[MUD-Dev] Re: Marian's Tailor vs. Psychopaths

[Marc Hernandez]

On Fri, 18 Sep 1998, Koster, Raph wrote:

}Basically, these measures seem to be insufficient based on UO's
}experience thus far. A big factor to consider: are the safe cities
}enough for a tailor, or does the tailor want to see the whole of the
}world? 
}-Raph

	By 'see the whole of the world' I assume you mean go adventuring?
If so I think the tailor is going to have to practice at 'adventuring'
skills such as (depending on environment) basic defense, running,
climbing, etc and probably also only go out with a group (like a safari).
The only other option is make the environment safe or scripted as with a
glass bottom boat or DisneyLand(tm)[1].
	Visiting Stonehenge, and fighting the evil minions it has gated
into the world is a much more difficult task when viking marauders are
attacking you.
	Another potential option is having societies large enough to be
mostly self sustaining (ie require their own pools of merchants etc).  IN
some sense this has happened with Teamfortress (a Quake modification).
Only since merchants arent needed they havent show up. On the other
hand fairly stable groups have shown up, leagues have been formed, and
alliences have been forged where groups band together and help each other
out (via player loans and practicing together, and fighting on the same
side in battles).  Running these clans is a fairly difficult purely
personal administrative task but players have taken it upon themselves.
Whether or not players would take it a step further in a persistant
environment and include guarding some plot of land and providing safe
environments for needed specialties (blacksmiths, tailors, farmers)
remains to be seen.  
	Perhaps providing something worth fighting over in a tangible game
sense (ie fame? land?) rather than fighting over something arbitrary would
start this process?  Or some seed could be placed in the minds of players
that would start it.  
	From casual exposure to UO (via newsgroups, reading the website as
well as player ones) it seems there are 2 set factions, Lord British (and
those that are part of his empire) and all the rest.  Either we are part
of britannia or we are part of something againts it.  There is no place
for a seperate entity that is not overtly againts it since LB _owns_ 
britannia.  Since LB represents the creators of the world, we are againts
all parts of him (ie the poor tailors).  People like to be part of things,
and form their own groups.  When something is part of their 'own' they
(the members of the society) tend to protect it.  Getting back to the
tailor if the group 'has' a tailor and the tailor wants to go on and do
something, and assuming the group is a fairly independant entity in
regards to the environment, then chances are the tailor just needs to
mention wanting to go here or there with the members of the group and
would be allowed to tag along.  This is seen in TeamFortress when a clan
member is good at one thing and wants to try something out.  Unless it is
a big event (league match etc) then it is typically allowed.  

Marc Hernandez		marc at eisoftware.com
Programmer		www.eisoftware.com

[1] 'Whoa! There is a big rhino and he looks mad.  <Bang> <Bang> Whew,
that was a close one folks...'