[MUD-Dev] Re: WIRED: Kilers have more fun

[Jon A. Lambert]

On  5 Aug 98, Robert Woods wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Aug 1998, Jon A. Lambert wrote:
> 
> > I would suggest that most all games place a value on certain actions. 
> > Such valuations may or may not coincide with the valuations placed 
> > on comparable actions in the real world.  Yes, I said most.  Even in 
> > mud games where most all of the rules regarding RL morals, civility 
> > and ethics are suspended, there are usually some rules which are 
> > enforced merely to hold players.  I don't know many free-for-all 
> > games that hold players for long if it is well known that admins and 
> > their personal friends roam about with invincible characters randomly 
> > killing anyone who logs in.  Game players will always bring a very 
> > basic (e)valuation to any game.  If the game is fixed and/or known to 
> > be unwinnable and without enjoyment it is not a desirable game to 
> > play.  It may not even qualify as a game at all.  Sort of like 
> > "Calvin-ball", if anyone gets the reference. ;)
> 
> I'm not sure that Calvinball is a good analogy.  After all, for Calvin,
> Hobbes, and even the babysitter on one occasion, Calvinball is a great
> game.  Even though the rules are subject to change at whim (which,
> incidentally, I was on the staff of a MUD like that), the point of
> the game is to waste time being silly.  A better example to me would be a
> blackjack/poker game where the deck is marked and the dealer is a known
> cheater.

Your probably right.  My notion of Calvinball was that he was 
essentially playing the game alone, since Hobbes was just an 
imaginary friend to play with.  I would imagine that some less mature 
admins view players in a similar light.  Like toy tigers that often 
talk and fight back.  Ultimately Calvin directed and manipulated 
Hobbes into situations for Calvin's personal entertainment.    

I must have missed the ones with the babysitter.   
Loved that strip   :)  

> But, I agree totally with you that there are many rules that are there
> simply to keep players from giving up and leaving.  I have noticed also
> that the smaller MUDs tend to have more of these rules, where the larger,
> more established MUDs tend to be a lot more relaxed about it.  There are
> probably exceptions on both ends of the spectrum, but most that I have
> experienced have been like that.

Hmm, you might have something here with your observations on rules 
to scale.  5 players threatening to leave because of a "perceived" 
injustice or unfairness on a 100-300 player game may be less 
significant than on a 20-40 player game.  Could it be that muds with 
smaller populations engage in more player appeasement which 
translates into more game rules?

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