[MUD-Dev] PK again (was: Character evolution)

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 17 Sep 97 at 8:52, Adam Wiggins wrote:
> [Jon L:]
> > It just find the fantasy of it very hard to swallow that when I 
> > pull the trigger of my gun two very different things happen depending 
> > on whether it's pointing at Bubba the PC or Boffo the NPC.
> 
[snip]
> 
> Anyhow, the only potential answer I can see to this question (that is,
> whether or not it's possible to have a no-PK mud and still have it be
> realistic and/or consistant) is that you need to change the entire focus of
> the mud.  Ie, have something fundamentally different about players from NPCs
> (like, players are angels or deities or demons, while NPCs are just normal
> mortals), or get rid of harm and death altogether, and move the focus to
> something completely abstract.

Now this I can easily swallow.  Maybe instead of saying that I didn't
like two very different things happening, I should have stated that
I didn't enjoy "game" messages or warnings in a fantasy environment 
that disturb my sense of (un)belief.   

For instance on a non-PK mud with vampires:
> shoot bubba
The bullets hit and pass through Bubba. 
Bubba seems to be unharmed by them.

Instead of:
> shoot bubba
Player killing is not allowed here.

I think if you are going to go the non-PK route make the reasoning
part of your theme if it really matters to your game.

--
Jon A. Lambert

If I'd known it was harmless, I would have killed it myself.