[MUD-Dev] Re: Marion's Tailor Problem

[Marian Griffith]

On Sat 17 Oct, Ola Fosheim Gr=F8stad wrote:

> Marian Griffith wrote:

> > While I had sworn I would not get involved in a PK-noPK debate anymore
> > I could not resist pointing out at least one omission from this paper.

> You swear a lot Marian! (when it comes to PKing :)

*grin* no, I just do not play that game.

> > What I am missing in his list of  (possibly detrimental) effects of PK
> > on a game is the following:
> > With a player attacking you there is always the doubt that it is some-
> > thing personal, or worse yet, that it is impersonal.

> Yeah, I think the problem is that the author seems to assume that online
> role-playing games are made for role-playing in which all motives are to =
be
> taken as fiction.  My wild guess is that most players simply "hang out" i=
n
> some way or another.  Those who actually write in newsgroups or web board=
s
> are probably dedicated role-players or player killers, but I'm not sure h=
ow
> representative they are.

That depends to a large extend on the game they are playing. I think it is
a safe bet that on PernMush  or the vast majority of the White Wolf mushes
around most are roleplayers. While I do not know from personal experience,
I do not have the impression that you will find much of anything but PKers
playing quake.  As long as the two groups do not mingle you are reasonably
safe :)

> Besides, I think we assume too much about play styles.  To me there seems=
 to
> be a whole bunch of different approaches to playing a MUD if you count in
> motivation, expectations etc, not mere actions... *shrug*

Yes, obviously the motivations to play a game vary much more than anybody
can account for in a short email.

> The obvious problem in a PK MUD is that the distinction/link between play=
er
> and game-piece is arbitrary. All boardgames are better than MUDs in that
> respect.

> Question: is it emotionally better to have your horse killed rather than =
to
> be killed yourself?  Even if the consequences were the same? (loss of
> resources) It is of course possible to be emotionally attached to a horse=
...

Like I said, it largely depends on how you perceive the 'why?'. Somehow
this deviates from the original post and my reply to that though. Besi-
des, I promised I would leave the PK debate alone from now on.  I think
I have made my point abundantly clear by now and there is nothing I can
add to it anymore.  Others may agree or disagree but rehashing the same
arguments over and again is not going to contribute to this mail list.


Marian
--=20
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey