[MUD-Dev] Another Approach (was: Integrating PK)

[Nathan Yospe]

On Sat, 28 Jun 1997, Jon A. Lambert wrote:
:> From: Brandon Gillespie <brandon at roguetrader.com>

:> Just some thoughts and opinions on this matter.  My plans for an RPG mud
:> include PK, but not in any incarnation I've seen so far.  Basically, I'm
:> going to make it as 'real' as possible within the world's context.  With
:> this in mind a player should be able to attack and/or kill ANYTHING, be it
:> a tree or person.  There is no distinction between NPCs and players, other
:> than the fact that NPCs can cheat.

:Exactly.  NPCs can cheat. And there is no way to discover or prove this. ;)
:I think this goes a long way in bridging the AI gap that exists between
:players and NPCs.  If I killed a shopkeeper, I should be hoping and
:praying none saw it.  I am attempting similar deterrents, including the
:effects of the "invisible" mud population in any large city.  How likely
:is it that the city square is completely empty in broad daylight?  There
:is a random chance that someone will be viewing the scene through a window
:or notice a character leaving the scene.  Time of day, lighting conditions,
:area and cover should figure into this random chance.  Characters need to
:get more devious in their doings.  A whole string of serial killings and
:the chances of detection should go up as the "invisible" population gets
:more suspicious and observant.

More so, the computer can cheat, by creating NPCs... if it has that
programmed capacity. (I think the above description of "killing" anything,
tree or PC, sounds a bit like my Physical object assembly approach... any
object, no matter how complex, is assembled out of Physical components,
and is subject to the rules thereof. This includes, but is not limited to,
damage, destruction, conversion, and messaging (which is the basis of
pain). On the other hand, only Characters (the mind behind a PC or NPC)
can actually _die_. Death is the termination of a given Character object.
The advantage of the computer is that IT has control of unlimited NPCs, if
needed. It also has a rather sneaky advantage that I slipped in... a
knowledge of forthcoming Events. This may not sound like much... but it
allows an NPC so programmed to evade attacks... making up for the lack of
intuition and reasoning.

:> If the person took no
:> means to disguise their identity it should be pretty easy to find out who
:> they were (especially on a MUD with magic, where you can just throw off a
:> quick post-cognition spell).  

:I recall reading a novel that had magicians on the city guard payroll.
:Perhaps it was one of the Thieves' World stories.  Not sure.

Ethshar of the Sands comes to mind. See Lawrance Watt-Evans, "The Black
Dagger", or possibly a mention in "The Road to Ethshar" (I think that's
the one with the winged girl.) It wasn't, as far as I can recall, in any
Thieves' World story.

:> All of these factors would be taken into
:> account, and the investigation would be run by the system for a few days
:> RPG time.  The result of the investigation would be determined ahead of
:> time, but could be changed by either an admin or possibly an informant who
:> gould give more information in the case.

:Not too mention friends on the city payroll or a couple well-placed bribes
:to high officials.

*grin* I like this last bit...

:> With this sort of system in mind I think PKing will essentially take care
:> of itself (for the most part), just like it does in Real society.  Sure,
:> you will still have the muders far out in the woods which may go
:> unsolved--but at that point the player should be more aware of running
:> through less lawful areas alone.

:I agree. Players need SOME help from the game world NPCs. An "invisible"
:society could be abstractly implemented to handle this.  The rules/laws and
:mechanisms of enforcement could vary from city to city or culture to culture.

Massing Containers again... I think these constructs are going to be far
more useful than I ever imagined... not to mention, if you have a Player
with a problem with the judge, the container can generate that judge on
demand.

:> The appropriatness for this solution is rather world based--its great for
:> my world, which is future/sci-fi/fantasy based (so both technology and
:> magic can be brought into an investigation--magic helps make trials much
:> shorter, or at least immediately incriminates the majority of stupid
:> criminals). 

:Yep it is strictly a thematic decision.  Methinks it would be interesting
:to develop systems of injustice and random arrests on trumped up charges.
:Might add an element of paranoia/oppression to your game if that's where
:you want to go.

Hmmm. This has possibilities. I will have to look into it a bit further.

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Nathan F. Yospe - University of Hawaii Dept of Physics - yospe at hawaii.edu