I agree.  But I would let users become mages or Gods or trolls or
>> insects instantly. (at least if they are known to be good actors).  If
>> a group decides to explore the impossible love relationship between an
>> old evil mage and a young fairy then they should be able to do so,
>> without a lot of (stupid) characterbuilding.
>
>Definately!  I've found in FTF play, players prefer building and 
>developing their "own" pet characters.  Yet many like to play something 
>or someone else from time to time.  In fact, they usually do a better job 
>at role-acting with a "unowned" character.  When I GMed, I would often
>assign someone, who wasn't currently present in a given game situation, the 
>role of a minor NPC to play.  This worked quite confortably when there 
>were a number of NPCs to play and I didn't feel like talking to myself
>for an extended period of time.  

Hey, this is a great idea.  Let the world consist of a fixed set of
characters, let people pick up available characters and play them.
Let the characters have system controlled instincts that will
constrain what they can do to avoid powergaming deaths and exchange of
items.  Force the player to read the logs of the character when he
picks it up. Logs should be describing everything that has happend
since the last time the player played that particular character.

>Everyone's an actor, more or less. :)

Hehe, but some people have a very limited repertoire. (themself)

Ola.
(I like Plato as well)