[MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.

[Marian Griffith]

On Wed 24 Dec, JC Lawrence wrote:
> On Fri, 19 Dec 1997 00:33:48 PST8PDT 
> Jon A Lambert<jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

> > 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:

> As discussed before there is a wary line that has to be tread here.
> On one side collecting the necessary resources for an endeavour can be
> "fun" and can become an adventure in its own right.  On the other,
> always ensuring that you have the appropriate resources for your next
> activity, when you full well know exactly what they area and how to
> obtain them, can easily become drudgery and thus"boring".

The same can be said for other simple goals.  If you know which monster
to kill and how to do it  then ordinary muds can be considered drudgery
and boring too. In fact I guess they are. The trick is to create a game
that has something of all this.

[scenario snipped, sorry]

> The difficult as always would be to retain the players for the
> gradually expiring party.  Many/some may (I have no experience in the
> RP values used here) bow out early rather than continue with an
> apparently doomed campaign.

In a game where the example could take place it should be clear that
there is  no easy way to escape an adventure.  When you join a party
you are in it until you die or you achieve your goal and escape. The
game would not make sense otherwise.

> > Personally I like the idea that this _could_ happen within a mud
> > world and find it interesting.  

> Agreed.  The problem is in retaining this in a game context such that
> it is enjoyable at the micro minute to minute level, as well the macro
> character-life/game-life level.

That is where the variety of minor goals come into the game. Travelling
across the plains could in itself be an adventure  even if it is only a
minor part  in overthrowing the evil sorceror of the mountains of doom.
And of course some other players  could be minions of said sorceror and
try to prevent the party from achieving their goal.

> > 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?

This entirely depends on the game and on the players. My guess that it
is not so much a matter of time as a matter of interesting adventures.
Travelling across featureless plains for 5 minutes  is exceedingly bo-
ring. However if finding your way, evading traps and ambushes become a
challenge  then it may well remain interesting  for many hours of play
time.
Perhaps the time spend reading an adventure story  can be a reasonable
estimate for the time that something remains interesting?

> >  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?

Probably they should behave like normal members of the party, except
that they do not reply when talked to ;)

> > 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?

Donner situation??

> My gut reaction is that any designed and enforced solution will be
> unacceptable to many.  Provide all the possible ways you can think of
> to skin the cat, and let the users decide and select which applies or
> is preferred ad hoc.  Note however that for an RP game, this has the
> added characteristic that selection of appropriate game mechanic for
> the current scenario can become very important in the character's
> life, and can determine that character's future.  Some RP'ers will not
> appreciate that heavy an intrusion of game mechanics.

Depends on the game and the pre warning players get.  If players know
that joining a party in a dangerous adventure may result in the death
of their character it may be acceptable for them. They can choose not
to join that party if they think the danger is too great. Roleplayers
are not opposed to the death of their character, or even if it is en-
forced by the game, but it must serve some purpose. Nothing is so de-
pressing as a senseless death to a character in a story.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey