[MUD-Dev] Character development [was Re: ]

[J C Lawrence]

On Mon, 13 Apr 1998 17:00:55 PST8PDT 
Cimri <cimri1 at gte.net> wrote:

> J C Lawrence wrote:
>> On Thu, 9 Apr 1998 19:40:32 Travis Casey wrote:

> But as Travis so wisely opines what *should* a guild be?  And as
> Chris/JC so pedantically (if accurately) inquires: what problem do
> guilds fix? (paraphrased)

I'm fond of such pedantic questions.  I find they isolate key
fundaments which are oft unexamined.

>   Forget built-in pre-defined guilds.  Throw 'em out.  They don't
> fix anything.  They often, if not always, reinforce the class
> systems I also don't like.  Away with them!

My temptation would be to do nothing, watch carefully what the players 
attempt to do for themselves, and then gradually start backing their
efforts with code.

This is deliberately analagous to Berkely Universities reputed method
for laying out their paths about campus: They didn't.  They built the
university, sodded and seeded the lawns etc, brought the students in,
and then watched where the paths formed.  They then concreted those
paths.

>   Formation of VAs (voluntary associations) such as factions,
> organizations, clubs, corporations, political parties, etc, grants
> no real benefit, and should.  So create systems and structures
> making VAs profitable, useful, interesting, and then have some fun!

>   In RL there are plenty of advantages to forming VAs.  Influence is
> increased, resources are pooled, sharing is presumably enhanced
> resulting in increases in knowledge flow, and so forth.  VAs gain
> their own reputation.  VAs own things, control things, etc.  In
> fact, few individuals own anything any more, at least anything of
> any real significance.  VAs _do_.

cf Keegan's concepts of families and familial inheritances (they're in 
the currently posted archives).

>   The fun I am looking for in a mud that implements a reasonable set
> of incentives for VAs would look something like this (with apologies
> to all concerned for not immediately adopting the conventional BNF
> -- Bubba Naming Form):

Rescidivist!

--
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                               Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------(*)                     Internet: claw at under.engr.sgi.com
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