[MUD-Dev] Integrating PK

[Matt Chatterley]

On Mon, 23 Jun 1997, Marian Griffith wrote:

> [[List Owner note: Original post fragmented by broken mail server.  
> Re-assembled and re-submitted]]
> 
> On Sat 21 Jun, Matt Chatterley wrote:
> 
> > Hopefully this'll get through, although I may not receive any replies
> > until the machine my proper mail account is on is fixed.
> 
> It got through with no problem on this side.

Shame the list mauled your reply, really. <g>
 
> > There was a thread recently, which I skimmed through, about PK, but, to
> > me, the key issues around this really come down to:
> > Is it possible to get players to treat death from another player
> > differently to death from a monster, or NPC of some sort, that attacked
> > them in a similar manner?
> 
> Many players will be mildly upset when they're attacked 'for no reason'
> by another player.  In fact, the standard excuse for PK on many muds is
> that it allows players to take revenge for being attacked by others.

Hmm, I think you're right on the last - and also the first now I think.
You're not going to automatically connect that Fred is hitting you because
you stole his bread a while ago. You might of course, then it's more
excusable. As a side note: it will be possible to attack and fight with
things, without killing them, and this is also going to be available for a
player to teach another player a "lesson" without a sharp point. Death
will involve a form of quest for life from the other side, and be a
generally nasty experience.
 
> for players to treat death from the hands of another player  similar to
> death by an monster. I think the answer to that is yes too. For many of
> the players. Others, like me, won't feel it is the same. As long as you
> provide meaningfull reasons to fights  (and thereby ways to avoid those
> fights!) it is not so bad.  What particularly rankles is being attacked
> for no apparent (or valid) reason.

Yeah. The inherent problem here of course, is many players attack NPCs for
no reason at all, and the same to other players. I suppose what is worth
note is that you are to be equally reprimanded for killing an NPC or
player in a town, and not at all outside (unless they or their guild come
after retribution). Guild behaviour will be encouraged (ie: Fred killed
John, are we gonna let him get away with that?!).
 
> > I fully intend to permit PK (and treat it as near to killing NPCs as
> > possible). For instance, attacking anything in a town (except invaders)
> > will be considered a crime - obviously less serious if it's a creature of
> > some kind, but a shopkeeper would be treated the same as another player.
> 
> Most towns would have a law to forbid carrying weapons openly. Unless you
> are a guard or a -very- noble visitor or inhabitant. The amount of damage
> you can do  with a simple eating knife is far less.  And those fights are
> easier to break up for the guards.

Absolutely. Weapons are to be sheathed (possibly simply represented by
unwielded), or put away upon entry, and being caught with a weapon openly
in view is a punishable offence. Dodgy characters (if you've been in
trouble here before) may well be asked to surrender weapons at the gates.

In responding to an armed conflict, guards will not worry about applying
lethal force (read: Freeze! This crossbow is *loaded*.. 1.. 2.. 3..
*twang*thunk*gurgle*). In an unarmed conflict, they'll be friendlier, and
join in to break it up. Or relatively unarmed, anyway.
 
> > Has anyone experimented with such?
> 
> No, but then I don't generally play games where attacking other players
> is openly allowed (let alone encouraged) so my response might not be
> valid.

Your response is definitely valid, and most welcome - the fact that you
don't play "PK ok" games means you have a reason for it. I have no
objection with (and would like to think its possible to have) pk being
allowed (not necessarily encouraged), and treated the same as NPC killng.
:)

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	http://user.itl.net/~neddy/index.html
"He can't stop us, we're on a mission from Glod!" - Soul Music (Pratchett)